Klarinet Archive - Posting 000493.txt from 1999/11

From: WesGoFrank@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Visit to the Buffet Factory
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 19:14:14 -0500

I contacted Francois Kloc by phone before we left for France, and he arranged
a visit to Buffet in Mantes-la-Ville, France. My wife and I arrived around
eleven-fifteen on October seven, after a mind boggling trip from Charles de
Gaulle. There were so many "bouchons," the French equivalent of our traffic
jam, that it took us two and one-half hours to travel around ninety
kilometers. We were met by a very personable young man by the name of
Philippe Leconte, a very good friend of Francois. We had an exceptional tour
of the factory that lasted at least an hour and one-half. Philippe gave me
two partially completed upper sections that were blemished and could not be
used. One was rosewood, the other grenadilla. Nice souvenirs. It was
amazing to see the way the sections were turned on computer-contolled lathes.
We saw all phases of the wood portion of the clarinet production as well as
the key manufacturing, plating, and fitting of the keys, etc. Everything
seemed to start out compter-controlled and then on to hand production and
fitting. Around one PM, we went to a resturant-bar down the street where we
had a very nice lunch, courtesy of the Buffet Company, and where we met more
of the Buffet employees. Knowing that Selmer was just down the street from
Buffet and that they were also known to frequent the same restaurant, I asked
Philippe if there were any Selmer people there. He looked around and said
that there were only Buffet people there that day. The waitress certainly
seemed to know all of them rather well. After some very pleasant
conversation, we retuned to Buffet. Philippe introduced us to Eric Baret,
who I believe was a technician, although I'm not sure. We talked for a while
about clarinets and then he gave me several different instruments to try,
including an Elite, a Prestige, an R-13, an R-13 Greenline, and a DM. I
asked him about the DM and he said that the initials were for a Buffet
employee who worked on the particular design. Unfortunately, I didn't write
down his name. I have, however, written to Francois Kloc and asked him if he
could provide to me, the name. All of the models played well, with obvious
differences. I had my R-16 3/4 (full boehm, 7 rings - 20 keys) with me.
Eric checked it over very carefully and seemed very much impressed with it's
condition. I played it and it sounded, to me, as good as any of the other
models I tried. Of course, I may be a trifle biased. I asked if an
adjustable thumbrest, that I had purchased from International Music Suppliers
by mail, could be installed on my clarinet. Eric looked at it and said that
it was an old model. He took my clarinet upstairs and returned a short time
later. He said that I had a very slight leak on the lower section, that he
corrected, and he had installed the latest adjustable thumbrest. I asked him
what the charge would be and he said that there would be none and that it was
a courtesy of the Buffet Company. Anyone interested in buying a new, older
model Buffet thumbrest at a VERY reasonable price? We talked some more about
the various model clarinets and I asked him why Buffet did not produce a full
boehm clarinet any longer. He said that they did, for the Italian and
Russian markets. I was rather surprised because I believe that there could
be a market for at least a 7 ring - 19 key clarinet in the US. But that's
just my opinion. We thanked everyone for the wonderful day and left around
four-thirty in the afternoon bound for a family reunion in the ville of
Hesdin, not too far from Lille, where my wife's brother lives. We returned
home on November three, and I must say, there is nothing like your own bed to
sleep in!

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