CLARINETS DIRECT

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Clarinets Direct was founded a mere 7 years ago and has, in a short time, established itself with unique success, on both the International and Domestic market. The reasons for this success are not hard to find: The company offers a personal, expert service, and value for money prices, which are ever more crucial in the current period of economic difficulty. In the past 7 years many other UK dealers have either gone out of business, or compromised on the quality of the instruments they offer to the customer. Clarinets Direct remains committed to offering both quality and value, as our mantra is that an older, beatifully made, and restored, professional instrument is often a far wiser purchase than the poor quality mass produced instruments sourced, or made with manufacturing plant sourced, from the Far East. It is more than ever a case of "buyer beware" as many companies who advertise their clarinets as made within the UK or USA are, whilst legally permitted to do so, misleading their customers.

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1	LEBLANC, PARIS, PAPERCLIP CONTRA TO LOW C	£5495
	This is a G. Leblanc, Paris, BBb Curved Contrabass clarinet, in metal, range to low C. This model is commonly known as the "paperclip". The instrument is a commission sale for C D, and it has had one extremely successful London professional player from new. The provenance of this instrument, which was originally to low D, and only the third BBb Contra ever to reach the UK, is truly unique and outstanding. This is probably the finest Leblanc low C contra in the world today, and it is to be hoped that its new owner will have as much success with it as its one former owner. Paul Harvey was the original owner and much of what follows in this description is taken from the notes and published articles sold with this unique contra. Paul had been booked to play contra in the Abbey Road Studio sessions for the Disney film "Dragonslayer" scored by Alex North, who sent word that he was writing for Bb contrabass down to low C. Paul did not want to buy one of the new Leblanc Contras because of the much larger case, whereas his instrument fits into a case the size of an alto Sax. Therefore he took it upon himself to design a detachable low C extension. He crept into Bill Lewington's [in those days the Leblanc main dealer in Central London] with a vacuum cleaner extension tube concealed under his coat. Furtively he held it against the latest Leblanc design and marked where the two lowest Db and C holes came. The tube for the low notes points upward so he decided to have two keys on the extension to press with the base of the left thumb: a Db and a C which closes both, see photos 9 & 10. The design was made by Peter Snowden, Paul's instrument technician, of many years, and works brilliantly. Paul Harvey went on to play this contra in numerous film sound tracks and other professional engagements. A full list of the screen credits are included in the sale. Here are a few highlights: The Beatles, film Yellow Submarine, and Sgt. Pepper album. Films: Grizzly, The Boys From Brazil, Rambo [First Blood], Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Outland. With the low C extension: Supergirl, Santa Claus the Movie, Highlander, Shanghai Surprise, Licence to Kill [James Bond],and many more. This instrument is in excellent condition, with no dents or damage. It was manufactured as Leblanc's top of the range professional model. The body is Nickel Silver, and shows a fine finish, with no wear. The pads are all by Gordon Beeson, in tan leather, in excellent condition. The Nickel plated keywork is in superb condition throughout. The matching serial nos. on all pieces are 806, which dates to 1960's. Included in the sale are: 1. A custom made extension to low C, by Pete Snowden which is housed in a separate box. 2. A stand which allows the player to perform on the instrument readily and is much superior to the original Leblanc spike. Pete Snowden also fitted a second strut to the main body of the Leblanc contra. This has two main advantages: It reinforces the main body of the instrument which results in fewer regulation problems, and it is also the strut which slots into the custom designed stand. 3. In addition there are 3 further Leblanc m'pieces also in very good condition, and a large selection of reeds, including a "Legere". Peter Snowden also redesigned the screw which attachs the two main body parts of the contra together, so that it screws directly from one pillar in the upper joint down into a pillar in the lower. This is much superior to the original Leblanc design. The mouthpiece, is a Leblanc No.2, in very good condition. The original case is also in good used condition, the latches are all sound, and the interior lining shows only slight stains. This instrument is the finest playing paperclip BBb contra that Clarinets Direct has handled, to date!   .
