Buffet S1 A Clarinet
An excellent condition Buffet S1 A clarinet, recently taken in part exchange by ourselves. 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 S1 A has matching serial nos. F174792, which dates to 1977, and this period is commonly regarded as the "Golden Era" of Buffet manufacture. The instrument has silver plate in superb condition, with no discernible wear. The clarinet has excellent condition super-pads throughout, and the regulation is also excellent. The wood is in perfect condition, there are no cracks or repairs. The barrel is a modern replacement of 65mm for an RC, and with this the tuning is very fine throughout. The rear thumb rest has been up-graded to a Buffet Prestige adjustable example. 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 case is a used Yamaha Custom model which is in good condition, though there is slight wear to the handle.