New Besson Production
BUFFET CRAMPON is proud to announce that the new production of BESSON instruments is now fully underway in both Germany and in France.
To guarantee the new quality standards insisted upon by both our loyal customers and the new owners Buffet Crampon, new tooling has been built by the laser measuring of Prototype BESSON instruments including the Imperial, New standard, early Sovereign and new Prestige models. This precise measuring will ensure the exact dimensions of each component part and guarantee that the exact, original design of each model has been respected fully.
Bells are again to be hand-hammered and hand-spun, as was the case prior to the early nineties. This method avoids over-tensioning the metal and ultimately produces more sonorous instruments; the historic trademark of Besson. All of the Monel valves are numbered and lapped-in individually into every valve case, giving perfect fitting and action.
Modern precision tooling, and superior craftsmanship during the whole process of assembling and finishing assures perfect fitting of all the parts, slides and valves, giving better leak-test results, felt by the player as more resonance requiring less energy.
To guarantee exact replication of quality, precision drawings have been made of every tool and form to allow us to replace them more frequently to ensure a much higher and consistent quality standard.
Every instrument is play-tested by musicians who have been involved with BESSON R&D for several decades, such as Roger Webster, Steven Mead, James Gourlay, Steve Sykes, Lesley Howie and others, in order to absolutely guarantee that the right sound and playing characteristics are respected.
We can now confidently invite you to rediscover the original BESSON spirit in the NEW BESSON INSTRUMENTS.
“These instruments are fantastic! The feeling of total quality takes me back to the 70’s and 80’s when the only instrument worth having was a Besson….well in my opinion…it is once again.” — Roger Webster
“I never thought that I could find an instrument better than my Prestige …well I have! It is the new Besson Prestige…looks about the same, feels about the same…plays like an absolute dream! Without doubt, the best instrument I have ever played.” — Steven Mead
“I couldn’t believe the sound and responsiveness of the new Besson Tenor horn. It feels and plays like my original ‘Globe stamped’ Sovereign…” — Lesley Howie
Buffet Crampon, woodwind instruments : clarinets, professional clarinet, oboe, bassoon.
Written by Ian McKenzie on January 11th, 2007 with no comments.
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