2	SELMER, PARIS, 10S Bb CLARINET, SCHMIDT REFORM-BOEHM, BY STEPHEN FOX	£1945
	PRICE REDUCED A rare and unique Selmer 10S clarinet, which has been extensively customised by Stephen Fox. The Canadian Stephen Fox is one of the finest clarinet makers in the world today, and also an acknowledged authority on clarinet design and acoustics. This instrument has effectively been turned into a Schmidt Reform-Boehm. It is a great shame that Yamaha are currently offering an instrument, which is regularly, and erroneously, described as a "Schmidt Reform-Boehm" on the web. The Yamaha features a fraction of the keys and vents necessary for a genuine, "Schmidt Reform Boehm". Those clarinettists fortunate enough to have played, or owned, Seggelke, Wurlitzer, or Hammerschmidt, Schmidt Reform-Boehms are quite right to point out that there is no comparison in terms of scale, tuning or tonal character, between the German/Austrian quality instrument and the modern Yamaha. This clarinet goes most of the way towards a "Schmidt Reform-Boehm", and in some respects exceeds it, lacking only a compensating low G/D vent. The modifications are as follows: 1. Schmidt style speaker key with separate and dedicated Bb vent, see photo 8. 2. Articulated mechanism for C#/G# and touch piece, in simple system manner, for the RH. See photos, 3, 4, 7 & 9. 3. Throat G# key bent to make the LH index work more easily around the throat notes. 4. Bb/Eb bis key, as found on pre-war B&H 1010's to facilitate fast passage work using Eb/Bb. See photo 9. 5. Additional fourth trill key,making a total of five, for improved throat note trill, Bb-B. See photos, 4, 5 & 8. 6. Copy of the B&H Acton Patent Vent system to improve RH B/F# tuning. This system is less efficient than that used on a genuine S R-B, which uses a neat additional pad attached to RH1. See photo 9. 7. Compensating hole for low E/B intonation. I suspect the bell has also been slightly shortened. NB The bell must be correctly lined up with the hole in the tenon, or this will fail to function See photo 7. 8. Compensating correction key for low F. Interesting that this is the only feature that Buffet see fit to add to the current Tosca and Divine. See photo 8. 9. Additional RH Ab/Eb lever. See photo 7. This Bb, S/N Z9477, originally dated to the mid 1970's. As must be obvious from the above, the wood body has been extensively customised and modified. Several tone holes have been plugged. Furthermore an alternative low Eb/Ab hole, in the manner of a Houvenaghel Leblanc Bass design, was contemplated, and then abandoned, the tone hole and pillar holes have been plugged, see photo 11. This said, there are no cracks or damage to the wood, just repairs and modifications! All pads are sealing well, we have thoroughly checked the instrument over in our workshop, and replaced corks and pads as necessary. The complicated mechanisms are all in regulation. The beauty of this instrument is that it does all of the work for the player. It need hardly be said that the intonation and response of this clarinet are far superior to any standard Boehm on the market. The case is an original Selmer double, with scuffs to the interior and exterior, it still latches well . ..
3	LEBLANC,VITO, CONTRABASS BBb CLARINET	£2295
	This is a Vito BBb Contrabass clarinet, model 7182, range to low Eb. The instrument is made from Resotone plastic, with a wood effect finish. It has a key lay out ideal for the beginning contrabass player. The design has a double register key, and also features balanced key action. The bore is 30mm & the S/N 5639B. The Nickel plated keywork is in very good condition throughout. We have just overhauled the Contra, in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather pads, and it is sold with our full Clarinets Direct 1 year warranty. There was a crack to the lower joint which we have filled, sealed, pinned, and lined internally, to make sure the repair is absolutely airtight and secure, [ see photo 10]. The mouthpiece, is a Woodwind co. model as originally supplied with this Contra . The original case is also in good used condition, the latches are all sound, as is the interior finish, however there are some tears to the outer case covering fabric.
