With Buffet clarinets long history, sometimes figuring out the model and serial number can be exhilarating, principally for the potential thrill of discovering that the Buffet clarinet in your hands might be a rare and valuable model! In 1825, Denis Buffet-Auger began a clarinet workshop in Paris. In 1871, Leon Crampon became a partner and the name was changed to Buffet Crampon. Buffet clarinets reputation spread quickly and became recognized for their quality, winning awards at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889. The first Buffet clarinets came to the US in 1918 and have cemented their place ever since.
How do I find the model of my buffet clarinet?
First, inspect the side of the clarinet’s upper body and find the thin long key right above the hole (only hole) found on the back.
This is your register key. Along side the top of your register key you should find a marking that Buffet utilizes in identifying which model of the clarinet you have. Every Buffet Crampon clarinet comes stamped with their basic logo, so all other differentiating marks will be used for it’s identification. If you find a letter immediately followed by a number, such as “E11” or “R13,” stamped beneath the Buffet logo, this will be the model of the clarinet.
Check beneath the Buffet logo for the little metal plate or a scar which might indicate that there had been a plate at one time. These plaques are used by Buffet Crampon to identify most professional-level, modern clarinets. Without the original plaque or stamp, you will have to get the help of an expert to accurately determine what model your Buffet Crampon clarinet is.
buffet crampon clarinet identification
If you find “EVETTE” stamped in the middle of the Buffet Crampon emblem, then you have one of Buffet Crampon‘s student or intermediate grade clarinets pre 1983. If your clarinet is wood-bodied with the same “EVETTE” stamped in the middle of the Buffet Crampon emblem, then you are holding a B12 model, if it is a plastic bodied clarinet than you have an E11. Some Evette models might also have a “Master Model” stamped beneath the Buffet Crampon logo. These are upgraded models and mostly were produced prior to the ‘60s.
If the Buffet Crampon logo stamped on the clarinet has no additional stamps, markings, or plaques, it might be one of the highly esteemed R13 professional models. Check the serial number, located with a tiny stamp on the back of your clarinet’s barrel or on the case. If your number is higher than 50,000, more than likely it is an R13. You can also search near the “A” and “Ab” keys by the top of your clarinet. If these two keys have been fused on a single joint, then it is not a Buffet Crampon R13 clarinet.
If you find an “F” before the serial number of an R13, this tells us that the clarinet was built to an A442 – A444 and is designed for use by European ensembles. It is safe to assume that anything from #61,000 was manufactured with this “poly-cylindrical” bore design in mind. Tragically some documents containing precise information concerning serial numbers were lost. This loss created an information gap from around 1946 – 1957.
buffet crampon clarinet serial numbers
Serial Number | Year Manufactured |
1A – 498 A | 1885 |
409A – 999A | 1886 |
A1 – A886 | 1886 |
A887 – A999 | 1887 |
B1 – B999 | 1887 |
1B – 417B | 1887 |
418B – 999B | 1888 |
1C – 999C | 1888 |
C1 – C300 | 1888 |
C301 – C999 | 1889 |
D1 -D999 | 1889 |
1D – 348D | 1889 |
349D – 999D | 1890 |
E1 – E999 | 1890 |
1E – 316E | 1890 |
317E – 999E | 1891 |
F1 – F999 | 1891 |
1F – 190F | 1891 |
191F – 999F | 1892 |
G1 – G999 | 1892 |
1G – 58G | 1892 |
59G – 999G | 1893 |
H1 – H999 | 1893 |
1H – 184H | 1893 |
185H – 999H | 1894 |
I1 – I665 | 1894 |
I666- I999 | 1895 |
1I -999I | 1895 |
