Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2000-12-20 16:43
Rissa -
The Buffet Moenig barrels are, I'm pretty sure, machine made. The difference between them and the standard Buffet barrels is that the Moenigs have a reverse taper. That is, the bore is smaller at the bottom of the barrel than it is at the top. This improves tuning, response and tone quality.
The Buffet Chadash barrels also have a reverse taper, designed by Guy Chadash, which is slightly different from the Moenig taper. These barrels are also machine made. I don't know whether Guy Chadash personally checks each one and tweaks it. He may, but even if he does, it's a generic tweak. My impression from trying them is that both Moenig and Chadash barrels play better than the standard Buffet barrels, but that there's no consistent character.
The real difference comes when an top barrel maker, like Guy Chadash, makes the final adjustments, with you there, based on your instrument, your mouthpiece and your playing style. When you get your professional horn, I can pretty much guarantee you will be pleased if you go to Chadash in New York and have him customize a barrel for you. At the very least, you should send him your instrument and mouthpiece and have him make a barrel specifically for them.
Greg Smith and Jim Pyne also make matched mouthpiece/barrel combinations, Greg Smith with Chadash barrels and Jim Pyne with his own.
Greg Smith also sells complete instruments, set up to play like the ones he uses in the Chicago Symphony. Guy Chadash has started making his own instruments, as has Charles Bay. I have not played any of these, but it's inevitable that one of them (or a Rossi) will play better than practically any instrument you could find in a music store. Of course they cost a good bit more.
Some intermediate options (all of which have good reputations, but none of which I have personal familiarity with):
- Order from Muncy Winds, which selects and preps Buffets;
- Order from International Music Suppliers, which is said to have access to good instruments;
- Order a selected and prepped instrument from Peter Spriggs;
- Buy an instrument and send it to Brannen for finishing.
I play on R-13s set up by Kalmen Opperman, with his mouthpiece and barrels. For me, they play better than anything else I've tried, and I don't miss the money I paid for them. I bought them once, and they pay me back every time I pick up the instrument.
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
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