Buffet Crampon
Buffet Crampon is a French manufacturer of woodwind musical instruments, including oboes, flutes, saxophones, and bassoons; however, the company is perhaps most famous for their clarinets, as Buffet is the brand of choice for many professionals.
Buffet Crampon began manufacturing musical instruments in 1825 exclusively in France, but has since expanded their business to include production facilities in Germany as well. Since the company's conception, Buffet Crampon has expanded to a worldwide market. Antoine Beaussant, Buffet Group's Chief Executive Officer, runs the Buffet Crampon, Besson, B&S, Antoine Courtois, Hans Hoyer, J. Keilwerth, Meinl Weston, Scherzer and W. Schreiber brands.[1]
History
Denis Buffet-Auger, of the Buffet family of French musical instrument makers, began making quality clarinets in Paris, France in 1825. The company expanded under Jean-Louis Buffet and his wife Zoé Crampon and became known as Buffet Crampon. (Another family member, Auguste Buffet jeune, who worked with famous clarinetist Hyacinthe Klosé to develop the Boehm system for clarinet, had his own business separate from Buffet Crampon.)
In 1850, Buffet Crampon established its headquarters at Mantes-la-Ville. The company continued to expand its range and quality in instrument production, beginning saxophone production in 1866, and winning numerous awards. The company began to take root in the American woodwind industry during the early 1900s.
In 1950, the company developed its famous R13 clarinet, an extremely popular professional-level clarinet. In 1981, Buffet joined Boosey & Hawkes, which sold the French company to The Music Group in 2003. Two years later Buffet was bought by a French group. In 2006 Buffet Crampon acquired two brass instrument manufacturers, Antoine Courtois Paris and Besson. In 2008 Buffet Crampon continues to pursue its strategy by the acquisition of the Leblanc clarinet factory in La Couture-Boussey, Département of Eure, Haute-Normandie in France.
Recently, Buffet has made efforts to protect the African blackwood trees, which provide grenadilla wood for clarinets, from being eliminated. In its effort to protect the over-harvesting of African blackwood / grenadilla, Buffet has started making several new models of clarinets. As these do not have the grain structure of a true wood product, they do not have the issue of cracking due to environmental changes that are typically seen in clarinets and other wood instruments.
Evette and Evette & Schaeffer clarinets
Until the 1980s, only professional level clarinets carried the Buffet name. Lower priced clarinets for the beginner and intermediate market were branded "Evette" and "Evette & Schaeffer", respectively. For a time the Evette clarinets actually were built by other manufacturers under Buffet's sponsorship, and these instruments are marked "Evette sponsored by Buffet". By the early 1970s Buffet was making the Evettes in their own factory in Paris, and about 1979 manufacture was moved to a Buffet-owned factory in Germany. Evette & Schaeffer clarinets were made in Paris. Use of the Evette and Evette & Schaeffer brands ended about 1985, when the company began using the Buffet name on all its clarinets.
Clarinet models
Current and recent Buffet clarinet models include (in approximate order from least to most expensive):
Plastic clarinets
- B10 - a lightweight beginner model, entirely plastic apart from the keys
- Evette (no longer in production, succeeded by B12)
- B12 - a good quality beginner instrument, as demonstrated by its enduring popularity.
Intermediate clarinets
- Evette (no longer in production, succeeded by E11)
- Evette Master Model (no longer in production, succeeded by E12)
- Evette & Schaeffer (no longer in production, succeeded by E13)
- Evette & Schaeffer Master Model (no longer in production, succeeded by E14)
- E11 - intermediate, entry-level wooden instrument with nickel plated keys. Very popular with high sale rates. Mostly found in the USA
- E11 France - intermediate, similar to the E11, but made in France as opposed to Germany, with an all new bore, ringless bell, and numerous other features. (no longer in production, succeeded by E12F)
- E12 - as E11, but with "special wood treatment to improve sound quality". Prior to 1992, this particular model was referred to as the E-45.
- E12F - student model from Buffet Crampon, mostly made in France. Available as of September 1, 2012)
- E13 - student model from Buffet Crampon, mostly made in France.
- C13 "International"
Professional clarinets
- Limité - silver-plated keys. Less expensive than R13. Only sold in the USA
- C12 "Conservatoire" model - A semi-professional model C12 was produced only from 1983 to 1992. Essentially it was an R13 with lesser keywork, lacking the R13's wood cutout above the lower tenon "pinky keys".
- R13 - Buffet's most popular professional model, something of an institution in its own right. The R in R13 Stands for the name of its designer, Robert Carrée. His name is born out in his later model, the Buffet RC (RC standing for his initials).[2]
- RC - an R13 equivalent model but with distinctive barrel and bell shape intended to improve tone, developed in 1974 with the assistance of the luthier Robert Carrée. Noted for sweetness of sound.
