 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-02-21 04:30
kia ora
i just played one of the two of these in New Zealand. I had heard many negative things about this clarinet- although there were many postive comments from Phil Green who plays one in the NZSO.
i liked it. This particular instrument wasn't THAT different from my R13 (which is in pretty good shape having been completely overhauled in reccent months). It did seem to me to be an instrument that would play "loud" rather than "project", for what that's worth.
The intonation seemed pretty darn easy to manage.
i don't know if i'd buy one, but it seemed to work!
donald
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2005-02-21 07:08
Every clarinetist has different opinions on a subject as this, because everyone is different and try to find "their" sound....
I've tried the tosca to, and lay it down in it's case after ten minutes. I just didn't like the sound, there was no projection. The keywork… I found it to be terrible, just didn't feel right. I would rather go for the festival than the tosca if I had to choose a Buffet clarinet. But this is only my opinion....
Of the people I know 50% like the Tosca and 50% don't. So always try it, it could just be the one for you.....
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-02-21 10:18
I know only one person that tried the Tosca, me, and I thought it was an excellent clarinet. Almost as good as my R13.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2005-02-21 18:52
For what it's worth
Well I am somewhat dissapointed by the Tosca, and not just from from a playing standpoint. Lets have a look at the agglomeration known as the Buffet Crampon Pro Clarinet line:
At this moment Buffet is spending a helluva lot of time making all kinds of different contraptions while in my own humble opinion the R13 is getting the short shrift in terms of quality....
there is the Elite, the Tosca, the Presitige and of course shant I forget the lowley R13 Vintage...where is all this great wood coming from????...
.... In fact, it seems most R13s are cracking these days and it is accepted as par for the course.
My own opinion of the Tosca is that it is certainly not worth the inflated price that comes along with owning it...
on top of it I tended to find the sound a bit brittle in the upper clarinion...
I far prefer the sound and tonal shape of the R13 and the Selmer clarinets way over this model..however, as a solo clarinet it would project well but I am not sure of it in terms of it's ability to change colours...I found the sound just in one "place"...not malleable like the R13 or the Selmer Recitals...
David Dow
Post Edited (2005-02-21 18:54)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-21 22:48
D Dow wrote:
> there is the Elite, the Tosca, the Presitige and of course
> shant I forget the lowley R13 Vintage...where is all this great
> wood coming from????...
Only Buffet knows where all the great (?) wood is coming from, so don't hold your breath for an answer.
I tried the Tosca clarinet and also agree that the tone has a rather "boomy" quality with a hard edge in the clarion and altissimo. Granted, I only tried 3 different ones, but they all seemed the same. The keywork was interesting, but in my opinion, the price was way out of line for the overall product.
Over the past few years I have tried out many new R-13's for students. Although a number of them were acceptable, I have yet to find one that I would have personally bought. Then again, perhaps I am just used to my own vintage (and carefully tweaked) R-13's.
However, a professional colleague of mine, who I trust, recently reported to me that the most recent batch of R-13's received at a big name Buffet dealership in the NYC area was quite exceptional, with a good number of "keepers."
I guess you have to be in the right place at the right time ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif) ...GBK
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-02-22 06:29
hmmm what i really meant to say was this- a number of people seem to really dislike this horn, i was suprised to find it less dislikable than i expected. While i am not going to buy one of these, and probably wouldn't even if money wasn't an issue. i would rather play what i perceive to be the "average Tosca" than a bad R13.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2005-02-22 19:33
Dear Donald..
My commments are primarily my own personal feelings, however, this clarinet may be the one for you. Especially with musical instruments, there may be a brand or model that for some reason works "better" for you personally! I am not going to rain on someone's parade, but simply made the remarks in relation to the experience of my tests with this clarinet.
AS TO dropping the Elite thats a shame because they offered a very different timbre from the r13s
I can no longer make sense of what Buffet is up to...
it will about 15 years and they'(buffet_ ) will drop the Tosca probably..
David Dow
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Author: graham
Date: 2005-02-23 08:11
How long did the Buffet DG last? There were some seriously good players who used that instrument (Malsbury, Lawson).
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-02-23 11:49
it most certainly is NOT "the one for me", i was merely suprised not to hate it after al the bad publicity from this BB
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Author: William
Date: 2005-02-23 14:18
If everyone drove a clarinet, we would have new models introduced every year because, as we all know, a new "ride" is not only smoother but also good for ones ego. And we are all too willing to pay the price. And that's what Buffet--and most other clarinet "dealerships"--are up to with their new "models".......to put more money in their corporate pockets rather than true aesthetic innovation.
I'll bet we all can't wait to see the new 2006 models...........
Post Edited (2005-02-23 18:05)
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-02-23 14:43
Seems to me that Buffet is either trying to find a replacement for the R13 (doubtful, since it DOES have a name right now), or is simply playing the "name game" and introducing new models here and there to keep up interest. I know I'M always interested in new models of this or that, and so I naturally end up wanting to check out or find out about new things in the world. So if there's a new clarinet put out there, people will undoubtedly be interested and will hopefully (in Buffet's point of view) make some sales.
US Army Japan Band
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