 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BandNinja19
Date: 2011-10-10 05:56
I recently bought what I was told was a Buffet R13 clarinet. I was researching the serial number (15xxx) today, and I saw several sites with Buffet serial number listings and the year they were made. I know it is a buffet clarinet because it has the stamp on the barrel, body, and bell, and it appeared that it was a clarinet made in 1934. I did a little research, and found out that R13s werent made until around the 1950s. When I put the serial number into the Buffet website, it said it was an n1440 Evette made in 1964. If it is an Evette, would it still have the standard buffet seal printed on it, with no model number or anything to differentiate between it and a normal buffet? And would it be an Evette, or an Evette and Schaefer, since often times the Schaefer part is accidentally dropped? I know for a fact that it is a high quality clarinet, because my lesson teacher is in love with it, and she has an R13, but I don't know what to believe at this point. Please help.
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Author: wesrice
Date: 2011-10-10 15:09
The Buffet site is awful for finding serial numbers. The logo would be different than a standard Buffet logo, and would actually say "Evette" on it.
Your clarinet is most likely what is called a Pre-R13 from 1934. This was the top model that Buffet produced before the R13 came into production.
Wes
www.clarinet-repairs.com
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-10-10 15:57
You have a professional Buffet clarinet from 1934. It is what we often call a pre-R13 around here, though it might more accurately be termed a pre-polycylindrical (bore) R13. Carl Fischer, Buffet's U.S. importer at the time, identified professional Buffet clarinets (with a standard 17 key, 6 ring configuration -- no extra fancy keys and no ring for the left hand ring finger) as R13 in its catalog and advertising at least as far back as 1931. Fischer had "invented" this designation long before Buffet adopted it for the new design introduced in 1955. Technically, the person who told you your clarinet was an R13 was probably neither dishonest nor incorrect. Though, if they were aware of the distinction (which many people aren't), they should have disclosed it to you.
The clarinet you found in the serial number list was, in fact, an Evette and Schaeffer clarinet. You would easily know if you had an Evette and Schaeffer because this name is prominent in the logo on the instrument and the serial number would have a K prefix. In its current serial number lookup, Buffet only reports instruments made in its main factory in Mantes-la-Ville and leaves off alphabetic prefixes. E&S (K-prefix) clarinets were made there but Evettes were made in a different Paris factory (possibly Malerne's) until their production was moved to West Germany in the late 1970s. Therefore, Evettes are not in the lookup.
Best regards,
jnk
Post Edited (2011-10-10 16:00)
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Author: BandNinja19
Date: 2011-10-10 23:09
Tony F., it was made in France.
wesrice and jnk, thank you much for clearing that up. I was a little concerned there
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