Klarinet Archive - Posting 000550.txt from 1996/04

From: Nate Burk <nathan@-----.COM>
Subj: Prestige wood
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 11:44:56 -0400

>Do you really think that the extra rings on the Prestige make _that_
>much of a difference. Buffet inisits that it is the better and longer
>aged wood. Are they feeding us a line?

As the wood for clarinets gets scarcer and scarcer, I think the companies
start to use greener and greener wood and it's impossible to know how long
they've aged it. However, I have a feeling that the Prestiges in general are
made out of better wood.

I played on two Prestige models when I was trying clarinets, and overall
they sounded much better than most of the R-13's I played. The Prestiges
(both an RC and R-13) projected beautifully and had a clear, "meaty" sound.
I don't know if this is a function of the wood or a difference in the bore
(and I suppose it could also have to do with the different pads they put on
the Prestige models), but I don't think Buffet is feeding us a line when
they say that Prestiges are fine instruments!

Of course, I say all this after I ended up buying an R-13 because I didn't
think the Prestiges were $1000 finer than the others!!! I don't think any of
that answers the question here, but those are my thoughts on the Prestige
nonetheless.

--Nate

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