Buffet Crampon Bb Clarinet (pre-R13) 1946 - Wood

1946 Buffet Crampon & Cie A Paris Bb clarinet, serial 38194. Grenadilla body, Boehm system, no cracks, with original case and Selmer Paris HS** mouthpiece.

This is a pre-R13 professional-line Buffet from post-war Paris production. Buffet’s own serial chart places 38000 at 1946, putting this horn in early-to-mid 1946 — roughly four years and 23,000 units before Robert Carrée’s polycylindrical R13 bore arrived. Pre-R13 Buffets are their own category among collectors and players who prefer the earlier bore.

Marking and authenticity

• Buffet Crampon & Cie A Paris crown stamp with MADE IN FRANCE on the upper joint

• No Evette, Evette-Schaeffer, or E-stamp — the bare logo marking is the professional-line stamp for this era

• Serial 38194 stamped on both the upper and lower joints — matching, original pair, not assembled from parts

• Original Buffet case with the oval nickel “BUFFET Crampon & Cie A Paris” badge and the interior “The Sweetest Clarinet Ever Made” ribbon label

Condition — honest assessment

• No cracks anywhere. All joints inspected under direct light, including the register vent and both tenons.

• All keys, rods, and levers present and functioning. Action presses smoothly with no binding.

• Grenadilla body is sound with good grain and no chips to the tone holes.

• Original pads are green and hardened. They will need replacement for playing condition — normal for an 80-year-old instrument.

• Original tenon corks are pitted and compressed and will need replacement.

• Light green oxidation at the bell ring and a few key cups. Nickel silver keywork shows honest patina consistent with age.

• Case is structurally sound with wear to the covering. Latches and hinges work.

Budget roughly $250–350 for a full repad and cork job to bring it to playing condition. Priced accordingly. I have deliberately not cleaned, polished, or serviced anything — the horn is exactly as found, so the next owner can choose their own tech and pad material.

Included

• Clarinet: barrel, upper joint, lower joint, bell

• Selmer Paris HS** mouthpiece, Made in France, with a Buffet-Crampon stamped ligature and cap

• Original Buffet hard case

• Two marching lyres

• Reed case with Buffet reeds

• Cork grease tin, swab, and assorted original accessories as pictured

Sold as-is. Ships double-boxed and fully insured. Local pickup available in Richmond, Virginia.