Buffet, BC20, B Flat Clarinet
When the American investor Martin Tolchin bought Buffet Crampon company he felt that though the R13 sold well in the USA different models would be more successful in Europe. The S1, Continentale and BC20, which evolved into the RC, were all attempts to make darker, more focused sounding clarinets. These days Buffet Crampon is attempting to re-create the original 1960s BC20 design in their current Tradition model.
This is a BC20 Bb clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, with matching serial nos. F112401 dating to 1970, at this period Buffet Crampon were making only a limited number of extremely fine professional clarinets, and quality control at Buffet had not suffered the decline it was to undergo later. For this reason this period is commonly referred to as Buffet's "Golden Era". Buffet Crampon described this model as being designed for Recital and Orchestral playing. The Nickel Silver plated key work is in good order throughout, with only slight wear to the ring finger touch pieces The wood is also in extremely good condition for an instrument of this age. The key regulation is tight and there is no joint wobble. Like a current top of the range Buffet this instrument was made with hand selected unstained Grenadilla wood. The instrument has used mainly fish skin pads, but all are sealing well, a couple of the trill keys and register key are in cork.. The m'piece is a used Selmer S, a wide Jazz lay. The sole former owner was a Jazz player and he had one barrel shortened to 61mm, the other is a standard Buffet 66mm. The case is well used, with both exterior and interior wear, but fully functional.