Hi Guys
I remember a few names here from the saxon theweb thing a VERY long time back.
Anyhow, I wanted to pick a brain or two.
Just picked up an old Selmer Eb bass clarinet from about 1976 according to the serial number. Condition appears to be very good. I took it to my usual trusted tech who fixed a few leaks and whatever. Then I disappeared off to New Orleans for a 6 week musical break ...
On return, I am getting back into the beast, but I discover an issue. There is a problem with the double octave vent mechanism, where the lower vent key (on the body not the neck) should be closed once the right hand 3rd finger is lifted.
Very often that vent does not completely close. Looking closely I see that it seems a very delicate mechanism - hard to make work reliably I would think.
I also have an issue that it is very hard to play notes around D D# in the upper register (That is with 6 fingers down) - they are quite stuffy and almost impossible to come in with a nice sound pianissimo (which I need for some work I want to do on this).
My tech is off until feb, so I need to look out someone else locally to have a look - sigh.
Here's what I want to know - are Selmer (Paris) models of this vintage good horns? Are they particularly temeramental? Or did the old lady just object to being neglected while I went off gallivanting?
cheers
Daniel
I remember a few names here from the saxon theweb thing a VERY long time back.
Anyhow, I wanted to pick a brain or two.
Just picked up an old Selmer Eb bass clarinet from about 1976 according to the serial number. Condition appears to be very good. I took it to my usual trusted tech who fixed a few leaks and whatever. Then I disappeared off to New Orleans for a 6 week musical break ...
On return, I am getting back into the beast, but I discover an issue. There is a problem with the double octave vent mechanism, where the lower vent key (on the body not the neck) should be closed once the right hand 3rd finger is lifted.
Very often that vent does not completely close. Looking closely I see that it seems a very delicate mechanism - hard to make work reliably I would think.
I also have an issue that it is very hard to play notes around D D# in the upper register (That is with 6 fingers down) - they are quite stuffy and almost impossible to come in with a nice sound pianissimo (which I need for some work I want to do on this).
My tech is off until feb, so I need to look out someone else locally to have a look - sigh.
Here's what I want to know - are Selmer (Paris) models of this vintage good horns? Are they particularly temeramental? Or did the old lady just object to being neglected while I went off gallivanting?
cheers
Daniel