 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JJ
Date: 1999-07-28 03:09
Hi:
why is festival cheaper than prestige, I called
several retail store and found out a festival
Bb would cost around 2100 USD and prestige cost
2500 USD, aren't they supposed on the same level?
what makes the difference? they have identical
configuration except the difference in bore
JJ
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-07-28 03:36
JJ wrote:
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Hi:
why is festival cheaper than prestige.
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Marketing, more or less. The Prestige bore dimensions and register tube placement are slightly different than the Festival, but the keywork and wood are basically the same. By producing less, they can keep the quantity down and the premium high. Standard business technique to differentiate products.
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Author: Mike
Date: 1999-07-28 05:29
There is a difference in the bore configuration of the two but basically they do have the same features. The Festival has a slightly brighter sound but is also more responsive than the prestige (from my own experience). They are both made out of the best possible grade of wood! Buffet/Boosey somewhat subsidizes the cost of the Festival as it is only sold through local dealers and is not "supposed" to be available through the mail and it is intended to give the local guys a weapon in the price wars with the two or three big guys that are dominating the market with mail order. The Festival is no joke and you are definitely getting more for your money with that one but there is a difference in the bore configuration and the price difference is not great enough in my mind to rule out the prestige (remember this is an instrument that you are probably going to live with every day for the next 20 years or more and $400.00 spread out over that time doesn't amount to enough to not get the sound you exactly want).
Just my opinion!
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-07-28 14:09
The Festival is definitely not a joke. It's a serious pro grade horn. Yes, it's marketed differently, and that's the nature of business. However, don't let the marketing scheme fool you. The Festival is very much a premium pro grade horn, very much the match of the R-13, and possibly better than contemporary (1980s through 1990s) R-13s. I've personally played my Festival with groups of other people playing classic hand picked 1960s era R-13s and I've had pros occasionally play my Festival. The sound is generally very close to the R-13 and the quality of parts and workmanship on the Festival is at least comparable if not slightly better than contemporary R-13s. I believe that the Festival is a very good professional grade horn. It can take the daily grind type of professional use that the Prestige can take, as long as it's properly cared for and maintained (just like any other pro grade clarinet).
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