 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kristin Sallee
Date: 1999-09-28 13:31
I found a Buffet Eb clarinet & would like to know more about it before I have it restored. Below the Buffet stamp on the bell is another stamp, "C.Fischer, New-York." The serial # appears to be J591. Thanks for any info you can give me.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 1999-09-28 13:53
Kristin Sallee wrote:
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I found a Buffet Eb clarinet & would like to know more about it before I have it restored. Below the Buffet stamp on the bell is another stamp, "C.Fischer, New-York." The serial # appears to be J591. Thanks for any info you can give me.
Kristen -
According to the Buffet serial number chart here on Sneezy, the horn dates from 1895. The important thing is to look for the letters "L.P." on the front near the top or on the bell, usually just above or below the trademark. This indicates "low pitch" -- that is, A=440. If it's stamped "H.P." it's pitched at A=452 and is unusable in an ensemble.
For many years, Carl Fisher had an exclusive license from Buffet to import its clarinets into the U.S., and the stamp you see appears on every Buffet from that era.
Buffets from before the early 1950s did not have the current small polycylindrical bore. The larger bore instruments have a wonderful sound, but the intonation can be difficult to control, since the larger bore makes notes more pitch-sensitive to changes in lip pressure. This problem can be very bad on old instruments where the bore has been enlarged by years of swabbing.
On the other hand, I have a Buffet C clarinet from the early 1920s that has very stable intonation, so you have to evaluate each one individually.
The older instruments may also benefit from an older-style mouthpiece - Chedeville style rather than Kasper style. I know that Greg Smith makes both styles, as do other makers. It would be worth getting a really fine mouthpiece if the instrument plays well after restoration.
Good luck. Let us know how things work out.
Ken Shaw
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