 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sha
Date: 2014-07-05 17:47
Hello everyone, I am heading to Paris in a few days and - as I want to buy a second hand or new Buffet clarinet - I was wondering if you know of a shop you could recommend? I will be heading to Rue de Rome as they told me there are a lot of music stores there, but do you know of one that I should start from?
Thanks,
Shastro
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Author: Ed Lowry
Date: 2014-07-06 04:35
Shastro --
I got two clarinets in the mid 1980s at Vincent-Genod. The sticker on my case has them at 47 Rue de Rome, tel 522.16.80. I really enjoyed the experience, and was helped by a very fine clarinetist named Cyrille Mercadier. I recently saw a youtube posting of his where he demonstrates the entire family of clarinets; I think from the Ab sopranino to an octo-contra.
In those days, the dollar was very strong when compared to the French Franc.
I don't know if he's still at the same shop, however.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2014-07-06 09:09
I have lived most of my life in Paris and know all of the shops. One is about 30% cheaper than the others-Musikentroc, just off the Rue de Rome, because it's a real second-hand come junk shop that has some really good things in it if you get lucky. There are four other shops on the rue de Rome or in the vicinity of it. Ed mentioned Mercadier. The latter has his own repair shop now and sometimes has used clarinets. The advantage with him is that he's about the best repairman in the country and wouldn't dream of selling anything that isn't in tip-top shape. Get in touch with me at my personal e-mail address if you need some help.
PS: Ironically, new French-made clarinets are often more expensive here than, let's say, in Britain, the US or Scandinavian countries because of high French VAT. The only thing in the economy that still works here is tax-collecting!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Sha
Date: 2014-07-06 10:17
Thanks guys for the tips, very helpful.
Ruben, I heard that there is maybe a way to recoup the VAT for non-EU citizens? Do you know anything about it?
Also I saw from the Musique et Art web site that their prices are a lower than, for example, Feeling and other places. Do you think they might compare to those of Mercadier or he is more expensive? any idea?
thanks!
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Author: ruben
Date: 2014-07-06 11:36
Sha: Yes, I believe you can recover the VAT on the item if you are not an EU citizen. As for shops, it would be better if you got in touch with me at my personal e-mail address, which is published here. I work with all of these shops, so I can't publicly voice my opinion for fear of offending somebody. At any rate, there are 6 shops within a radius of a square kilometre, so there's nothing stopping you from going from one to the other and comparing prices and quality. Don't hesitate to let me hear from you.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2014-07-07 16:38
Make sure it tunes to A 440. Many European clarinets are made to tune higher than we use in America.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: DougR
Date: 2014-07-07 18:20
Michael Lowenstern has a nice short post on his website about buying a bass clarinet (new) at the Selmer factory--it also touches on VAT issues and whether to ship or schlepp the horn around (possibly not an issue if you're getting a soprano).
Well worth reading (as is the rest of his site, by the way).
http://www.earspasm.com/omega/buying-a-bass-clarinet-in-2014/
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Author: ruben
Date: 2014-07-07 20:00
Ed Palanker-you're right (as usual)! The shops in Paris rarely have Buffet R13s; reserved for the American market. The only way to get one is to go to the factory 40 miles out of town, have it sent to a shop, then buy it. The best ones probably go directly to the US. Selmer and Buffet don't sell directly at the factory as they did a long time ago. The best-selling model here is the Buffet RC, and it pitches high and goes up and up as you play it. Official pitch here and in most places in Germany is 442, but actually people play even higher than that, which I don't really approve of. You have probably all understood by now that I am not very influential!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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