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This model of Signet seems to be different only in that it has double-plated chrome keys. The chrome plating is excellent, and may be a special alloy. Even when I got the instrument, the keys showed no tarnish. Note that there is a newer Selmer Soloist (without the word Signet).
Bore of LH joint top of #34518: 15mm
Bore of LH joint bottom of #34518: 14.5mm (I doubt if that is normal.)
The above picture is courtesy of Bugbarn. By the way, Signet RH joints are not marked with a serial number. Bugbarn's pictures above show that the Soloist model should be stamped with that name on all joints.
6May2012: Serial #13907 Thanks to Peggy S. for giving me the opportunity to review this instrument.
Barrel: 66.4mm
Bore LH joint top: 15.0mm
Bore LH joint at bottom: 14.6mm poly-cylindrical!
Intonation results taken when playing loud and not lipping. See how to interpret these results on the Model Comparison Page.
For this test, I pulled 0.3 at the barrel and 1 in the center for this horn.
Intonation summary: Wonderful! This is pro-level intonation, and with a wide bore starting point. At least with this high of a serial number, the Soloist is better than the Selmer Signet Special. See Jan202 addition below!
Key work quality: The key metal is not as hard as I would like. The chrome plating is very nice. I have seen some Soloists with badly bent keys.
This clarinet is most appropriate for: Anyone, especially intermediate to advanced.
Phil's other reconditioned Selmer Signet Soloists:
21Jun2012 #19814. Serial number only marked on LH joint. This also, like the first that I reviewed has wonderfully shiny keys with no wear marks.
14Jun2013, #29532. For Scott W. Good playing clarinet!
I am very thankful for Dr. Steven Woronick's input! He sent the tuning results with red numbers above.
I thought you might be interested in these results.Both Selmer Signet Soloists (SN 30165 and SN 33252) were tested using a 65mm Chinese-made composite polymer barrel and a refaced Sumner Professional Acousticut 2* mouthpiece with a number 3 Vandoran reed.SN 30165 was also tested with manufacturer supplied 66.5 mm wooden barrel and gave readings that are a little flat. This could be partly due to the mouthpiece I suppose, but I think I prefer the 65 mm barrel because it allows room for adjustment and I prefer being little bit sharp over being a little flat. Sharpness is also easier to correct by lipping down.Blowing normal to loud. Instrument warm. I actually started out with the instrument not completely warmed up and then went back and re-checked some earlier readings and got better results.These are results I got using the SoundCorset Tuner. Cents sharp or flat.
Red type highlights values for notes reported for this model in clarinetpages.net.
It can also be seen that there is a correlation between the two clarinets. They tend to agree on many notes about sharpness, flatness, or in-tune. Surely this reflects some common design features / flaws, although admittedly I cannot separate the role of the mouthpiece and might get somewhat different results (I'll have to try a different mouthpiece).I picked up SN 30165 from a newspaper listing on Long Island in the mid 1980s for $300. I knew absolutely nothing about Selmer Signet Soloists at that time. I just went and played it and thought it played pretty good and I thought it was probably a fair price. Based on information on the internet, I believe it was manufactured about 1957 - 1958. There is a seller on eBay selling overhauled Selmer Signet Soloists for about $550 who writes a glowing description.I picked up SN 33252 on eBay for about $134, including tax and shipping. The seller said it had been her grandfather's. It came with a Portnoy BP02 mouthpiece in nice shape. Clarinet had a bent key or two (left pinky C#/F#) which I corrected. That C# is sometimes a little hesitant, but I couldn't find any leak (using simple methods) and the instrument otherwise plays OK. I have also observed that the same note can be a little hesitant on SN 30165. Sometimes that kind of of thing can be due to inadvertent key-pushes (like accidentally hitting the nearby C#/G# key).
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