Name was only engraved on their best clarinets: the “step up” and student All have subtle differences,Īll are considered to be “top of the line” equals. The “S-1”, the “BC-20” and later the “RC”.
“R-13” (“Arthur King”, we call them…) model was soon joined by the He was aware of the fact that not allĬlarinet players agreed on the tone-color of their instrument, so the The American investor Martin Tolchinīought Buffet in the mid 1970’s. Instruments made between 19 are considered by many to be the A public corporation since 1929, the company was absorbed into Schaeffer” clarinets were the “step up” instruments from Buffet untilĪbout 1980. Paul Evette and Ernest Schaeffer bought the firm in 1885. By 1900, Buffet had a workforce of 200 craftsmen, producing clarinets, flutes and saxophones, all of high quality.
Alot of information there too as he has beenįounded in 1839 by Jean-Louis Buffet-Crampon, Buffet clarinets soon became the choice of the majority of the world’s professional players. Check out their website they sell many Buffets and other brands and instruments. A few years ago the owner/tech of contacted me – a lot of this verbage is straight off their website. Not sure where I got this blurb from, probably Boosey & Hawkes (Buffet is now a separate wholly owned company) ( some this information was forwarded to me via email at one time. This list does not include the Evette model clarinets made by BuffetĪp– Fondations Capital acquires Buffet Group togetherįondations Capital announces the completion of the acqisition of Buffet Group for an enterprise value of 58 million euros.įondations Capital has completed the acquisition of Buffet Group for an enterprise value of 58 MILLION EUROS, REPRESENTING 7.9 TIMES LAST TWELVE MONTHS ebitda. Professional clarinets since 1825, factory established 1850. November 2012 – Model Changes from Buffet A case is NOT included but could be made available for an additional $100. If you desire a mouthpiece, we will offer any of our mouthpieces at 25% discount with purchase of this clarinet.Academy v Regular (v E&S) Buffet Analysis
This clarinet has all the original parts, the keys are unplated german silver (nickel silver), and the serial numbers match on the two large joints. As always, all of our items come with a one-week return policy. Jazz and studio musicians love these older instruments for their wonderful sound and flexibility. But it is my opinion that anyone would benefit from this nice clarinet. If you have always wanted a golden era instrument but were reluctant to take a risk, now is your opportunity to try. This instrument does a little as well, but not severely. Regarding intonation, as was common in those days, the high B and C tended sharp. This clarinet has a beautiful sound. It possesses that wonderful golden era combo of flexibility and sweetness of tone. It has crisp response, its intonation is better than normal for that time period, and it has plenty of life left. This leads me to believe it is merely a surface blemish and won't be of any concern.
The crack never reopened or caused further concern. The crack didn't interfere with the tone hole or the tenon. The crack was just above the register key-hole, and it ran a short distance. When I received it, I noticed a small hairline crack which I repaired with glue. It plays well, however, and it would serve amateurs very well as is. For professional use, it would benefit from an artist setup. This clarinet is in moderate condition, it has been serviced with Valentino pads throughout. Their tonal sensibilities, the time they invented in each instrument's creation, and the sweet ringing sound of these instruments are lost in today's modern world.
Here we have a 60,XXX series R13 placing it smack dab in the center of the golden era-1959. Handmade from select wood, instruments from the late 50s and early 60s were detailed by craftsmen with beautiful artisanship. Furthermore, Buffet clarinets were in constant evolution throughout their early years and one can discern obvious change in intonation, response, and tone throughout the two-decade golden era. The golden era of clarinet manufacturing started in the mid-1950s and lasted until the early 1960s. Indeed there are some sweet spots in the 1980s as well, but the R13 clarinets from that era are very different than those of the golden era.