Author: TomS
Date: 2014-04-20 21:11
I believe some of the Selmer series 10 clarinets made it through a finishing shop, possibly managed by Ralph Morgan. These would be more valuable (and better) than others. And, I guess some Buffets, especially those that were selected by and adjusted by Moennig would be more valuable. The challenge is record keeping and verification. I don't think some of the "finishers" realized the historic value of what they were doing at the time.
Yeah, intelligent selection of a wood clarinet and proper post factory work can make the difference between mediocre and excellent. Although, I think a few truly great instruments accidentally sneak past the scrutiny of "pickers".
The real problem is that play testing and selection by the end user should be performed on an instrument AFTER it goes through the hands of an skilled technician on this side of the pond. Things change during packing, transport and storage (especially on wood instruments) ... and most factory adjustments are performed relatively quickly. Sometimes, just a leaky pad or a bumper cork too thick can spoil the experience of selection, and an otherwise great instrument will be cast aside. I once was made a super deal on a new Yamaha E-flat by a local music store. Well, the thing was so badly out of adjustment, that I had to decline. I told the store manager that the instrument needed repair before I could tell anything about how it played or tuned. I just got a shrug ... I guess it eventually went to a less discriminating customer.
Tom
Post Edited (2014-04-21 18:26)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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