 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2015-04-21 04:35
I have a Buffet E11Bb stamped Made In Germany SN 1171902. I am new to clarinets and I purchased summer 2014 from Music & Arts store. I am confused about the several different kinds of E11 clarinets and was wondering is anyone knows how I can find out if thiswas really made in Germany, by what company, and what type of wood and keys it has. I have searched for SN but turned up nothing. mainly I want to know its origin and how to care for wood and keys. Seems to have a 64mm barrel.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2015-04-21 07:49
Here is a concise but fairly comprehensive history of the E11.
http://www.kesslermusic.com/blog/?p=375
I think it's safe to say that your clarinet was made in Germany. Without a serial number list, it's harder to say whether it was made for Buffet by Schreiber or made after Buffet bought Schreiver out. It probably doesn't matter as it was made in the same plant by probably the same workmen using the same design.
Per the article, if it has silver-plated keys, it was apparently made by Schreiber, if it has nickel-plated keys it was made by Buffet. My guess is that you have the latter but, without seeing the clarinet (or its keys), I can't tell you which.
If you search the internet with Google or search this bulletin board with the search function, you will find many suggestions on how to care for your clarinet. Unfortunately, many contradict each other and the sources, frankly, don't always know what they are talking about -- a too common trait of this board, IMO. Here, however, is a reasonable set of suggestions from a highly-regarded repair technician, Peter Spriggs:
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/Care/Break-in.html
As far as the keys are concerned, wiping gently wiping them with a soft cloth after playing probably won't hurt. On the other hand, (again IMO) it's probably not necessary unless your skin oils and perspiration are acidic.
A little common sense will go a long way in handling your instrument. (For example, never force anything.) It might be useful, though, to search out instructions on how to assemble the instrument to avoid damaging keys and corks.
I hope your instrument gives you many hours of pleasure.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: derf5585
Date: 2015-04-21 16:57
"Per the article, if it has silver-plated keys, it was apparently made by Schreiber, if it has nickel-plated keys it was made by Buffet"
How can I tell if it is silver or nickle?
fsbsde@yahoo.com
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-04-21 17:07
The article is very wrong there - the Schreiber-built E11 originally had nickel plated keys as did its predecessor the Evette, but since the late '90s they've had silver plated keywork.
Nickel has a very smooth shiny appearance (almost like chrome) and is very slippery whereas silver has more grip to it, has a much brighter look once polished and tarnishes easily but can be polished much easier than nickel plate.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2015-04-21 17:51
Chris,
I also noticed the article omitted to point out that the earliest E11s were nickel plated. It also omitted to point out that they were stamped "Made in W. Germany." (I know because I have one.) And the article doesn't give the date that Schreiber switched to silver plate for its E11s. To the extent the article purports to be a complete history of the E11, those omissions are perhaps significant errors. But they don't necessarily negate the accuracy of the rest of the information Dave Kessler reported. I'd be interested to know if you found any other errors in what he says..
I didn't mention the omissions in my previous post because the OP clearly doesn't have an early E11, so they are irrelevant as far as he's concerned and it occurred to me that introducing information about some Schreiber-made nickel-plated E11s would be more confusing than helpful, given his instrument couldn't be one of them.
jnk
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-04-21 19:54
In the UK and Europe, the E11 (and B12) wasn't stamped 'Made in W. Germany' on the back of the lower joint above the thumbrest as it was on the Evettes (both plastic and wood ones). The Buffet logo was stamped into the joints on them until the late '90s when it was printed on (and subsequently rubbed off) - also in the late '90s they had the nylon pins fitted into the ends of the LH levers and the B12 joints had the brushed finish.
I don't know if, like the B12, there was an interim period when the wooden Evette became the B&H Edgware II prior to being the Buffet E11 as the plastic Evette became the B&H Regent II for a short while until it became the Buffet B12. So far I haven't seen nor heard of the B&H Edgware II, so I assume that was never the case, but it would've bridged the gap between the end of B&H produced clarinets and the launch of the rebranded Evettes as the Buffet E11 (and B12) which were distributed by B&H.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2015-04-21 20:48
On my E11, which probably comes from the first few years of production, "Made in W. Germany" is stamped in very small letters on the back of the lower joint at the top of the socket, just under the ring. There is no serial number on the lower joint, only the upper joint. Also, mine has no pins on the lower joint left-hand levers. The linkage is simply accomplished by an overlap.
Serial numbers changed from Dxxxxx to yyyyyy when production of the Evettes shifted from France to Germany. It appears that the serial numbers were simply continued when the instrument was redesignated the E11. Its certainly possible, when Boosey & Hawkes was running the show, that they had some production branded as Edgwares. I would think it would have been a very brief period or relatively small run and we probably wouldn't have noticed it on this side of the pond.
jnk
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Author: DaveKessler
Date: 2016-10-20 03:13
Updated the original article to briefly cover some of the comments in this thread.
The new location for this blog post is now:
https://www.kesslerandsons.com/blog/the-confusing-history-of-the-buffet-e11-clarinet/
Dave Kessler
Kessler & Sons Music
http://www.kesslermusic.com
Post Edited (2016-10-20 03:15)
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