In 1825 a French “luthier”, Denis Buffet-Auger, established his workshop right in the heart of Paris. He quickly became well-known in the music world for developing of the excellent 13-key clarinet. At that time, clarinets were entirely hand-made, which required a wealth of experience and craftsmanship.
In 1830, Jean-Louis Buffet (Denis’ son) took over the business. He married Zoé Crampon in 1836 and the famous Buffet Crampon brand name was created. The logo used today first appeared in 1844.
Louis-Auguste Buffet (Jean-Louis’ uncle) met clarinettist Hyacinthe Klosé, a virtuoso musician and a teacher at the Paris Conservatory. These two men, the technician and the artist, worked together. They took the idea of movable rings which Theobald Boehm of Germany had developed for the flute and adapted it for the clarinet. First exhibited in 1839, this new system was very successful and in order to meet the demand, the Buffet Crampon factory was built in 1850 in Mantes-la-Ville. As early as 1866, Buffet Crampon was producing its first saxophones, 20 years after the invention of this instrument by Belgium's Adolphe Sax.
Buffet Crampon has received many awards for the quality of its instruments, notably in 1889 during the Universal Exhibition in Paris.
In 1918, Buffet Crampon entered the American market and established its position as the leader in the world of professional clarinets.
In 1921, a young beginner, Robert Carrée, was hired by the company. He was an extremely talented acoustic technician and developed the R13 clarinet in 1950 and the RC clarinet in 1975. These in turn led to the creation of the Festival and Prestige professional models.
The factory has modernized its workshops and has adopted modern technology, but remains faithful to its original standards for quality.
In 1981, Buffet Crampon was bought by famous music publisher Boosey & Hawkes, of London.
Buffet Crampon has always had a tradition of innovation. In 1994, a new material was created and named Green Line. This innovative material is composed 95% of ebony powder and 5% of carbon fiber, eliminating the risk of cracking while maintaining the acoustic qualities of wood. Today the Green Line range is used worldwide by the greatest professional clarinet and oboe players.
In 2003, Boosey & Hawkes sold Buffet Crampon to The Music Group.
In 2005, Buffet Crampon regained its independence under the supervision of current President Paul Baronnat, who is deeply committed to the musicians and developing the brand. In 2006, Buffet Crampon acquired two famous brands of brass instruments: Antoine Courtois Paris and Besson.
Since its creation, the company has ranked first amongst clarinet manufacturers, owing to its unrivaled expertise, innovative approach and modernized facilities, from which Buffet Crampon oboes and saxophones also benefit.
Today, Buffet Crampon is driven by the same tradition of craftsmanship and innovation that has been ours since 1825.
