CLARINETS DIRECT

020 85811113 or 07787 770071

YAMAHA SE CUSTOM Bb CLARINET, £1195

An excellent condition Yamaha SE CUSTOM clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The sole former owner is a London based professional Bassoon player, who used this instrument solely in her Woodwind teaching practice on the occasions that she taught clarinet pupils. The clarinet was bought from Dawkes in the late 1990s. 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 considerabily 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, which are more exaggerated than those on the standard CS, resulting in a warmer, rounder sound with excellent resonance. The tuning and voicing is improved over the regular CS, and the bore, at 14.78mm, is larger than a comparable Buffet. In other words; this model was Yamaha's direct competitor to the Buffet RC, whereas the CS, competed with the R13. The wood is unstained matched Grenadilla, the silver plate, and key work, are of considerably better quality than Buffet. Many players found the ease with which these instruments responded completely won them over. It is interesting that Yamaha have recently relaunched the SE as the SE Artist. The main differences being the addition of the RH thumb operated touchpiece to tune the low E & F better, different plating with Rose Gold, as well as a raised C/G tone hole, and a LH Ab/Eb lever. This all results in a new price of just under £5000!
The instrument has no cracks or damage to the wood, which is pristine finest aged, unstained, Grenadilla. This Bb has matching S/N 01026. Though all fish skin pads are not new, they are all sealing well now, and should be good for some time to come, the instrument has had hardly any use. The clarinet has been down to our workshop for a thorough "check down" with corks and pads replaced as necessary, and key regulation. The Silver plated key work is very good throughout, with no discernable wear, only light surface scratches. The supplied m'pieces is a Yamaha 4C. The case is an original Yamaha in excellent condition.