 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bahamutofskycon
Date: 2007-01-06 21:04
I had the pleasure of play-testing a Buffet Prestige 1193 (to low C) bass clarinet at Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center today and I noticed something interesting.
The lower joint had a groove cut around the circumfrence (about 5-6ish from the bell). My first thought was that Buffet made the lower joints to e-flat (the 1183 model) and then permanently attached a piece that went to low C to make the 1193 model.
I asked the sales person about it and he said he that the lower joint was one piece, not two seperate pieces attached at the factory. He said that they started making them like this about 2 years ago and it might be for acoustics or decoration, but he wasn't sure.
Just to satisfy curiosity does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks,
Steve Ballas
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2007-01-06 21:10
I may be wrong on this one, but it is my understanding that the longer pieces of wood needed for the low C basses are harder to come by and that your bass is indeed two separate pieces joined together. I am sure others here on this board will have better info.
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Author: Ben
Date: 2007-01-06 23:36
I think it depends on the age of the instrument... most of them are probably now made from two pieces of wood that were attached, but others, perhaps right before this became the norm, have the groove as a decoration but are still from one piece of wood. Mine is the later, and I got it about 3 years ago. To know what the story is on the instrument you tried, you could look inside the bore to see if there is a small ring on the inside, where the two pieces meet (it's very small, so you'll have to look carefully); I've seen this on a few other instruments. Also, if the grain changes a lot where the pieces meet, that would probably mean that two pieces of wood were attached.
If you like the way it plays, I wouldn't worry about it!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-01-07 00:42
Buffet have put a decorative turning on the bottom joint of their low C basses in the last few years which serves no purpose other than mere decoration.
Mine is from 2000 and hasn't got this turning, and to be honest I prefer it that way. To me, this turning looks like a structural weakness (though the joint wall is still very thick, and this turning isn't compromising any inherent rigidity) and breaks up the smooth line of the surface of the lower joint.
Leblanc low C basses (and basset horn) lower joints are in two pieces, and there's a socket ring at the join. I don't know how permanent this join is as I've never needed to take one apart here.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: bahamutofskycon
Date: 2007-01-07 03:02
Thanks. I didn't check inside this one, but it did look like the grain was continuous. Didn't check too thouroughly though. I'll check inside for that when I go to buy. Regardless it played like a dream.
Unfortunately it will remain a dream for a while.
Steve
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-01-07 05:20
Dave and Ben are right. The lower joints of newer Buffet low C basses are made of two pieces of wood. They do an especially good job of matching the grain of these two pieces (which imho doesn't matter, I'd prefer if they would do an especially good job in other areas). Mine is from two and a half years ago and I looked inside like Ben said, and I saw the ring. It is just a very thin sign of a connection. Hold it to a light to see better.
As for its decorative effect - I didn't even notice this until after several hours of testing many instruments (but I usually don't notice decorative things, so doesn't count).
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-01-07 07:19
My bass has some filled-in worm holes on the bottom joint, which isn't a surprise as finding a single piece of grenadilla with no blemishes or other imperfections is a tall order.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: LCL
Date: 2007-01-07 13:31
I have a Leblanc Model 430, Low C, that does not have the socket ring Chris P indicated. However Leblanc did show one in several older photos of this model. The one I have was purshased in 1997. I have looked at the horn carefully inside and out and don't see any indication that the lower joint is two-piece. Of course my 61 year old eyes may not be good enough anymore.
Regards,
LCL
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Author: Sarah Elbaz
Date: 2007-01-07 15:24
Hello,
We talked about that with Stephane Hascoet from Buffet Crampon just two weeks ago.
They do it because they have a problem with the wood (that's the reason they started to do the Green Line clarinets)
They need two pices of wood to get a resonable quality for the Bass clarinet.
Sarah
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2007-01-07 16:19
I always really wonder what Buffet is doing...
two pieces of wood should I think however help the stability of a Bass clarinet....also I would think with Grenadilla being so over used as a wood that it would be simpler to make a bass from two well turned pieces of wood.
David Dow
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2007-01-07 16:37
Sarah Elbaz wrote:
>(that's
> the reason they started to do the Green Line clarinets)
While that might be true, I have not heard that statement from Francois Kloc of Buffet. Where did you get the information that the reason they started the Greenlines was because of the lack of good wood?
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Author: Sarah Elbaz
Date: 2007-01-07 18:16
Mark,
Why don't you talk about it with David Howard. He was here (Israel) and talked about it with Stephane as well.
Sarah
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2007-01-07 18:23
Sarah Elbaz wrote:
>
> Mark,
> Why don't you talk about it with David Howard. He was here
> (Israel) and talked about it with Stephane as well.
I discussed it with Francois some many years back. The lack of good wood was not the deciding factor.
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