Klarinet Archive - Posting 000371.txt from 2006/03
From: "Rommel John Miller" <rjmiller@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] "Doesn't play or sound right" My thoughts on the matter--RJM (long)
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 22:57:43 -0500
Truth be told, I would buy nothing OTHER than a Buffet, and even my teacher,
Tom Puwalski finds me a bit myopic. But that's not the point I am trying to
establish.
The problem rests entirely with WWBW and whether or not they sell first-run
production R-13 or if they, as I and others believe, are a reseller, or one
who deals in factory "seconds" or those rejected from being first or top
choice.
For if you read WWBW's literature they claim to have a very close working
relationship with Francois Kloc in their selection and sales of Buffet
Clarinet's. WWBW further goes on to claim that they meticulously
"climatize" and check the Clarinet for flaws or other problems.
And if this is the case, why would WWBW send me for the first Clarinet one
with the serial number: 524162 -- a production-run serial number from the
days not too long ago Buffet was owned and controled by the Music Group? In
other words, this clarinet was produced in a run prior to the 2005
independant break Buffet made from the Music Group, and the clarinet itself
was well over 2 years old.
The second and third serial numbers both rest in the 545xxx range, which is
concurrent with production numbers of the Buffet facility now operationing
freely and independantly of Music Group control.
The above IS an ethical issue, for they were selling me a "NEW" "factory
sealed" R-13, at least that is what I paid for, and got something the serial
number of which dates it by at least 2 years.
The second clarinet WWBW was flawed, it was shipped with an unrepaired and
un-noticed crack in the upper joint near the octave pipe. This was certified
as being faulty by Morrie Backun who was in Baltimore that weekend for a
clarinet workshop at the Peabody Conservatory. Morrie Backun also told me
that the otave key was sticky and shouldn't be on a factory new Buffet.
Then I told him where I got it from (WWBW) and that is when he, and many
others in the room all asked me why I bought the Buffet from them (WWBW) and
if they had known me before-hand they could've told of places like Marks'
Music in Western PA, or Lisa's Clarinet Shop in IL (Lisa used to own and run
International Music in IL, but sold it and went into her own "special" way
of selling clarinets.
So, WWBW "bamboozled" me in two ways, first of selling me a second rate,
older Buffet with serious Tenon/Joint issues. Secondly, with their claim of
"meticualously" inspecting each and every Buffet that they get they
nevertheless let a cracked one pass through their hands undetected, or as I
presume, they may have well known of the crack, but chose to sell an
inferior product to me.
Ralph Nader and Consummer Reports, as well as the Better Business Bureau are
all watch-dog groups that are set in place to keep the average US Citizen
from being swindled, bamboozled or stuch with a lemon, and all three of the
clarinets I have gotten from WWBW can thusfar be classified as "Lemons."
And the quip is out there that if you want a really good Buffet R-13 you'll
just go ahead and buy a Prestige model. But I am living on a limited income
as a 100% Service Connected Disabled Veteran, and 5 grand for a Prestige is
too far out in left field for me.
This is why WWBW must step forward and accept their malfeasance, insomuch as
selling or distributing a faulty product, possibly known to be defective by
WWBW, I am uncertain, but so far as their claims of "Meticulous Inspecting"
and "Climatization" of all the Buffet R-13's they get is suspect at the
least, and if that is the case, WWBW is guilty of making false statements
and claims persuant to the quality of the Buffet R-13's they sell.
Making false statements is lying and perjury is perjury. If WWBW does not
abide by the terms of its implied or explicit warranty, if they claim to do
things such as climatize and adjust the clarinet, inspect it and yet fail to
catch a crack, or to miss the quality of seals on pads so that instead of
playing a low F or low F#/Gb I get nothing but squeaks and squeels well,
something is terribly wrong here and I am not about to shell out my own hard
come money to fix it.
WWBW needs to accept responsibility if they indeed do sell or re-sell a
"seconded" article. For they cannot call or by pretense establish that a new
factory sealed Buffet R-13 comes to my or anyone's else's door in the
condition in which it left the Paris Plant.
And see, this is where the having to play 10 or 20 different R-13's in order
to find the "sweet one," what happens to the other 9 or 19 rejected Buffets?
They are still sold as new even though one person, or maybe a host of others
may have played it looking for that one "Sweet one." That friends is
unethical, for how can something that is passed around from patron to patron
be considered "fresh" and "New?"
This argument could be sustained until I get bluer in the face, but I will
end it here, knowing full well that WWBW does in fact owe me a new, and
an-other R-13, this time preferably hand-picked by Francois Kloc and sent to
WWBW for shipment to me.
And that is ALL I want, a decent, good playing clarinet, that does what it
is meant to do. It is after all a tool, is it not? A cherished tool, but a
tool all the same, and when that tool doesn't perform as it should there is
liability involved to replace and exchange it for one that does. Home
Depot does it, Lowes does it, even Sears does it.
But WWBW are reluctant to play the testing game, and if they are, then they
should sell only the best Buffets that they can get.
But they don't and that has been proved by me encounter with them.
I will end here,
Rafi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Wakeling" <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 7:40 PM
Subject: [kl] "Doesn't play or sound right"
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