4	GEORGE LEBLANC, PARIS, PROFESSIONAL BASS CLARINET	£2395
	This is an excellent condition G Leblanc, Paris, Bass Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low Eb, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This Bass is an ultra rare top-of-the-line professional model, which was later designated the 425S. The mechanism features a double register key for improved intonation in the middle register and a RH fork Ab/Eb key that provides an alternative fingering which is more resonant. At the time this instrument was made it was the equal of, or superior to, the current Selmer model. It was for this reason that its original owner selected it above all other manufacturers' models. The German Silver plated key work shows no wear, the instrument was formerly owned by a professional who has taken excellent care of this Bass. The crook and bell are in good condition, there is only one tiny pin head ding to the bell. There are no cracks or damage to the wood, which is in good order throughout, apart from some slight surface marks consistent with the age of the instrument. This Bass will have a complete Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather re-pad in our workshop, & is sold with our full 1 year warranty. In addition all the key work will be buffed to a nice shine. There is a floor peg attachment for a spike to the bottom of the lower joint. The matching serial nos. are 529: Leblanc serial number lists are unreliable, but the original and sole owner of this Bass bought the instrument new in the early 1960's. The case is the original in good condition. The m'piece is a Lafleur London & Paris in ebonite, stamped Medium, in excellent condition.
5	SELMER, PARIS, CONTRA-ALTO CLARINET	£4795
	This is a fair condition Selmer Contra-Alto Clarinet in Rosewood, to low E. This instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, the current owner is a professional in one of the UK's major orchestras. The Selmer Paris Contra-Alto is considered the finest in the World due to its excellent ergonomics, and automatic double overblowing vent for the second register. This instrument has an extension made to low Eb, however, as yet, no touchpiece has been added to operate the pad cup. As it stands the only way to close the pad is with the players foot! All German Silver key work is in excellent condition. There are repaired cracks to both joints. The upper joint has an old "banded" repair to a crack, which runs from the top tenon down through the register speaker key tube. It has also been pinned. The lower joint has a similar crack, which runs from the top of the middle tenon down some 8 cms, it has again been pinned, but does not run into a tone hole. Both repairs are old and stable. The instrument has just had an overhaul by Charles Connolly, ex-MIR, in tan leather pads. The pad seal and regulation are both good. The bell and crook are both in reasonable condition, with minor dings, no serious dents. The crook is sleeved and adjustable. There is a floor peg to the bell, the matching serial nos. are Q889 which dates to 1954. The Selmer case is in good condition. The m'piece is an excellent Selmer Paris C*, and some Rico reeds are also provided.   .
6	BUFFET TOSCA A CLARINET	£3295
	Clarinets Direct is fortunate to count many of the UK's finest players amongst our clientele. The sole former owner of this superb instrument, is one such. The instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and this clarinet was hand selected at the Buffet factory last year. Buffet Crampon is the undisputed finest volume maker of clarinets in the World today. This clarinet is one of their most expensive models, a Tosca A. The instrument is in mint condition. The plating is pristine. The wood is without mark or blemish: NO damage or cracks whatsoever. It was bought new from Buffet direct. The instrument also has a voicing groove in the bell to improve the lowest pitches, as well as the corrective low F key and vent. The intonation and response are outstanding. The matching serial numbers are 598254. The pads are finest Pisoni white leather in perfect condition. This clarinet is "as new". There are 2 supplied barrels, with all pieces matching and original. The condition of the Buffet double Tosca case is also excellent.   .
7	BOOSEY & HAWKES SYMPHONY 1010 Bb CLARINET	£695
	This is a Symphony 1010 Bb in superb condition, featuring the later Acton Patent Vent. The clarinet has just been taken in part exchange by ourselves. The matching serial numbers are 387861. The clarinet is padded in tan leather pads which are all in new condition. The Silver plate key work overall is excellent, with no wear. The wood overall is also in good condition with no cracks or damage. The m'piece is a Portnoy BPO2 re-bored to 1010 dimensions, in very good condition. There are 2 original supplied barrels of 62.5mm and 64.5mm. The tuning and overall response of this clarinet are excellent. The case is a brand new Carmichael.   .
8	D NOBLET, PARIS, Bb CLARINET	£545
	This is an older professional Daniel Noblet Bb clarinet, with the older logo: The "D" and "N" are intertwined. The German silver key work is excellent throughout, not plated and with no wear. We have just entirely re-padded in Pisoni Deluxe double bladder fishskin & the clarinet is sold with our full year's Clarinets Direct warranty. There are no cracks or damage to the wood which is in good order throughout, with only minor surface marks and scratches. All parts of the instrument are made from Grenadilla wood, unlike some more recent Noblets, which were made with plastic barrels and bells, as a cost saving exercise. The matching serial nos. are 6793. This instrument probably dates to the late 1950's or early 1960's. The case is a brand new Stagg [not pictured], and the m'piece is the original Noblet in ebonite.
