Buffet Crampon
Encyclopedia
Buffet Crampon et Compagnie is a French
manufacturer of woodwind musical instruments, including oboe
s, flute
s, saxophone
s, and bassoon
s; however, the company is perhaps most famous for their clarinet
s, 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 Crampon Groupe's Chief Executive Officer, runs the Buffet Crampon, Besson
, Antoine Courtois
, Schreiber and Keilwerth brands.
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.
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.
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.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
manufacturer of woodwind musical instruments, including oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s, saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s, and bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s; however, the company is perhaps most famous for their clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, 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
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as well. Since the company's conception, Buffet Crampon has expanded to a worldwide market. Antoine Beaussant
Antoine Beaussant
Antoine Beaussant, 54, has been since November 2007.Antoine Beaussant completed a science Baccalauréat in 1974, at the age of 16. He graduated from Ecole de Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord in Lille and from Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires , where he followed the European...
, Buffet Crampon Groupe's Chief Executive Officer, runs the Buffet Crampon, Besson
Besson (company)
Besson is a manufacturer of brass musical instrument. It is owned by Buffet Crampon, which bought Besson in 2006 from The Music Group.The company was formed in 1837 by Gustave Auguste Besson, who at the age of 18 produced a revolutionary design of cornet which surpassed all contemporary models. His...
, Antoine Courtois
Antoine Courtois
The Antoine Courtois company was founded in Paris in 1789. The company's current name comes from the name of one of the founder's children who created the brand name in 1803. The company has been a leading manufacturer of brass instruments ever since, particularly saxophone, trumpet, cornet,...
, Schreiber and Keilwerth brands.
History
Denis Buffet-Auger, of the Buffet familyBuffet family
-Denis Buffet-Auger:Denis Buffet-Auger, born Denis Buffet, was born 28 Jul 1783 in La Couture, near Dreux into a family of woodturners. He became known as Buffet-Auger after his marriage to Marie-Anne Auger...
of French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
musical instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
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
Hyacinthe Klosé
Hyacinthe Eléonore Klosé was a French clarinet player, professor at the Conservatoire de Paris, and composer....
to develop the Boehm system
Boehm system (clarinet)
The Boehm system for the clarinet is a system of clarinet keywork, developed between 1839 and 1843 by Hyacinthe Klosé and Auguste Buffet jeune. The name is somewhat deceptive; the system was inspired by Theobald Boehm's system for the flute, but necessarily differs from it, since the clarinet...
for clarinet, had his own business separate from Buffet Crampon.)
In 1850, Buffet Crampon established its headquarters at Mantes-la-Ville
Mantes-la-Ville
Mantes-la-Ville is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center....
. 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
Boosey & Hawkes
Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and wind musical instruments....
, which sold the French company to The Music Group
The Music Group
The Music Group was a European parent company which owned several musical instrument manufacturers which were formerly part of the music division of the Boosey & Hawkes Group.* Besson * Buffet Crampon...
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
Besson (company)
Besson is a manufacturer of brass musical instrument. It is owned by Buffet Crampon, which bought Besson in 2006 from The Music Group.The company was formed in 1837 by Gustave Auguste Besson, who at the age of 18 produced a revolutionary design of cornet which surpassed all contemporary models. His...
. In 2008 Buffet Crampon continues to pursue its strategy by the acquisition of the Leblanc
Leblanc
Leblanc is a French surname and may refer to:* Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, American journalist* Alfred LeBlanc , French aviator* André LeBlanc , haitian comic artist...
clarinet factory in La Couture Boussey, Département of Eure, Haute-Normandie
Haute-Normandie
Upper Normandy is one of the 27 regions of France. It was created in 1984 from two départements: Seine-Maritime and Eure, when Normandy was divided into Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy. This division continues to provoke controversy, and some continue to call for reuniting the two regions...
in France.
Recently, Buffet has made efforts to protect the African blackwood
African Blackwood
Dalbergia melanoxylon is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to seasonally dry regions of Africa from Senegal east to Eritrea and south to the Transvaal in South Africa....
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)
- E11 - intermediate, entry-level wooden instrument. Very popular with high sale rates
- 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.
- E10 - as E11, but with a lightweight bell made of ABS
- 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.
- C13 "International"
- E13/Limité - More expensive E11 model, in the intermediate range.
Professional clarinets
- 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).
- 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 - Very similar to the R13 Prestige. Slight differences in the upper bore. 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.
- Tosca - introduced in 2003, features include a new bore design, ergonomically reshaped key work, an auxiliary Eb key and low F correction key.
- 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.
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.
Flute models
Originally Buffet Crampon flutes were made in Paris, France. But in 1981 the company was bought out by Boosey & HawkesBoosey & Hawkes
Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and wind musical instruments....
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)
Albert Cooper (flute maker)
Albert Cooper was a British flute maker who apprenticed at Rudall Carte until the war. After discharge, he returned to Rudall Carte but left in 1959 and set himself up as flute maker.-Flutes manufactured:*C flutes - 80...
] 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, offset G, split E, open hole