Klarinet Archive - Posting 000158.txt from 1994/12

From: CLARK FOBES <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: RE; New Buffet R-13
Date: Sat, 10 Dec 1994 17:07:08 -0500

Before I make any comments I want all to know that I am a successful
authorized Buffet dealer and that I perform on a pair of Prestige R-13
clarinets. There, disclaimer made take the following for what you will.

Regardless of the hype around the new Leblanc clarinets and any
conclusions I have made regarding their suitability for me, I think that
Leblanc's attempt to gain market shares has had a very positive effect
on the clarinet industry in general.

The acceptance of Leblanc clarinets by some major players has caused
many people to start looking at the possibility that Buffet's huge
shadow may be eclipsing other good clarinet makers.

There are several up and coming makers in the world that are starting to
be taken seriously. The English maker Peter Eaton has a very
distinguished proponent in this country, James Kanter. Jim is THE
clarinetist of choice in the LA studios and his playing is probably
heard by many more people than any orchestral musician. Luis Rossi who
makes clarinets in Santiago is becoming very popular in Latin America,
Europe and is becoming known in this country.

Another positive effect is thah Buffet is not sitting on their laurels
either. Recently I was able to spend several hours with the head
acoustician from Buffet, Rene Lesieux. He had a prototype of a new R-13
that played superbly. This new instrument retains the poly-cylindrical
bore, but the nominal bore is slightly smaller and the reverse cone of
the upper joint is shorter than before. Also the register tube has been
moved toward the mouthpiece about 1 mm to improve the intonation of the
upper left hand. Several tone holes have been moved slightly and
enlarged for better sonority. I was very impressed with this instrument
and I hope Buffet will take it into production. If they do we will
probably see them in about 18 months. Rene hopes to apply some of the
design to the R-13 A clarinet, which does (in my opinion) need some
serious attention.

I am a Buffet fan. I make no bones about that, but the relative low cost
of these mass produced clarinets, their general high quality and
Buffet's monolithic stature in the industry has discouraged individual
makers. Competition is good for the market place. I hope that we are on
the edge of a new era of innovation in the clarinet world

Clark W Fobes