The First Hundred Years of the Boehm Flute in the United States, 1845-1945: A Biographical Dictionary of American Boehm Flutemakers, Volume 2 Susan Marie Beagle Berdahl University of Minnesota, 1985 - 1778 pages. Yamaha flute serial number lookup, The record is much less complete after 1936. Instruments manufactured after 1936 range in serial number from 1350-3600. The log book shows the serial numbers jumping around quite a bit for the Selmer/Adolphe Sax saxophones. I am currently considering the purchase of a vintage Bettoney flute. Bettoney Boston USA USN (I assume Navy issue). Serial number A1696.
1825-1885 | no records | |
1885 | 1A-408A | |
1886 | 409A-999A | |
1886 | A1 – A886 | |
1887 | A887-A999 B1 – B999 1B – 417B | |
1888 | 498B-999B 1C – 999C C1 – C300 | |
1889 | C301-C999 D1 – D999 1K5211D-348D | |
1890 | 349D – 999D E1 – E999 1E – 316E | |
1891 | 317E – 999E F1 -F999 1 F-190F | |
1892 | 191F – 999F G1 – G999 1G – 58G | |
1893 | 59G – 999G H1 – H999 1H -1 84H | |
1894 | 185H – 999H I1 – I665 | |
1895 | I666 – I999 1I – 999I J1 – J617 | |
1896 | J618 – J999 1J – 999J K1 – K514 | |
1897 | K515 – K999 1 K – 999K L1 – L561 | |
1898 | L562 – L999 1L – 999L M1 – M590 | |
1899 | M591 – M999 1M – 999M N1 – N440 | |
1900 | N441 – N999 1N – 999N O1 – O521 | |
1901 | O522 – O999 1O – 999O P1 – P999 1P – 374P | |
1902 | 375P – 999P R1 – R999 1R – 404R | |
1903 | 405R – 999R S1 – S999 1S – 999S T1 – T40 | |
1904 | T41 – T999 621T – 999T U1 – U999 1U – 81U | |
1905 | 82U – 999U V1 – V999 1V – 751V | |
1906 | 752V – 999V X1 – X999 1X – 999X Y1 – Y840 | |
1907 | Y841 – Y999 1Y – 999Y Z1 – Z999 1Z – 812Z | |
1908 | 813Z – 999Z 1A2 – 1A999 2A1-999A1 1B1 – 1B999 B21 – 60B1 | |
1913 | 1H501-1H999 2H1 – 999H1 1I2 – 1I999 2I1 – 413I1 | |
1914 | 414I1 – 999I1 41J2 – 1J999 2J1 – 224J1 | |
1915 | 225J1 – 999J1 1K2 – 1K341 | |
1916 | 1K342-1K999 2K1 – 460K1 | |
1917 | 461K1-999K1 1K2 -1K521 | |
1918 | 1K522-1K999 2L1 – 661L1 | |
1919 | 662L1 -999L1 1M2 – 1M800 | |
1920 | 1M801-1M999 2M1 – 999M1 11N2 – 1N515 | |
1921 | 1N516 -1N999 2N1 – 999N1 1O2 – 1O193 | |
1922 | 1O194 -1O999 2O1 – 692O1 | |
1923 | 693O1 -999O1 1P2 – 1P999 2P1 – 536P1 | |
1924 | 537P1 – 999P1 1R2 -1R999 1R1 – 226R1 | |
1925 | 227R1 – 999R1 1S2 -1S876 | |
1926 | 1S877 – 1S999 2S1 – 999S1 1T2 – 1T508 | |
1927 | 1T509 – 1T542 | |
1928 | 1 – 2500 | |
1929 | 2501 – 4999 | |
1930 | 5000 – 7499 | |
1931 | 7500 – 9999 | |
1932 | 10000 – 12500 | |
1933 | 12501 – 15000 | |
1934 | 15001 -18000 | |
1935 | 18001-20000 | |
1936 | 20001 – 22000 | |
1937 | 22001 – 24000 | |
1938 | 24001 – 26000 | |
1939 | 26001 – 27000 | 1943 – the two LH side spatula keys on separate posts |
1945 | 27001 – 28000 | |
1945 -1957 about 3000 per year | about 3000 per year (SNs are approx) 1946 – 28001 – 30500 1947 – 30501 – 33000 1948 – 33001 – 35500 1949 – 35501 – 38000 1950 – 38001 – 40500 1951 – 40501 – 43000 1952 – 43001 – 45500 1953 – 45501 – 48000 1954 – 48001 – 50500 1955 – 50501 – 53000 1956 – 53001 – 55500 1957 – 55501 – 58834 | 1955 – official production of the R-13 |
1958 | 58835 – 59143 | |
1959 | 59144 – 62457 | |
1960 | 62458 – 65956 | |
1961 | 65957 – 68717 | |
1962 | 69718 – 75319 | |
1963 | 75320 – 78093 | |
Apparently the most wanted Buffets are from the range 83k to 200k (1965 to 1979) | ||
