Klarinet Archive - Posting 000707.txt from 2000/03

From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Buffet Clarinets
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 16:58:51 -0500

Francois Kloc wrote,
>It is very IMPORTANT that clarinetists purchase their Buffet clarinets or
any Boosey & Hawkes instruments only from authorized B&H retailers. Many
North American retailers obtain Buffet Crampon clarinets through non
autorized and sometimes illegal methods. >

Benjamin Maas wrote,
>>I just checked out the Boosey website and their list of "Authorized"
Dealers. My local music store that I have been going to for years (RDG, Inc.
in W. Hollywood, CA) wasn't on that list. I don't know why, but they
aren't.>>

Since clearly the loss of warranty protection is a major disadvantage that
might encourage a customer to do business elsewhere, I'm trying to figure out
what would influence a *reputable and honest* retailer to decide that there's
a significant advantage in selling Buffet clarinets without becoming an
authorized dealer. (Or does B&H contend that it is not possible to be
reputable, honest *and* an unauthorized Buffet dealer?) I'm curious whether
M. Kloc would elaborate on his comments, because I'm confused. How do stores
become "authorized B&H retailers"?

What are the qualifications? Must a new authorized dealer be located a
certain number of miles distant from other authorized dealers so that they
don't compete directly, for instance? Does an authorized dealer agree not to
service these clarinets, but to send them in for factory maintenance only?
What does "service" cover and what types of non-factory labor void the
warranty?

I understand that Buffet would not honor a warranty if a customer or a store
repairman did major re-building, such as (the horror story example)
re-boring, obviously. But, for instance, would removing the register key,
using a pipe cleaner to clear dirt out of the tube, then replacing the key
void the warranty? Would re-padding with a different type of pad void the
warranty? Does the contract spell out what voids the warranty?

If the gray market Buffet clarinet is an authentic Buffet instrument, not a
fake, then where does it come from? Does Buffet want to control the retail
price of the clarinet in each market? In other words, if someone says, "I
need to buy twenty R13 Bb clarinets to sell in Country X," while another
dealer says, "I need to buy twenty R13 Bb clarinets to sell Country Y," then
do those dealers pay the same price to Buffet, or does one dealer pay more
than the other? Must authorized dealers agree not to discount the suggested
retail prices by more than a certain amount?

In what sense do some unauthorized dealers acquire Buffet instruments by
"illegal methods"? Do some factory employees take factory-rejected clarinets
and sell them, instead of destroying them? Do some dealers steal clarinets?
Do some dealers lie that used clarinets are new? Or does "illegal" mean
something else?

Thanks--
Lelia

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