 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MarcAg
Date: 2003-07-11 20:38
My wife was a clarinetist in high school and recently she has decided to sell her old clarinet because she doesn't play it anymore. All she knew about her clarinet is that it was a Buffet clarinet and had real silver keys. We decided to take it to Brook Mays today and see if they could tell us what model it was and how much it was worth. The manager we talked to was actually a clarinetist. He couldn't find anything on the clarinet that told him the model but he found a serial number. So he went back into his office for a while and did some research with the serial number (17960). He comes back laughing and said the clarinet is actually a vinatage clarinet that was made in 1934. He said the pads needed to be replaced but if we did that and cleaned it up we could probably sell it for close to $5,000. Of course we were shocked to find this out because we had no idea. They are doing a complete overhaul on it right now to get it in better shape. Now the problem is finding someone that would pay that much for it. I don't have the full details on the clarinet, I just know that it is a Buffet that was made in 1934 and has real silver keys (should have more info when we pick it up from them on Saturday).
**I am not trying to adverstise and sell this, just wanted to see what others think about what I was told.
Post Edited (2003-07-12 05:20)
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2003-07-11 21:09
MarcAg --
Before one of the board administrators removes your post for not reading and following the rules, let me squeeze in a couple of questions/comments. Will Brook Mays pay you $5000 for the clarinet? Or even $2000? How about $1000? If not, I suggest you might want to run to the store, get your clarinet back before they start any work on it, and then do some more research to see what you ACTUALLY could sell this instrument for. Otherwise, I think only Brook Mays will make money on this clarinet.
Todd W.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-07-11 21:17
Marc -
Your wife's 1934 Buffet could be an excellent instrument, but $5,000 is far too much to expect to get for it. A new Buffet R-13 sells for under $2,000. Instruments of this vintage go on eBay for between $600 and $1,000, depending on condition.
The Buffet keys from that period were made of "German silver," which is a allow of nickel, copper and zinc and has a silvery look, but contains no silver. See http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=42063&t=41669.
Many, many adults have taken up clarinet again after a long period of inactivity and find that it comes back quickly. Don't sell the instrument without giving it a try.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-07-11 21:26
MarcAg ... Clarinets unfortunately do not appreciate in value like violins. In fact it is ofen quite the opposite.
A Buffet clarinet from 1934 is certainly a piece that is interesting, but the value you were quoted sounds wildly inflated.
My advice is if you want to enjoy playing a clarinet from that era, certainly have it restored for your own satisfaction. But, to invest money with the sole hope of selling it for the music store's estimated value is not wise.
Professional clarinetists, and for that matter, all serious clarinet players would be very fussy as to the tuning and overall playability of a clarinet 70 years old, especially when new clarinets of equal or better quality can be found for under $2000.
[ Finally, if you do decide to sell it on this forum, please avail yourself of the free classified section, as there is no selling permitted on the bulletin board. ]
Good luck ...GBK (co-moderator of the bulletin board)
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Author: Jeff Forman
Date: 2003-07-11 22:31
Sorry, Marc, but I agree with the others. I have followed clarinets on e-bay for a while and I have NEVER seen a b flat clarinet go for $5,000. In fact, there is a 1932 buffet right now where the price is up to $32.00 (of course there are 6 days left, but I doubt that it will get past a several hundred dollars).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2544858887&category=10182
By the way, if anyone looks at that horn (it has a barcus berry pickup in the barrel), does the barrel look awfully short? What would that be used for?
Jeff
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-07-12 00:46
When any salesman goes into the office to do "research" and comes back laughing--RUN! I totally agree with Tod W. "Been there-Done that"
Bob A
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-07-12 01:46
This just might well be a great instrument to play. For me the money is secondary.
A friend let me play his instrument of similar vintage. It has a great big, warm, easy sound. Just wonderful. I was way jealous. He tried to sell it to me. I forget if we talked dollars. The greedy part of me coveted this instrument immensely, but he is really a wonderful player, and I told him he would never be able to replace it, should keep it and he did. So far as I know he still uses it.
I think you should find someone who will appreciate this instrument for what it is and will play it and enjoy it, not trade it like shares of Enron stock.
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Author: MarcAg
Date: 2003-07-12 05:15
<<When any salesman goes into the office to do "research" and comes back laughing--RUN!>>
The saleperson wasn't trying to make money off me, he suggested I take it somewhere else to get work done instead of having Brook Mays do it. He said he sends his clarinets to a guy in Iowa because he is a lot cheaper. I didn't feel like sending it off so I just had them do an overhaul on it ($200).
The saleperson (who was a clarinetist) played it and loved it. He acted like it was the greatest thing he had ever seen and even took it around and showed it to everyone. He actually said he would pay me a couple of thousand for it in its current condition but if I got it fixed up I could probably sell it for a lot more than he could offer. So if this guy would give me anything close to say $3000 then I should take the money and run? I am not a music person myself so I have no clue.
Post Edited (2003-07-12 05:18)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-07-12 14:39
Welcome back to clarinet playing MarcAq, You have received good advice above, the $200 should give you a very good overhaul. I would suggest that you have it played and its condition critiqued [sp?] and "tweaked" if needed. I bought my 1932 Selmer-Paris Full Boehm at a pawn shop, did what was needed for playing, and enjoy it, BUT my Selmer Centered Tone [1954] is a much better player. The mfgrs did make improvements in those 20+ years, and Buffet revolutionized our cl industry by modifying the bore for better "tuning of the 12ths". We have discussed this, and if you are interested, as we say, "Search the Forum". Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-07-12 17:37
MarcAq, being situated in NW Iowa I would be very interested in the name and address of the person/firm your clarinet salesman sends his stuff to. I send my to that great repair guru in Virginia, Dave Spiegelthal. All I meant in my response is BEWARE of slick talking folk who promise great rewards etc.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2003-07-13 12:20
Yes, if this guy is dumb enough to pay a couple of thousand for it, definitely take the money. No truly knowledgeable person would pay that much for it.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-07-14 13:52
This is a clarinet in C. Although the listing doesn't say so, there's an "L.P." marking on the bell, so it's at low pitch. I have one like it, made in 1929, and it's the best C clarinet I've played. However, instruments this old are always a crap-shoot. You could well need a new barrel, since if the pickup goes through to the bore it would make a big change in the playing qualities. The instrument has an extra ring for the left ring finger, which gives the alternate forked Eb/Eb, and it has an unusual articulated C#/G# mechanism.
The corks are in bad condition, so the pads are probably shot, too. It'll need a full overhaul. The photo of the mouthpiece is blurred, but if it's a wood Buffet, it could be turned into a good one.
If the price stays in the low hundreds, it's definitely worth a shot.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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