 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Pinkflame1001
Date: 2016-02-20 02:43
Attachment: image.jpeg (1239k)
Attachment: image.jpeg (985k)
Attachment: image.jpeg (1207k)
Attachment: image.jpeg (1288k)
Attachment: image.jpeg (1257k)
I recently bought a vintage Carl Fischer Clarinet at a yard sale for $5. The bell is stamped saying
"Carl Fischer
B
Low Pitch
Made in France"
I know that it's a buffet make because it has the arched keys for your left pinky (B natural and C# keys) and they both sit on a single axel. I also know that it's a Carl Fischer buffet because it has a thumb rest where it has a screw above and below it. I'm redoing the pads and corks because half of them have fallen off the mouth piece is a Melodia with a crest of a bunch of weird shapes above the word "MELODIA." I know that it's hard rubber because it has an olive green tint to it. I just want confirmation that this is definitely a Carl Fischer Buffet clarinet. Underneath the posts, it's has
"X
5
203"
Other than those, there is no serial number or anything on it And I can't find any information on it anywhere. If it is what I think it is, how much is it worth and what year was it made in? It's frustrating not being able to find any information on this so please, help.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-02-20 06:19
Buffet was the maker. Fischer had the exclusive importation right and stamped its name on the bell.
You don't show enough of the instrument to tell any more, though it appears to be a Boehm instrument from the shape of the trill keys. The bell looks like it came from another instrument.
Lay all the parts out and give us a photo of everything. Then we can tell you more.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2016-02-20 07:38
Indeed, the bell looks to be made out of plastic or ebonite--unlikely to be original for a Buffet.
From your description, your mouthpiece is likely a Vito Melodia, also not original to the instrument. If there's also FRANCE and 2V or 3V inscribed onto it, it's a Riffault-blank mouthpiece and might be a good player, but will require reeds on the soft side; Vandoren 2,5 would be a good starting point. Assuming that the lay is not damaged, I'd clean it up and give it a test play.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2016-02-20 16:17
Pinkflame,
A more fundamental question. The instrument seems to have a mixed pedigree which may or may not be an issue.
But more importantly, do you have all the parts for the instrument (screws, rods, keys...). If you disassembled the instrument, I'm sure you probably do. However, if the instrument was partly disassembled, it would be important to see if anything is missing before you go too far with any repairs.
HRL
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Pinkflame1001
Date: 2016-02-21 00:06
Yeah, the mouth piece has a 3V inscribed on it. Also, after really close examination, the top half does have the Carl Fischer seal on it, but it's very hard to see. The top half and bottom half both have the X 5 203, so I'm assuming that they're with the bell. I'm really bummed that I don't have the barrel with it, but I don't think I'm going to sell it after I fix it up anyway. I've attaches more pictures of it as well
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
