 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: michael_1265
Date: 2013-05-20 18:34
Hello,
I am hoping you could help me ID a clarinet that doesn't have a model
number. I came into possession of this recently, and I don't play. It is a Buffet Crampon s/N 233455. As I said, there is no model #. I did some Googling, and as best I can
tell, it might be an R-13 from 1982.
Here are some pictures:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7288/8741963597_da437b495a_h.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7291/8743085030_ea8bea1d9d_h.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7287/8741972773_e6b20b9b2e_h.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/8741978935_c982ad6c96_h.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7294/8743105170_73bb94e0bc_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7290/8743108878_e6728dd4b8_h.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/8743113898_ccbcef465a_h.jpg
Can anyone tell me something about this instrument?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-05-20 20:28
You have an R13 from 1982, almost certainly made in December of that year. See http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/HowOld/Buffet.html.
For about 100 years, Buffet made only one, professional-quality clarinet. There was no need to give it a model name, since there was only one.
However, they offered several versions with additional keys, which, in the U.S. catalogs, had different numbers. The standard "plain vanilla" version had the catalog number R13.
There was a revolutionary design change in January 1955, or possibly December 1954, to an instrument with a "polycylindrical" bore in the upper joint. This made a substantial difference in tone and intonation. At that time, Buffet gave it the official name R13, but there was still only the single model. Once again, there was no "R13" stamp.
Buffet has introduced models claimed to be above the R13 in quality, and these models are well-liked in Europe. The "super-R13" models have also gained favor with players in the U.S., although, at least until quite recently, the R13 was by far the most popular Buffet model, played by almost all professionals. All models except the R13 are stamped with their model names, but the R13 still has none.
The R13 design evolved substantially over the years. See http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/Intonation.html. Until fairly recently, R13s had substantial instrument-to-instrument variation in playing qualities and particularly in intonation. The best ones are the greatest ever, but the bad ones are dogs.
Your R13 shows signs of substantial use, with the usual dings and wear-points. This is good, since a bad R13 would not have been played as much. The two barrels have different designs. The unmarked one has a cylindrical bore. The one marked "Moennig" has a reverse-tapered bore that shrinks slightly from top to bottom. This usually improves intonation and response.
The only way to tell whether you have a prime quality R13 is to have a professional player try it out. Yours seems to have been recently overhauled, with polished keys and new-looking pads and corks. I'm slightly unhappy about the striped look of two of the tenon corks, but if they seal and keep the joints stable, than they're OK.
So -- maybe Too Much Information, but you asked for it.
Good luck with your R13. Given the age and number of dings, it will probably bring between $2,000 and $2,500 on eBay.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-05-20 20:34
At least the stripy tenon corks show the slots are the grooved ones instead of the horrendous wavy ones.
The grooves will show as lines on the tenon corks when they compress.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
