 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: lukasz
Date: 2013-11-06 22:07
Hi everyone,
i would appreciate a piece of advice on the vintage buffet clarinets.
i am looking to buy a new horn for myself and i'm intermediate player.
i wish i could afford one of the R13 beauties but for the time being i'm looking for a clarinet that would sound good enough for my level. i came across a dealer who sells Buffet crampon from 1928 serial number 1349 in decent shape.
Does anyone have knowledge about buffets from that time?
kind regards
Lukasz
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-11-07 01:01
A Buffet this old is a project, not a solution. As an intermediate player, you'll be better off with the best new Yamaha you can afford.
If you want to go ahead, be aware that the bore is larger than the R13. I have an excellent Buffet C clarinet from that period, but there are dogs, too. You should never buy anything used, particularly when it is that old, without a guarantee in writing that you can return it for any reason, or for no reason, within a period long enough for you to play it and have it looked over by a repair tech.
Things to check:
1. Pitch. Look for L.P. (=A440) stamped on the bell. H.P. means it's more than 1/4 step higher and not usable with other players.
2. Intonation. Have someone else watch a tuning meter as you play intervals without changing your embouchure. Check particularly the throat Bb.
3. Cracks. Look particularly at (a) the top of the upper joint, (b) in the narrow strip between the right-hand top ring and the pad just above it, and (c) in the bell. Look for pinned cracks.
4. Reamed bore. Hold the upper joint toward a light and look down it from the top. You want to see a uniformly shiny bore, particularly between the top of the joint and the register vent. If it's dull, that means that it's been re-reamed, which is always bad news.
5. Barrel. Barrels that come with old Buffets are uniformly unplayable. Also, the standard new Buffet cylindrical barrels won't tune right, and neither will the standard Moennig or Chadash barrels. You'll need a new one specially made.
Ken Shaw
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Author: lukasz
Date: 2013-11-07 10:42
Thank you so much Ken,
i think i'll listen to your advice and forget about it, nevertheless it
is all very interesting to find all this out.
i guess i could get only frustrated with it rather than simply playing it.
all the best
Lukasz
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-11-07 12:09
Ken is right. These older clarinets are often not dependable work horses. Keys can break in two, posts can turn, etc. Also, back in that time it was the clarinetist that was required to be in tune, not the clarinet. That is why some old clarinets have such great sound - fewer compromises in the name of tuning.
My apologies to all the clarinetists here that love these old beasts (I have a few myself).
Steve Ocone
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