Klarinet Archive - Posting 000386.txt from 2006/03

From: "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] "Doesn't play or sound right" My thoughts on the matter--RJM (long)
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 09:54:54 -0500

Rafi....

>
> 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.

And what do you and "others" have knowledge of that would lead you to
believe that Buffet would let a so called "second" out the door with the
R-13 stamp of approval?

>
> 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.

If you receive a clarinet that is not in first rate condition...just note
the flaw(s) and get a shipping account number from WWBW and have them pay
the shipping back. This would NOT of course include a clarinet that you
simply don't like or a clarinet that you accepted and didn't follow through
with the terms of agreement.

>
> 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.

So what? Define "new"? New to WWBW means that they haven't sold it...it
isn't a "used" instrument. It just hasn't been picked from the litter. It
does not mean that it's inferior. As a matter of fact...others may have
rejected it upon trial...and you or another might find it the perfect match.
Yes...even two years after manufacture. It's your choice..if you don't like
the serial number ship it back and request in future shipments that the
serial numbers on the clarinets are clarinets manufactured 'tomorrow'.

>
> 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.

Again..just note the flaw and get a shipping account number from WWBW. It
seems you depend on a lot of other people to tell you something is right or
wrong???

And...if you don't like doing business with WWBW...and you think you have a
better shot with the other people or companies you've listed...do business
with them and stop complaining.

>
> 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.

Your accusations are pretty serious....and then you use words like "may have
known"...
Have they sold you anything yet?....I don't think they've sold you anything
as of yet??? Am I mistaken? Aren't you still testing clarinets?

>
> 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."

Come on...get real.....accept responsibility for your own part in this and
deal with the issues. Many on this list have had great luck using WWBW. Life
isn't perfect. Work with it and with them....

>
> 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.

This isn't true....there are many quality clarinets in each model Buffet
offers. I've played Prestige clarinets I didn't like...and E11's I did.

>
> 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.

I don't think this would be the case. I'm sure WWBW would take care of these
issues out of their pocket..including shipping back to them for the repairs
or return.....but.....if you want to "fix" things and pay out of your own
pocket...I'm sure WWBW would let you ;-).

>
> 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?

A "sweet one" for you might be a dog for me. Rejected by you...but not me.
Get it? Perhaps I rejected a clarinet that you thought was peachy. Visa
versa

> 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 is in fact NOT unethical...it's the way it's represented and the way
it's been done since the beginning....

>
> 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.

Growing up, my Mom loved it when we got blue in the face...hahahha. She said
that we might pass out and when we fall and hit our head, it might knock
some sense into us. :-)

>
> And that is ALL I want, a decent, good playing clarinet, that does what it
> is meant to do.

Work at it then...it took me three years and a few trips to Libertyville to
find my favorite A clarinet. I played a lot of good ones over that time
period...just not the one...

> 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.

I'm not sure that I understand. Has WWBW stopped working with you on this?
If so...are your complaints outside of the terms of agreement?

> Home
> Depot does it, Lowes does it, even Sears does it.

Just hop a plane and go to the store...just like you would at Home Depot,
Lowes and even Sears....play and choose your dream clarinet on site.
Hey..don't you have local music stores in the greater metro area that you
could use?

>
> 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,
>

Thank God....please do. Just ignore any questions above and let it go...

Sorry,

Forest Aten

P.S. whew...

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