 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JustBored
Date: 2025-04-08 03:15
I never liked the keywork on Buffet Crampon clarinets. From their professional models like the Tosca, Festival, R-13 to the intermediate models like the E-13, E-11, and beginner level instruments. It doesn't seem like this brand ever makes their keywork beyond just acceptable. I think they can do a lot of things to improve this aspect. Why can't Buffet make a clarinet with outstanding keywork?
Post Edited (2025-04-08 05:47)
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2025-04-08 03:54
Subject to interpretation. I always liked it as it fit my hands rather well.
Which clarinet's keywork do you prefer?
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Vandoren BD5 HD 13-series mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren #4 Blue-box reeds
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2025-04-08 06:10
I've always felt comfortable with my R13s. Not so much with my Selmer student model or other Selmers I've tried. I found my Yamaha student model pretty comfortable. I guess it's what your used to.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
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Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: RBlack
Date: 2025-04-08 09:57
I like the r13 keywork, but it’s also the model I’ve spent the most time playing on so I’m sure it’s partly just familiarity. Specifically 90s and earlier however, I’m not as big a fan of the current stuff. ESPECIALLY the large LH Eb/Ab key, I really dislike and find it gets in the way.
I find the buffet keywork is smaller and lighter than many others, so it feels more nimble to me. I also don’t have very big hands. Backun and to a lesser degree LeBlanc’s, I find the keywork unnecessarily overbuilt and heavy, for my personal preference.
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Author: JustBored
Date: 2025-04-08 10:29
Buffet clarinet keywork never felt right in my hands. In my opinion they should totally redesign it for it to be more comfortable and ergonomic, facilitate more accurate and correct playing and lots of other improvements. It seems like they haven't changed or improved much in such a long time. The keywork on the Tosca clarinets is probably the worst that I have tried as it feels awkward in my hands.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-04-08 14:38
I'm a fan of old Selmer keywork (up to the 10S) as they still made them properly back then. I've got a fairly recent Privilege in for a service and really don't like what Selmer have been doing in recent years as they've taken on some of the newer things Buffet have been doing like nylon pins in the LH levers (they're threaded on Selmers) and those point screws with the plastic collars and deeply countersunk pillar heads to accommodate them. Also the LH Ab/Eb touchpiece is in a bad location as it's directly above the LH F#/C# touch and doesn't offer much bendability to move it inwards. Another annoying thing they've been doing is springing the throat G# with the needle spring in the lower pillar, so the spring is pushing the pillar in an anticlockwise direction which undoes it which makes refitting the throat G# key a pain.
And onto Buffet - I'm constantly respringing the RH F#/C# key as that short and light gauge spring mounted on the key is dreadful and there's plenty of room for a much longer and heavier gauge spring mounted in the pillar as other makers do.
I'm also finding the castings Buffet use for their keywork are very soft - especially the RH F/C touchpiece as it's easily bent down when people overload soft cases or put stuff on top of the joints when they close the lid on them. The most common regulation problems with Buffets being the E/B and F/C being out of adjustment as a result.
The new adjusting screw for the LH F/C linkage is making contact in totally in the wrong place which creates far too much travel for the LH F/C touchpiece. What would be much better is to fit the adjusting screw to the LH F/C foot (with the adjusting screw tip making contact with the joint surface) like Howarth did which makes the action much snapper as the length of the linkage hasn't been changed.
I don't know why they shortened the side Eb/Bb and F# key touches on Toscas as that meant adding a wire stopper to the RH ring key pillar for the side Eb/Bb touch which gets in the way of the RH3 B/F# 'sliver' key screw. If they were going to do that, then mount that key on oboe point screws like the E13 to make removing it easier.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-04-08 22:54
To David K's question Justbored, what manufacturer's keywork best approximates your ideal?
It's hard to find the cause of your personal dissuasion of Buffet, much that I respect it, without a standard upon which to make comparison. 
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2025-04-09 06:15
JustBored,
In the following BB thread you stated: I currently use a Vandoren BD4 HD mouthpiece with a Vandoren Optimum ligature and play on Buffet, Selmer and Rossi clarinets.
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/Bboard/read.html?f=1&i=515578&t=515578
Are you comparing the keywork on all Buffet Pro, Intermediate, and beginner level clarinets to the keywork on your Selmer and Rossi clarinets?
If so, which clarinet keywork do you prefer and why?
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Author: JustBored
Date: 2025-04-09 07:02
I would rank quality of keywork according to my preference as, 1. Royal Global, 2. Rossi, 3. Selmer-Paris, 4. Backun. 5. Buffet Crampon 6. Leblanc
Post Edited (2025-04-09 07:14)
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-04-09 10:11
Why can't the keywork on a clarinet be as good as that of a high-quality flute or oboe? -because of price?
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2025-04-09 11:00
JustBored wrote:
> I would rank quality of keywork according to my preference as,
> 1. Royal Global, 2. Rossi, 3. Selmer-Paris, 4. Backun. 5.
> Buffet Crampon 6. Leblanc
>
>
> Post Edited (2025-04-09 07:14)
Based on what Dan Shusta quoted you from another thread:
"I currently use a Vandoren BD4 HD mouthpiece with a Vandoren Optimum ligature and play on Buffet, Selmer and Rossi clarinets."
I guess you'd prefer a Royal Global keywork on a Buffet clarinet? The Rossi and Selmer are your 2nd and 3rd place, so I can only guess there's some mystery about Buffet that you prefer over them?
