Klarinet Archive - Posting 000301.txt from 1996/08

From: Jim Lytthans <lytthans@-----.NET>
Subj: Buffet Factory Tour
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 1996 14:37:19 -0400

I'm sure Claudia will write something about the Buffet, but I'll
share with the list some observations of my visit. Our tour of the
factory was arranged by one of the helpful Buffet exhibiters, at the
request, I believe, of Tom Brooks, a clarinetist from Santa Fe. Since I
had a car in Paris (one should experience Paris traffic once in their
life, if you survive!), I volunteered to drive. The Buffet factory is
located in Mantes-la-Ville, about 45 minute's west of Paris. Tom,
Claudia, Don Blasick, and my wife and I arrived at the factory
mid-morning (after getting somewhat lost... but that's another story).
Mantes-la-Ville is a small town, with Buffet right by the train
station, Selmer up the block, and LeBlanc just a few kilometers away.
Kind of like Elkhart, Indiana. We were greeted warmly and escorted into
the board room for coffee, juice, etc. In the room was a wonderfully
restored contra-bass sax, which immediately became an object of lust!
How to sneak it out of there, and take it back on the plane?!
We were then greeted by a gentleman from Holland, who served as one
of the offical factory spokesperson, and taken on a quite thorough tour
of the works. Claudia's comment concerning OSHA (for Luuk van Buul's
information: OSHA stands for Occupational Health and Safety
Administration, a Government agency that oversees workplace safety) was
in jest, but with some substance. Buffet's facilities are rather cramped
by US standards, quite noisy, with every square meter utilized
efficently. I would say that Buffet employes several hundred people at
this location, with another factory in Germany that produces the student
line of instrument. We saw just about every facet of clarinet and
saxophone making, including preparation of the wood and composite
"Green-Line" blanks, computerized milling of the wood, key making,
plating, assembly, and final testing. I felt like we were in a secret
defense plant, with closely guarded secrets. Photography was allowed,
but only in certain areas. We even saw large supply of gold-plated R-13s,
manufactured for the Korean market! Apparently only a few senior
craftsmen know the total design of a Buffet instruments, and they are
sworn to secrecy. If an employee leaves Buffet, he must sign a pledge not
to work for any other instrument maker for five years! The Buffet and
Selmer people eat lunch at the same little restaurant on the corner, but
apparently they rarely talk to each other.
Two years ago, at the Chicago ICA conference, I had the pleasure of
meeting Rene Lesieux, one of Buffet's senior designers. In the course of
our conversation then, I commented to him my frustration over the poor
nickel plating on my one year old R-13. He suggested that if I ever came
to Paris, I was to bring the horn along and he would "take care of the
problem". Rene even wrote out instructions on the back of one of his
business cards, in French. This all took place long before my knowledge
of a Paris ICA event. After our tour, which lasted several hours, I
asked to speak to Monsieur Lesieux. He cordially greeted all of us, and
inspected my clarinet, making a typically French comment: "Ah, it's good
to bring your clarinet home to it's parents!". I was asked to leave my
instrument at the factory overnight. Repairs would be done, and the
instrument returned to me at the conference the next day. To my great
surprise, the R-13 was basically re-manufactured, with all of the old
keywork removed and replaced! Even the bore was checked and re-sized to
spec's. All this at no charge! Claudia's clarinet, a somewhat older
one, suffered the same malady. Rene offered that same service to her.
Apparently a fairly large number of instruments were produced during that
period utilizing 30 year old plating tanks that leached impurities onto
the copper substrate. These tanks have since been replaced with new
equipment.
To make a long story short(er), we were all very impressed with
Buffet's level of professionalsm and gracious hospitality. If you're
ever in Paris, try to arrange a tour. Their address is: 5 Rue Maurice
Berteaux, 78200 Mantes_la-Ville, telephone 34 77 57 87. And do have
lunch at the cafe around the corner. The food is excellent (and so is
the wine!), and is priced right. Who knows, you might learn some trade
secrets! I shot quite a bit of video during the tour. If anyone would
like a copy (onto VHS, 8mm, or even Beta (yes, Beta!), send me a blank
tape. My address is: Jim Lytthans, 302 Vista Del Canon, Anaheim, CA
92807-3836. A little return postage would be appreciated!