Two centuries of boldness and innovation, for the love of music

The French instrument maker Denis Buffet Auger (1783 - 1841) sets up his workshop in the heart of Paris, at 18 Passage du Grand Cerf. He rapidly becomes well-known in the musical community by producing excellent 13-key clarinets.

Jean-Louis Buffet, Denis’ son, marries Zoe Crampon in 1836 and creates the famous Buffet Crampon brand name.

The production of Buffet Crampon oboes has been documented since that date.

In collaboration with virtuoso clarinetist Hyacinthe Klosé, Louis Auguste Buffet adapted the system of keys and movable rings designed by Théobald Boehm for the flute to the clarinet. This “Boehm system” became widely used in France and most other countries, with the notable exception of Germany and Austria, which remained loyal to the “Oehler system.” system."

Jean Louis Buffet files a patent for an “improvement to the clarinet” known as the omnitonic clarinet, very similar to the one obtained by his uncle Louis Auguste Buffet.

Jean Louis Buffet joins forces with his brother Louis Buffet and Ferdinand Tournier, setting up workshops in Mantes-la-Ville and adopting the name Buffet Crampon et Cie. Creation of the Buffet Crampon Boehm System clarinet.

Pierre Goumas installs a steam engine in his workshop and begins manufacturing saxophones (Adolphe Sax's patent is now in the public domain). He also focuses on improving his tools. Buffet Crampon manufactures its first saxophones, 20 years after the invention by Belgian Adolphe Sax.

At the Paris World Fair, Buffet Crampon exhibited 42 instruments, including the entire oboe family. A gold medal was awarded for the excellence of these instruments, both for their technical manufacturing quality and their acoustic qualities.

Paul Evette and Ernest Schaeffer bought Buffet Crampon & Cie, a company that manufactured musical instruments, mainly clarinets and saxophones. Evette & Schaeffer is also a publisher of classical music.

Buffet Crampon wins numerous awards at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.

Buffet Crampon begins exporting instruments to the United States.

The brand unveils its high-end Apogée saxophone model, which features innovative keywork that will later be adopted by other manufacturers.

Robert Carrée, who joined the company as an apprentice in 1921 and was a talented acoustician, created the R13 model in 1955, the flagship clarinet in the United States. That same year, the company also began producing the Dynaction series of saxophones, which would evolve into the Super Dynaction models (1957) and the highly acclaimed S series (1973). Buffet Crampon also became the leading supplier of student instruments in Europe, marketing French and Italian-made saxophones under its Evette & Schaeffer brand.

Composer Toru Hora (1932–2020) founded the Japanese subsidiary of Buffet Crampon. Toru Hora received classical training in piano and attended the Juilliard School. He joined Buffet Crampon in 1964 and founded and chaired Buffet Japan three years later. Much of his work in Japan focused on introducing wind instruments to the market and providing high-level training to each of the dealers. The name was officially changed in 2011 to Buffet Crampon Japan.

The year was marked by the arrival of the RC clarinet, which bore the initials of its designer, Robert Carrée. Two clarinets whose origins lie with this model later came into being, the Festival and Prestige models. The Prestige line is launched in all ranges.

Buffet Crampon becomes a member of the famous Boosey & Hawkes group of London. This group was created in 1760.

The Prestige oboe was created by René Lesieux (luthier) and Jean-Louis Capezzali, available in wood and Greenline versions. This was followed by the Virtuose, Légende, and Prodige versions.

Buffet Crampon presents Green LinE, a new range made from the world's first composite material based on reconstituted Grenadilla wood (Dalbergia melanoxylon): a revolution in the world of wind instruments that helps to preserve a crucial resource for clarinet and oboe manufacturers. Invented by Pierre Laurence and officially registered as an international trademark, Green LinE combines respect for tradition with innovation, offering exceptional stability, resistance to cracks, and consistent sound.

The year saw the creation of the line of professional clarinets referred to as TOSCA, another child of the R13 family, conceived and designed by Michel Arrignon and perfected in cooperation with the best-known musicians.

Buffet Crampon has been designated a Living Heritage Company (EPV) and recognized for its outstanding craftsmanship and industrial expertise.

The acquisition of a historical factory manufacturing clarinets located in la Couture Boussey in the Eure department (France) enables the company to expand Buffet Crampon’s production and to launch a new high-end student clarinet, the E11 France.

Launch of the high-end Divine clarinet, which features a wide RC-type bore and benefits from the innovations of the Tosca and Green Line inserts.

Senzo, destined to be the new standard in professional alto saxophones, is an essential step towards the renewal of Buffet Crampon saxophones. It faithfully reflects the combination of French musical instrument making know-how with state of the art technology to meet today’s musical demands.

Buffet Crampon opens a 150 m² showroom in Beijing and builds a new factory (BCMMI) for 130 employees in Jiashan near Shanghai, with an annual capacity of 50,000 student instruments.

Launch of the high-end BCXXI clarinet, which revolutionizes the classic Bb clarinet with its innovative dimensions. BCXXI: two initials and a number that mark the dawn of a new century and the architecture of a new acoustic paradigm.

Buffet Crampon has created the Ecole des Savoir-Faire (School of Craftsmanship) at its historic factory in Mantes-La-Ville to train people in the craft of clarinet production, as part of the brand's commitment to passing on its knowledge and skills.

The Buffet Crampon Group is the 2024 winner of the BFM Business Grand Prix for Medium-Sized Companies (ETI) in the “Made in France” category.

Buffet Crampon celebrates its 200th anniversary.