Selmer series 9 Bb clarinet
- Thread starter Mike M
- Start date
As a newly invigorated Clarinet player, I have tried several clarinets and my favorite is a Series 9 paired with a Clark Fobes SF mouthpiece after trying at least 10 other mouthpieces.
There is really no place to try different horns esp these days, but I did try other 9's and Bb and A 10's as well as a few others,
and the nine I have projects well and plays in tune, so I'm happy.
There is really no place to try different horns esp these days, but I did try other 9's and Bb and A 10's as well as a few others,
and the nine I have projects well and plays in tune, so I'm happy.
My main clarinet is a Selmer 10G Bb that I purchased in '77 (freshman year of college) from Rayburn's, Boston.
This past December (2020) I was looking online for an older R-13 for a clarinet student of mine and came across a Selmer series 9 on ebay at a pawn shop near Hartford, CT.
I called the store and asked if I could drive out and try it - which I did.
The bell and two body parts were all original (no cracks & looked like it was recently overhauled) but the barrel was from a Signet Soloist plus a new Van Doren 5RV mpc.
My 10G barrel fit, the instrument was tight and played very well - a bit more free-blowing than my 10G but I liked it as it was pretty much in-tune without me adjusting.
The store owner wanted $499. I told him that the barrel was not original and mouthpiece was a student one (I don't like 5RV's) so all I would want was the 3 pieces (body/body/bell) & case.
I got it for $350.00 (including tax).
We'll see if I ever use it on a symphony gig but I think that Selmer series 9 clarinets are a great value.
I see them at times for $5-600 which is a bargain for an instrument with a pro bore.
This past December (2020) I was looking online for an older R-13 for a clarinet student of mine and came across a Selmer series 9 on ebay at a pawn shop near Hartford, CT.
I called the store and asked if I could drive out and try it - which I did.
The bell and two body parts were all original (no cracks & looked like it was recently overhauled) but the barrel was from a Signet Soloist plus a new Van Doren 5RV mpc.
My 10G barrel fit, the instrument was tight and played very well - a bit more free-blowing than my 10G but I liked it as it was pretty much in-tune without me adjusting.
The store owner wanted $499. I told him that the barrel was not original and mouthpiece was a student one (I don't like 5RV's) so all I would want was the 3 pieces (body/body/bell) & case.
I got it for $350.00 (including tax).
We'll see if I ever use it on a symphony gig but I think that Selmer series 9 clarinets are a great value.
I see them at times for $5-600 which is a bargain for an instrument with a pro bore.
Lately I have been spending some time on my series 9* that I purchased in Jan, 21.
It is free-blowing yes, but the intonation is all over the place - or so it seems.
Six months ago I purchased a series 9 barrel (64mm) and the middle C (concert Bb) is pretty good (maybe a smigde high) but the throat tones are way sharp.
I have been comparing it to my 10G (which plays very well in tune for me).....mayne I am just used to the 10G...?
I do remember, however, that one of my clarinet professors in college back in the late 70's (Prof Fulginitti) played a selmer clarinet (series?) and he had added strips of blue electrical tape around the inside of the three exposed right-hand tone holes.
I asked him about it and he said that it made the clarinet play better in tune.
Any other similar experiences??
It is free-blowing yes, but the intonation is all over the place - or so it seems.
Six months ago I purchased a series 9 barrel (64mm) and the middle C (concert Bb) is pretty good (maybe a smigde high) but the throat tones are way sharp.
I have been comparing it to my 10G (which plays very well in tune for me).....mayne I am just used to the 10G...?
I do remember, however, that one of my clarinet professors in college back in the late 70's (Prof Fulginitti) played a selmer clarinet (series?) and he had added strips of blue electrical tape around the inside of the three exposed right-hand tone holes.
I asked him about it and he said that it made the clarinet play better in tune.
Any other similar experiences??
One of my teachers had done this to his own mint Selmer Mark VI Bb soprano saxophone. Might have only been the altissimo palm keys, IIRC. Pretty sure he also did this to an ancient Conn Eb baritone saxophone that had key work from at least two different horns. He used cork and some sort of paper-y material.
My opinion is that this would probably work OK for the specific set-up you're using and only for you. It'd make things a bit sharper, i.e. smaller tone hole = sharper, bigger tone hole = flatter.
I did try both of my teacher's horns, at one point, but I can't be used as a good example: I have problems playing straight soprano saxophones and that bari was in extremely bad condition. It was also a looooooong time ago.
I’ve used such crescents to bring a couple of bad notes up to pitch on a vintage bass sax. Friends have done the same on vintage baris. Downside is added stuffiness.
More similar to the tape, I had to insert a piece of heat shrink tubing into an octave pip that was too large, also on a bass sax (new, not vintage). Without it, the palm notes were airy and unstable.
Smaller horns with dodgy intonation I can usually lip up or down without resorting to mechanical intervention.
More similar to the tape, I had to insert a piece of heat shrink tubing into an octave pip that was too large, also on a bass sax (new, not vintage). Without it, the palm notes were airy and unstable.
Smaller horns with dodgy intonation I can usually lip up or down without resorting to mechanical intervention.
Last edited:
...just chiming in here on the clarinet type
I have 3 Selmer clarinets from this era:
- P-series Centered Tone
- Full Boehm Centered Tone
- Early Series 9
I mostly play the Centered tone, but I also have a Yamaha Custom 853 that is a great practice horn as the intonation is so perfect, and I have a number of Vito clarinets for "at risk" gigs...these play surprisingly well and I have made a good business buying these online (mostly from Goodwill) and refurbing them with a professional quality overhaul.
I have 3 Selmer clarinets from this era:
- P-series Centered Tone
- Full Boehm Centered Tone
- Early Series 9
I mostly play the Centered tone, but I also have a Yamaha Custom 853 that is a great practice horn as the intonation is so perfect, and I have a number of Vito clarinets for "at risk" gigs...these play surprisingly well and I have made a good business buying these online (mostly from Goodwill) and refurbing them with a professional quality overhaul.