 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2011-10-20 15:01
I know this may not be the best forum to do this, but I wanted to thank the Buffet-Crampon family for great customer service and give them a little more public exposure for the good work they do.
I bought one of the first Greenline clarinet back in 1995: an RC Prestige. About 2 years ago I dropped my clarinet and snapped the middle tenon in half. I contacted Francois Kloc about what to do and instead of telling me to buy a new clarinet, Buffet sent me a brand new upper joint free of charge. A year later a scary crack appeared at the lower tenon of the bottom joint, again Buffet sends me a brand new lower joint within a few months.
You won't see my name in any professional orchestra, the clarinet magazine or any artist roster. I'm just your average community player trying not to mess up his chromatic scale, yet Buffet took care of me and went out of their way to make sure I received the part I needed.
I still had to get the key transfered to the new joints, but I basically have a brand new clarinet at no cost.
Buffet may have the image of the evil empire in the clarinet world, but my experience with their customer service is nothing but stellar.
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: BobD
Date: 2011-10-20 16:55
I really don't like the use of that term applied to Buffet as it is meaningless.
As a Materials Engineer familiar with materials in general I am aware of the problems inherent in attempting to make a clarinet in "the Greenline manner". As a result I am of the opinion that Buffet has an obligation to do exactly what they did for you. Certainly they are to be applauded for recognizing their responsibility.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-10-20 17:01
Certainly the POSITIVE side of dealing with a large manufacturer with a good warranty policy. I doubt the small volume, custom makers could come close to Buffet on this score.
......................Paul Aviles
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-10-20 17:03
Nice to hear that you had a good service experience. I believe Buffet warranties their clarinets against cracks for 10 years so they must have stretched this a bit in your case.
To be fair I don't think anyone has ever accused the Buffet-Crampon company of being an evil empire. Any bad blood regarding the brand is focused at the small subset of Buffet clarinet players who insist on going to great lengths to tell anyone who doesn't play Buffet clarinet that their instrument is crap. Thankfully those people represent only a small fraction of all Buffet clarinet players and their numbers seem to have dwindled in recent years.
Post Edited (2011-10-20 17:17)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-10-20 23:23
Dear SteveG CT,
Well since you 'asked,' there is also Buffet's prevailing hubris that allows them to believe that their clarinets walk-on-water, while the internal intonation varies wildly from horn to horn and their finishing process leaves the clarinet pretty much in need of a competent overhaul right out of the box.
...................Paul Aviles
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Author: vin
Date: 2011-10-21 01:00
What is "the internal intonation" and does it differ from the external intonation?
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-10-21 01:11
I think they mean, by internal intonation, how well an instrument is in tune with itself over the range of notes, as opposed to how in tune an instrument is with the rest of the ensemble.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2011-10-21 14:17
"I believe Buffet warranties their clarinets against cracks for 10 years so they must have stretched this a bit in your case."
Seriously? I think it's one year. Can anyone who has bought a horn recently from Buffet confirm what warranty on the wood they received?
Congrat's on the "new" horn Sylvain!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Ed
Date: 2011-10-21 15:27
I have heard of issues that some folks have had with these instruments. It is nice to hear that Buffet stepped up and handled it with class.
Post Edited (2011-10-21 15:28)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-10-21 15:59
Buffet Warranty on defects that can blamed on the horn is 5 years.
And yes, by internal intonation I refer to the problems with twelfths being too wide, chalumeau thumb F being low amongst its neighbors, etc.
Putting a tuner out on the stand will tell you what notes are sharp or flat. Ideally (and there is no such IDEAL) all the notes you blow out of an instrument would be to same degree either sharp or flat. It's kinda like zeroing a weapon. As long as your shot group is tight, you can adjust your sights to be dead on.
......................Paul Aviles
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Author: BobD
Date: 2011-10-21 21:10
Nice try Paul, but I think you're stretching it a bit. I'd like to see and hear the horn that is dead on on all notes.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-10-21 22:20
No, no, no,................sorry.
This is the trouble with a bad analogy attached to a hypothetical case.
Ok, I'll answer this way. My Oehler system Wurlitzers had amazing consistency up and down the horn in both pitch and timbre. The pitch was natively, however, A=445.
I would NEVER say any clarinet is dead on consistent, particularly not a Boehm which was ENGINEERED to be flat on the lowest two notes and sharp on the first clarion 'B.'
But when trying clarinets to buy, the rule is to find one that is as consistent within itself as possible. The WORST scenario would be to say, "Oh I love the sound of this one it just has three notes that are 25 cents sharp and 2 notes that are 40 cents flat.
....................Paul Aviles
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Author: BobD
Date: 2011-10-22 11:25
I understood what you meant; was just yanking your chain........
Bob Draznik
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Author: ramsa
Date: 2011-10-22 12:22
Funny...I caught my Bb Festival "walking-on-water" just the other night...
This is a genuine signature.
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