9	NOBLET, BY LEBLANC, PROFESSIONAL BASS CLARINET	£1395
	This is a good condition Noblet, Paris, Bass Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low Eb. The instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and the previous owner, a professional, has upgraded to a Selmer low C Bass. The Noblet 60 Bass is Leblanc's entry level professional model, featuring a single register key, and range to low Eb. The Nickel Silver plated key work shows normal wear to the ring key touch pieces, the plating is about 90%. The plating on the crook is good, but it has one small pin head ding. The bell is in excellent condition, with no dents or flattening to the base. There are no cracks or damage to the wood, which is extremely good condition, but there have been some modifications and improvements to the instrument: This instrument used to have a floor peg holder attached to the rear of the lower joint, this was removed, and the four screw holes which where left have been filled. A new floor spike attachment, with extra long length spike, has been fitted to the bell. In addition the former owner had John Coppen fit an additional sling hook, now there are two, to facilitate playing with a double hook sling. She also had John Coppen re-pad the Bass as necessary: The pads are a mixture of John's new superpads, and original tan leather pads. In addition we at the Clarinets Direct workshop have just thoroughly checked over the Bass, and regulated the key work as necessary. The marching band lyre attachment has also been removed in the past, and the screw holes left unfilled. The thumb rest has been replaced with a Ton Kooiman adjustable model for improved comfort. The serial no. is 8641, which dates to the 1970's. The case is the original in fair condition; there are some scuffs to the exterior and wear to the interior, but it latches and protects the instrument well. The m'piece is a new Tom Garret professional model. This instrument responds easily and readily, and would make an ideal first professional Bass clarinet purchase. .
10	BUFFET E11 CLARINET	£425
	A good condition Buffet E11 clarinet, in Grenadilla wood. This instrument is Buffet's semi-professional model, and this example has matching serial nos. 327850. The Nickel silver plated key work is in very good condition. This clarinet has just had an overhaul in fish skin pads and is sold with our full 1 Year Clarinets Direct warranty. There is a tight surface crack to the upper joint, it does not go through to the bore, which we have filled with glue, see photo 9. This aside the wood is in very good condition. The supplied m'piece is the original Buffet, and the case is also in good condition.   .
11	BUFFET VINTAGE Bb CLARINET	£795
	A rare early Buffet Bb clarinet, serial number L727, which dates to 1898. These instruments have a larger bore, and larger tone holes than the contemporary Buffet's. The result is a free and easy playing instrument, with good intonation, and none of the third register problems inherent in the polycylindrical design. The drawbacks are flatter notes on low E and F, which is down to the shorter lower flare which was reamed by Buffet at that time. This clarinet features the "do-nut" LH 2 ring, which, though complex to manufacture and regulate, is perhaps the nicest option for the player with regards to a fork Eb/Bb fingering. It also has a single piece top joint, i.e. no barrel. This instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and it has been partially overhauled and restored to bring it back into good playing order. The pads whilst not new, are all sealing well. The wood shows surface dings, scratches and marks, the worst of which is shown in photo 10. Though the instrument has many cosmetic flaws, there are no cracks or repaired damage. The German Silver key work, with some solid silver barrels, shows a patina consistent with a clarinet which is 115 years old. The stamps read "Buffet Brevette SGDG". All pieces are matching and original, and there is a further number "2" stamped on the lower joint and bell. The mouthpiece is a Vandoren M13 in very good condition, the instrument playes easily and sweetly at A=440 Hz. It is a perfectly usable clarinet, as is, or it could a useful addition for a collector.
