Klarinet Archive - Posting 000726.txt from 1999/10

From: "Lorne G. Buick" <lgbuick@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Buffet Elite
Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1999 17:50:22 -0400

Dear J.M:

> Has anyone got 1st hand experience of the Buffet
> Elite?

Yes, only for a brief trial but enough to form an impression...

A friend of mine is thinking of purchasing a
> pair. Are they really lighter to handle than other
> clarinets?

Yes, they really are,

Do people prefer them over the R13 ?

No, I didn't like it and of the few people I know who have tried them, the
opinion was unanimous - if your friend is planning to play them in North
America she will definitely be "out of the mainstream" (which is not
necessarily a bad thing)... to my ears the horn sounded like it felt, ie
light, insubstantial, thin, lacking in core.

*oops - just looked at your email address, you're in the UK, so the above
paragraph may be irrelevant. In any case, that's still my opinion comparing
it to other clarinets I've played (R-13's, Prestige, Selmer various models,
B&H 1010's, and my current instruments, Rossi cocobolo "English bore").

> Obviously this will be a costly purchase - so she
> doesn't want to make a big mistake. Also what sort of
> service can she expect from the shop? What I mean is,
> when my daughter purchased a violin she tried numerous
> instruments and of course every one of them was
> unique. She eventually got down to a choice between
> three instruments and was encouraged ( after paying
> the insurance) to take them home to play on for a week
> before deciding. I don't suppose this would be
> reasonable when purchasing a clarinet- would it?

Yes it would, especially since she's considering buying a clarinet very
different from anything she's likely to have played before, and probably
different from everyone around her. And as you point out, very expensive.

> Any advice would be very welcome. J.M.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LGB Lorne G Buick Principal Clarinet, Newfoundland Symphony
lgbuick@-----. John's, Newfoundland

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