 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2021-04-02 21:45
This is a Frankenstein clarinet. The upper joint and bell are from an R13 but the lower joint and barrel are from an Evette which is a student model. It may play okay but I wouldn’t pay more than a few hundred for it.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-04-02 22:21
The lower joint is equivalent to an E13 which is still made by Buffet even though it's their entry level student model (the models below the E13 were made by Schreiber).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2021-04-02 23:43
I've twice played Franken clarinets that worked fine, but yeah certainly the value is compromised.
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Author: mw1986
Date: 2021-04-04 00:16
I am a bit confused by your comment, Chris. I thought that the E13 was the intermediate instrument, just before entering the professional domain (the R13). Are you maybe mixing up the E11 with the E13? In any case, technically there are limited difference between the E13 and R13 - the bore of the E13 is slight tighter in the top and the right hand B is different, if I am not mistaken?
Post Edited (2021-04-04 00:20)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-04-04 00:37
The E13 is the lowest level model clarinet made by Buffet - all other Buffet clarinets below the E13 (B10, B12, E10, E11 and E12) were made for Buffet by Schreiber.
It is an intermediate level model in the general scheme of things (along with Noblet, Selmer Prologue and Yamaha YCL-64/650), but is in essence Buffet's in-house entry level model, just as the Selmer Prologue was the first entry level clarinet made in house by Selmer (Paris) and all other Selmer clarinets below that were made by Selmer USA and other makers (Malerne, etc.) for Selmer.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2021-04-04 08:22
>> The E13 is the lowest level model clarinet made by Buffet - all other Buffet clarinets below the E13 (B10, B12, E10, E11 and E12) were made for Buffet by Schreiber. <<
Do you know where the E12F is made? I don't remember.
They did have the dreadful E11 France for a while, which was made by them and not by Schreiber (though at a different factory supposedly). It was essentially recalled without the recalling part... so just discontinued and replaced with the E12F.
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Author: mw1986
Date: 2021-04-04 10:29
Thanks for the explanation, Chris! And my apologies to the topic starter for the offtopic question.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-04-04 12:05
The E13 lower joint is a much better alternative than an E11 one as the socket will be the same as an R13 as will some of the keywork. The C12 is the next model above the E13 and the R13 has become their entry level pro clarinet since the Prestige and others have been introduced. All models from the Prestige level models upwards don't have the joints stained to make them look uniform. The Schreiber-built ones have black lacquered joints.
I'm sure a donor R13 lower joint could be sourced for this clarinet to give it better resale value - the serial number could be changed to match the top joint one or left as is.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2021-04-06 01:46
Chris P wrote:
> I'm sure a donor R13 lower joint could be sourced for this
> clarinet to give it better resale value - the serial number
> could be changed to match the top joint one or left as is.
>
Chris,
how likely is that it would play in tune?
Unless he would manage to get a lower joint from the same decade or even closer.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-04-06 14:00
It should play in tune as I doubt they changed things much, but finding one with a serial number of a similar age range would be ideal, but not essential. At least an R13 lower joint is in keeping with the instrument considering it has an E13 lower joint and if it's tuning well with that, then so should a donor R13 lower joint.
There are far more Buffets out there with replacement top joints and if anything, that's more critical to how they play than replacing the lower joint. I'd rather repair a cracked top joint than replace it with a new one as the new joint will need to be played in as though it's a brand new clarinet. Not the case with the lower joint as they don't collect as much condensation in the bore as top joints.
And clarinets are usually made of four completely separate and unrelated billets of wood rather than the two body joints made from the same billet, contrary to what some people may believe.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2021-04-14 01:53
Chris, I think you are forgetting that Buffet made student model Evettes in France for many years before moving their production to the Schreiber factory in Germany.
If the lower joint was from the (predecessor to the) E13, it would be marked "Evette & Schaeffer," not simply "Evette." Buffet didn't move the manufacture of its student model clarinets to the Schreiber factory in Germany until the late 1970s. For many years prior to the move, student "Evette" clarinets were made in France, though not in the same factory as Buffet's professional models and its intermediate Evette & Schaeffers.
According to Buffet promotional materials from that time, Evettes were produced in a separate factory which happened to be located in the same town as the Malerne and Leblanc factories. The location, along with the fact that, prior to 1960, the Evette logo included the words "Sponsored by Buffet" has led to speculation that the Evettes were made in the Malerne factory, and perhaps by Malerne technicians.
In the 1980s, Buffet rebranded the Evette and Schaeffer as the E13. Because there was no change in where the instruments were made, there may well have been little or no change in the design. The path from Evette to E11 is not so direct. In the late 1970s, Buffet moved the manufacture of its student models to the Schreiber factory in Germany. Considering that SML purchased the Malerne factory around the same time, it occurs to me that the move may have been motivated by the loss of production facility in France. In any case, for a few years from the time of the move to the time Buffet adopted the new model designations, Buffet made some clarinets marked "Evette" in Germany. I believe that these are marked "Made in W. Germany" on the back of the lower joint, above the thumb rest, just under the ring. Likely because of the change in manufacturer, these clarinets have some design differences from their French predecessor. These German Evettes eventually became the E11.
I can't tell from the photos or the information provided whether the bottom joint is a French Evette (made between 1960 and the late 1970s) or a German Evette, though I suspect the former. As I mentioned above, if the lower joint is from a German Evette, it should be marked "Made in W. Germany" at the top on the back. On the other hand, if it is from a French Evette, it should be marked "Made in France" on the bottom of the back and should have a serial number with a D- prefix. These may be very faint after all these years.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-04-14 23:06
The lower joint is an Evette&Schaeffer/E13 lower joint (and not a Schreiber one) - the barrel is an E&S one as well.
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/download.html/1,7104/26ABE5D7-A5F5-4761-BE78-0E9976897DA3.jpeg
The lower joint is a French one as it clearly has Buffet keywork - the RH ring keys have a square end to the foot/linkage, the F/C key has the separate linkage tab for the LH F/C key and the F#/C# key is sprung in Buffet's typical (and dreadful) manner with the spring mounted on the key rod and the free end digging into the slot in the wood. And the logo stamped on the lower joint - in this case an E&S one as I can just see the writing on the underside following the curve of the oval (same as the barrel logo).
Schreiber ones have rounded ears on the RH ring key foot/linkage, the F/C key has the linkage tab integral with the pad cup (and a longer LH F/C key rod with both RH and LH F/C key lower pillars being at the same distance along the joint) arm and the F#/C# key spring is mounted in the pillar which is the best way (and that can be done on Buffets with not much effort).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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