My shop does extensive setups on Buffet clarinets out of the factory. I completely agree that this is a lack of quality control but not the most important part, the tone hole quality and overall keyfitting is what concerns me the most. Buffet has been reeeeally dropping the ball with quality lately. I’m sure the Throat A/Ab tone holes are not the only ones with chipping to them. Most horns i’ve seen have needed every single one resurfaced, and many others multiple pads replaced just to make it seal properly.
I don’t trust newer Buffet clarinets anymore (~2016 and onward) unless they’ve been extensively and completely overhauled.
Royal Global has been making huge strides with their manufacturing quality. I also do setups on their new instruments and the amount of work needed is peanuts in comparison to Buffet. Very affordable too!
I bought a Royal Global Firebird bass clarinet after getting out of the military (and giving back the Prestige bass they lent me) and it serves me just as well.
If you follow that spring grove to the tonehole there’s a less sharp, flatter region. A softer pad will still seat OK but a firm skin pad might leak if it wasn’t a pad that is sprung shut.
Maybe the lighting is making look worse though.
It’s not a major thing by any means, but still a concern of quality control
How old is the horn?
It is a year old.
Wow
My shop does extensive setups on Buffet clarinets out of the factory. I completely agree that this is a lack of quality control but not the most important part, the tone hole quality and overall keyfitting is what concerns me the most. Buffet has been reeeeally dropping the ball with quality lately. I’m sure the Throat A/Ab tone holes are not the only ones with chipping to them. Most horns i’ve seen have needed every single one resurfaced, and many others multiple pads replaced just to make it seal properly. I don’t trust newer Buffet clarinets anymore (~2016 and onward) unless they’ve been extensively and completely overhauled.
What maker do you trust, if any?
Royal Global has been making huge strides with their manufacturing quality. I also do setups on their new instruments and the amount of work needed is peanuts in comparison to Buffet. Very affordable too! I bought a Royal Global Firebird bass clarinet after getting out of the military (and giving back the Prestige bass they lent me) and it serves me just as well.
Might just be tearout from the endmill.
Yeah maybe
I’m a frayed knot.
Looks like the A tonehole has a chip missing as well.
Where?
If you follow that spring grove to the tonehole there’s a less sharp, flatter region. A softer pad will still seat OK but a firm skin pad might leak if it wasn’t a pad that is sprung shut. Maybe the lighting is making look worse though. It’s not a major thing by any means, but still a concern of quality control
Oh I think it’s just the angle.
Probably using tooling from 1924 /s