Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hand-selection process for Buffet Crampon instruments?
Every few months, Ryan Pereira travels to the Buffet Crampon USA headquarters and selects the very best instruments in their stock. Clarinets are hand-selected for their quality of wood, tone/resonance qualities, reliable intonation, and a great blow-through. From there, each instrument is initially set up to ensure all pads seal properly, pads are upgraded to improve the instrument's resonance and response, the mechanism is properly adjusted, poor stock bumpers are replaced, pad heights are corrected, etc. This means you receive a superb-quality instrument in great working order from the very start, and it will remain in good working order for quite some time. Plus, all instruments are sold for Buffet's lowest possible price. However, Pereira 3D also offers an Artisan Set-up Package which pulls out all the stops and brings the instrument to its absolute highest potential.
What's the sound difference between 3D Blackwood and 3D Mahogany?
3D Blackwood tends to have a slightly brighter (but not as bright as polymer), focused, more direct sound and response, and 3D Mahogany has a slightly darker, open, more flexible sound and response. 3D Mahogany wood is also reddish-brown in color as opposed to traditional black.
How do 3D materials compare to traditional materials?
The 3D materials I use have been very carefully selected for sound production. The High-Impact Polystyrene used for Pereira 3D Balance Barrels is completely different from the properties of traditional wood (and 3D Wood), but also has unique advantages. This polymer is exceptionally light and vibrates so easily compared to other materials used for instrument manufacturing. This creates a free-blowing experience with easy response across the entire range. The polyurethane material used for Pereira 3D ligatures most closely resembles fabric style ligatures. However, while just as flexible, the slightly harder/more rigid texture of polyurethane gives a fuller, less dampened sound and quicker response.
As of June 2016, Pereira 3D offers 3D Blackwood and 3D Mahogany, which combines the benefits of synthetic materials and the depth of sound found in traditionally-used woods. This material will not crack, warp, or change over time and is also lightweight like the High-Impact Polystyrene material used for Balance Barrels.
What level of musician can these products benefit?
Don’t let the lower prices sway you too much; 3D printing technology brings down production costs to make this possible. 3D products accommodate a wide range of musicians, from professionals in symphony orchestras to students in marching bands. 3D Wood has the warmth and color that professionals look for while High-Impact Polystyrene has the response and freedom that is perfect for and students and advancing players. In addition, all 3D materials used are very durable.
Is there hand finishing involved for 3D products?
Yes. Careful hand finishing is done both inside and out after the print process to ensure the products are to exact specifications. Also, tenon sockets are finished by hand to be accurate and smooth, making the connection between parts seamless. 3D Wood products are completely hand-finished to have a particular surface texture that helps to produce a deeper and more complex quality of sound as well as offer an ideal blowing resistance.
Are 3D Blackwood and 3D Mahogany similar to "Greenline" material?
The premise behind these materials is the same: They are mixes including wood particles to make a crack-resistant material with the sound quality of traditional woods. 3D Wood does not contain epoxy, but rather a plant-based binding agent that holds the wooden particles together. 3D Woods are very durable and offer a rich, vibrant quality of sound.