Klarinet Archive - Posting 000814.txt from 1999/05

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Moennig Adjusted Clarinets
Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 15:09:40 -0400

Tom R noted:

<<<I do agree that the Buffet R-13 A clarinet is the most flawed instrument
that Buffet makes. I brought this point up at the factory in 1993 and the
response was "buy a Festival!" A little glib perhaps. I would like to see
Buffet make an effort to improve the R-13 A clarinet. Perhaps they could
offer two versions of the R-13, original and improved.>>>

I don't think the response was glib at all--this is a very sincere response
on their part, also pointing out Buffet's problem.

The Festival is, in essence, an R-13 that's "fixed." It costs a little
more--but you get silver plating on the keys, a LH Eb lever and Gore-Tex
pads. (Plus--don't forget that the tooling for the R-13 has likely been
paid for many years ago; new models always cost more to make). I tried one
a few weeks ago (and posted a review)--while I probably could not resist the
urge to have my repair tech friend do a little adjusting for me at some
point--I like my ring keys set high--it played pretty flawlessly out of the
box (OK, case). Whoever is doing Buffet's QA is doing a heckuva job, IMHO.
(I suspect this might be Mr. Kloc--if so, major kudos are in order).

Buffet still markets the R-13. Why? Easy--people buy them. In droves.
Many, many, many people won't consider another model, even if "improved."
Given that the R-13 is by far their most popular model, it would be business
suicide for Buffet to discontinue it, so they offer both the "traditional"
R-13 with the quirks that everyone is used to AND a variety of models that
have the improvements you want. Consequently, one shouldn't lambaste them
for marketing a horn you don't like when you have chosen the wrong model!

A final point--as to why Buffet can't make it right, right out of the box.
Every horn comes with a mouthpiece, that most people never use or even try.
Given the VAST variety of mouthpieces that are available--not to mention
reeds and, dare I say it, embouchures--it amazes me that more "customizing"
isn't necessary. The interior dimensions of mouthpieces are nowhere close
to being standard, and have a huge effect on the instrument's intonation and
response. So Buffet does what it can to make it work OK for a
middle-of-the-road setup--but Buffet can't control what it can't control,
which in this case is your choice of mouthpiece, your reed and your face.
In that scenario, an extra hundred bucks for a barrel (which is more of a
"mouthpiece extension" than anything else) to compensate for your choice of
mouthpiece doesn't seem all that much to me.

kjf

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