12	SELMER, PARIS, 9* A CLARINET	£795
	This Selmer Series 9* A clarinet is in very good condition. The 9* was marketed by Selmer as "pour la musique symphonique", the 9 was "pour le jazz et les varietes." In other words the slightly smaller bore 9*, with undercutting, was aimed at the classical market, the wide bore 9 at the Jazz market. This 9* instrument will pair well with any of the contemporary French or Yamaha made quality Bb clarinets. The clarinet has matching serial nos., U8249 which dates to 1966. The Silver plating is excellent throughout, with no wear. The pads are all brand new fish skin, the instrument has just had a complete re-pad in the Clarinets Direct workshop and is sold with our full 1 year warranty. The instrument shows NO evidence of cracks or repairs; the wood throughout is very fine. However the thumb rest has been re-positioned slightly lower, see photo 10, and the wood surface has been slightly scuffed. The double case is well proportioned and is in excellent condition. .
13	LEBLANC PARIS BASS CLARINET 325S	£1695
	This is a superb condition G Leblanc, Paris, Bass Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low Eb. This Bass was one of Leblanc's top professional models, the 325S. The 325S features a fork Ab/Eb mechanism in the RH and a single overblowing vent. It is a one UK owner professional instrument, and has been extremely well cared for, even the metal guards for the crook and upper joint are still with the instrument. The Silver plated key work shows no wear, it is in excellent condition throughout. The crook is in excellent condition, the bell has only one tiny pin head ding. The Grenadilla wood shows no cracks or damage, it is pristine. This Bass will have a re-pad as necessary in our workshop, & the key work will be swaged and regulated. We will also fit a new Leblanc floor peg attachment to the bell. NB This Bass clarinet has been photographed prior to going into our Clarinets Direct workshop. The matching serial nos. are 11010, which dates to the late 1970's. The supplied mouthpiece is the original Leblanc in very good condition. The original case is also in good condition.
14	BUFFET S1 Bb CLARINET	£1195
	A very good condition Buffet S1 clarinet in Nickel Silver plate. 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. In the case of the S1 this is partly achieved by much less undercutting. This Bb has matching serial nos. 136199, which dates to 1973, an exceptionally fine period of manufacture at Buffet Crampon.   There is only slight wear to the plating, mainly on the RH rings, the plating is approximately 98%. The clarinet has just been down to our workshop and the key regulation is tight, there is no joint wobble.  The wood is in good condition, with only minor surface scuffs, the worst of which is photographed see photo 10, there are no cracks or repairs. This clarinet has recently been re-padded in finest Pisoni Tan leather deluxe pads, the condition of which is perfect. The first side key & register key are padded in cork. The S1 clarinet plays with a robust, focused sound and excellent evenness and intonation. In the past players such as John McCaw and Mitchell Lurie played S1's. The hard shell case is in fine shape.
15	BOOSEY & HAWKES IMPERIAL Eb CLARINET	£1795
	This is an excellent condition Boosey and Hawkes Imperial, Eb Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct This Eb has serial number 489583, which dates to 1978. The Silver plated key work shows no wear, the plating is pristine throughout. There are no cracks or repairs to the wood, which is in good order throughout. Though the bell outer edge, which like all Boosey and Hawkes clarinets, is not metal rimmed, does show some slight marks and scuffs. There is some blue tack in the tone holes for tuning purposes, which has been left as it seems to improve the intonation. The instrument is supplied with 2 excellent m'pieces, an original B&H, and a custom Peter Eaton. The case is a replacement, in very good condition, with little wear both inside and out. This Eb is a top professional model, it plays with an excellent warm tone, and very fine intonation. .
16	LEBLANC SYMPHONIE II FULL BOEHM Bb CLARINET	£795
	The Symphonie II Full Boehm clarinet was a top of the range professional model offered by Leblanc in the late 1950's, which gradually evolved into the L7 series of the 1970's. The bore features a cone at the top of the upper joint which widens from 14.60mm to 14.85mm; the bore is of medium size. This instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, it is has come from the collection of a fastidious American, his instruments are always offered for sale in excellent condition. The Bb has matching serial nos. 7397. It probably dates from the late 1950's or early 1960's The German Silver key work is in excellent condition, likewise the wood which shows no cracks or repairs. The instrument has top quality Pisoni white leather pads, which are "as new". We have just checked over the instrument thoroughly in our workshop, with all regulation and touch corks attended to as necessary. This clarinet is a Full Boehm with all the extras: Fork Eb/Bb, alternative LH Ab/Eb, articulated C#/G#, and low Eb. The case is the original in black leather, there are a couple of tears to the exterior, but it is in good used condition. .