- S1 - another alternative model to the R13, manufactured in the 1970s and early 80s. Designed to have an inverse taper barrel and a bore similar to the original 1950s R13.
- R13 Vintage - Closer to the original 1950s bore design.
- Festival - R13 bore with denser wood. Register key is 1 mm higher than on a standard R13. Also has the addition of an alternate left-hand Eb/Ab lever.
- R13 Prestige - A higher level of R13 clarinet. Made from only the best unstained wood by Buffet's most senior and successful craftsmen. Also has the addition of an alternate left-hand Eb/Ab lever.
- RC Prestige - Slightly smaller bore than the R13. More popular in Europe. Also has the addition of an alternate left-hand Eb/Ab lever.
- Elite - no longer in production, having been replaced by the Tosca. All of its reinforcing rings were of black polycarbonate fiber - other than the silver keys and gold-plated posts, it was entirely black.
- Tosca - introduced in 2003, features include a new bore design, ergonomically reshaped key work, an auxiliary Eb key and low F correction key.
- Divine - Buffet's newest clarinet. It was unveiled in March 2012.
The Buffet range has been developed and extended over the years with various new models being developed, occasionally replacing older variants. Within the range there is a central core of 3 or 4 models favoured by teachers and pupils alike: the entry level B12 (although the B10 is an increasingly popular alternative), the E11 as an intermediate wooden model and the R13 or RC as a professional-standard instrument. The Festival is of the R13 family, sharing a bore design with its slightly less expensive counterpart; it is made of denser, more select wood. It also has an auxiliary left hand Ab/Eb key, and is sold with two barrels of different lengths. The R13 Prestige and the RC Prestige are more expensive counterparts to the R13 and RC (respectively) made of only the finest wood and craftsmanship. Both models come equipped with an auxiliary left-hand Ab/Eb key and with two barrels of different lengths.
Harmony clarinets
- Prestige model Basset A - this clarinet is in A but descends to a low C.
- Prestige model Basset Horn
- Prestige model Alto Clarinet
- Prestige model Contra-Alto
Bass clarinets
| Model | Level | Greenline option? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1180 | Student | No | Reintroduced in 2013 |
| 1183 | Professional | Yes | Extends to low Eb |
| 1193 | Professional | Yes | Extends to low C |
Double Reeds
- Prestige model bassoon
- Prestige model english horn
- Prestige model oboe - professional model oboe from Buffet Crampon
- Orfeo oboe - professional model oboe from Buffet Crampon
- Conservatoire model oboe - student model oboe from Buffet Crampon
Flute models
Originally Buffet Crampon flutes were made in Paris, France. But in 1981 the company was bought out by Boosey & Hawkes and their flutes were manufactured in Boosey & Hawkes factories in England (and later in Germany) over the period 1981 to 2004. In 2005 the Buffet Crampon company returned to French hands.
Modern Buffet Crampon flutes utilize the Cooper scale [see Albert Cooper (flute maker)] and have a reputation for accurate tuning. The 200 series flutes were of average construction quality and needed regular maintenance to play well. In the 1980s Boosey & Hawkes redesigned the Buffet Crampon flute as the 6000 series with improved key cups and stiffer keys. The 6000 series is generally regarded as mechanically superior to the 200 instruments.
200 Series
- 225 - Silver plated, inline G, closed keys
- 227 - Silver plated, inline G, open hole (French style)
- 228 - Silver plated, offset G, closed keys
Redesigned 6000 series
- 6010 - Silver plated, inline G, closed keys
- 6020 - Silver plated, offset G, split E, closed keys
- 6040 - Silver plated, offset G, open hole (French style)
- 6050 - Silver plated, inline G, split E, open hole
7000 series
Semi-pro models with silver heads and plated bodies. Model sub-numbers are similar to the 6000 series as above.
Saxophone models
As early as 1866, Buffet Crampon was producing its first saxophones, 20 years after the invention of this instrument by the Belgian Adolph Sax. They were the first to manufacture saxophones, besides those made by Adolph Sax himself. Today, Buffet Crampon produces three series of saxophones: 100 Series, 400 Series and since 2013, the Senzo alto saxophone.
100 Series
These are beginner instruments
- Series 100 alto saxophone, lacquer
- Series 100 tenor saxophone, lacquer
400 Series
These are intermediate/professional models
- Series 400 alto saxophone, lacquer and matte
- Series 400 tenor saxophone, lacquer and matte
- Series 400 baritone saxophone, lacquer and matte
Senzo
This is their top model
- Senzo alto saxophone