Klarinet Archive - Posting 000315.txt from 2004/05

From: X-MailScanner-tom.henson@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Down Vintage Road Lane - What a Wonderful View
Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 13:05:07 -0400

I just have to share this with this list as I am sitting here looking at a
brand new old stock 1967 Buffet R13 A clarinet.

This was found in a music store that was closing down, and according to the
person who sold it to me, the owner had hoarded this clarinet along with a
few other instruments until his death. His son was cleaning out the store.

It is literally brand new, only having been test played and I was assured it
had never left the store and it looks like it. It came in a Black Buffet
double case with the rounded corners and white stitching. It also has a
matching vinyl case cover. The case has the blue velvet with the Satin
ribbon "The Sweetest Clarinet Ever Made".

I am looking at a warranty card from Buffet that says "is guaranteed to be
free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of twenty years
and against checks or cracks for a period of three months from date of
original purchase for use". Even the Buffet swab is different. It has about
a foot long piece of plastic tube sewn into the purple pull ribbon instead
of just a short weight.

Gee, I wonder what would happen if I actually filled it out and returned it
to Buffet. It would probably elicit a laugh or two, and then a sense of
pride. Maybe I should enclose some pictures.

It also came with a "Care of Woodwind Instruments" brochure from Carl
Fischer of New York. There is also a Buffet Chedeville mouthpiece that came
with it along with a box of Buffet reeds. Even the original cork grease is
unused. There is also a card for the mouthpiece which states that the
chamber of the mouthpiece has been designed to work perfectly with the
clarinet and using a mouthpiece with a different chamber design can lead to
poor intonation. There is even a little measuring card you cut off to
measure the chamber of a mouthpiece to see if it matches their
specifications.

The wood is beautiful. Very tight grain. You do not see any grain lines in
any of the tone hole chimneys or the tenon ends. Know wonder Buffet
clarinets from this period of time are known to have better wood and
superior craftsmanship. I can certainly see it.

Sorry, for the interruption. I just had to take you down memory lane.

We now return to our regular programming.

Tom Henson

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