Klarinet Archive - Posting 001330.txt from 2004/03

From: "Matthew Lloyd" <Matthew@-----.uk>
Subj: [kl] Buying Buffet
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 15:46:35 -0500

Kelly gave us a long post as to why Buffet instruments (and normally for
you lot across the pond, the R13) are so popular. I have been
interested in this thread as my instrument buying was in the recent
past....

I originally borrowed a RC from Howarths, while they looked at my old
Edgware instruments. This was the instrument that I used regularly
towards the end of 2002 and the one that my teacher got used to hearing.
I then arrived with a pair of Selmer clarinets - and the intonation in a
group context was suspect. My teacher wasn't impressed at all - and nor
was I - with these (more expensive) Selmers. Funny - they'd seemed fine
in the shop. I then proceeded through a number of Prestige RC
instruments and each time I turned up with a new instrument it was
condemned (in relation to the original "cheap" RC) as inferior. Usually
without knowing what it was....

In the end I had three different Bb clarinets - two Prestige RCs and a
standard RC at home and I spent some time playing each in turn - but not
looking at the instrument before I played it. One stood out - and each
time it was the RC, not the Prestige RC.

The funny thing is that I wanted the Prestige to be the better
instrument as I liked the idea of the top of the range instrument. I
found that it was not money well spent...

In my initial time at Howarths I tried several makers but although I
liked the idea of being a little bit unusual with a Howarth, it was the
Buffet that drew me back each time. Bearing in mind that I had been used
to a pair of Edgware instruments - very different to the Buffet - I
think that the experience was as unbiased as I was able to make it.
Indeed - I went away from what I would have done had the choice been
made on prejudice!

My teacher played Selmer, if that is of interest.....

Matthew

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org