17	NOBLET PARIS ARTIST A CLARINET	£645
	This is a Noblet Artist A Clarinet, made by Leblanc, in very good condition, and it has just been completely overhauled by Clarinets Direct: Finest Pisoni fish skin pads have been fitted throughout, the key work polished, and all tenon and touch corks replaced. The instrument is sold with our full 1 year warranty. The Noblet Artist was the top of the range Noblet model, with a cylindrical bore of 14.85mm, it will pair nicely with any other mainstream manufacturers French bore Bb, i.e. Buffet, Selmer, Leblanc and Yamaha. This A, serial no. 44048, has no cracks or repairs. The Nickel plate throughout is in very good condition with no discernable wear. . This clarinet was made entirely from Grenadilla wood, including the barrel, unlike some of the cheaper models in the Noblet range. There are no cracks or damage to the wood, which is in fine order. The supplied m'piece is stamped AAA. The case is in fair condition, the interior lining is worn, but all 3 latches still close the case securely.
18	BUFFET, EVETTE & SCHAEFFER, ME 13	£645
	A nice condition Buffet, Evette & Schaeffer, Master Model E13. The German Silver key work shows a good shine and is in excellent condition throughout. We have just re-padded in double bladder fish skin pads & the clarinet is sold with our full year's Clarinets Direct warranty. The serial nos. are K6941 which dates to the late 1950's. Back then the E13 range was tested at the Buffet factory, by Pierre Lefebvre, first clarinet of the Guarde Republicaine Band and later Clarinette Solo de L'Opera-Comique, with the finest instruments then undergoing further hand tuning and undercutting to improve the response. Therefore the customer had an instrument which was almost identical to an R13 on quality, but at less cost. There is one old repaired, glued, crack to the upper part of the lower joint, see photo 4. We have thoroughly checked for seal in our workshop, and this old repair is stable. All pieces are matching and original and carry the "Master Model" stamp. These days E13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections, whereas the wood for this clarinet is unstained. The case is the original Buffet in excellent condition, and the m'piece is a used ebonite example in good condition. .
19	MATCHED PAIR OF BOOSEY AND HAWKES 1010 PRE-WAR, LONDON & PARIS, CLARINETS	£1495
	This matched pair of extremely rare Boosey & Hawkes London & Paris clarinets are in excellent condition. The London & Paris 1010 model, as the name suggests, was made for B&H in France. Somewhat unusually these models feature two different serials, the French factory, and the B&H serial numbers. The Bb has matching serial nos. 2043/ 1258 and has Silver plate in pristine condition. The wood is in overall excellent condition, with no cracks or repairs, though the barrel and bell are not the originals in ebonite, but from a later B&H 1010. All pads are brand new Pisoni Tan Leather in good condition. Both instruments have been completely re-conditioned by Clarinets Direct and are sold with our full warranty. The A, serial nos. 1953/1158, has no cracks or repairs. The Silver plate throughout is in good shape. The original barrel and bell, which are made of ebonite, with matching serial nos.,are supplied with the A. The m'piece is an early George Howarth, in excellent condition. The case is a Boosey and Hawkes of 1960's vintage in good condition.
20	LEBLANC, PARIS, A CLARINET	£795
	This is a professional, superior quality, A Clarinet, made by Leblanc, in very good condition, and it has just been completely overhauled by Clarinets Direct: Finest Pisoni fish skin pads have been fitted throughout, the key work polished, and all tenon and touch corks replaced, as necessary. The instrument is sold with our full 1 year warranty. This clarinet was a top of the range model, with 7 rings, rather than the more common 6, and compensating low G/D vent: This gives a scale of enhanced quality and evenness. It will pair nicely with any other mainstream manufacturers' French bore Bb, i.e. Buffet, Selmer, Leblanc and Yamaha. In addition to the original G Leblanc Paris stamp, which is present on all pieces, the instrument is also stamped by the original supplying dealer, "Kaspar Wicky Geneve". This A, serial no. 3547, has no cracks or repairs to the wood, which is in fine order. The Silver plate throughout is in very good condition with no discernable wear. Leblanc serial number lists are unreliable, but because of the fact the instrument is plated, and the design of keywork, I would estimate the clarinet was made in the 1960's. The supplied case is in good condition; the interior lining holds the instrument well, and the latches close the case securely.
