Klarinet Archive - Posting 000031.txt from 1994/02

From: Cary Karp <nrm-karp@-----.SE>
Subj: Re: Buffet Elite
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 14:53:52 -0500

On Thu, 3 Feb 1994, Tom Ascher wrote:

> I notice in descriptions of the Elite thin walled construction, it is
> supposed to be 16% lighter. I'm curious if those of you who own or have
> tried the Elite notice the difference in weight. Is it NOTICEABLY lighter?

Boy is it ever! In my experience, the instrument is simply in a class by
itself in terms both of its basic design and in terms of its sound and
feel. I can certainly imagine it not appealing to everyone, but would
venture the guess than anyone who likes it will like it a lot.

I'm loathe to attempt a description of its sound using conventional
musician's descriptors considering the discussion here awhile back about
the concept and term "dark". If I were to throw caution to the wind, I'd
use terms such as "bell-like", "free" and "open" to describe its sound;
impeccable to describe its keywork and feel in hand; disappointing to
describe the quality of the wood, but top-notch to describe its
workmanship. The intonation of the Bb is dead-on, the A less so. The
only thing that I really don't like is that it's substantially harder to get
them to speak above the extreme A than I find to be the case with most other
instruments of reasonable quality. I tried several Bb and A Elites before
settling for the ones I now own and feel the preceding comments to be
applicable to the whole lot.

I regard the Elites as my bread and butter instruments. They work well in
both chamber and orchestral contexts. With a wide open mouthpiece and a
softer reed the Bb is a really nice jazz horn. When I want to use something
darker and heavier (the latter both in terms of sound and weight) I am
quite fond of the Leblanc Concerto (which is atrociously built in
comparison). I'm also really fond of my 1934 Silver King. Listen to
Lester Young's solo clarinet stuff if you want to hear a metal clarinet
being used for its own musical worth rather than as a surrogate for a
wooden instrument. I would be greatly surprised if he would have liked
the Elite!