 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Bill
Date: 2025-06-09 00:45
Contestants for professional overhaul, all Bb (budget limits me to one, at present):
1. Selmer Paris "55" (M68xx) fair condition
2. Selmer Paris full Boehm (K15xx) poor condition
3. Buffet 251Jx good condition
4. Buffet 216xx
5. Buffet 217xx excellent condition
6. Buffet 225xx poor condition
7. Leblanc "176" 774x good condition
8. Marigaux "a Paris" 142x fair condition
9. Couesnon & Cie 94 Rue d’ Angouleme, no serial # (old), excellent condition
10. A. Robert 275x poor condition
11. B&H "Imperial" 926, former military instrument (superimposed serial #), fair condition
12. Rampone Brevettato Albert system, fair condition
13. E.J. Albert (Boehm system) good condition
14. Any of several Penzel Mueller "Artist" clarinets of various ages and condition
15. A. Lecomte & Cie “Excelsior” K193x good condition
16. Thibouville Freres “Supreme” 091x good condition
17. Alexandre Paris 135x
18. Auguste Buffet Brevete S.G.D.G. 12x good condition
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed
Date: 2025-06-09 01:47
I would start with #1 or an earlier Buffet. (#3-6)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bill
Date: 2025-06-09 02:51
Interesting! Yes, #3 is a lovely old swan's neck Buffet. The wood is gorgeous.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: smokindok
Date: 2025-06-09 19:19
Buffet and Selmer get a disproportionate amount of love. I’d be in the #13, Albert, or #10 Robert camp.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony F
Date: 2025-06-10 06:23
With such a wide variety to choose from, the choice must come down to the question of which suits you best. Keywork and playing characteristics can vary greatly between manufacturers or between models from the same maker, so first eliminate the instruments that you don't get on with. Of the residuum, is the determining factor price? If so, choose the one needing the least work. If cost is not a factor, look for the one with the best pedigree. A reconditioned student-level instrument will still be a student instrument when restored. There are several instruments in the list of a higher standard. For example, the 926 was in its day a professional instrument favoured by many top-level professional players and well set up will still perform well today. I have a couple of Thibouville instruments and they are well made, with excellent wood and keywork. Again, properly set up they could be a fine instrument. I've found varying levels of quality in Penzel Mueller Artiste's, so I'd be careful with those. They can be great and they can be awful.
The A. Robert was in its day a good instrument, but that day was a long time ago. I've had two pass through my hands and neither of them tuned well.
Tony F.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
