I have an Evette Schaeffer Buffet Paris tenor sax with serial #16271. Case seems leather black cover and also says Buffet Paris. Carl Fischer paper inside for registration.

1. Evette Schaeffer Saxophone Serial
2. Evette Schaeffer Tenor Saxophone
3. Evette & Schaeffer Saxophone Serial Numbers

Buffet Crampon Clarinets

Buffet Serial Numbers

Serial Numbers breakdown

Around 1950 Buffet adopted a new model identification of
“No1” or “NO1”. This coincided wth the polycylindrical bore
introduction. Even though the R13 was officially introduced in 1955
some versions of it apparently existed beforehand, though 1955 was the
official final production design.

The Current code break is like the following:

BC1131-2-0 broken down as BCaabb(c)-x-y

“aa” may contain 11 (for Bb or Sib in french), 12 for A or
La, 15 for Eb or Mib, 17 for F, plus other code desgnations.

“bb” specifies the model of R13. “31” is the R-13,
02 for the E13, 11 for RC, 12 for the RC (possibly 444hrz, need
clarification), 23 for the Bassett, 83 for the Prestige RC
Bass to low Eb, 93 for the Pretige Bass to Low C, plus other designations.

“c” is optional and used to designate G for Greenline, L
for the optional LH Eb lever.

“x” specifies the keywork plating such as “02” or “2” for
silver plating and 5 or 05 for nickel keywork

“y” is used to specify the pitch. “0” for 440, 2,
for 442, 4 for 444. If this is not designated then it defaults to
440.

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 … yes a later serial number of 500 yields nearly 12 months earlier
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

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

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

Evette and Evette & Schaeffer Identification

For anyone searching serial number lists.
First, you have to identify the model of clarinet. Is it an “Evette”, or an “Evette-Schaeffer”, or a true “Buffet”. Around 1978 the Evette and E&S models were dropped for the name change to B12, E11, etc.

Then you have to identify the location of manufacturing.

• Evette – If it is made in Germany then it is a Shreiber made
  clarinet. And these serial number lists have no correlation to Buffet.
  You have to call Shreiber. If it is made in France then it may be on
  the list below. If it is made in France with a letter prefix (such as “A”,
  “B”, “C”, “D”, “E”) then it is made by Malerne.

• Evette-Schaeffer – if it is made in France with a letter prefix
  (such as “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “E”) then it is made by Malerne. Their serial
  numbers have no correlation to Buffets. If it is made in France then
  it may be on the list below.

Buffet Crampon Clarinets
NOTE: The K series Evette-Schaeffer
clarinets are well known. But BUFFET has another K series serial number
and that is with the Buffet Limite (with silver plated keywork) clarinets.
These have the Buffet emblem on them versus an Evette-Schaeffer emblem and is
not related to this list.

Evette-Schaeffer

New factory(ish) serial number list

Who made the earlier Evette and E&S clarinets ?

Evette Schaeffer Saxophone Serial

Many of the earlier Evette and E&S clarinets were made by Malerne. They are recognizeable by the keywork, compare them to the Marlene page
here.

So with Evette and Evette & Schaeffer that basically means the A, B, D
and E series are Malerne made, which ironically coincides with Malernes
serial number conventions. Unless they are stamped “Made in Germany”
and those were Schreiber made.

Buffet made K41xx is based on a pre-R13 Buffet. Looks like one via
the keywork and matches the R13 keywork introduction. Remember, Buffet
did not introduce the separate throat keys posts until 1955ish. This
is the same with the E&S / Evette model line if it was made by Buffet.

This is obviously a Buffet professional model just with the
added Modele Evette & Schaeffer stamp added on
(pictures from eBay, April 2013)

Malerne made Evette & Scheffer B30xx – notice the small barrel trill key guide (Malerne
like) and this is an early non-adjusting screw model with shared post (Malerne
& Buffet like). Also notice the top key of the lower joint ring keys,
the top pad cup arm bends upwards – aka Malerne’s !!

Malerne made Evette, sn E1198

As an example, here is a higher quality Malerne stenciled Ledoux clarinet
sn D3693

E-S information provided by Rich Holmes

Evette Schaeffer Tenor Saxophone

“Plastic Evette became the B12.

Wooden Evette became the E11.

Evette Master Model became the E12.

Evette & Schaeffer became the E13.

Evette and Schaeffer Master Model is supposedly an R13 with cosmetic flaws (this one
is debateable as Buffet won`t give much info on this – some say it is an
acceptional sounding E13 – either way it`s a good clarinet)”

Evette-Schaeffer Master Model	From other discussion it appears the story about cosmetically flawed R13s being sold as E&S Master Models is incorrect — and that cosmetically flawed R13s have been sold as Buffet Academy models.Other recommendations include that some Master Models are R-13 (as are Olds Opera’s). But during what part of the R13 process were they declared not fit for R13s? This could occur any time in the R13 process. Therefore, theoretically a Master Model could be from the same wood selection only of an R13 all the way to the end of production after some visual flaws are found. So, theoretically, a Master Model could be an R13 in all ways except for a few visual flaws OR could only be from the wood selection of an R13, and all other things potentially different.Evette-Schaeffer Master Models range from K5000 to K11000 which corresponds to 1953 to approx 1961. These can be considered the best as they also correspond to the R-13 introduction.1960 Buffet Brochure about the E&S Master Model: “Instruments that embody considerable hand craftsmanship, as do all the Buffet products, will vary slightly from instrument to instrument. Those Evette & Schaeffer clarinets that surpass the superb quality characteristic of al E&S instruments, are set aside to comprise the ME-13 Master Model Evette & Schaeffer clarinets.” The 1968 price list for an “E&S E13” clarinet is $250 and for the E&S Master Model ME-13 is $299. The E13 would finally get a Buffet logo in the 1980s	The words “Master Model” may be above or below the logo; Upper and/or lower joint and/or bell
Evette Master Model	The words “Master Model” may be above or below the logo

Evette & Schaeffer Saxophone Serial Numbers

Serial	Date	Source	Markings	Case and notes
2027	eBay 9/06	On bell and top joint: “Evette & Schaeffer” / “Paris” / “France” in oval. “Modele Buffet-Crampon” below oval.	Rectangular case, brown w/ brown lining, w/ lift clasps, holding barrel separate (maybe room for 2nd barrel or reed case), rear compartment.
56xx	eBay 9/06	Modele Buffet-Crampon.	Rounded rectangular case, black w/ blue lining, w/ lift clasps, holding barrel separate, L side compartment.