 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2006-12-26 21:31
Woody Allen played one from the Buffet "museum" in the movie "Wild Man Blues". He tried to persuade the Buffet folks to sell it to him, but they demurred!
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Author: madvax
Date: 2006-12-27 03:52
Attachment: buffetmetal3.jpg (66k)
I have one (see attached picture), but don't know much about the history.
Perhaps Jim Lande can chime in with more info.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2006-12-27 12:12
I have a photocopy of the clarinet ads from a Carl Fischer catalogue (music store in New York). The person who sent it to me didn't copy the colophon or order page information and I don't know the date of this catalogue. Jim Lande would know more than I do about this, but I believe that the elaborate key system described for the Buffet M-16A dates the catalogue to the 1930s. Most of these manufacturers offer their clarinets in both Albert and Boehm models, but Boehm is clearly the more popular. The catalogue describes Buffet metal clarinets as follows:
"Buffet metal clarinets are made of nickel silver throughout, handsomely silver plated. At present they can be furnished in four models: No. 10-1/2 Albert System and Nos. 13, 14 and 16A Boehm System. The models are the same as the Buffet wood clarinets bearing corresponding numbers."
Here are the catalogue's verbatim specifications for these models:
No. M-10-1/2: Albert system, 15 keys, 4 rings, 4 rollers. $95.00
No. M-13: Boehm system, 17 keys, 6 rings. $140.00
No. M-14: Boehm system, 17 keys, 7 rings, including key for cross-fingering Bb and Eb. $150.00
No. M-16A: Boehm system, 20 keys, 7 rings, articulated G3-C#, double Eb key for little finger of left hand, key for cross-fingering Bb and Eb, low Eb key. $185.00.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-12-28 15:54
Lelia,
Thanks for the model numbers. I own what I think is an R16-1/2 wooden Buffet from the mid-'60s. No one has been able to substantiate the model number.
Its interesting to see that the M (metal?) 16 is a full Boehm. Maybe mine is actually an M15-1/2, since it does not have the low Eb.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2006-12-28 19:41
For some reason after reading this thread yesterday I had a dream that I bought one of these at a pawn shop in town and it was the best clarinet ever! I woke up realizing that my dream clarinet was not real... how depressing. Then I realised that it was a metal clarinet... how was I so easily fooled in my sleep!
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2006-12-29 16:06
That information looks alot like the the original Carl Fischer catalog I bought 6-7 years ago and photocopied for Jim Lande. I never found any printing dates or other indications of age other than the types of instruments offered. My best guess was mid 20s. In addition to the Buffet clarinets, there were Buescher saxophones stenciled for Fischer and a "jazz" clarinet which appears to be a closed hole albert system designed for sax players doubling on clarinet.
I'll pull it out of my filing cabinet and give it another look over this weekend.
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2007-01-09 20:20
I pulled the catalog out of my files. I find no date anywhere on it. But based on the offerings, I'm still comfortable with a early to mid 20's date. The catalog contains Buescher stenciled saxophones for Fischer including C Soprano and Melody. There are Evette saxophones with the alternate right hand keys for the bell notes. There is the plateau keyed Albert clarinet for jazz players. And the Buffet one piece full Boehm wooden clarinets and metal full Boehm clarinets by Buffet. There are also Carl Fischer clarinets, stenciled by someone, in wood and metal.
The prices are the same as quoted above .
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2007-01-10 00:29
Off topic, this is a response to Bob Phillips' comment on his wooden clarinet.
Bob, I have a Buffet catalog from about 1960. The 'full Boehm' without the low Eb is the M-16, $415. It includes the forked Bb, articulated G# key and the extra Eb-Ab lever. The full Boehm with the Eb is the M-16 3/4, $450.
Wayne Thompson
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2007-01-11 04:21
I can't add much.
The pricing is consistent with what other professional metal clarinets were offered for around 1930.
From serial numbers, I think that the Buffet metal clarinets that I have seen were from the late 1920s or early 1930s. The one that I restored doesn't seem to play like any wooden Buffet I have ever tried, and i don't think that it plays as well as some of the other metal clarinets of the day. Of course, mpc, setup & personal taste are very important in what horn works best for you.
I know that Buffet offered at least two different models -- one with the barrel attached to the upper section and one with a separate barrel. (I restored one of the former.) There are some additional differences in hole placement and keywork between the two models.
I have never seen a full boehm metal Buffet. However, I have seen one that was pitched in A.
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-01-11 15:23
Assuming that you can get one that is well soldered throughout its complicated little body, there's nothing wrong with any of the top end metal clarinets, at least not in my experience. It looks funny to those used to wooden horns, and it feels funny (to me, at least). But, they are still good horns.
I picked up a "partial full Boehm" Selmer from the old days back in November, purchased in "the usual way". The horn has the separate barrel, without damage there that often accompanies the efforts needed to unstick it from the rest of the horn, and the articulated G# and fork Eb. Fit and finish is very good, but I don't yet know if I'm going to bother with a rebuild to bring it up to snuff.
The main obstacle with these horns is the restoration of the finish. The tone holes and key work are just like any other clarinet, only slightly more robust, but the inevitable replating to get it done right might not be worth the cost.
I've played some dog metal clarinets over the years, but the up end horns that I've used were always well worth the money. I'd like to acquire a metal bass, but they are relatively thin on the ground, so there I will have to live vicariously through the members of this message board.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: kal
Date: 2007-01-12 11:26
Terry, I saw at least 2 metal basses on The Auction Site last year. One was a no-name Albert, and that's all I remember. The other, I believe, was a Linton (boehm). It was in terrible shape, and went for some rediculous amount. They're scarce, alright, but you just might get lucky one day!
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