The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2020-04-13 17:40
The wood of an ebony tree is not all black. In fact wood from most trees is divided into two main types. The "heartwood" is the stuff we usually want and for ebony this is a dark brown to black wood. The heartwood is found at the center of the branch/trunk. On the outside you will find "sapwood" which for ebony is much lighter. What happened here is the manufacturer used a piece of wood that was not pure heartwood. On instruments this is usually a sign of poor quality as most respectable makers only use pure heartwood.
http://wordpress.mrreid.org/2014/05/01/sapwood-and-heartwood/
-JDbassplayer
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Feliped80
Date: 2020-04-13 18:14
Hi JDbassplayer
Thank you so much for the quick response.
I’ve been asked £120 for and it’s said to be an buffet crampon in the key of C but can’t really tell if really a buffet crampon as logo is abit faded. Would you say this is a good buy or not ?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2020-04-13 18:35
It's definitely not a Buffet, the logo doesn't look right at all.
-Jdbassplayer
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2020-04-13 19:22
Just making sure you are aware that this horn looks like an Albert system, not a French clarinet system?
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony F
Date: 2020-04-13 21:08
The bell appears to be different in colour. I'd expect the bell to be the same as the body if it were the original bell, so I'd say it's probably not the original bell. As its an old Albert system it's a possibility that this is a high pitch instrument and not a low pitch. The high pitch instruments are not usable with a modern ensemble as the tuning is different. Unless you know what you are buying and are specifically looking for an Albert system instrument I'd give this one a miss.
Tony F.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2020-04-13 22:41
You'll often find many old Albert systems with areas of sapwood and bells made from a lower density and lighter colour timber, only that's not always visible as it's usually all hidden under a thick black lacquer and only evident once it gets scratched or chipped to expose the different colours. Or in this case, the lacquer has been completely stripped. The bell would've originally had a metal bell ring, but what with the wood shrinking and leaving it rattling about, it was removed and the bell flare reshaped.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Feliped80
Date: 2020-04-14 13:21
Thanks to everyone that were able to help me out.
I decided not to go ahead with the purchase.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
|