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Selmer Mazzeo Clarinet Series 9, France, almost unused
Estimated price for orientation: 3 750 $
Category: Other Vintage Woodwind
Class:
Description Brand: Selmer Country/Region of Manufacture: France
Selmer Mazzeo Clarinet, Series 9, Full Boehm, excellent condition.I collect(ed) Selmer's premier clarinets with the special Bb slip mechanism developed by Rosario Mazzeo in the 1950s. The very high end Paris models (not to be confused with the low end Bundy and mid-level Signet with Mazzeo keys) used Selmer's top of the line model at the time of manufacturer Some of the French units (and it appears fairly few), were adaptations of Selmer's current flagship model at the time of manufacture. These were made in Series 9 and Series 10 models; some claim that these were also made in some earlier models like the Series G but I have never seen one. This is a full Boehm model. There a few key modifications at the top of the upper section for the Mazzeo mechanism. The mechanism also includes a simple slide mechanism that changes the clarinet between the normal fingering system and a very slight modification of normal fingering to use the Mazzeo mechanism. From report, Mazzeo and Selmer designed this ability to switch to help professional players adapt to a modified keying system. Around 2004, I conducted an international search for Mazzeo French clarinets and purchased 10 through various sources. This one came to me because a music store had been acquired by a national US chain and in cleaning the attic the new owner had found some brand new, older band instruments that had never made it into the computer inventory back before there were personal computers. They found me through my ads and called because they were selling off the old instruments. I checked out their story and all evidence led me to believe that the story was true. The instrument arrived with the old Selmer stickers for the Version 9 Mazzeo model intact although pretty stuck on after decades. The stickers were destroyed by the restorer during the oiling immersion process.I consulted experts at restoring old clarinets around for decades with oiling, humidors, etc, and found that the advice was to immerse the clarinet fully in oil after (obviously removing the keys). While they were off the clarinet was repadded and recorked. There was no evidence it had been played much, if at all, and cracks or crack repairs were detected.I have played this horn about 50-100 hours over the years. Beautiful instrument but I played it minimally to keep this in prime condition. I doubt there is a better one around.As to Version 9 or 10, I have owned three V9's and seven V10's and while this runs count to claims of many, I found the V9's to be "better." I believe that very very very few V9 clarinets were made with the Mazzeo mechanism as compared to the very few made with V10 clarinets. The only three full Boehm Selmer Mazzeo clarinets I have seen are this V9, a V10 I had restored and sold to a very happy Los Angeles studio musician, and the one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.Sold as is, in a two clarinet case with only this Bb instrument. Tax only in North Carolina. Shipping to the USA only. If you don't like the stated price, make a SERIOUS offer. No returns.Free insured shipping to USA addresses.I would not sell this instrument had I not become medically unable to play the clarinet about 6 years ago.Look at what buyers have said about my previous sales. Perfect record and I deliver what I describe.
Description
| Brand: | Selmer | Country/Region of Manufacture: | France |
Selmer Mazzeo Clarinet, Series 9, Full Boehm, excellent condition.I collect(ed) Selmer's premier clarinets with the special Bb slip mechanism developed by Rosario Mazzeo in the 1950s. The very high end Paris models (not to be confused with the low end Bundy and mid-level Signet with Mazzeo keys) used Selmer's top of the line model at the time of manufacturer Some of the French units (and it appears fairly few), were adaptations of Selmer's current flagship model at the time of manufacture. These were made in Series 9 and Series 10 models; some claim that these were also made in some earlier models like the Series G but I have never seen one. This is a full Boehm model. There a few key modifications at the top of the upper section for the Mazzeo mechanism. The mechanism also includes a simple slide mechanism that changes the clarinet between the normal fingering system and a very slight modification of normal fingering to use the Mazzeo mechanism. From report, Mazzeo and Selmer designed this ability to switch to help professional players adapt to a modified keying system. Around 2004, I conducted an international search for Mazzeo French clarinets and purchased 10 through various sources. This one came to me because a music store had been acquired by a national US chain and in cleaning the attic the new owner had found some brand new, older band instruments that had never made it into the computer inventory back before there were personal computers. They found me through my ads and called because they were selling off the old instruments. I checked out their story and all evidence led me to believe that the story was true. The instrument arrived with the old Selmer stickers for the Version 9 Mazzeo model intact although pretty stuck on after decades. The stickers were destroyed by the restorer during the oiling immersion process.I consulted experts at restoring old clarinets around for decades with oiling, humidors, etc, and found that the advice was to immerse the clarinet fully in oil after (obviously removing the keys). While they were off the clarinet was repadded and recorked. There was no evidence it had been played much, if at all, and cracks or crack repairs were detected.I have played this horn about 50-100 hours over the years. Beautiful instrument but I played it minimally to keep this in prime condition. I doubt there is a better one around.As to Version 9 or 10, I have owned three V9's and seven V10's and while this runs count to claims of many, I found the V9's to be "better." I believe that very very very few V9 clarinets were made with the Mazzeo mechanism as compared to the very few made with V10 clarinets. The only three full Boehm Selmer Mazzeo clarinets I have seen are this V9, a V10 I had restored and sold to a very happy Los Angeles studio musician, and the one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.Sold as is, in a two clarinet case with only this Bb instrument. Tax only in North Carolina. Shipping to the USA only. If you don't like the stated price, make a SERIOUS offer. No returns.Free insured shipping to USA addresses.I would not sell this instrument had I not become medically unable to play the clarinet about 6 years ago.Look at what buyers have said about my previous sales. Perfect record and I deliver what I describe.