 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: rs11gps
Date: 2011-04-11 01:51
I've completed the restoration of the 1908 Buffet Model 8 'simple sytem' clarinet! Photos attached to 2nd post.
To recap: This was a 'junk-yard find' bought from California. It was dirty, the keys were dull and coated, no case, the barrel was not original, and the joints were stuck together with chewing gum! But... no pitting, no cracks and very little wear.
The entire clarinet was disassembled, keys cleaned and polished, the wood was hydrated and oiled, the pads were all replaced with Roopads, it was completely recorked and keywork adjusted. A vintage replacement R13 barrel, and NOS french rubber mouthpiece were added.
Finally, although I had restored a tray-pack case for this, I also found a vintage Buffet cane & leather case that I restored (pictured).
The clarinet sounds wonderful. How does it look? - Roger
Post Edited (2011-04-11 02:02)
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Author: rs11gps
Date: 2011-04-11 01:53
I finally got the photos to load.... next post. 
Post Edited (2011-04-11 01:58)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-04-11 03:31
Lovely restoration.
A modern Buffet barrel will probably be too short and have too small a bore to play like the original, though.
Is it marked "LP" or "HP"? If it's LP (low pitch), it will play at 440. HP (high pitch) will be a little more than a quarter tone higher.
Ken Shaw
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Author: rs11gps
Date: 2011-04-11 03:47
Hi Ken. Yes, it is a Low Pitch. The vintage R13 barrel is a 66mm... I was thinking of something shorter, but did not know the length of the original. You are thinking something longer, like a 67mm?
The bore on the R13 barrel is very slightly *wider* (~ 1/8mm) than the bore of the top joint.
Any suggestion on barrrel length?
Thanks. - Roger
Post Edited (2011-04-11 03:53)
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-04-11 14:37
Roger, your results look good. Since it's a Low Pitch clarinet, I'll bet you can find a barrel that plays in tune.
>> ... and the joints were stuck together with chewing gum! >>
Yeowie! I've restored antique stained glass windows from a fraternity house where the putty had deteriorated and the guys had sealed up the air leaks with chewing gum, but I've never seen gum as restoration material on a clarinet before. Did someone use the gum to replace missing tenon corks?
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: rs11gps
Date: 2011-04-11 15:09
Ken, I wrote down some comparison measurements. The only other Buffet I have here to compare it with is a modern E-11.
Here are the two: (hand-measured, not including any mouthpiece)
_______________E-11___1908 Model 8
Barrel_________64mm_____66mm
Top Joint_____189mm____186mm
Bottom Joint__236mm____238mm
Bell__________105mm____110mm
Total_________592mm____600mm
The 1908 Buffet is 8mm longer than the E-11, but only 1mm of that is in the body.
So... I'm thinking I'm close enough to fine-tune pick a barrel based on the tone and not the length?
p.s. Thanks Lelia. Bringing this nice instrument back to life felt good.
Post Edited (2011-04-11 15:14)
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2011-04-11 15:10
Original barrel for this clarinet is 68 mm long.
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-04-11 17:15
Simple system bores are larger than those on Boehm system clarinets. Therefore you need a barrel that's the right length *and* has correct bore -- at least to get the original intonation and tone.
Ken Shaw
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Author: rs11gps
Date: 2011-04-11 21:30
Hi again Ken. The bore in the clarinet is actually *smaller* than that in the vintage R13 barrel I have on it now.
Not much, maybe only 1/8mm, but you can see it by simply sighting down the bore with the barrel mounted. This barrel's bore is definitely bigger.
Regardless, I will continue to look for an appropriate 68mm barrel as Vytas identified.
Thanks! - Roger
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