 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Abbie
Date: 1999-04-21 21:22
I'm looking to buy a new clarinet by the end of the summer. Has anyone heard of the Buffet Prestige? I just need some advice on what model...professional level (I'm a music performance major), price is not an issue. Also, I've heard many things about the R13 and R16. Help, please!!
Thanks!!
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Author: Evan
Date: 1999-04-21 22:44
Personally, I think buffets are made poorly, and they do not feel right. But you can get a sound out of them that you can't with any other horn. Make sure you try Leblanc's pro horns, selmers and even yamaha before making a choice.
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Author: clarinetfreak
Date: 1999-04-21 23:24
I think I would agree with Evan. This spring I tried bunch of clarinets at Internationa Musical Suppliers and I found that Buffet clarinets seem to be the least carefully made. Some of the pads were not seeling and mechnically the clarinet wasn't very good. But, Buffet has this sound that is so different in each of their clarinets. So somethimes there are these really wonderful clarinets that sounds much better than any other clarinets.
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Author: Frank
Date: 1999-04-22 00:04
I would agree to try the top of the line Leblancs. You can also get a good deal in a top of the line used clarinet. A clarinet that is a few to several years old can be had at a considerable discount on the new retail [discounted] prices.
In either instance, you should have your teacher or an accomplished technician look at the clarinet before you buy.
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Author: ted
Date: 1999-04-22 01:03
If there is a music store in your area with many brands, try them all. If the have multiple R13s or Prestiges, play them all since one R13 may play somewhat diffent from another R13. ...same for Leblanc and Selmers.
Keep in mind that a Prestige is very expensive. Many professionals play an R13 or Leblanc Concerto, for example, both of which are much less.
I personally play an older Leblanc. I was in the market for a used pro clarinet many years back (instead of new) for financial reasons, and the local music dealer had a used Buffet R13, Leblanc L7, and Selmer 10G, all of which were comparable. Of those three, I preferred the Leblanc. But who knows, If the store had ten of each horn to try out, I may have decided on one of the other brands. I have gotten a chance to play a many clarinets since and still thik i made the right choice for me.
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-04-22 13:48
Abbie wrote:
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I'm looking to buy a new clarinet by the end of the summer. Has anyone heard of the Buffet Prestige? I just need some advice on what model...professional level (I'm a music performance major), price is not an issue. Also, I've heard many things about the R13 and R16. Help, please!!
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Among the top players in the USA (esp. orchestra clarinetists), the plain vanilla Buffet R13 is by far the most common instrument. You might want to try the other brands but I'm pretty much sold on the R13 sound. Personally, I don't think the extra $$ for a prestige is warrented. Never heard of the R16 and it's not in Buffet's catalog. I've owned Buffets for years (over 25) and have NEVER had mechanical problems -- I think they are built every bit as well as the other brands.
As a music performance major, you must consider where you plan on concentrating your efforts. If you plan on playing in a major US orchestra, you have to consider what the majority of players are using because tonal blending is a very important factor. If you plan on making a go as a soloist then you have a little more latitude when choosing a performance clarinet.
Again, My advice would be to try instruments from the major four (Buffet, Leblanc, Selmer, Yamaha) but I think you find there is a reason that R13's are the #1 pro clarinet in the US.
Kevin Bowman
Clarinet and Saxophone Instructor,
Rochester Conservatory of Music, Rochester, MI
and
Saxophones, Clarinet, and Keys,
B-Side Blues Project (www.bsideblues.com)
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-04-22 14:21
I can see both sides of the discussion here. I happen to own a fairly recent vintage Festival that did require rework by a Buffet certified tech to fix some obvious workmanship problems. I've also heard that some of the recent R-13s are not worth the investment, compared to Buffet's premium lines. I've had pros want to pay me the full retail price of my Festival, plus give me their 1990s vintage R-13, just to get my Festival. The workmanship gap was that large. Now, that's truly sad.
Check out all of the pro-grade horns that you can, including Eaton, Rossi, Buffet, Selmer, LeBlanc, Yamaha, and a host of others. Compare the "bread and butter" pro horns to the premium ones. Research your intended professional market to make sure your horn produces the sound that the market demands. For instance, the big straight bored horns of yesteryear may be better for jazz than today's polycylindrical narrow bored horns, which are great for classical.
Finally, if you are really going to take the plunge, make the regular investment in many horns throughout the years. I personally know a couple of pros who have a fleet of horns that they have collected through the years. They know which horn they will use for each situation. I believe you may find the same to be true for you eventually.
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Author: Nicole Y.
Date: 1999-04-22 20:18
At my own risk of stepping on people's toes: I have to say that IMNSHO, Leblanc is the best brand. I have owned Buffet's...the keywork is really really noisy and mechanical sounding compared to my Noblet. I would recommend that you try out the Leblanc, Yamaha, Selmer, and Buffet's, but notice that just because the Buffet R-13 is "the number one selling clarinet" doesn't mean it's teh best for you same goes with all the other brands.