J1 – J617 | 1895 |
J618 – J999 | 1896 |
1J – 999J | 1896 |
K1 – K514 | 1896 |
K515 – K999 | 1897 |
1K – 999K | 1897 |
L1 – L561 | 1897 |
L562 – L999 | 1898 |
1L – 999L | 1898 |
M1 -M590 | 1898 |
M591 – M999 | 1899 |
1M – 999M | 1899 |
N1 – N440 | 1899 |
N441- N999 | 1900 |
1N – 999N | 1900 |
O1 – O521 | 1900 |
O522 -O999 | 1901 |
1O -999O | 1901 |
P1 – P999 | 1901 |
1P – 374P | 1901 |
375P – 999P | 1902 |
R1 – R999 | 1902 |
1R – 404R | 1902 |
405R – 999R | 1903 |
S1 – S999 | 1903 |
1S – 999S | 1903 |
T1 – T40 | 1903 |
T41 – T999 | 1904 |
1T – 999T | 1904 |
U1 – U999 | 1904 |
1U – 81U | 1904 |
82U – 999U | 1905 |
V1 – V999 | 1905 |
1V – 751V | 1905 |
752V – 999V | 1906 |
X1 – X999 | 1906 |
1X – 999X | 1906 |
Y1 – Y840 | 1906 |
Y841 – Y999 | 1907 |
1Y – 999Y | 1907 |
Z1 – Z999 | 1907 |
1Z – 812Z | 1907 |
813Z – 999Z | 1908 |
1A1 – 1A999 | 1908 |
2A1 – 2A999 | 1908 |
1B1 – 1B999 | 1908 |
2B1 – 2B60 | 1908 |
2B61 – 2B999 | 1909 |
1C1-1C999 | 1909 |
2C1- 2C999 | 1909 |
1D1 – 1D67 | 1909 |
1D68 – 1D999 | 1910 |
2D1 – 2D999 | 1910 |
1E1 – 1E901 | 1910 |
1E902 – 1E999 | 1911 |
2E1 – 2E999 | 1911 |
1F1 -1F999 | 1911 |
2F1 -2F763 | 1911 |
2F764 – 2F999 | 1912 |
1G1 – 1G999 | 1912 |
2G1 – 2G999 | 1912 |
1H1 – 1H500 | 1912 |
1H501 – 1H999 | 1913 |
2H1 – 2H999 | 1913 |
| 1913 |
| 1913 |
| 1914 |
1J1 – 1J999 | 1914 |
2J1 -2J224 | 1914 |
2J225 – 2J999 | 1915 |
1K1 – 1K341 | 1915 |
1K342 – 1K999 | 1916 |
2K1 – 2K460 | 1916 |
2K461 – 2K999 | 1917 |
1L11 – 1L521 | 1917 |
1L522 – 1L999 | 1918 |
2L1 – 2L661 | 1918 |
2L662 – 2L999 | 1919 |
1M1 – 1M800 | 1919 |
1M801 – 1M999 | 1920 |
2M1 – 2M999 | 1920 |
1N1 – 1N515 | 1920 |
1N516 – 1N999 | 1921 |
2N1 – 2N999 | 1921 |
1O1 – 1O193 | 1921 |
1O194 – 1O999 | 1922 |
2O1 – 20168 | 1922 |
2O169 – 2O999 | 1923 |
1P1 – 1P999 | 1923 |
2P1 – 1P536 | 1923 |
2P537 – 2P999 | 1924 |
1R1 – 1R999 | 1924 |
2R1 – 2R226 | 1924 |
2R227 – 2R999 | 1925 |
1S1 – 1S876 | 1925 |
1S877 – 1S999 | 1926 |
2S1 – 2S999 | 1926 |
1T1 – 1T508 | 1926 |
1T509 – 1T542 | 1927 |
| 1928 |
1 | 1929 |
2500 | 1930 |
5000 | 1931 |
7500 | 1932 |
10,000 | 1933 |
12,500 | 1934 |
15,000 | 1935 |
18,000 | 1936 |
20,000 | 1937 |
22,000 | 1938 |
24,000 | 1939 |
26,000 | 1940 |
thru | * |
58,834 | 1957 |
58,835 | 1958 |
59,144 | 1959 |
62,458 | 1960 |
65,957 | 1961 |
69,718 | 1962 |
75,320 | 1963 |
78,094 | 1964 |
| 1965 |
| 1966 |
93,206 | 1967 |
99,332 | 1968 |
105,618 | 1969 |
111,417 | 1970 |
117,748 | 1971 |
126,210 | 1972 |
133,904 | 1973 |
143,518 | 1974 |
153,324 | 1975 |
163,568 | 1976 |
173,827 | 1977 |
183,902 | 1978 |
191,873 | 1979 |
201,532 | 1980 |
210,653 | 1981 |
221,261 | 1982 |
234,696 | 1983 |
250,372 | 1984 |
266,397 | 1985 |
277,483 | 1986 |
292,268 | 1987 |
302,624 | 1988 |
312,700 | 1989 |
324,770 | 1990 |
337911 | 1991 |
352251 | 1992 |
367800 | 1993 |
379341 | 1994 |
394001 | 1995 |
408001 | 1996 |
Buffet Crampon E-13 Clarinet Serial Numbers
Serial Number | Year Manufactured |
10109 | 1961 |
16378 | 1966 |
23008 | 1969 |
29624 | 1973 |
32168 | 1975 |
42804 | 1977 |
49093 | 1979 |
56537 | 1981 |
62685 | 1983 |
Buffet Harmony Clarinet Serial Numbers
Serial Number | Year Manufactured |
19506 | 1950 |
19579 | 1951 |
19639 | 1952 |
19681 | 1953 |
19782 | 1954 |
19966 | 1955 |
20092 | 1956 |
20155 | 1958 |
20238 | 1959 |
20402 | 1960 |
20503 | 1961 |
20512 | 1962 |
20693 | 1963 |
20776 | 1964 |
20855 | 1965 |
20912 | 1966 |
21055 | 1967 |
21210 | 1968 |
21359 | 1969 |
21433 | 1970 |
21501 | 1971 |
21558 | 1972 |
21628 | 1973 |
21703 | 1974 |
21797 | 1975 |
21954 | 1976 |
22000 | 1977 |
22115 | 1978 |
22234 | 1979 |
22351 | 1980 |
22462 | 1981 |
22536 | 1982 |
22693 | 1983 |
22860 | 1984 |
23060 | 1985 |
23275 | 1986 |
23463 | 1987 |
23620 | 1988 |
23876 | 1989 |
24191 | 1990 |
24509 | 1991 |
25222 | 1992 |
26078 | 1993 |