 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JKC
Date: 2008-04-03 23:05
Hi Everyone,
I am thinking of buying a Selmer Paris Signature. Do you know someone provides hand-selected Selmer clarinet? I know Mr. Grabner does only Buffet. If you have any other ideas, please advise me .
Thank you.
Best,
J
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-04-04 00:48
You don't want to wait for the new Privelige Bb and A clarinets which are coming out in this month I belive which are supposed to have better intonation than the Signature and more similar feel between the Bb and A. Check out www.selmer.fr
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Author: thinker
Date: 2008-04-04 02:16
Excuse my ignorance - but how do the Selmers stack up against the Buffets?
As a sax player, I have a bias for selmer-paris. But, I was so disappointed with a recent soprano, I abandoned them for the first time. I'm goign to start clarinet next month and I have access to an R13 Buffet.
Thanks.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-04-04 02:31
They stack up quite well. At this point all of the major brands too end Clarinets are very good and its completely personal preference asto what is the best.
20 years ago I would have said Buffet and nothing else came close.
Not that way anymore though I am primarily a Buffet player.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Jkelly32562
Date: 2008-04-04 03:49
I would suggest Selmer over Buffet, but I am stubborn and biased. It really is a preference. R13s are being cheaply made, with no reduction cost. (I don't think you get what you pay for). My biggest problems with Buffet are that they use nylon pins that hold on the spatula keys and my colleagues that play on Buffet are constantly having to adjust some screw or something, not that my Selmer doesn't need some tweaking sometimes, they just seem to need it more. I am not happy with the Buffet A clarinet I purchased, so I will probably be looking for a Selmer A, possibly the new Prestige coming out soon?
Jonathan Kelly
jkelly32562@troy.edu
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Author: thinker
Date: 2008-04-04 04:26
Aside from Selmer & Buffet - are there others to look at of quality?
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-04-04 04:49
I purchased a new Selmer Signature two years ago after using Buffets forever, and I love it. BUT, I did have to do a lot of work on intonation. By the way, I had to do the same thing with my Buffets. The problem with someone “hand picking” out a clarinet for you is that they are doing it with their mouthpiece, their voicing for intonation and tone quality as well as resistance preference. I suggest you call around places like Weiner, Muncy, Woodwind Brass Wind and any other major company that carries clarinets and find out who has several in stock. If possible go there and try them or ask them to send you as many as they will to try out. I bought mine at Vincent Marrineli in Delaware. He’s a good repairman too so can make adjustments on the spot. I don’t know how many he has in stock. He advertises in the Clarinet Journal. ESP
www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: Jkelly32562
Date: 2008-04-06 02:59
I know it is a division of Selmer, but Leblancs are also a trusted name.
Jonathan Kelly
jkelly32562@troy.edu
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-04-06 04:49
One thing about advertizing, quality, etc. is that Buffet- simply for having that name- has very little to prove. People are often more fogiving of it's flaws because 'it is a Buffet'. Same goes for brands like Sony which, IMO, break more than any other brand.
All the "other" companies actually have to produce real quality to be respected. For this reason, I would try the "others" as much as I can.
I have a set of Buffet Festivals that are OK- I got a good deal and they were better than what I had.
However, I have a Lyrque on order. You might want to check out those, too.
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Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-04-06 07:31
"I know it is a division of Selmer, but Leblancs ...."
Wrong wrong wrong.
Leblanc is owned by Steinway, as part of their Conn-Selmer division.
Selmer Signatures are made by Selmer Paris, who are completely independent.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-04-06 08:32
"Aside from Selmer & Buffet - are there others to look at of quality?"
Howarth, Peter Eaton, Yamaha, Le Blanc, possibly Orsi...
Is there still a good German-made clarinet?
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-04-06 11:12
"Is there still a good German-made clarinet?"
Leitner and Kraus are great. As are Schwenk & Seggelke. Both are quite expensive though. About double (or more) the price of a good French clarinet.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-04-07 02:12
Take away the romance, and habit, and Buffet is almost paling into insignificance!
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-04-07 05:41
"Is there still a good German-made clarinet?"
There are several (many) German clarinet makers but I don't think many people play them outside certain countries.
"Take away the romance, and habit, and Buffet is almost paling into insignificance!"
Maybe they have some problems but I think they still play and sound great.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-04-07 12:17
btw - I have a Selmer Signature and like it, but not as much as my Buffet Prestige R-13. The middle B is a bit fuzzy. That's an issue that can be fixed (Ricardo's Signature had the exact same problem and he got Backun to fix it), but apparently many come that way.
Yes Ricardo played the Recital mostly (now he plays the Backun Clarinet) , but he owns a Signature too.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Ken Mills
Date: 2008-04-07 23:13
I had one of the early Signature models from about 1999 with those raised toneholes that distinguish it. They are higher pitched by almost (I don't know) a quarter step, which is real good for me who uses a soft reed. Two barrels 62 (for me) and 64 mm, but do not change its length too much on a conical bore upper joint instrument or you know what will happen when you go over the break. Why don't you take a 3x5 card and measure the instruments from the top of the barrel to the tonehole of the side A trill key?
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-04-08 15:07
On my Selmer Signature I am using a Backun 62.5 barrel and his bell, which he drilled an air vent in for me, to raise the pitch of the tuning middle B that was a bit flat as compared to the other break notes. That also clears up what David said about that note being fussy, though I didn’t have that problem on mine. I found the 64 mm barrel it came with to be a bit to long for me and although I found the 62.5 mm barrel if also came with OK, I prefer the feeling and tone quality of the Backun. ESP, www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-04-08 17:51
Ed I assume that you are playing at 440 pitch. But when my teacher bought his Signature in Paris he got 62.5 and 64.5 mm barrels as well and they were both too long for 442 pitch which is the standard here in Iceland. They almost refused to let him have a shorter one because they said that nobady needed to play that high. In fact if he pick up the clarinet cold it takes few minutes to warm up to 442 pitch. And his clarinet is labeled 442 on the upper part of the clarinet. I have to say that this is very strange.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-04-08 22:01
Hi Ice, Yes, we do play at A440, at least when we start. Once I’m warmed up I have to pull the middle joint on my Selmer out about a 16th of an inch and after a while I have to pull the barrel out a bit to. If I leave both joints pushed in all the way I would be at or close to A 442 with the 62.5 barrel but the 64 is just to long. A 63 would be perfect for me but Backun doesn’t make one at 63. You can always have a standard barrel cut down by a repairman if necessary. ESP
www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-04-09 00:58
I think the main reason is because many players in France uses Vandoren or similar mouthpieces at 442 pitch but he is using Lomax pitched at 440. But it's still strange not to be able to play at 442 with the 62.5 barrel although he is using 440 mouthpiece. With the 61.5 barrel he is not in tune until after he warms up.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-04-09 21:36
Ice, It could be the way he voices. Different players can play the same equipment and play at different pitches. ESP
www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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