 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2022-12-30 17:47
Attachment: OIP (1).jpg (32k)
I had an 1982 Buffet R-13 (Serial #225,xxx) back in my high school days. Back then, the original barrels weren't stamped R-13. I don't think Buffet started stamping R13 in the serial numbers until the late 90's?
Also, if that's the original case, my case was more modern than that. Mine looks very similar to this image:
Getting back into playing after 20 years.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Vandoren M15 Profile 88 (non-13) mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren blue-box #3.5 reeds
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Author: pewd
Date: 2022-12-30 22:02
Better quality photos would help - I can't read the logos (my aging eyeballs don't help). I'm assuming those are Buffet logos? I couldn't read the 'made in' stamp - is it France?
The common G#/A post on the upper joint indicates a pre-R13. R13's have separate posts for these keys. Compare it to your newer R13, you'll see the difference.
That serial number dates it to about 1949.
There are several serial number lists online - google 'buffet clarinet serial numbers'.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: m1964
Date: 2022-12-31 09:49
The stamped trill key guard and shared throat G#/A post indicate pre-R13 model. Also, the C#/G# key most likely has a leaf spring.
If the keys look like those on modern Buffets, then it's possible that previous owner had them nickel-plated because pre-R13s had keys that were unplated.
Barrels and bells on clarinets from that era were not marked, except for the logo and "Made in France" line.
If the barrel and/or bell have any markings like "B66" on the barrel or "R13" on the bell, it means that they are replacement parts from a modern Buffet.
Some of those pre-R13 Buffet play very nice. Their tone is different from the one you get on a modern R13- a little brighter I think. They are less resistant compared to R13.
I think those Pre-R13s can be made sound very nice, although newer Buffets sound nicer (IMO).
In any case, they sound like a pro-level instrument, not a student-level one.
Tuning is not bad either.
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Author: John Peacock
Date: 2023-01-01 03:27
Irrespective of whether it has "R13" etc. stamped on the back of it, that barrel is definitely not the original. You can tell by the logo: instruments of this vintage had "MADE IN FRANCE" stamped with a gap of about 1cm below the main oval logo (as you can see on the upper joint). But about the time of the R13 redesign in 1955-ish, they started putting that lettering immediately below the oval - which is what we see here. By the same line of evidence, you can see that the bell is the original (or, at least, of the right era).
As has been commented, these pre-R13s (which were called "Master Bore" instruments by Buffet) can have an excellent tone quality. But the tuning is not up to modern standards. The R13 polycylindrical revolution gave the upper joint a more pronounced taper and improved the 12ths. With the older more nearly cylindrical design, you will find a number of notes in the lower register painfully sharp (RH A and LH D tend to be particular culprits).
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2023-01-01 09:18
This clarinet is from 1950.
The keys look similar because Buffet keys have always looked pretty similar (with a few exceptions), even if not identical.
If you mean similar in colour/plating, I have vague memory that even back then some Buffet clarinets had silver plated keys... but I wouldn't trust my memory for that specific detail.
It's hard to be sure about the finish/plating from photos. The photos make it most seem like nickel plating... but some photos make it seem silver plated or unplated. It's very possible it was plated (or replated) at some point during its life.
The barrel is probably a later replacement.
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