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Re: R13 question

Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-03-19 23:04

Well truth be told, the R13's are more resistant. We cannot disagree with this fact. In recent years the horns are even more resistant.

My first Buffet R13 was at the age of 13. They were better then, the late 1960's. Even then the Selmer's and the LaBlanc's were much more free blowing. It's kind of still that way.

It is becoming harder to fill an orchestra hall with a nice sound. The sound kind of dies depending on the halls. You have to take my word on this. The newer Buffets along with some of the mouthpieces such as the Zinner's and the M series Vandoren's really limit how the sound is carried.

If we look at some of the major symphony players a lot of them are not using Buffet's and Backuns, because the horns don't carry the sound as well as they could and should. So there are more players using older Buffet's and non Vandoren mouthpieces, as well as a lack of the top Backun horns.

People may say, well Ricardo with the Philadelphia Orchestra is using Backun horns. True! But I saw him using a glass mouthpiece to produce more sound. Maybe he is frustrated? I don't know. I haven't talked with him, but in general glass mouthpieces have a brighter and offer a bigger sound.

For a lower price and for a bigger sound the Yamaha clarinets are becoming very popular. A lot of pro's are heading in this direction. It's been talked about a lot on this board. The recently retired principal player with the National Symphony was using the Yamaha's. The Kennedy Center is a very hard hall to play in and you need that big sound. This man played there for 45 years or more. We have John Bruce Yeh with the Chicago, entering his 40th year, is using Yamaha's. Chicago is a huge hall to fill.

There are many other players using Yamaha's. I sold all of my Buffet's and switched. The good news is the Yamaha's play great right out of the case. The pads don't leak.

With Buffet's you may have to try out 20 before finding a good horn. Plus you then have to spend a lot of money fixing the leaking pads and adjusting the tuning. Add another $400 to $800. You can probably buy 2 Yamaha clarinets for the price of 1 Buffet.

Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces

Yamaha Artist 2015

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R13 question new

tkillian

2017-03-15 20:23