Klarinet Archive - Posting 000517.txt from 2002/03

From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@-----.us>
Subj: RE: [kl] Boosey and Hawkes
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2002 03:04:01 -0500

I still have my Carl Fisher box too, that my 1968 R-13 came in. I, too,
still have the original case (that looks very new) and the naugahyde cover
that came with it. While the zipper in the cover is pretty well worn out,
the cover itself looks pretty good, still sporting the original gold seal.
While this R-13 is my back-up, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the
world. It got me where I am today.

Nancy

Nancy E. Buckman, Technical Assistant
School of Health Professions, Wellness and Physical Education
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD 21012-1895 USA
Phone 410-777-2316 Fax 410-777-2233
E-mail nebuckman@-----.us

-----Original Message-----
From: mlmarmer [mailto:mlmarmer@-----.com]
Subject: Re: [kl] Boosey and Hawkes

Tom,

When I bought my R13 in 1970, it was in a box from Carl Fisher of New York.
I still have that box!

After, playing since January, it is still a great instrument, with great
tone, for being 33 years old. It was made in 1969. I am sorry to read
about the quality of the Buffet Clarinets may not be as good as before, and
I see on here and on buying websites allot of competition now for Buffet's
business. That is too bad, because who ever purchased this line of
clarinet, had a great reputation for quality, which over time can diminish
quickly. For one, the replacement case and cover I purchased is not as good
as the one I had in 1970.

Mike Marmer
Germantown, MD
----- Original Message -----
From: <Tom.Henson@-----.com>
Subject: RE: [kl] Boosey and Hawkes

> I say we should take and wait and see attitude about a pending sale of
> Boosey and Hawks. It could actually be a good thing.
>
> Many times, just before a company is sold, all investment in the quality
of
> a product will cease as the owners look for someone to bail them out. R&D
> becomes an uncessary expense as well as maintaing the machinery to produce
> the product.
>
> I remember back in the 70's when Buffet was still owned by someone from
> Chicago I think, the same thing was said when Boosey and Hawks bought
Buffet
> back then.
>
> I was in Paris at the time and had the opportunity to talk with several
> people who were intimate with the company. As bad as it was for a
Frenchman
> to accept that Buffet was owned by an Amercan company, it was worse for an
> English company to own them, or so they felt at the time.
>
> I have to admit that some quality did suffer at the time, mainly the aging
> of the wood and the plating of the keys which were both reduced
drastically
> after Boosey took over.
>
> Boosey eventually poured everything into the Buffet manufacturing side and
> ceased making their own clarinets soon after.
>
> Peter Eaton, from London, purchased a lot of their left over machinery and
> raw materials for a song. Now he makes one of the best clarinets available
> today based upon the old Boosey models. How Ironic.
>
> Buffet did survive and is still considered one of the best clarinets in
the
> world today. How well they would compare against the way things used to be
> done 30-40 years ago is another story.
>
> I don't want to start a post of how things were better in the old days or
> why, but given the world economy that we have today, it is tough to build
> quality products and still make a profit. Sooner or later, something has
to
> give.
>
> I have a Festival Greenline which I think is a vision toward the future of
> clarinet manufacture and it does not suffer as far as I can see sound
wise.
> Again, Buffet is the only one doing this.
>
> Tom Henson
>
>
> Ed Maurey said << It looks like we can safely look forward to a sharp
> decline in the quality
> Buffet clarinets. Magavox once owned Selmer. The results were
disasterous.
> >>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> It's Sneezy.Org Pledge time again. Please visit
> http://www.sneezy.org/Pledge.html for more information.
>
>

---------------------------------------------------------------------
It's Sneezy.Org Pledge time again. Please visit
http://www.sneezy.org/Pledge.html for more information.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
It's Sneezy.Org Pledge time. Please visit
http://www.sneezy.org/Pledge.html