Author: Shaun L
Date: 2017-04-29 19:28
Hey, Jeff. I'd really urge you to consider all of your options equally without the bias your private lesson instructor is pushing on you.
Buffet certainly does make good sounding instruments most of the time, some of the time. The problems are the other 90% of the work they do. Getting a brand new R13 that doesn't need work, plays in tune, without unevenness somewhere in the scale is hitting the lottery. On top of that, they really are charging astronomically more than the instruments would be worth even if they came out of the factory hitting every mark as consistently as Yamaha. A CSVR will cost you just over $3000 where an R13 will cost you $4000 and any work needed to make it an actual playing instrument suitable for the professional world.
Please consider other options too! I play a Backun Protege that I sold my R13 for. A little necessary backstory here, I was very lucky with my Buffet. It played better than any other R13 I've played but one. A late 60's R13 that had recently been completely overhauled and tuned. Probably about a $1000 job. I paid about $2600 for my Protege and I'll be repadding it soon to swap the current pads out for Valentino master series. Fortunately, it came to me so well made that I've got very little mechanical work to do to it.
My advice to you is this: Consider a used instrument and give yourself plenty of room to pay for at least a repad if not an overhaul. If you don't find a deal that looks promising, buy a new horn from a company that you know you wont run the risk of needing to put additional work into the horn. Stay inside your $3000. If you're not seeking becoming a music major or otherwise planning to pursue music as a career it's probably not worth it.
Also, if you buy a horn and go to your next lesson with something that isn't a Buffet and your teacher gives you **** for it, find a different teacher. Teachers that want to control anything about what you're playing on outside of suggesting something to try for a tangible reason (reed & mouthpiece experimentation) aren't going as far as they should to make YOU a better player. They're likely also doing the same thing in other parts of their instruction. The best teachers are the ones that change things to make you the best you can be and wouldn't let brand affiliation chance interfering with that.
Apologies for the rant but as an aspiring clarinet professor, instructors pushing specific instruments or mouthpieces or anything else are my largest pet peeve in the musical world.
Backun Protege Coco/Gold
Selmer S10A
D'Addario X0
MoBa barrel
Buffet 1193 C
Vandoren B44
Post Edited (2017-04-29 19:30)
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