Yamaha SE B Flat Clarinet
A Yamaha SE Bb clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This instrument has been owned by a top professional 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 and SE range. The SE 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. In other words; this model was Yamaha's direct competitor to the RC , where as the CS, competed with the R13. Indeed the SE was such a successful design for Yamaha that it has now been re-released as the SE-Artist, with an eye watering price of over £5000.
The instrument has no cracks or damage to the wood, apart from what maybe a small surface crack, or pronounced wood grain, to the upper joint, which runs from the tenon to the 1st trill key tone hole. The crack has no depth, as it runs less than 1 mm into the upper tenon, nor does it go through to the bore. Most likely, therefore, this is just a precautionary repair to what was pronounced wood grain, which has been filled. This Bb has matching S/N 01125. It has used super 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 has one handle strap broken, and comes with a dustcover. This instrument represents superb value for money: For much less than the cost of a new student Buffet E13, one can purchase a top of the range professional instrument.