Yamaha, SE-V B Flat Clarinet
A Yamaha SE-V CUSTOM clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This instrument has been professionally owned by a UK player, and is in very fine condition. It is received wisdom within the music industry that when Yamaha launch a new product, they will have made every conceivable effort to outdo their competitors, at a considerably cheaper price to the customer. So it was in the mid 1990's, when Yamaha began manufacture of the Custom CS-V and SE range. The SE-V, which was Yamaha's most expensive clarinet, features different tapers to the bore, both top and bottom, and the SE has slightly wider tone hole sizes, than the CS, resulting in a warmer, rounder sound and an abundance of overtones. It also features a "scalloped" resonance chamber inside the bell to improve both projection and tuning of the lowest pitches. In other words; this model was Yamaha's direct competitor to the RC Prestige, where as the CS, competed with the R13 Prestige. Indeed the SE-V was such a successful design for Yamaha that it has now been re-released as the SE-Artist, with an eye watering price of close on £5000.
The instrument has no cracks or damage to the wood, which is unstained hand selected Grenadilla. This Bb has matching S/N 03828. It has used fish skin pads, but all are sealing well and have many months of use remaining. The Silver plated key work is in good order throughout with no discernible wear. The case is the original in good condition. This instrument represents superb value for money: For about the cost of a new student Buffet E13, one can purchase a top of the range professional instrument more consistent than most Buffet Prestige Bbs.