 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sherman
Date: 2006-11-19 15:48
I am posting this for a new friend who has what is apparently a one-piece Buffet full-boehm. (I promise not to try to get it.)I think the player could have been Valerio, but when in Boston he always played Selmer)
Sherman Friedland
"An old Buffet clarinet has recently been under my fingers and I was wondering if
you or any or your readers can help. It is a one piece Buffet Bb, with an extra
low right Eb key as well as an extra trill key for the left hand, upper finger
joint. I am not sure of the serial number, it looks like it is either 430E or
perhaps 430L. It might even be 430 with a number but I don't think it is. I
have found the serial numbers on the Internet and, if I am reading the numbers
correctly, this clarinet was manufactured in 1890s! It is in amazing shape, and
plays quite well. It was obviously lovingly tended over the many years though it
has been sitting in a musty basement recently. Rumour has it that it belonged to
a principal clarinet player with the Boston Pops during the 1920s. My source
seems to think it was an Italian gentleman, last name Vin-something or other. I
have been able to find info. on Manuel Valerio, a Portuguese clarinetist who
played with them at that time but I was wondering if you could tell me anymore.
I would love to be able to purchase this clarinet and have it restored. It's
quite exciting to think of the music this instrument has played and even
premiered! How it ended up here in Nova Scotia is anyone's guess.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Post Edited (2006-11-19 15:51)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-11-19 16:12
I saw one of these up in Howarth's London shop (it's in the workshop), one piece body but as well as the standard articulated G# that full Boehms have, it has a seperate G-Ab trill key (for RH finger 2) opening a tonehole in the standard 17/6 Boehm position, completely independant from the LH C#/C# touch and mechanism.
So I suppose the altissimo Bb can be played as C5, but nudging the RH 2 G# touch will give the same venting for this note as on standard 17/6 clarinets (Th.Sp.xxxC#/G#|xxxF/C) - if that's possible without RH finger 2 uncovering it's tonehole (Sp.Th. xxx|x,xxF/C) - otherwise the full Boehm fingering is the same but with the thumb off the thumb bush (Sp. xxx|xxxF/C)
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-11-19 20:05
I have a somewhat-similar "single-bodied" Pruefer LP-B wood clarinet ser.# 2501, which I regard as a 19/7, since it lacks the low Eb. It also has the rt 2nd? finger "alternate" C#/G# to the artic. [for trilling?] so it could be called a [different] 20/7, I guess. Yes, it has the 7th ring for the fork, the alt. Ab/Eb lever, but its register key is the side-mounted [wrap around] type, built of vert. and horiz. segments [not angled], which is unusual to me. The adjustment screw "placement" on the throat G# is also diff. So, who has copied whom is open to question, but of possible interest to a few of us!! Just Sun PM thots, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2006-11-20 01:14
I own one of these clarinets. I bought it on eBay a few years back thinking I could overhaul it. No such luck. It needs way more than I know how to do. Someday when I get a little more money....
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2006-11-20 12:50
I have a 1904 Buffet in A that is a single piece, it's a full boehm, has a doughnut key plus low Eb. Unfortunately someone removed the Eb/Ab left hand lever, they did leave the posts and screw. Mine is in playing condition but I find the throat notes to be very sharp. If you want to play it for very long wearing a neck strap is must unless you've got a really good right wrist.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-11-20 16:56
bill28099 -
Kalmen Opperman told me that the very old Buffets used longer barrels than current models, with a different bore. Also, the older A clarinets used a longer barrel than the Bbs, which is the opposite of current models.
I have a 1908 Buffet Bb/A pair, not single-piece but with wraparound register keys. They play very well with Opperman barrels, with a sweeter, less soloistic tone than today's Buffets.
You might ask one of the barrel makers on the board to make something for you. A properly tapered barrel bore can bring down the throat notes without throwing the rest of the instrument out of tune.
Ken Shaw
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