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Re: New R13 plating flaking

Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2007-07-03 18:13

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

Mark, I'll have them contact you. I appreciate the offer of help.

As for me, my '63 R13s are still awfully good, and have stood up well in the 44 years I've had the Bb and the 36 years I've had the A, but when I started playing again in about '98, after a very long hiatus, I switched to Leblancs and then to Rossis, and not the least of the reasons why was because of hearing from techs and players about Buffet quality control and customer service problems. (I'm sorry now that I didn't check out Yamahas and Selmers when I was looking for new instruments in '99, not that I wasn't happy with the Opus.)

Much has been said here about brand loyalty (and nearsightedness), yet I'm still amazed how some really fine players I know absolutely WILL NOT consider anything but Buffets (or whatever brand they're playing).

It's remarkable how many times I've offered to let people try my Leblanc or Rossi instruments and heard, "I don't like Rossi [or Leblanc] clarinets" even before they've played five notes on mine! One highly respected player on this list actually wasn't even curious enough to try my horns. "I don't like Rossis." Why? "I play only Buffets." What is it about other makes that you don't like? "I just don't like them."

Anyway, I'm just rehashing what's been said over and over again almost forever, yet I'm still amused.

Well, I'm even more amused now that most of the pro-level "assembly line" clarinets are priced at about the same level, and clarinets from Eaton, Rossi, Fox, Orsi, et al. that come with incredible individualized attention from their makers are very near the same price as--or less than--a Prestige or Tosca.

cf. "What works for me."

Signing off.

Bruce M.

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New R13 plating flaking new

bmcgar

2007-07-03 04:18