REFORM BOEHM CLARINETS • MODEL 3000
Discover the timeless beauty and elegance and the warm sound of our clarinets with the French fingering system and a German bore.
INDIVIDUAL CHOICE OF WOOD
With our clarinets, we offer you the option of choosing between four types of wood. Each type of wood gives the instrument an individual sound characteristic and allows you to find the perfect sound for your music.
Grenadilla
Boxwood
Mopane
Leadwood
Model 3000
The symbiosis of the French fingering system and a German bore
The Model 3000 combines the best of two worlds – the elegance of the French fingering system and the versatility of the German bore. The combination of these two unique features creates a clarinet that is an outstanding choice for both soloists and ensemble players. The French fingering system enables easy and precise playing, while the German bore produces a warm and full sound. The symbiosis of these characteristics makes our Schwenk & Seggelke Model 3000 a truly remarkable instrument.
CHARAKTER
The larger cylindrical parts of the German bore in combination with open semitone holes ensure a very homogeneous, centered and present sound.
MECHANICAL FEATURES
Register key with bb’ mechanism or with bb’ mechanism and bb’ connector?
bb’ mechanism: This option solves a fundamental physical problem of the clarinet: it ensures an easier response and better intonation in the overblown register thanks to a smaller speaker vent, while at the same time improving the sound of the short bb’ thanks to an additional resonance hole. Clarinets with a bb’ mechanism can ideally do without a bell mechanism, as the bb’ mechanism allows a completely different tuning of the notes in the high and low registers.
bb’-mechanism with bb’-connector: The bb’-connector is an additional connection from the ring key of the left index finger to the bb’-resonance key. It is necessary for special fingerings in the high register (above c”’), which are played with an open thumb hole and with the register key pressed.
bb’ mechanism without bb’ connection
bb’ mechanism with bb’ connection
The side trill key in French style or German style?
French style: the side trills have the classic French shape.
German style: The button of the bb’ trill is built lengthwise downwards and also allows the c”’ sharp trill to be operated separately for improved intonation. This shape was adopted from the German clarinet model.
French style
German style
Options for the fork mechanism on the upper joint
French style: connection from the right index finger to the bb key
French style with the fork bb”-mechanism: The additional resonance key controlled by the left ring finger enables a forked bb” to be played with the left hand only (index and ring finger).
German style with fork bb”-mechanism: There is no longer a connection between the upper and lower joint. The middle and ring fingers on the left are positioned as on the German clarinet; the forked bb with the index and ring fingers becomes a well sounding fingering, e’ and b” are also tonally improved.
French Fork Mechanism
French ring keys with fork-bb”
German ring keys with fork-bb”
Extra g” sharp button for the right index finger
The extra g” sharp button offers the additional option for operating the g” sharp with the right index finger.
long g” sharp key
long g” sharp key
f sharp/g sharp trill
The g sharp key for the left little finger is split. The ring key mechanism of the right hand automatically closes the open g” sharp key via a connecting lever from f” sharp downwards.
f” sharp/g” sharp trill
with or without E flat lever
Our 3000 model is available with and without an Es lever. Our French-style clarinets are built with an e flat lever as standard.
E-flat lever
Ring key mechanism on the lower joint
Acton mechanism: This resonance key improves the sound and intonation of B/f” sharp.
A/e” mechanism: A smaller tone hole for the ring finger on the right is supplemented by a resonance tone hole below. This keeps the A low enough and the e” high enough.
with Acton mechanism
with Acton & A/e mechanism
without additional mechanism
right little finger key buttons
Our clarinets with the French fingering system have optional rollers on the buttons for the right little finger.
without rollers: the key buttons have a full shape. The little finger switches back and forth between the keys.
with rollers: the keys are equipped with Delrin, silver or gold rollers for better sliding between the keys.
without rollers
with rollers
Split c key
The large tone hole for g’/d” is divided into two chromatic tone holes. This makes the sound more even.
