 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kat123
Date: 2011-06-20 03:46
i have never played or owned a Bb buffet to which i understand is a huge loss for me as a clarinetist...still i was introduced to a selmer and have played ever sense....... what if any good selmer clarinets are out there that you all like. be specific in model make and horn Bb Eb ......i know buffet is the very best but i am trying to stay in my comfort zone until i find a GOOD buffet, but please also let me know what Buffets your are playing .... i was told so far that the vintage buffet was great an the selmer St Louie but i need more impact- please help!
karena
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Author: Bb R13 greenline
Date: 2011-06-20 07:42
I play on the buffet R13 greenline and have never had a problem, really good horn but buffet is not the ultimately best clarinet brand, there are just as good and a lot would argue better horns in Leblanc, yamaha, and selmer. If you want to stay in the selmer neighborhood I'd recommend The signature although I here they are alittle inconsistent so make sure to try a bunch.
Ive also tried the buffet tosca and found it to play very well too, alittle more resistant than the r13 in my case
In the Leblanc line they have the legacy which I really liked when I played it, I just don't have 6 grand;)
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2011-06-20 08:26
Kat123
Whoever brainwashed you should be shot. Please climb out of your little box and realise that Buffet is not the best. Infact no clarinet is the best, only what works for the player
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-06-20 11:44
I had some WONDERFUL trials of the Selmer Privilege Bb clarinet. It has great projection, a very even scale and a very full sound in ALL registers. If you work to find a good Buffet, they are great but all too often the internal intonation is squirrelly. This is why I had gone most recently with Yamaha CSGs for my personal horns. But had I not already purchased the Yamahas (and had I the $4500 for a Privilege !!!) I might have gone that route.
...................Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2011-06-20 11:45)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-06-20 13:13
Although Artie Shaw was comparing '50s Selmers and Buffets, he said the Selmer had more shout to it (which he used with the big band) and the Buffet was more intimate (which he used for the 5tet).
I presume it's Buffet players telling you their blinkered view that it's a huge loss for you for not playing Buffet - if you want to follow the herd, that's up to you. If you like what you're playing then stick with it. I don't know many other Selmer players - most play Buffets, but I'm sticking with my Selmers as that's what I like.
I do own a Buffet Eb, basset horn and bass clarinet which are great instruments, but I prefer my Selmer CT and Series 9 Bb and A clarinets over Buffet R13s.
If you do fancy trying a Buffet, try the RC instead of the R13.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2011-06-20 14:20
Regarding who prefers what on Selmers and Buffets--keywork or tone, intonation or projection--it really depends who you talk to (and perhaps where you live--there are still pockets of conventional wisdom in many places, despite the increased cosmopolitansim of the internet).
I've heard more reasons over the years from more players than I'd care to categorize, but, as always, everybody's got an opinion!
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Joanna
Date: 2011-06-20 14:29
Hi,
I'm a Selmer player! I've never liked Buffet, just because I personally don't sound that good on their horns.
Now, if you are looking for a professional horn, with Selmer you need to lean towards the Selmer Paris models. The US ones are not that great. I play a Selmer Arty's for Bb (really fantastic horn, unfortunately they're now discontinued) and I have a Selmer Recital for A. The Recital is also a great instrument. It's the top of the line, as far as Selmer is concerned.
Please, don't think that one or the other is the best. Try some Buffets (R13's are a good bet, I hear) and some Selmers, even some of the professional Yamahas. Find out what works for you, not for everyone else. This Buffet/Selmer rivalry doesn't really exist. The other day, my professor was playing on my horns and said: "Wow, these are great instruments. Oh, they're Selmer, cool." Lots of professional musicians use Selmers, lots use Buffet. It's a matter of personal taste.
Joanna
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Author: sonicbang
Date: 2011-06-20 18:15
I like the RC model most from the whole Buffet choice. From the Selmers I like Privilege and the Recital. This is just my experience.
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Author: salsacookies
Date: 2011-06-20 18:54
I don't play either. I found that Leblanc's really work well for me. I like the feel of the keywork and the wood is beautiful, especially on my Bb. I think it's sad how many musicians automatically gravitate toward Buffet just because it's Buffet without trying other brands first. You might find that the best horn for you is an off brand something or other. The name means nothing. If you sound good on a Buffet, that's great...if you sound good on a Howarth of London, that's great too. It reminds me of high school girls and their brands of clothes. If you don't wear Abercrombie or American Eagle, then you're not cool. It's a little ridiculous.
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Author: Franklin Liao
Date: 2011-06-20 19:07
Personally, I now think that each individual horn, let along different ranges is a being of its own. Many people here have stated that picking out 'the' horn from several of the same model is not uncommon at all, which I definitely can attest to (despite me being so inept).
@sonicbang: I really do like the RCs, well at least the floor models shown at Musikmesse. It's literally no contest comparing the E11s on display at the same time with those horns. However, when I think back, I was just as impressed by the Hanson T6 and the Musik Josef horns... maybe even moreso by the MoBa. Whatever it is, the difference in performance is much more pronounced going from one class to another. The matter of distinction between professional offerings on the other hand is far less decisive.