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Vandoren BD5 HD 13-series mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren #4 Blue-box reeds
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2025-04-09 22:01
David H. Kinder,
My take is that JustBored plays Buffet with its inferior keywork simply to produce a tone which "fits in" with other clarinetists.
I listened to Rice Works' owner play on several Royal clarinets yesterday and came away with the feeling that the tone he produced simply wouldn't "fit in" with what the majority of clarinetists are currently playing (Buffet).
To me, it all has to do with "the tone".
If it's not "the tone", then, I simply believe JustBored doesn't want other clarinetists to realize the he is not a current, card carrying member of "The Buffet Mafia". (I think that term originated with GBK (RIP)).
Otherwise, why would JustBored play on a clarinet that has inferior keywork which he blatantly states he doesn't like?
Anyway, that's just my guess.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-04-09 22:06
JustBored wrote:
> I would rank quality of keywork according to my preference as,
> 1. Royal Global, 2. Rossi, 3. Selmer-Paris, 4. Backun. 5.
> Buffet Crampon 6. Leblanc
>
>
> Post Edited (2025-04-09 07:14)
Thanks for your response. But without some explanation on your part why you feel this way I'm forced to guess.
By no means do I mean to debate your preferences. You like what you like and that's cool. But without understanding "why" I can't understand what it is about the other brands that you find limiting.
For example is it key placement, they way those keys are designed, the degree of malleability, the alloys/metals they're made of, their position, their resistance, etc.?
Post Edited (2025-04-09 22:06)
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2025-04-09 22:31
SecondTry,
IMHO, JustBored has no intention of telling us why. He had that opportunity a long time ago, and, up to the point in time, has not revealed it.
I read a remark yesterday on another forum wherein a player stated that when he took hold of a Royal clarinet, he really enjoyed "the feel" of the keywork.
Maybe, just maybe, it's really just that simple.
p.s. I simply cannot believe it! Yamaha didn't make it onto his list! Now, I'm beginning to wonder if JustBored considers Yamaha clarinets as CSOs!
Stay tuned... maybe the man behind the curtain will reveal Yamaha's place in his long list of clarinets.
Post Edited (2025-04-09 23:12)
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Author: lmliberson
Date: 2025-04-10 02:09
Honestly, should anyone really care why someone prefers or hates anything?
Everyone gets to choose what they like and what they don't like. Should there be a reason that they must "justify" their likes and/or dislikes simply to satisfy the readers here? Of course not.
Should people who like pineapple on their pizza need to explain to those that don't why it is the case for them? Gee...maybe they just like the taste? What a concept, eh?
It's like anything else here - people give their opinions on what's great, what sucks, etc., - but do we (or should we?) have the knowledge of a poster's experience (or lack thereof) or expertise (ditto) in order to assess their assertions or should we (as I do in most every post here...sorry) simply ignore them?
Who ya gonna believe?
And why?
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2025-04-10 02:36
lmliberson,
When you wrote: "Honestly, should anyone really care why someone prefers or hates anything?", all I can say is: "Amen".
This morning, I sat back and said to myself: "What exactly is the purpose of this thread?"
I really couldn't think of a good reason...
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-04-10 06:26
Dan Shusta wrote:
> lmliberson,
>
> When you wrote: "Honestly, should anyone really care why
> someone prefers or hates anything?"
Well, if someone's "like" might also be mine if I weren't ignorant with respect to said product's existence or features.......
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-04-10 17:03
Dan Shusta wrote:
> This morning, I sat back and said to myself: "What exactly is
> the purpose of this thread?"
>
> I really couldn't think of a good reason...
>
Well, there must be a reason for JustBored's wanting to state his/her opinion. Maybe as simple as wanting attention. You might instead try to think of a reason for all the responses. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
Karl
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2025-04-10 19:43
Karl,
I believe JustBored is truly bored, wants as much attention as he or she can get and is simply playing a game with the members of this BB who, with real, honest intent are trying to understand the reasoning behind the OP's dislike of Buffet's keywork.
Actually, after rereading this thread, JustBored did state his/her reason when he/she wrote: "Buffet clarinet keywork never felt right in my hands." Perhaps, JustBored felt that this statement alone was sufficient as to the "why".
However, one really good thing about this thread is that it clearly shows (at least to me) that the BB members who responded were kind, courteous, and truly sincere in trying to find out the real cause for the OP's stated title of this thread.
Just my thought and opinions.
Post Edited (2025-04-10 20:26)
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Author: David Eichler
Date: 2025-04-12 00:46
Of course different people have different hands, but I really don't see any problem at all with Buffet keys, at least on the R-13, which is what I am familiar with. How the keys are set up can have a big effect on the impression of playability. I have had R-13s set up by Brannen, Peter Spriggs and Mike Hammer, and, while all play well, the feel is pretty different on each, in terms of key positioning, ring height and spring tensions.
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-04-13 10:17
I really like the keys on the Beuscher Astristocrats from the 80s. If I had loads on money I'd get a repair tech to transfer them over to my Buffet Festival.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2025-04-13 15:22
I like the way Buffet clarinets sound, but I've never been comfortable with the way they feel in my hands. I have large hands and broad spatulate fingers, so any instrument where the keys are close together are not going to work well for me. I find that the old Boosey and Hawkes keywork works for me, but only after I thin and bend the sliver keys, shorten the register key and thin the Ab key. I find that Leblanc keywork to be comfortable.
Tony F.
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