1964 to 1966 | 78094 – 93203 To the right I calculate out and average production per year. | 1964 = 78094 – 83130 1965 = 83131 – 88167 1966 = 88168 – 93203 |
1967 | 93204 – 99331 | |
1968 | 99332 -105617 | |
1969 | 105618-114416 | |
1970 | 111417-117747 | |
1971 | 117748-126209 | |
1972 | 126210-133903 | |
1973 | 133904-143517 | |
1974 | 143518-153323 | |
1975 | 153324-163567 | |
1976 | 163568-173826 | |
1977 | 173827-183901 | |
1978 | 183902-191872 | |
1979 | 191873-201531 | |
1980 | 201532-210652 | |
1981 | 210653-221260 | |
1982 | 221261-234695 | |
1983 | 234696-250371 | |
1984 | 250372-266396 | |
1985 | 266397-277482 | |
1986 | 277483-292267 | |
1987 | 292268-302623 | |
1988 | 302624-312699 | |
1989 | 312700-324769 | |
1990 | 324770- | |
Below are approximations taken from the Buffet-Crampon website which allows serial number searches 325,000 Dec 15, 1989 350,000 Oct 17, 1991 400,000 May 15, 1995 450,000 Sept 16, 1998 500,000 June 24, 2002 550,000 Nov 7, 2005 (or maybe July 11) 600,000 noting returned | It seems as though they have a very long lay over for christmas and new years holidays. 12/15 – 1/15 where no serial numbers exist. | |
2003 | – 512000 | 512000 is Dec 12, 2003 512500 is Jan 27, 2003 … |
512500 – | ||
2005 | 538900 | |
4/18/2005 | 545021 |
Between 1968 and 1974 Buffet also made the Super Dynaction Bb clarinet.
Few of these are known in existance though they seem to have a low demand
due to their jazz heritage.
Evette Master models with the cutout under the RH crow feet are the
identified R-13 rejects.
Approximately 1990 Buffet changed their lineup.
Pre-1990
Pro to Beginner: R13 (Pro) – C12 (Intermediate) – E45
(Intermediate) – E11 (Beginner) – B12 (Beginner)
Post 1990
Pro to Begginer: R13 (Pro) – E13 (Intermediate) & C12 (conservatory
intermediate) – E12 (Intermediate) –
E11 (Beg) – B12 (Beg)
C-13 (aka International)
is the equivalent to an E-11 but it was manufactured as a “private brand”
for another US company
Buffet E-13 Clarinets
Cundy Bettoney Flute Serial Numbers Lookup
Serial number | Year of make | Notes, pics |
10109-16377 | 1961-1966 | |
16378-23007 | 1966-1969 | |
23008-29623 | 1969-1973 | |
29624-32167 | 1973-1975 | |
32168-42803 | 1975-1977 | |
42804-49092 | 1977-1979 | |
49093-56536 | 1979-1981 | |
56537-62684 | 1981-1983 | |
62685-70191 | 1983-1987 |
Buffet Harmony Clarinets
Bettoney Alto Clarinet
Serial number | Year of make | Notes, pics |
19506-19578 | 1950 | |
19579-19638 | 1951 | |
19639-19680 | 1952 | |
19681-19781 | 1953 | |
19782-19965 | 1954 | |
19966-20091 | 1955 | |
20092-20154 | 1956 | |
20155-20237 | 1958 | |
20238-20401 | 1959 | |
20402-20502 | 1960 | |
20503-20511 | 1961 | |
20512-20692 | 1962 | |
20693-20775 | 1963 | |
20776-20864 | 1964 | |
20855-20911 | 1965 | |
20912-21054 | 1966 | |
21055-21209 | 1967 | |
21210-21358 | 1968 | |
21359-21432 | 1969 | |
21433-21500 | 1970 | |
21501-21587 | 1971 | |
21558-21627 | 1972 | |
21628-21702 | 1973 | |
21703-21796 | 1974 | |
21797-21953 | 1975 | |
21954-21999 | 1976 | |
22000-22114 | 1977 | |
22115-22233 | 1978 | |
22234-22350 | 1979 | |
22351-22425 | 1980 | |
22462-22535 | 1981 | |
22536-22692 | 1982 | |
22693-22859 | 1983 | |
22860-23059 | 1984 | |
23060-23274 | 1985 | |
23275-23462 | 1986 | |
23463-23619 | 1987 | |
23620-23875 | 1988 | |
23876-24190 | 1989 | |
24191-24506 | 1990 | |
24509-25221 | 1991 | |
25222-26077 | 1992 | |
26078-26734 | 1993 |