CLARINETS DIRECT

020 8893 3172 or 07787 770071

MATCHED PAIR OF BUFFET RC CLARINETS, £2295

A matched pair of Buffet RC clarinets, dating to 1976. This pair have just come from a professional owner, and are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. When the American investor Martin Tolchin bought Buffet Crampon in the mid 1970's 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 became the RC, were all attempts to make darker, more focused sounding clarinets. These RC clarinets are extremely rare and fine. They are part of the very first production batch specifically targeted at the UK market and both intruments carry a UK stamp. The RC did sell very well: It had a more relaxed warm tone than the R13, which did attract many UK players.
The Bb, serial no. 169094, is in very fine condition, there are no cracks or repairs. The instrument has been re-plated in silver plate, which is in pristine condition. The key regulation is tight, there is no joint wobble. This clarinet has just been re-padded in tan leather pads, all in very good condition. The A has S/N 170373, which also dates to 1976, there is no damage to the wood. The Nickel silver plate is also in excellent shape. There are 2 barrels, of 63, & 65mm respectively. These instruments play with a dark, focused sound and excellent evenness and intonation, they were manufactured as Buffet's top professional instruments with unstained Grenadilla wood, and sold for more than the R13. Today one would have to spend over £5000 on RC Prestige instruments, and choose from a large number of examples, to get anything of like quality. The case is the original, in good condition, though the dust cover which has preserved it, is worn with a broken zip. The mouthpiece is a Jazz Pomerico in crystal, in good used condition.