 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bill
Date: 2016-06-02 05:44
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Please pardon my crude description and lack of knowledge about this Buffet. Thanks for your generosity.
I acquired Buffet serial #714H (1894) and sent it off for restoration. As it originally came to me, the "barrel" was part of the top joint (a seamless extension of it) and the "C" hole (bottom tone hole of top, or LH, joint) was what they call a "donut key." However, the donut key mechanism (or ring) was missing when I received the clarinet.
During restoration, it was discovered that there was a "fatal" crack in the upper joint that necessitated removing the wood and fashioning the upper joint to the "standard" specifications. In other words, the integral wood that formed the barrel (seamlessly with the upper joint) was cut off. The clarinet was henceforth treated as a standard two-joint clarinet and, when returned to me, supplied with a standard barrel.
It has never played in tune since I received it. I continue to experiment with vintage mouthpieces (I have many) and different lengths of vintage Buffet barrels.
Does anyone have any insight into the acoustical issues here? I'm thinking the instrument is cursed -- because of the missing donut hole key and bypassed integral barrel -- and will never play in tune.
Please see the photos attached (taken alongside Buffet 19764, which appears on the left in the photos)). Here are the dimensions as best I was able to measure them:
Top joint: 22.4 cm
Bottom joint: 25.6 cm
Thanks in advance!
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
Post Edited (2016-06-02 05:48)
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2016-06-02 14:15
Did you try it before restoratation? Changes are that it was never in tune.
Can you describe which notes/region are not in tune?
The mouthpiece bore and/or barrel bore could be a mismatch with the instrument.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2016-06-02 16:36
Good point, Jeroen. No, I didn't play it before having it overhauled.
The throat tones and upper clarion are more than 20 cents sharp. Yet E4 is in tune.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2016-06-02 21:39
Should I be concerned that the instrument is currently on "that site" without any mention of the intonation issues?
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Author: Bill
Date: 2016-06-02 22:07
jdbassplayer wrote:
> Should I be concerned that the instrument is currently on "that
> site" without any mention of the intonation issues?
Fair point.
Other than hardship, there is usually a reason why an item is sold. The best equipment is usually kept. I seldom read "This is the finest clarinet I have ever played" in a for-sale notice.
I have a very fine 1940s Selmer mouthpiece. Were I to sell it (I am not), should I add "tip is rounder than modern style and does not fit most reeds" beyond supplying ample photographs of the mouthpiece *and* tip? I have a vintage but pristine Acousticut mouthpiece. Were I to sell it (I am not), should I add "Flabby, unfocused tone"? If a mouthpiece I choose to sell is unplayable with the current facing, I always disclose that (often suggesting refacers I trust). On the flip side, the number of times I have purchased equipment that needed refacing or repair prior to use cannot be counted.
I will give more thought to your remark. However, I feel I have provided photos and information far beyond what is common.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
Post Edited (2016-06-02 22:19)
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Author: Wes
Date: 2016-06-03 00:35
The "donut" key was always on the hole for the middle finger, not the third finger on some older Buffets. It seems like a longer barrel would be worth trying in order to lower those throat notes and the upper register left hand.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2016-06-03 01:34
OK, just tried a really old (antique, older than 1930s) H. Selmer crystal mouthpiece and the barrel from Buffet #19764 and got some better results. The bore of the old Buffet barrel (the one from #19764) matches the bore of the upper joint much more closely (no surprise) and it seems this is the biggest factor. Beautiful tone! But wayward ...
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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