Post Edited (2011-06-20 19:09)
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-06-20 22:36
HTe Buffet is a fine instrument, but it is not the ONLY one out there. You will never know what you will sound best on until you try different brands and models. I find that I really like the Leblanc/Backun Symphonie. Before the Leblanc,i played a Ridenour Lyrique. My daughter plays Buffets. I have friends who play Selmers. They're all great clarinets. Don't become "another pathetic sheep following the herd." Find what works best for YOU!
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-06-21 01:11
I would not consider not having owned a Buffet clarinet to be a "huge loss" as you put it. The brand name on your clarinet is just about the last thing you should be worried about. As everyone else has said, play as many models from different companies as is reasonably possible and pick what you like best regardless of who made it.
I will also add that you should strongly consider used instruments as well as new ones. You can often find some real gems on the used market that will cost a fraction of what a new instrument will even after a complete overhaul by a good tech.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2011-06-21 03:57
Buffet only. However, several symphony pro's have switched around and lately Buffet seems to be the favored instrument. Some of the Selmer G series were excellent and when they first came out I had a chance to play them. The key work, in my opinion, beat out the Buffets. The Buffets were more resistant.
I haven't played the new Selmers. Don't forget to take a look at the Lablanc's. They sound really great.
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2011-06-22 17:14
Are there pro models that are more suitable for people with larger or smaller hands? I know some student models are a little different in this respect, but I'm not sure if that carries over to the pro clarinets.
----------
Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-06-22 19:47
I'm not aware of any clarinets that are made with hand size in question or any specific 'short-reach' ones - clarinets are usually one size fits all, both student and pro models. Most student models are based on their pro model counterparts where keywork is concerned.
Each maker will have their own take on ergonomics, but some keys can be bent to suit a particular players physique. Recently I had to make such an adaptation on a Yamaha YCL-250 as the player had trouble reacing the RH touches as they were poitioned too far down the joint, so I angled them all upwards (by bending them) so the RH F#/C# touchpiece was almost touching the lower ring key pillar as it does on Selmer and Buffets instead of pointing straight out with a fair gap. If the LH touches are too far away, they can only be adjusted by cut'n'shutting them and soldering in pieces of nickel silver to add a few more millimetres to the length.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-06-05 23:34
Finally, I want to hear your thoughts about Buffet Legende/Tradition VS Selmer Privilege.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2020-06-06 01:09
I've owned 3 Bb Buffet R13s over my playing life and a Buffet A for orchestra, an Eb, and a C for "interesting" stuff. These are what I've played in public. For practicing I have had different brands--Yamaha student models for a while and last 2-3 years a student model Selmer. The Selmer is fine for practicing, but I've always had a bias against the feel of the keys, particularly the pinky keys. When I do my concert series each summer (not this one....) I have to re-adjust to the Buffet feel. But I got the Selmer new for $150 CAD plus tax, so am happy.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2020-06-06 01:11)
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Author: hans
Date: 2020-06-06 04:45
I bought a new Selmer Recital Bb in 1988 and am still very satisfied with it. It has a lovely sound and has never cracked. I agree with David Blumberg re the weight - it can be hard on the right thumb.
Hans
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Author: r small
Date: 2020-06-08 00:29
I've always preferred the feel of Selmer's keywork to Buffet's. Just seems to fit my hands better. But then I've always been a "Selmer guy" having played Selmer saxes since 1967 (my first alto cost about $300).
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2020-06-08 00:45
My first Buffet cost $250 or $265 US new (can't recall which)-- in 1971. My second one in 1979 was $520 CAD. My present one was $1,997 US tax included (bought in 1999). Now they're 4,5, $6,000.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2020-06-08 00:49)
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Author: johnnydodds
Date: 2020-06-10 05:07
The best clarinet is the one that works best for you, and don't let any snobs look down on you for choosing something the herd doesn't approve of. As a trad jazz player my favorite setup used to be a plastic Yamaha with a wood Selmer barrel to warm up the tone. I greatly preferred it to my R13. I also have two antique Buffets, turn of the century and I LOVE the action more than any modern Buffet or any horn at all, and the crasftmanship is simply unmatched by anything modern including modern Buffets. But they play a bit too quiet for me. Currently I play a cheap 1930's Conn Cavalier, metal clarinet, profesionally overhauled, and I picked it out of about 10 overhauled metal clarinets in my friend's shop. It had that big, resonant sound Conn is known for, spot on intonation, but not the slickest action ever. A bit like driving an old 70's boat, big and grand and comfortable, but not to good on corners. I have never played a Selmer Paris, but I saw two metal Selmer Paris horns, an A and Bb set and I would love to have them if they didn't cost an arm and a leg. I just found a Penzell Mueller A-key clarinet at an estate sale for peanuts and love it! Good intonation, nice tone, and wasn't no 5 grand like the Buffets.
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2020-06-11 21:22
I've never heard that characteristic tone quality on a Selmer Bb Clarinet. It's not the horn but it's the player. I've heard a woman on a Patricola Bb clarinet and she had a fat professional tone quality. The only Selmer I've played on was a bass clarinet in college and I had great tone quality on it. I sat 1st chair for 2 years of college band.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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