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- Yamaha, 622 Bass Clarinet to low C
Yamaha, 622 Bass Clarinet to low C
This is an excellent condition professional model Yamaha 622 Bass clarinet to low C, with an impressive provenance: The Bass was bought new in the mid 1990s by Tom Watmough. The purchase was funded for Tom by a grant from the TS Eliot fund, and he had a letter from T S Eliot's widow, wishing him luck with his career and this Bass. That luck was certainly forthcoming, and Tom has used this Bass for many years as his playing career has flourished.
This Bass was completely overhauled by Alan Andrews last year to part fund the purchase of a D clarinet, as Tom is now co-principal clarinet of the LPO. At that time the Bass was purchased by a London based professional who has taken excellent care of the Bass, and it is now a commission sale for Clarinets Direct.
The pads are all "as new" tan leather, with the larger pads fitted with reflectors. The silver plating is excellent throughout, with no wear. The matching serial numbers are 05325. The instrument has two options for fingering low D, with the RH thumb having touch-plates for the 3 lowest pitches, with rollers. The case does show some signs of heavy use, with exterior scuffs and interior stains, however the instrument itself is in superb condition, and plays easily and comfortably across the entire range. The Yamaha design, in common with top of the range rival offerings from Buffet and Selmer, features an automatic double over-blowing vent for the 2nd register. The m'piece is a used Selmer C85 120 in good condition. In summation this is an excellent quality Bass to low C which has been owned by one of the UK's top professional players. It is excellent value. If desired an "as new" Reed & Squeak Bass case which was purchased for this Bass by its last owner can be supplied for an additional £100, see the last 2 photos. The case features a well padded interior and several padded pouches.