without split c-key
with split c-key
b/c sharp trill
If you are used to switching from b’ to c” sharp (analogous to E-F sharp) with your little fingers, as is traditionally done, you probably find that it is not easy to have a clean execution. This is easier if the b’ key remains closed. However, the sound of the c” sharp is darkened by the closed b’ tone hole. Our mechanism solves the problem by automatically connecting the b’ to the c” sharp key. This is divided into two parts. A key opened at rest is held closed by the strong spring of the little finger key. The c” sharp key now remains closed and the b’ key can move freely. In other words, it’s the exact opposite key movement to the traditional one without changing the fingering. The reward for getting used to it is a smooth switch between b’ and c” sharp with clean intonation. Both in the slow tempo (e.g. in the “Bolero” B-flat clarinet solo) and when trilling.
with b flat /c sharp trill
without b/c sharp trill
Bell
Schwenk & Seggelke clarinets are available either without mechanism on the bell, with low E-mechanism or low E-F-mechanism. In some rare cases, we have also built clarinets with the low F-mechanism only. The low E-mechanism corrects the intonation of the low E through a resonance hole in the bell. The low E-F mechanism also corrects the low F through a small resonance hole with a corresponding key mechanism on the lower joint. These two mechanisms are the same for all Schwenk & Seggelke models in A and B flat.
without bell mechanism
with low-e mechanism
with low-e-f mechanism
The right
mouthpiece MAKES
Perfection in the art of the clarinet
The mouthpiece plays a decisive role in the blowing resistance and intonation of the instrument. For Seggelke clarinets, we recommend playing our instruments with mouthpieces with the bore we have modified. These customized mouthpieces bring out the full potential of your clarinet and let your musical interpretation shine.
Our French clarinets in comparison
As the quintessence of our many years of experience with musicians from all over the world, we offer our clarinets with French fingering in two fundamentally different body and bore variants: In addition to the wide German bore as the basis for the 3000 model, there is the typical French bore, which differs from this by its elongated cone in the lower joint and so-called polycylindrical ratios in the upper joint (1000 and 1000+ models ).
Our Model 1000 combines handcrafted individual production with the most frequently played bore and fingering system in the world, the so-called “Boehm clarinet”.
Our Model 1000+ is based on the body and the basic tone hole arrangement of the Model 1000. The difference lies in the arrangement of the tone holes on the upper joint: the tone hole for g’ is on the left side of the body. This makes it possible to position the tone holes for ab’ and a’ much further away from the mouthpiece and thus make them larger. This arrangement is complemented by the bb’ mechanism, which is also used in our clarinets with a German bore (model 2000/3000). On the lower joint, the fork key for B/f” sharp is resolved by a resonance key (Acton mechanism) located on the side.
The combination of optimized tone holes and traditional French bore allows for a deliberately more homogeneous sound across the registers and a significantly optimized ratio of the twelfths (better intonation).
We also use this optimized tone hole arrangement for our Model 3000 (German bore) and optionally add additional resonance keys as open semitone holes.
Sound characteristics of the different models:
- Model 1000: A color difference between the low and high registers is intended – the sound is dark and fundamental in the low register and becomes brighter and more brilliant towards the higher notes.
- Model 1000+: The changed tone hole positions ensure a slightly more even coloration, especially towards the higher notes, a certain dark coloration is retained.
- Model 3000: The larger cylindrical parts of the German bore in combination with open semitone holes ensure a very homogeneous, centered and present sound.
Why you will love our Schwenk & Seggelke clarinets
Craftsmanship
Each Schwenk & Seggelke clarinet is made with the greatest care by our experienced craftswomen & -men as a unique piece to ensure the highest quality.
VERSATILITY
Whether you play classical works, jazz or modern compositions, our clarinets adapt to your individual style.
Optimized tone holes
The innovative tone hole arrangement of our clarinets guarantees excellent intonation and an expressive sound.
True passion
Our love of music and craftsmanship is reflected in every detail of our clarinets. Discover the world of the French fingering system and experience the fascination of our high-quality clarinets. Whether you are an experienced musician or an enthusiastic amateur, our instruments will inspire you.
