Buffet, S1 B Flat Clarinet
A fine condition Buffet S1 Bb clarinet in silver plate, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. When the American investor Martin Tolchin bought Buffet Crampon in the mid 1970's he felt that though the R13 sold well in the USA different models would be more successful in Europe. The S1, Continentale and BC20, were all attempts to make darker, more focused sounding clarinets. In the case of the S1 this is partly achieved by much less undercutting.
This clarinet has matching serial nos. F112482, which dates to 1970, and this period is commonly referred to as the "Golden Era" of Buffet manufacture. The instrument has silver plate in good condition, with only slight pitting to the LH & RH "pinky" keys. The clarinet has just been down to our workshop it has had a complete re-pad in finest Pisoni fish skin pads, and is sold with our full 1 year warranty. The wood condition overall is good, with no cracks or repairs. The S1 clarinet plays with a robust, focused sound and excellent evenness and intonation. In the past players such as John McCaw and Mitchell Lurie played S1's. The supplied Orly case shows interior and exterior wear, but is fully functional. The mouthpiece is an ebonite Buffet Evette & Schaeffer C in good condition.