 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2012-04-02 16:46
Hi,
The opportunity just came up for me to buy an A clarinet from an retired musician. I've been looking for an A for a while, so it would be perfect if it works out. I'm just slightly concerned about the age- the serial number is 1K409, which according to the charts on this website is 1916!
I'm looking for a serious professional A clarinet, so would this date preclude it from being an option for me? It's very cheap- $750- and I haven't seen it yet, but I don't want to get my hopes up for something that won't work for me.
Thanks!
Anna
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-04-02 17:01
Honestly you probably shouldn't buy a 96-year-old wooden clarinet for normal use even if it is in excellent shape. CHances are that the intonation will be suspect due to the bore dimensions changing over time. I would actually argue that $750 is not a very cheap price for a Buffet clarinet of this age but rather an absurdely expensive one.
You would be much better off trying to find a more modern used A clarinet or if you can stretch your budget a bit more you can buy a brand new one from Tom Ridenour.
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2012-04-02 17:04
Okay, good to know. I have no experience with old Buffets so I didn't know anything about their tendencies. I think I'll still give it a try, but not get my hopes up too much!
Thanks
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-04-02 17:07
I think you're doing the right thing by not getting your hopes up, also doing the right thing by trying it. True, $750 is less than a quarter of the price of a new A clarinet, but the chances of an instrument of even a later vintage surviving a professional career (unless the pro was a doubler who rarely played it) and retaining decent intonation and resistance are pretty slim. Have you played other A clarinets? It's important to know what a really good A feels like when you shop for your first.
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2012-04-02 17:48
I've got a Buffet A from 1917 (1L1##). I got it for next to nothing about 5 years ago and spent ~$450 having it overhauled - pads and corks. The sound is wonderful, the action fine, the intonation not so hot.
I've little idea of its history so I don't know if it was heavily used through its lifetime or sat in a closet.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-04-02 20:11
Curinfinwe wrote:
> Okay, good to know. I have no experience with old Buffets so I
> didn't know anything about their tendencies. I think I'll still
> give it a try, but not get my hopes up too much!
> Thanks
It never hurts to try it out but definitely don't get your hopes up and don't fall in love with it just because of the manufacturer's name. Remember that pre-R13 Buffet clarinets are pretty comparable to most other professional clarinets of the same era and don't warrant the typically huge price premium many sellers try to place on them based solely on brand recognition.
My personal opinion is that if you truly want a "serious professional A clarinet" that you shouldn't even consider this one. I wouldn't recommend looking at anything made before ~1970 and some others will suggest that you not even consider instruments that old.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-04-04 02:45
I have a Buffet Bb/A pair from 1908, S/N 1B394 and 1B324. When I got them, it was obvious that they had been bought new, played only a little and then put in a closet for nearly 100 years. I had them refurbished, and they play beautifully and in tune.
However, there are some important things to check.
Pull a swab through the upper joint several times and look down from the top to check the bore. If the surface is dull above the register vent, it's been reamed out, probably in an attempt to fix the tuning. If the surface is dull, I'd take a pass.
If the instrument is playable, check the tuning carefully, particularly the top and bottom notes in the chalumeau and clarion, and make sure the 12ths match.
Check carefully for cracks and leaks. The bell probably has some cracks, but those are not serious.
If the horn hasn't been played recently, you'll need to rehydrate it and have it overhauled, incuding scrubbing out any crud, levelling the rims under the pads and regulating the action. It may need a good oil soak, particularly if the bore isn't smooth.
Finally, most clarinets that old don't have an original barrel. Kalmen Opperman told me that Buffets from the period of yours and mine need a barrel several millimeters longer than those made today and also need a different bore. Mine didn't show their potential until he made a new barrel, which works on both the Bb and the A.
Compared with my main Buffets (from the 1970s), the ones from 1908 have less resonance and a sweeter tone. I think they're as good as modern Buffets -- just different.
Ken Shaw
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-04-04 04:33
>> Pull a swab through the upper joint several times and look down from the top to check the bore. If the surface is dull above the register vent, it's been reamed out, probably in an attempt to fix the tuning. If the surface is dull, I'd take a pass. <<
Some clarinets get dry and this is the first area that gets dull. I've seen more than a few clarinets that looked like that but I know for a fact they weren't reamed.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-04-04 13:12
clarnibass -
My experience differs from yours. Most pre-R13 Buffets and many R13s I've looked at show signs of reaming above the register vent. The transition from dull above the register vent and shiny below is sudden and clearly visible.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2012-04-04 22:19
Thanks for all the info. Turns out that I didn't even get to try it; the seller just wanted to sell it as soon as possible so he gave it to the first person who looked at it. Oh well! I know a lot more about old Buffets now, at least.
Anna
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