Nicole Y.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-04-22 20:42
Nicole Y. wrote:
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At my own risk of stepping on people's toes: I have to say that IMNSHO, Leblanc is the best brand.
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You know, I still haven't determined the <i>best</i> brand, and I'm a tad older than the rising freshman :^) - and the ones much older than I and who have been playing for near 70 years haven't been able to tell me, either.
Then, there's all those <i>other</i> brands that don't get discussed much here but are popular among the afficionados:
Wurlitzer and Hammerschmidt are very popular in Europe, and Fox is starting to have a following. There's Peter Eaton and his clarinets, and Howarth, along with other small-scale vendors.
I wouldn't be so brave as to venture which are the <i>best</i>, toes or no.
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Author: Joris van den Berg
Date: 1999-04-22 22:04
I've once had the oppertunity to play and examine a Hammersmidt, the build quality is greatly above the of my Buffet RC. It has a very good sound (large bore an nicely balanced), but a great disadvantage to me is the oeler key system, wich i don't really know how to operate fast.
(mind that i've tried only 1 example of this mark and that it could be possible that i've struck a rarely good example or a rarely bad example)
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Author: Nicole Y.
Date: 1999-04-22 22:15
Now, they do say that the young are brash. So I guess that's what I am. Although I do advise you to go look at the Patricola (sp.?) I have heard some really nice things about them on this board in addition to the four major brands. Ok, are all the wiser people happy? And in a political move, I retract that statement about Leblanc being the best brand. LOL
the rising freshman,
Nicole Y.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-04-22 23:08
Nicole Y. wrote:
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And in a political move, I retract that statement about Leblanc being the best brand. LOL
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It ain't the politics, Nicole! It's more like trying to say "what's the best car?". I can point out the brands that regularly produce lemons, and I can point out the handmade ones and say "those are probably better than the average car", but there's <i>so</i> many different models of cars out there! Some are even the same car underneath, but people <i>think</i> they're different! (I work often for the major American car companies)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-04-22 23:11
Nicole Y. wrote:
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And in a political move, I retract that statement about Leblanc being the best brand. LOL
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It ain't the politics, Nicole! It's more like trying to say "what's the best car?". I can point out the brands that regularly produce lemons, and I can point out the handmade ones and say "those are probably better than the average car", but there's <i>so</i> many different models of cars out there! Some are even the same car underneath, but people <i>think</i> they're different! (I work often for the major American car companies)
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Author: AlecThigpen
Date: 1999-04-23 14:40
I have a Buffet Prestige Bass Clarinet, and there is nothing that I find lacking in the workmanship, and it is a great deal better thought out than any other Bass Clarinets I have tried. I would think that the Prestige Soprano would be of similar quality. The price shouldn't be a serious issue, as the horn should last 30 or more years, and still maintain much if not all of the purchase price. My R-13 Bb cost $800.00 in 1979, and from what I see, is still worth about the same. It still plays better in tune than my other clarinets (Selmer 9 and 10).
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Author: Nicole Y.
Date: 1999-04-23 20:54
Mark,
It was just a joke! NEWAYZ, I did say in my not so humble opinion (IMNSHO) Leblanc is the best brand!!!
the rising freshman,
Nicole Y.
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Author: William Fuller
Date: 1999-04-23 21:11
Having played for years on Buffet R-13s, I recently made the switch to the LeBlanc Concerto (A & Bb) and love them. Please give them a try before you decided on the Prestige.
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Author: Holly
Date: 1999-04-27 17:15
I have a R-13 buffet and it is wonderful. I don't know about the prestiges. I know I tried out maybe 30 buffet clarinets before picking the one I got. Half were of a so called higher quality than the R-13 but I didn't like the sound of them. I thought the R-13 had a better tone. Anyway, my best suggestion is to try out as many as you can. I went to a store in Los Angeles for my clarinet. It was a little store and it sold only buffet clarinets. It had a tremendous supply of them. Good luck!
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Author: jeff
Date: 1999-04-30 03:57
All the stated above is great advice. I personally play on a Buffet R13 for both Bb and A. I like the sound of the R13 the most. I just recently purchased my A and I found that they are rather inconsistant. At one point I purchased a Peter Eaton clarinet, but then I went to another store and tried maybe 20 more buffets till I found one that I liked. I tried around 40+ buffets till I found the one that met all my standards. I really wantd to get a Buffet because I like the sound and my Bb is a Buffet so I wanted a similar feel on both. Some may say why try that many why not just get another brand. I thought about it and tried almost all brands out there but I like a darker sound and they did not have the sound that I was looking for. If price is not a problem then I would like to suggest getting silver plated keys. I like the extra weight and the key action feels better to me. The main thing is to decide what your are looking for in a clarinet before you go to the shop. When you get there do not settle for anyting less than what you want. Try all brands. The reason that there are different brands is that everyone is different.
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