 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Mike
Date: 1999-05-07 16:45
Does anyone have experience with the new "intermediate"
Bass Clarinets to low Eb by Buffet? Are these a good deal
at mail-order prices of $3000 or so? Thanks... Mike
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kris Plummer
Date: 1999-05-08 14:09
I'm going to quote Matthew Hanson from the BAss Clarinet Mailing list on this one, since I've only tried the pro models.
This instrument is a joke. I hate to say it, but it is a nightmare. This has to be (first of all) the most uncomfortable bass clarinet made. I fully understand their reasoning for the placement of neck tenon, but it just does not work. The act of tuning is a horrific problem, with the one piece cork tenon neck wobbling, and a huge turbulant gap at the meet -similar to Noblet instruments, which are best replaced with two piece tuning necks.
This is supposed to be a student horn, but left hand reach is farther down than any mass produced horn out there.
It is just flat out awkward and uncomfortable to play. Yes, the Buffet quality is there in the wood and some of the keywork, but this bass needs some more time in the lab. Repairmen everywhere dread to see these come into the shop due to register adjustment. Yeah, yeah, that is all basses, but this one is set up unlike what most repair folks are familiar with dealing with.
It is okay when its working, but just too weak and vulnerable. Some of that register keywork is way more delicate than the 1193. It just doesn't make sense, especially as a student horn. From the lower joint, down, the horn is okay. Someone is much safer investing a little more in a horn that will be reliable for a long time, even if it means more money. If you haven't had experience with this horn, I suggest playing one to see just what I mean.
The 1180 is giving Buffet basses a bad name. Many US retailers are pushing this as the horn for schools to buy if looking for a wood instead of plastic instrument, basically pushing it as "the Buffet bass". Due to so many repair
compaints, they've changed and altered a lot of the mechanism over the past 4 years or so, but its still crap. It really just needs to be redesigned with a two piece neck (register on neck), but then that would basically be the
1183. They tried to make a student line wood horn by turning it at the neck before the first register.... they just turned it TOO high.
Matthew Hanson
However, the Buffet Prestige 1183 is a great clarinet. It's not a student or intermediate line instrument. They only difference between the 1183 and the 1193 is the low C extensions and some alternate keys.
Kris
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Therese
Date: 1999-05-11 02:12
Kris, I was wondering if you could share your opinion on the professional buffet basses. Thanks! therese:)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 1999-05-11 14:41
I'm not Kris, but I thought I'd let you know that I love my new Buffet 1193-2. It has wonderful tone and it is almost effortless to play the altissimo register notes. The key response is also good and it seems to be mechanically well designed and made. If you took a survey, I suspect that Buffet 1183 (to E-flat) and 1193 (to C) models would come out on top as the most desireable instruments. (Not to say that there aren't other high quality instruments out there.)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
