Clarinet Bore Sizes
Please submit any clarinet bore (or other) information you have to Steve
Bore sizes are commonly measured on the Upper Joint, exit bore (where it goes into the next joint). But I’ve found this number is somewhat meaningless
when you want to compare instruments. What is also important is the Entry
bore into the upper joint (and barrels entry and exit bores). Thus many new numbers list a “upper” and a “lower” bore number which is simply the Upper
Joint Entry and Exit bore. If there is one number listed then it is the Exit bore size. Most numbers are in mm (millimeters) but there may also be numbers in the standard inch scale. Example: 15.61 mm (.575″)
| Make (pitch) | Bore size [denotes calculated * or / 25.4 ] |
|
LeBlanc |
|
| Concerto (modern non-bridged keywork) | Polycylindrical, 14.61 mm (.575″) |
| Concerto II (inverse taper barrel) | Polycylindrical, 14.61 mm (.575″) |
| Opus II (inverse taper barrel) | 14.61mm – .575″ |
| Pete Fountaine | 15.00mm (.590″) |
| Rapsodie (Intermediate) | Polycylindrical, 14.60 mm (.575) |
| Sonata | Polycylindrical, 14.60 mm (.575″) |
| Noblet 45 | 14.85 mm (.584″) |
| Noblet 40 | 14.85 mm (.584″) |
| Noblet SN#0718 – early 1900s | .574 |
| Noblet SN#2149 – pre WWII | .580 |
| Normandy 4 (Leblanc 4) | 14.85 mm (.584″) |
| Leblanc 1176 (aka, double LL) sn # 32869 (measured) |
14.80 / [.5826″] cylindrical 14.9 / .586 |
| L-27 Symphonic | 14.75 / [.5807″] cylindrical 14.80 cylindrical |
| L-300 | 14.60 / [.5748″] |
| Symphonie (model 1142S) | |
| Infinite | .575″ / [14.605″] |
| Sonata | .575″ / [14.605″] |
| Rapsodie | .575 / [14.605″] |
| Symphonie II (measured) | 14.64mm / [.576″] |
| Dynamic H | 15.0 (.590″) / 15.0 (.590″) cylindrical |
| 176 (preceeded Symphonie / Classic model) | 14.62 cylindrical |
| Classic | 14.80 |
| L7 | 14.67mm/ 0.577s” upper / 14.80mm/.583 lower |
| L27 | 14.75mm |
| L70 | |
| L200 – Leblancs R13 copy | 14.83 top / 14.65mm lower |
| Classic | 14.80 |
| 476 | |
| Selmer (Paris) | Bore |
| St. Louis Bb (442) | 14.5mm / .571″ |
| Centered Tone P15xx CT (measured) CT N76xx CT P15xx enhanced Series 9 S00xx enhanced |
15.0 (selmer documentation) [.590″] 14.95 / [.588″] 15.34 mm upper/ 15.10 mm lower 15.20 top / 14.89 lower 15.20 top / 14.89 lower (exact same as above CT enh) |
| Odyssee (442 pitch) | 14.50mm / 0.571″ |
| Artys (442 pitch) | 14.50mm / 0.571″ |
| Recital (440 or 442) | 14.30mm / [.5629″] |
| Signature (440 or 442) | 14.60mm / [.5748″] |
| 10G | |
| 10S | |
| Series 9* | .577″ / [14.655] |
| Series 9 | .588″ / [14.935] |
| Selmer 55 | 15.25″ .600mm top / 14.64″ .5765mm bottom |
| Selmer USA | Bore |
| Signet Omega | .573″ / [14.554″] |
| Signet Soloist | .573″ / [14.554″] |
| Signet Special | .573″ / [14.554″] |
| Signet 100 | .573″ / [14.554″] |
| Bundy/Vito (plastic) | .590″ / [14.986″] |
| Signet Special sn# 74991 | .590 = 15.00mm top / .575 = 13.83mm lower |
| Buffet | Bore |
| Prestige RC | 14.64mm / .5765″ |
| E12 | 14.65mm Polycylindrical |
| Prestige R13 | 14.64mm Polycylindrical |
| Vintage R13 | .570″ |
| R13 | 14.64mm Polycylindrical(.574″) |
| Festival | |
| Jazz Festival | .5835″ (measured top) |
| Tosca | .573″ |
| Super Dynaction (1968 – 1974) | |
| BC-20 sn98xxx (1967) | 14.83 top / 14.53 bottom |
| R13 (1974 – measured) R13 (1994 – measured) R-13 – sn# 51660 – 1955 R-13 – sn# 55156 – 1955 |
14.55 14.60 0.5845/14.84 top – 0.575/14.64 bottom 0.582/14.80 top – 0.477″/14.66mm bottom |
| E-11 (2757xx) | 0.594″/15.05mm top – 0.5775″/14.68mm bottom |
| Evette (K244xx) | 0.577/14.65″ top – 0.572/14.54mm bottom |
| Evette Master Model – D40216 | .0584/14.77 top – 0.575/14.64 bottom |
| Evette-Schaeffer – K24468 | 0.5695/14.46″ top – 0.569/14.46 bottom |
| 1880s (no serial #) Buffet, wraparound register vent |
14.88mm/0.586″ top & bottom |
| 1950 Buffet | 14.84 top / 14.74 bottom |
| B12 sn#3109xx | 15.00mm / .590″ top / 14.88 – .586″ bottom |
| Other | Bore |
| Buescher True Tone (measured) | .600″ / 15.5mm |
| Couesnon Monopole Conservatoire sn 285xx | 14.68 / 14.68 mm cylindrical |
| Peter Eaton International (measured) | #1 .5925″
#2 .586 / 14.9mm bore |
| Peter Eaton Elite (measured) | .601 – .6045″ |
| Malerne Standard (measured) | .577 |
| Malerne Intermediate (measured) | .5825 |
| Artley 17S | 0.590/14.99m top – 0.575″/14.61 mm bottom |
| Malerne silver throat (nickel silver bore lining) |
15.01mm/.591″ top – .582 mm/ 14.80″ bottom |
| Yamaha 34 | 15.13 top / 14.68 lower |
| Yamaha CS | |
| Conn 424 | 15.45 mm top / 15.22 mm bottom. interestingly there is no smooth bore flow from piece to piece on this example: barrel entry = 14.98, exit = 14.78. upper joint entry = 15.45, exit = 15.22. Lower joint entry = 15.15 |
| Boosey & Hawkes (thanks to Edward McLean) | |
| Regent Sonorite (synthetic) Student model | .593″ bore |
| Edgeware (wood & ebonite) Intermediate model, advertised as the American model. |
bore unknown |
| Emperor (wood) Intermediate model 4-20 | .593″ bore |
| Imperial 926 (wood & ebonite) Professional model | .593″ bore |
| Imperial 1010 (wood) Symphonic model | .600″ bore |
| 810 & 820 | smaller than .593″ |
| 1010 Bb clarinet, circa 1935, sn# 315xx | .600″ top / .599″ bottom |
| 1010 A clarinet, circa 1935, sn# 315xx | .598″ top / .598″ bottom |