 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Gerald
Date: 1999-03-04 11:24
Would anyone know if the three wooden clarinets I have are worth fixing up? I have a Carl Fischer, J. Wallis and a F. Barbier. All three need to be repadded and recorked. There is a slight crack in the bowl (?) of the Fischer and the Wallis has a crack in the short piece that connects the mouthpiece to the body. Any info would be helpful.
I'm not a clarinet player, I just picked these instruments up because my nephew was looking for a clarinet for himself and I really liked the look of the instruments. I was able to pick up a good hardrubber clarinet for him that didn't need a lot of work!
thank you
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Author: Mark P.
Date: 1999-03-04 12:42
A lot of what you are asking depends on whether they are Boehm or Albert system clarinets, high or low pitch, key... ie B flat, A, C, or E flat. And, of course, condition... pads, corks, bent keys, cracks, chips, gouges, missing or broken keys, broken tenons.
They could be good instruments or they might be wall hangers. Hard to say without more information.
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Author: Gerald
Date: 1999-03-04 17:19
Not knowing anything about clarinets makes it difficult to say whether they are Bohem or Albert system. I believe my nephew referred to two of them as being B flat. Nothing looks bent. They look like they will have to be recorked and repadded and only cracks where I mentioned earlier.
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-03-05 04:19
For starters, Boehm system instruments have four (or more) keys for the little finger of the right hand to operate and three (or more) for the little finger of the left hand to operate. The Albert system horns had two keys each for the left and right hand little fingers.
Carl Fischer did not manufacture clarinets. Instead they imported them or bought from US makers and distributed them. They had the manufacturers put the Carl Fischer name on them. Depending on when they were made and who they were dealing with, they sometimes had the manufacturers name on them. For example, I have a clarinet that is imprinted with Carl Fischer and Pruefer. I believe they also distributed horns by Buffet under their own name but the only way to identify them is to know enough about the details of the key styling since in this case they did NOT include the Buffet name on them.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 1999-03-05 23:08
Dee wrote:
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Carl Fischer did not manufacture clarinets. Instead they imported them or bought from US makers and distributed them. *** I believe they also distributed horns by Buffet under their own name but the only way to identify them is to know enough about the details of the key styling since in this case they did NOT include the Buffet name on them.
Dee -
Here are some key styles that identify the older Buffets:
The C#/G# key for the left little finger has a flat spring rather than a needle spring. It is held on by a brass screw that goes all the way through from the bottom of the key to the top, so that the end of the screw is visible from the top of the key. Also, the hole that this key covers does not have a countersunk rim, but is even with the surface.
The F#/C# key for the right little finger has the same flat spring and screw design.
There is no adjusting screw on the throat Ab key.
The two long keys for the left little finger (for low E and F) are mounted concentrically on a single axle, like the two top trill keys.
If you hold the instrument horizontal with the bell to your right and look across at the two long keys for the left little finger, you will see a different shape from the modern keys. The keys arch higher and have an extended tip pointing down.
The first trill key for the left index finger (Eb/Bb) will stop against a small curved metal extension sticking out from the bottom of the post that holds the upper joint ring keys and the C#/G# key.
On the oldest instruments, the register key curves around to about the 11:00 position. Also, the thumb end of the key has the same extended tip as the left little finger keys, and there is a small depression carved out of the wood just above the thumb hole to accommodate the tip.
The left ring finger hole will be somewhat larger than in the modern design.
If the instrument has a ring for the left ring finger (to make the forked Eb/Bb with the left index and ring fingers), the tiny extra pad attached to the left middle finger ring in the modern design will not be there, and the left middle finger will have a large "pancake" key shaped like an open-hole flute key.
The bridge keys will have the edges rounded, and there will be no tabs to protect the keys as you put the instrument together.
The keys will be unplated German silver, which tarnishes to a flat, grayish silver color.
The thumb rest screws will be on two "ears" above and below the thumb rest, and the screw ears will be mortised into the wood.
The wood will in general be denser and more deeply dyed, so that it is difficult to see the grain.
The outside diameter of the instrument will be slightly smaller than the modern Buffet (though not nearly as small as the Elite), and the instrument will be a bit lighter in weight.
The serial number will match the Buffet series on Sneezy. It will be stamped twice on the back of the instrument, at the very top of the upper joint and the very bottom of the lower joint in small, lightly stamped letters and numbers. You will usually need to wet the surface slightly and use a magnifying glass under a strong light to read them accurately.
The keys were all hand forged, and the worker who made them stamped his initials in a favorite place, which varied from worker to worker but which was always hidden inside a pad cup.
I'm sure there are more differences. The easiest feature to see is the single axle for the left little finger keys. The feature that absolutely identifies a Buffet is the extended ends on those keys, which can be produced only by laborious hand forging and would appear only on the top quality instruments.
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-03-06 16:23
Gerald,
I know of a lady who rebuilds clarinets in her spare time. She takes trade-ins of old clarinets like those you have in exchange for a discount on the instruments that she has finished and is looking to sell. With three unplayable instruments, you can probably get a very good deal on a decent clarinet. I understand she does fabulous work. If you want to know more, please email me and I will get you in contact with her.
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Author: Mark P.
Date: 1999-03-07 00:39
Interesting, I have a Carl Fischer 17/7 Boehm clarinet that almost matches this description. Variations are that the C#/F# key has a needle spring and the extra ring key has a small pad. Serial number is in the 9000 range. Are you sure that Buffet continued using the same serial number sequence for "stencil" instruments? Many makes had all sorts of strange numbers on their stencils.
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