Buffet, Elite, A Clarinet
This is a rare Buffet Elite A clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This instrument is one of the most innovative and futuristic designs ever marketed by Buffet. It features a light thin walled design to promote a lively resonant sound, which is free blowing and immediate. The wood is finest unstained hand selected African Blackwood, and because the clarinet is so thin, certain larger tone hole chimneys had to be mounted proud to the surface, for undercutting purposes. Several of these were made from "Green Line" material which was later used to make whole clarinets. Carbon Fibre tenon rings were used to save weight and strengthen thin tenons. Even a plastic thumb rest was fitted, which seems odd given that this clarinet cost far more than a Prestige model but this was partly due to the completely new key work design. In this case the original thumb rest is included but a more recent adjustable Buffet thumb rest has been fitted. Certainly even by the standards of today, the gold plated pillars and excellent quality Silver plated keys seem modern. Several other manufacturers copied aspects of the Buffet design.
This example has no cracks or repairs to the wood. The pads, some with reflectors for resonance, have been recently replaced and are in excellent condition. The matching serial numbers are 385278, which dates the clarinet to 1994. There are 3 barrels, all with Buffet stamps, which measure 63, 65, 64.5mm. The BAM case, a double, is well used, with scuffs to the exterior and interior stains, it still protects the instrument well. This is an exceptionally well tuned and responsive clarinet which is the equal of, or superior to, much contemporary Buffet top of the range clarinets.