Klarinet Archive - Posting 001373.txt from 2004/03

From: "Matthew Lloyd" <Matthew@-----.uk>
Subj: RE: [kl] Buying Buffet
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 13:44:22 -0500

Kelly,

I'd like to say that I agree absolutely with what you say below. Your
observation of the Amish culture is very interesting indeed.

Perhaps we could all do with a year like this in our development to
widen our horizons - in matters of importance as well as those involving
purchase of tubes of wood.

Matthew

-----Original Message-----
From: CBA [mailto:clarinet10001@-----.com]
Sent: 24 March 2004 18:50
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: Re: [kl] Buying Buffet

Matthew,

Don't get me wrong...I love my old Buffet Prestige Bb. I am not
specifically *anti*-Buffet. I just think that, like cars,
clothes, politics, religion, sexual attraction, and just about
everything else we decide on a day to day basis, clarinet choice
is a very personal thing, and there is more than one way to skin
a cat.

In the same way I think people who are the same religion as
their parents and never questioned the faith, nor objectively
investigated other faiths as an option to their own cannot say
they are fully true to their beliefs, since they don't know the
options, I believe people who assume that Buffet (or whatever
brand of instrument is the one in vogue at the moment) is the
only option worth trying are myopic.

Amish people have something like this, which I find very
enlightened... it is called "rumspringa." At 16, the youths in
the Amish fold are basically forced out into the world to try
living in the outside world, without the parental force stopping
them from the drugs/booze/sex thing, nor stopping them from
other religious or political influence. They are gone a year.
After that, they have to make a choice to return or to stay in
the world they just sampled for good. There is no gray area.
Interestingly enough, although we may think that being Amish
without all of our modern conveniences is best, about 90% of
people go back to the Amish life for good. Now THAT is an
educated choice. People who are brought up one way, sample ALL
that there is to offer as options to the way they know (without
prejudice,) and then go back to their original inclinations are
a very informed group indeed.

When we speak of the "church" of Buffet, I think people don't
clearly decide whether to go Buffet or not. Some people decide
they will play a Buffet before they try one. Some decide they
will NEVER play a Buffet before they get to the store. I *have*
played Buffets, and own one. I don't currently play on it as my
primary instrument. Will I try out the new Buffets at
ClarinetFest? Surely! Will I probably buy another one this year?
Very doubtful. Will I ever buy another one in the future?
Possibly. I don't try to stay clear of Buffets either. I don't
buy Leblancs as an *in your face* gesture to Buffet's dominance
in the US market. I don't play Yamahas in public to let people
know that Buffets are the anti-christ of the clarinet world. I
chose what was best for me, and at this time, it is not Buffet.
When trying out instruments with my students, Buffet is ALWAYS
in the mix, because it is a great option. Buffet is only one of
many though, since Buffet is not the *only* choice, by a long
shot. I *always* take my students to a place where they can try
out Buffet, LeBlanc, Yamaha, Selmer, Patricola, Howarth, etc...
because there is no reason to go to a place that only deals with
one company. I like the spread the word of "knowledge is power"
when making a choice. Buffet is a good choice for many,
including some of my students.

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds - Computer Geek
New York City
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--- Matthew Lloyd <Matthew@-----.uk> wrote:
> 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
>
>
>
>
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