 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: angieddaniel
Date: 2012-02-11 04:19
I just bought this refurbished clarinet to replace my buffet that was lost. It was at the music store and they told it was wood and the brand. Now that im home I see there is no sign of what model it is and I can't find the serial number online anywhere.
the serial # is A13334 and I've determined the shield is the narrower one. It has just the shield and Normandy spelled out diagonally across the middle of the shield. On the back just under the barrel it says made in France. The bell might be plastic. It kind of feels different but it looks like there is grain on it.
I want to know what model I bought and figure out if it is somewhat comparable to the buffet E11 I had. Please help. The internet info from all the sites is confusing
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2012-02-11 09:23
If the linked article above still leaves you confused, please post some pictures if you can. Images of the throat keys, upper joint logo, and a side view of the trill keys would help determine the exact model.
Serial numbers with letter prefixes are typically found on the Normandy Special, Normandy 14, and late Normandy 4. Of those, only the Special has a wooden body, plastic bell, and narrow-shield logo. Any Special you may encounter today is over fifty years old.
Both the Normandy and Buffet E11 are variable in quality--some are better than others, and the good ones can be quite delightful to play. Let's hope you found one of the good ones...
Cheers...Ursa
Normandy collector and enthusiast
Post Edited (2012-02-11 09:25)
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Author: angieddaniel
Date: 2012-02-12 04:02
Thank you SO MUCH for posting to my question. Here are some pictures so hopefully we can figure out what model this is. I'm still not sure the bell is plastic. I can see the wood grain in the bell like the other areas and it feels the same. but the inside of the bell is very smooth unlike the other parts of the instrument. Is it usually smooth inside? It has been a very long time since I've had a plastic clarinet for me to compare it to.
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Author: angieddaniel
Date: 2012-02-12 04:30
Also, for whatever model it is I'd like to know if $350 was a good price to pay.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-02-12 05:57
Maybe during world war 2. During the battles someome found a clarinet floating in the sea with no name on it; thus the name Normandy?
Sorry- couldn't resist the bad joke.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2012-02-12 19:31
With a wooden bell, your instrument would be an early Model 4. With a plastic bell, it would be a Model 4 Special.
Plastic Normandy bells are often made out of a bakelite-type plastic that can be either black or subtly mottled very dark brown in appearance. The sheen on the bell exterior will not match that of the wooden body of the instrument.
Fully serviced and in tip-top playing and cosmetic condition, $350 is a reasonable price to pay for a wooden-body Normandy when buying from a dealer.
Post Edited (2012-02-12 19:32)
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Author: angieddaniel
Date: 2012-02-13 00:29
Ok. I have determined the bell is wood. I don't know why I was confused. So it must be an early model Normandy 4. Is this a good instrument for an intermediate player like myself that is starting to play regularly again? I guess I just need to feel like I did well finding a replacement for my lost Buffet E-11. I should have been posting on the board before I bought something.
Also I've read that the Normandy 4's dont have the poly-cylindrical bore technology. From what I've read it seems that the poly bore improves intonation. If I'm just a casual player on the side for church or volunteer ensembles am I going to notice the different in intonation? I have a great ear and have always done well lipping with the low register and throat tones. Is the Poly Bore something that EVERYONE accepts as better?
Also I feel like its sounds a lot brighter than the Buffet E11. I have a cheap beginners mouthpiece right now. Is there any tricks to make it sound a little warmer. will a new mouthpiece change it?
Post Edited (2012-02-13 00:36)
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2012-02-13 08:47
A good-playing example of any wooden-body Normandy model would be a very good choice for a player in your situation, as would a Buffet E11, Yamaha YCL-450, Noblet, Selmer Signet, and other well-regarded intermediate models.
Normandys tend to be easy to play in tune--but as with almost any model of clarinet, there are some unfortunate exceptions that run the gamut from mediocre to awful.
Polycylindrical bore technology is absolutely no guarantee of better intonation versus a cylindrical-bore configuration. This BBoard is strewn with queries from polycylindrical-bore Buffet R13 players trying to sort out the tuning vagaries that often affect this model.
Normandy clarinets have a middle-of-the-road bore size and can sound bright, dark, or nearly anything in between depending on your mouthpiece and reed selection. An appropriate mouthpiece with well-matched ligature and reed would definitely warm up the sound for you.
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