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Counterfeit instruments and cheap horns

Author: Matt74
Date: 2021-01-04 01:49

I wanted to respond to a post about a counterfeit Buffet. The author correctly noted that it is recommended to try all new genuine horns and have them adjusted, and then wondered

"Are the counterfeit ones you don't trust any worse than the real ones you don't trust?"

- This is a good question.

Answer:

They are judged by completely different criteria. People have very high standards for a Buffet or Yamaha, and very low standards for generic horns. People are mad when a Buffet or Yamaha gets an 8/10. They get mad because generic horns average a 3/10. (I'm making that up, but you get the idea.)

Explanation:

First, "Why do you need to test genuine horns and have them adjusted?"

- The reason is that every last one of them plays a little different, and the factory finish isn't perfect. Some horns are going to be better than others, and if you are paying hundreds or thousands, you might as well get the best one you can. Dimensions and adjustments that make a difference can be measured in less than 0.001" (less than 1/3 the width of a human hair). So, between being made of wood that is always changing, less than perfectly adjusted at the factory, and shipped half way around the world, they need checked out. It's not so much a matter of them producing a bunch of "duds", as it is the nature of woodwinds.

Second,"Are counterfeit horns really any less reliable than genuine ones?"

- Counterfeit horns are not "copies". They are only made to superficially resemble real ones. Fakes are not designed or built like the real ones, and won't fool anyone knowledgeable. At best you will get an inexpensive Chinese student horn. Many repairmen refuse to work on them because they can't be fixed. Things are sloppy, don't line up, etc. Making them work is often not worth the effort or expense.

Go on Alibaba, and look at what they are charging for a clarinet wholesale, and you will see that it's pretty much impossible for them to be comparable to a Buffet or Yamaha.

I saw a presentation by the faculty of Red Wing Band Instrument Repair school while I was there. They had recently visited many factories in China. Presumably counterfeits are produced in some of these factories, or ones like them. The faculty was not unsympathetic. The manufacturers wanted to make good horns, and valued my professors' knowledge and opinions. They met the management and craftsman and talked to them. They watched them working on the floor and socialized with them. They said the horns are getting better. At the same time, they emphasized how different the production was. The pictures I saw were pretty amazing. Some of the factories were very basic. They simply don't have the same experience, knowledge, or production culture that you will find at established makers. It's not that the Chinese can't produce good stuff - it's that they do not yet produce the same quality instruments. Mostly they emphasized that quality control is bad. I'm sure that some are better than others, but the cheap horns aren't really comparable to a Buffet, Yamaha, or other standard makers.

I am no "brand snob". There are many options OTHER than Buffet and Yamaha, sometimes a much lower cost, especially if you consider vintage/used horns. I wish the Chinese the best in developing their industry, and they will. That said, there is a very big difference between buying a reputable horn, and a "mystery" horn.

Perhaps some of those who have experience working on them and playing them will add comments.

- Matthew Simington

Post Edited (2021-01-04 01:53)

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