 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-01-28 07:35
Hi, I haven't been on this board in about a year, how're y'all?
Today while at a swap meet I got another clarinet. I was able to talk the seller down to $45 so it was worth it even if I was buying just a planter! If this works, I will include a photo of what I found.
<img src="http://www.jps.net/horlick/clarinet.jpg" width="700" height="319">
This is a full Boehm system Buffet Crampon serial Number 1S270. If I read the charts correctly that is 1903. The lady (in her 50's) said her father played it regularly until he set it aside 40 years ago. I dragged it home and had to straighten a few keys then put on my mouthpiece. Those 98 year old pads (brown leather... original?) work pretty well, I can play all the notes. I have only played for about 40 years and have never had a full system. There are now some passages I will have no excuse for missing. I still think I will use my 1925 vintage R-13 for most thing, but it will be nice to have this for those gooney passages! It even sounds pretty good.
I cringe to hear of folks with cracks. This is the 8th wooden clarinet I have owned and only have one hairline in the bell of my A. Most of my clarinets are old, several older than I am so I can't claim to have saved them from cracking... won't proper oiling prevent most cracks?
My question (all giddiness aside) is is this potentially a nice sounding clarinet? It will be fun to fool with, but is it rare, and is it worh much more than what I paid? I have never seen a full Boehm Buffet, is the intonation usually good?
Thanks, Terry
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Author: Bob Sparkman
Date: 2001-01-28 12:03
Hey Terry -- What a find! Even that case! What a beautiful discovery! My experience (limited) with old Buffets has always been fun, and the only downside was a tendency to sharpness at the bottom of the low register, easily overcome by relaxing the embouchure. Boy, do I envy you!!! Have a great time with it - I think you'll find the Karma magical! Best regards.
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Author: Chris
Date: 2001-01-28 14:04
Value will depend on who you ask. Many music stores will not have any interest in your find, since there is little resale value in a clarinet like you found to their customers (mostly student base, that is).
To a collector, you have indeed found something rare. It might be of value to a collector.
As for using oil to prevent cracking, I personally would lightly oil the bore. But more importantly, I would make sure the barrel and bell rings are on tightly and not loose. Could that be why your previous bell has a hairline crack?
The real "find" in this, is that crystal mouthpiece of yours! Just joking.
As for tuning, you are dealing with an instrument that likely was made before A=440 was standardized. That is not to say that there are clarinets today which are 442. But you may find substantial pitch problems if you play this clarinet with a modern ensemble (band/orchestra/chamber music). Instrument manufacturing has come a long way. Tooling is very precise (in theory).
You should know that some instrument manufacturers have made full Boehm clarinets recently. When I worked in instrument repair, I came across 3 full Boehm clarinets: 2 Leblanc A clarinets, 1 Buffet E-flat clarinet. The E-flat was actually made within the last 15 years. What you have discovered is somewhat coming back into style and vogue.
Also the one piece body which you have is something with has come back around too. Rossi clarinets use it exclusively. And until Buffet tried 2 piece E-flat clarinet bodies, they were always found on E-flat soprano clarinets too.
I'm assuming you purchased a B-flat clarinet.
Will it sound nice? Yes. Buffet was clearly the leader in instrument manufacture of clarinets at that time.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-01-28 14:29
Chris wrote:
>
> ... As for tuning, you are dealing with an instrument that likely
> was made before A=440 was standardized.
Low Pitch (A=440) was available starting in at least the 1890s. Instruments were frequently, but not always, marked LP or HP. The only way to tell which standard this was made to is to see if it is marked LP or to test it against a tuner.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-01-28 14:33
Terry Horlick wrote:
>
> ... This is a full Boehm system Buffet Crampon serial Number
> 1S270. If I read the charts correctly that is 1903.
Per the chart right here on sneezy, this serial number means 1925.
1S through 999S are 1903
BUT
1S2 through 1S876 are 1925.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-01-28 15:25
Hey thanks for the information. I see I made some errors. So it is a 1925 horn. Then the pads are only 76 years old, no wonder they still seal! My "vintage" r-13 is really a 1952, not a 1925... fumble fingers!
This checks out with the turner to be Bb lowpitch horn (440) and is close to in tune over most of the horn, a little sharp in the Chalameaux rigister. I can hear a little buzze creeping slightly into the Clarion (sp?) around D, C#, C,B, and the CLARION Bb, I wonder what that is? The springs are a bit light and the sttels show some wear (some keys are a little loose). It is a comfortable horn for jazz.
All the rings are tight, there is a little chip in the bore at the joint just beow the barrel, it is about 2 mm wide X 1 mm deep x 3mm long. I wos wondering if I should have it overhauled and this chip fixed, it could stand a new top cork. What about plating, would making it all shiny make it less interesting? Would altering it at all make it less valuable to someone who collects? On a few websites I have seen new full Boehm horns offered, but you don't see them around. They are not big sellers, I wonder why? Are they just too much bucks for the added advantage of a few extra fingerings? Anyone tried this, I wonder if an old dog can learn new fingerings?
I don't unerstand the joke about the mouthpieces. I wasn't planning on trying them, I do have another crystal mouthpiece I like for jazzso maybe those pieces need cleaning up and a trial.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-01-28 19:47
Very interesting horn. Full Boehms, beside having the low Eb, are equipped with a forked Bb/Eb, an articulated G#/C#, and a left hand Eb/Ab key. My Leblanc LL is equipped with all of the afore mentioned mechanisms but no low Eb (alas) and is a great horn. Certain trills and note sequences that are difficult to impossible on the standard Boehm are a piece of cake on the full Boehm.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-01-30 05:01
This horn plays really well. I like it so I just sent it off to Sue Schaake at Woodwind and Brasswind. She did a fantastic job overhauling my 1952 R13, 1970 Evette Master and 19?? Hoffinger A clarinet. She is going to go through it and fix the things I have found which are lacking and do it up right.
I am not going to plate it, but the original German Silver keys will be polished. The important thing will be the burnishing and cleaning of the bore and the way she processes it in oil for a week or so. She is a wizzard at fixing little chips, especially in tone holes! When she did my other horns it took 3 months... all summer. She was apologetic that this one will take 3 weeks! I guess the best time to have horns done is after Christmas and before summer. The school kids do the summer and the gifts have to be done before December. It's also a lot faster if you don't have to wait for the plater!
This 1925 has a sweet tone and good response even with some leaky pads and a loose post. I have a feeling the horn will be really nice for jazz, with a darker mouthpiece maybe orchestra also!
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