Klarinet Archive - Posting 000038.txt from 1996/03

From: Michael D Moors - Alpena <mdmoors@-----.US>
Subj: Dave Lane
Date: Sun, 3 Mar 1996 00:30:09 -0500

Dave,

No problem. It was late and the tone of your letter did upset me some.
See I checked the facts from the best repair man/music dealer in the
State of Michigan. If the R-13 was called a R-13 in the 50's and you
were sure of that it should be brought up. The sentence that hit me
wrong is the one about the many knowledgable readers that are amused.
The main purpose of my posting was to answer a girl's question about the
Master model. I had a few students play on them and I wanted to research
them. While I was at it I through out some other info. from Meridian Winds.

> I'm curious about your comment on the student models' intonation. Do you
> mean consistancy one horn to the next? I believe this is true and a good
> reason to ask parents to stay with one brand. At the local High School, we
> have just about eliminated the occasional pawn shop Normandy and the
section
> tuning is better for it(probably a section of Normandys would tune well
> within itself, too).
> It seems to me that the E-11,E12, et al have tuning problems, too, just not
> the same problems as the
R-13.

I use the plastic Buffets with B45 mouthpieces for elementary students.
Their are problems with intonation but with the same mouthpiece I can get
my clarinet sections to sparkle. I truly like the student model Buffet
because it has the same keys as an R-13 so when students step up from the
B12 to the E11 (or to an R13) the feel is the same. On the subject of
mouthpieces I have considered switching to Fobes or Knox mouthpieces
because they would be even more consistent.

Why do I want an R-13, despite its well documented problems with intonation?
> Because all the good Clarinet toys are for the R-13! Nobody(well, not many
> anyway) makes barrels, mouthpieces, etc to match the Selmers and Leblancs!

The answer I think would have to be sound. At least in my case. When I
selected my R13 I spend a day trying every clarinet I could get my hand
on. I agree that the performer makes the sound but my handpicked
Gigilotti mouthpiece is a great microphone and my R13 is a tremendous
amp. When I picked out my clarinet the Opus Leblancs weren't around.
I would like to try some someday.

> Do you ever attend any of the conventions? I'd like to have coffee or a
> meal with you sometime.

I attend the midwest conferences in Chicago and Ann Arbor If you go to
either give me a call. I'm sure we would have a lot in common.

I apologize for being "thin skinned".

Good Luck

Mike Moors

On Fri, 1 Mar 1996, Dave Lane wrote:

> Mike:
>
> Once again let me apologize if my tone was severe. My point about free
> discussion would be the opposite of yours. I believe that in this forum
> statements of opinion should and must be offered freely and enjoyed by all.
> However, we should be held accountable for statements of fact. I post to
> the list only seldom, but I find myself double-checking my facts before
> sending . For instance, I made sure I had a reference in hand before I said
> "1950".
>
> I'm curious about your comment on the student models' intonation. Do you
> mean consistancy one horn to the next? I believe this is true and a good
> reason to ask parents to stay with one brand. At the local High School, we
> have just about eliminated the occasional pawn shop Normandy and the section
> tuning is better for it(probably a section of Normandys would tune well
> within itself, too).
> It seems to me that the E-11,E12, et al have tuning problems, too, just not
> the same problems as the R-13.
>
> Why do I want an R-13, despite its well documented problems with intonation?
> Because all the good Clarinet toys are for the R-13! Nobody(well, not many
> anyway) makes barrels, mouthpieces, etc to match the Selmers and Leblancs!
>
> I'm 90% sure I'm going to keep the Prestige I'm trying now. I thought my
> current R-13 was a good one, but, at least for now, I'm quite taken with
> this one. This ,of course, is how collections start!
>
> Do you ever attend any of the conventions? I'd like to have coffee or a
> meal with you sometime.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Dave
>
>
> At 01:22 AM 3/1/96 -0800, you wrote:
> >Reply,
> >
> >No offense taken. When you respond to and article and try to recall all of
> >the Buffet models it is really tough. If you look at today's R-13 you won't
> >see a stamp on it, let alone R13's in the 70's. In response to the changes
> >in the R-13's I will say one thing. If you took a R13 and compiled the
> >changes over the past several years if is tough to tell the changes. You
> >would have to be a technician like Steve Prescott to tell the difference. I
> >love my R-13 dearly, recently tried an elite model and found the wood
> >beautiful but the tone was no better. The prestige really doesn't play much
> >better either, if you have a good R13. The Greenline model seems to be good
> >without wasting the African blackwood tree as it is a composite of wood
> >instead of pure blackwood it is probably the wave of the future until the
> >blackwood is extinct.
> >
> >I came to the conclusion several years ago that I play my buffet for the
> >tone. I had a Selmer Series 9 (in the 70's-80's) that was the best
> >mechanical clarinet I ever had and had the best intonation. Consistency of
> >intonation seemed to be the major flaw with the professional Buffets, I have
> >used nail polish and electrical tape to alter the tone holes. For some
> >reason the student models are pretty consistent in intonation. I have found
> >this to be the case from 16+ years of teaching.
> >
> >On this listserve there are many people that are open minded, Dan Leeson
> >comes to mind as being open minded and a profound thinker. I have learned
> >from him. There are other people on this listserve that nit pick any
> >spelling mistake or hastily written article with no knowledge of what the
> >person does or has done. You should not have to cover your back side to
> >enter a discussion on this listserve.
> >
> >Mike Moors
> >
> >
> >At 11:56 PM 2/29/96 -0600, you wrote:
> >>Dear Sir:
> >>
> >>I'll send this message off the list and allow you to do whatever you want
> >>with it.
> >>
> >>The R13 was introduced as Robert Carree's first major design in 1950. There
> >>have been innumerable changes to the design since, and the name is about the
> >>only thing that has remained the same. Many were plain German Silver, and
> >>nickel plating came later. Many Buffets prior to that had nickel plated
> >>keys. Another design was the S1, not S11. Many of the ideas from this
> >>design were later incorporated in the Prestige.
> >>
> >>Please don't take offense at this correction. Be mindful that there are
> >>many very knowlegeable people reading this list that know their history
> >>well. Some probably owned a fifties model R13, and they are silently
> >>amused. My first R13 was built in 1951.
> >>
> >>By the way, its Guy Chadash. The 'C' is silent.
> >>
> >>Best Regards
> >>
> >>Dave Lane
> >>
> >>
> >>At 10:19 PM 2/29/96 -0500, you wrote:
> >>>Let you think me to be rude... Prior to 1960 there was but 1 model of
Buffet
> >>>clarinet... It said Buffet on it but it was not an R13... These instruments
> >>>are generally known by the fact that they did not have plated keys, the
keys
> >>>were just raw nickel silver which tarnished very easily. In 1960 the R13
came
> >>>into being as we know it today and has changed little since. In 1960 the
> >>>keys started to be plated and there began to be models... R13, S11, Academy
> >>>Model, etc. And in Evette & Schaeffer there was the Evette and Schaeffer
> >>>Master Model which was just under the Buffet, then the Evette and
Schaeffer,
> >>>then the plain Evette
> >>>
> >>>Mike Moors
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > ___ ___
> > L_|_ _|_J
> > ( -O> <O- )
> > //-, | Michael D. Moors | /,-
> > || / \___L 125 W. White St. J___// ||
> > _ ''// '---J Alpena, MI. 49707 L---' /'' _
> > / //. | mdmoors@-----.// /
> >|_/'/ || | 517 356-3769 | || '/\_|
> > |__) (__|
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>