Klarinet Archive - Posting 000124.txt from 1994/06

From: Clark W Fobes <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Age of Buffet Clarinets
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 1994 01:25:07 -0400

Someone wanted to know if their Buffet clarinet was an R-13 or not. I
checked some notes and my serial # list. This is the best I can do:

The R-13 was the brain child of master acoustician Robert Carre. I
believe that it was the first use of a poly cylindrical bore by Buffet.

Carre did not come on board until the early 1950's. The list from Buffet
of serial #'s has some gaps because they have lost some books of record.

1946 begins with #29001. 1958 begins with 58835. Their letter indicated
to me that production during that time was approximately 3,000 pieces per
year, but my math comes up with something more like 2,500 per year. Also
considering that production prior to #29001 was usually about 1,000 per year
I would guess that production did not immediately step up 250%. My rough
estimate puts #3500 at approximately 1950.

Another way to check whether or not an old Buffet is an R-13 might be to
measure the upper joint bore. My thinking is that the pre R-13 clarinet
would be slightly smaller at the top compared to an R-13 and slightly
larger at the bottom compared to an R-13. I have measured several
vintages of R-13's and find .585"-.590" to be normal for the top end and
.575" - .579" at the bottom end. (Interestingly, these measurements
correspond very well to proper parameters for a good reverse cone barrel)

I know that Mr. Karp has been very involved in measuring clarinets and I
would be interested if he could shed any light on this subject.

Roger Shilcock mentioned that a book was written about the history of Buffet,
I would dearly love to get a copy of that!

Clark W Fobes