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Re: Buffet R13 Bore sizes

Author: John Peacock
Date: 2019-05-28 13:19

Ken: there's much discussion on bore dimensions here, which can be accessed by searching. In brief, Buffet's bore design changed around 1955 from the nearly cylindrical "master bore" to Robert Carree's "polycylindrical" design, in which the upper joint tapers down going from top to bottom. Things did not seem to change much following the redesign. I have R13's from 1959 and 1982, and their bore dimensions are as follows (top and bottom of upper joint):

1959: 14.90mm/14.69mm
1982: 15.01mm/14.76mm

I also recently had the chance to measure a modern "Vintage" model, which allegedly tries to recapture the early polycylindrical design. This gave 14.99mm/14.71mm. So not much sign of bores becoming smaller in the way you suggest. It remains a possibility that 1960s instruments may have used a larger bore than 1959 or 1982, but I doubt Buffet changed things that much. Other readers will be able to send their measurements from this period.

In comparison, pre-1955 instruments are more like a uniform cylinder of around 14.90 mm top and bottom, and they do have a distinct character from later models (although less good tuning, which was one of the motivations for the polycylindrical redesign).

For what it's worth, I find my 1959 instrument to be more resistant and darker in tone than the 1982 one. But I don't play jazz, so this observation may not be very helpful to you.

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