 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2003-01-26 00:31
Hi Everyone! One of my repairmen emailed me photos of a Buffet that he feels was made circa 1900. It is one piece, with a front-vent register key and a few extra keys, all of which I cannot see viewing bad email photography. Since I haven't seen it in person yet, nor played it, nor tested the pitch, I cannot provide any more information. Does anyone have any information on this older Buffet? Thanks, Sandra
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-01-26 01:11
Sandra F. H. wrote:
>
> Hi Everyone! One of my repairmen emailed me photos of a
> Buffet that he feels was made circa 1900.
The serial number would really, really help ...
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2003-01-26 01:35
Hi Mark! That was one of my inquiries to him, and he just responded. It's either S#968N or S#958N. I don't know how to post pictures, but I'll email them to you. Thanks!
Of note, it's probably a Bb clarinet. It is wood, but has a laquer-like finish on it.
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2003-01-26 02:46
Hi! I can find the date, but what kind of Buffet is this? It has an extra left joint key--could it be the "vented G# key" that I've heard about?--and a fifth key on the right hand joint (a low eb?). I've never seen one of these. I haven't had a chance to see this particular in person, just some email photos. I'm not sure what else is different from a standard Bb. I'm not even sure how to search this clarinet on the archives. Thanks for any information you may have...
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-01-26 03:05
This may be one of the early 'Full Boehm' models, with every permutation of keys and gizmos... does it have a 'donut key' over the Left Hand D key?
These can have a lovely tone (I like the sound of the older, straight bore designs), but all those keys can trip up larger hands.
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2003-01-26 04:37
Thanks, Mark, for posting pictures. Also, this instrument does not have a barrel. Are contemporary Buffet barrels compatible? What of other barrels? Thanks, Sandra
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-01-26 13:37
Last one of these I played had a rather short barrel...
are you certain this is a LP (modern A=440Hz) pitch clarinet?
This one looks to have a layer of lacquer or varnish over the wooden body, when it is restored for use, removing this coating may reveal some beautifully figured wood of surprisingly red hue!
Getting the register vent to operate properly shouldn't be tough.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-01-26 14:49
Yes, S F H, this IS an early Full Boehm with the "donut", 2nd finger pad/ring for limiting the venting of that tone-hole when using the "fork" fingering for Eb/Bb, to better tune, and clean-up those notes. Other makers [Penzel-Mueller, Pruefer, Selmer,{I have one of each}] in a few years went to a small tone-hole/pad between the 2nd and 3rd fingered holes to improve this handy, but replicated fingering. Did you notice that you have a second "banana" key on the lower joint to also operate the "articulated" [improved] C#/G#, handy! Search Full Boehm here for more info. Don
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2003-01-26 17:58
A one piece full Boehm. Very interesting horn. I wonder if Rossi (known for his one piece design) makes a full Boehm. One piece is a good idea. I wish some other makers would get on to this.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-01-26 18:03
I have 2 of these. Both have the register key hole on the same side as the thumb hole. The 1905 A clarinet has the donut key and the 1925 Bb does not. The rest of the keys look the same.
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Author: Mark P.
Date: 2003-01-27 01:51
I've actually have three of these beasts (1 Bb and 2 As), all with the doughnut key and wrap around register key. I had two of them overhauled last year and I like the Bb but I'm not crazy about the A. The A seems rather stuffy.
My technician said that the tone holes are wider than modern clarinets and the pad cups are thinner than current making it a challenge to fit pads and get proper space between the pad and the tone hole. I haven't gone in and measured and compared yet.
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-01-27 04:25
A tech I know let me borrow a pair that looked like these. They were made in the late 1920s. One pad was out of the Bb. the A played beautifully. However, both were high pitch. Just keep in mind that high pitch means it cannot be used with modern instruments.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2003-01-27 05:21
Yes, I have a Bb made in 1912 and an A made in 1921, both full Boehm but, thankfully, without the donut key, which is not easy to adjust. Both are Buffets and sound great, but not like an R13. Walls are a little thin and the weights are less than R 13s which have less keys. Pitch is about 441, depending upon the mouthpiece used. They were purchased from the widow of a Hollywood Bowl Orchestra player, a Mr. Tarentola, many years ago.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2003-01-27 14:11
I have a very nice Bb/A buffet set made in 1908 -- "plain vanilla" Boehm keywork, with the wraparound register keys. They had been in an attic and were quite dirty, but in near-new condition once Peter Spriggs cleaned them up. They are of course very pre-R-13.
They play very well, with a tone that is a bit less powerful than my # 1 instruments (R-13s from the early 1970s), but with more color in the tone. Kalmen Opperman has played them and says they are typical of instruments from that period and that they often require different barrels -- 68 mm. barrels for the Bb and 69 mm. for the A, which are longer than those used today, and, unlike today, longer for the A than for the Bb.
Buffet experimented a lot with keywork during the early 20th century. I've seen 1-piece instruments with all sorts of unique, extra keys for the right thumb, below the left thumb hole, etc.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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