21	MATCHED PAIR OF BUFFET VINTAGE CLARINETS	£2995
	An exceptionally rare pair of superb condition early Buffet clarinets. These instruments have a larger bore of 14.9mm, and larger tone holes than the contemporary Buffet's. The result is a free and easy playing pair, with excellent intonation, and none of the third register problems inherent in the polycylindrical design. The drawbacks are flatter notes on low E and F, but to some extent this is corrected by the fact that, at this period, Buffet reamed the neck of the bell, continuing the flare of the lower joint: this does result in exceptionally even response across into the second register, a pity this is no longer standard practise. The Bb has serial number 500L dating to 1898. It is in very good condition, and amazingly has no cracks. The wood shows some surface scratches and marks, but for a clarinet of this age, it is in remarkable condition. Both instruments have recently been entirely re-padded with cork on the upper joints and double bladder fish skin pads on the lower. The excellent quality key work is mainly of German Silver, though some of the key barrels are actually solid silver. The stamps read "Buffet Brevette SGDG". All pieces are matching and original. The key regulation is excellent and there is no joint wobble. There are 2 mouthpieces, one is a brand new Edward Pillinger copy of an original Carl Fischer Buffet m'piece. The original lay, accurately copied, is 0.98mm by 17.5mm. The other is an original Buffet wooden m'piece of the period. A, S/N 84J, dates to 1896. Is is in excellent condition throughout, with no cracks or repairs to the wood, the surface condition is superb. The instrument has abviously had very little use. The keywork is also pristine. The pitch is exactly A=440 Hz. The case is the original Buffet, in good condition, and it still latches perfectly!   .
22	MATCHED PAIR OF LEBLANC CONCERTO CLARINETS	£2495
	This very fine pair of instruments are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The Leblanc Concerto was one of many new designs launched when control of Leblanc Paris passed from the French to the American side of the Leblanc corporation. Tom Ridenour was the main designer. The instruments feature improved intonation and a "darker" sound quality, and were designed to take on the dominance of the Buffet R13 and RC. Like the Buffet instruments the bore is polycylindrical, but fractionally smaller at 14.61mm, and also with a register key tube higher than on the R13. The Leblanc Opus and Concerto were the flagship models of the new line up, with the Concerto described by Leblanc as having a more lyrical tone quality than the Opus. The Bb, S/N 77557 has seen more use than the A: The Silver plating overall is excellent, and there is no damage or cracks to the wood, which is aged Grenadilla. All pads are white leather in good used condition. Both instruments have had a full check up in our workshop prior to sale. The, A S/N 77730, is in mint condition, all stamps are bright. It has seen hardly any use, the pad condition is excellent, and the plating pristine. The wood overall is very fine, there is, however, a tight hairline crack to the bell, so fine it cannot be photographed: The crack is airtight and has no effect on the response. All pieces are original and stamped Leblanc, with 3 interchangeable barrels [ the bores of the Bb and A are identical] one of 66mm and two of 65mm. There is no mouthpiece but Clarinets Direct is happy to provide either a student model or professional model at additional cost. The case is the original Leblanc, in excellent condition.   .
23	BUFFET R13 Bb CLARINET	£1195
	A very fine condition vintage Buffet R13, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The German Silver  key work is excellent throughout. The Grenadilla wood is in nice condition, no cracks or repairs just surface scuffs and marks, consistent with careful use. The last owner, a younger player, had the thumb rest moved lower by John Coppen, and the original screwholes have been left unfilled, see photo 10. John Coppen also re-padded the instrument with his version of superpads, which are well known for their longevity. The matching serial nos. are 47815 which dates to 1954. Back then this was the finest professional instrument Buffet made, with unstained, matched wood. This was before the introduction of the ""Prestige" range, which effectively downgraded the standard R13 considerably. These days R13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections. Buffet are currently attempting to recreate this Gold  standard  of manufacture in their current "Vintage R13" range please go to www.buffetcrampon.com  more details The case is the original, worn, but fully functional The mouthpiece is a Selmer C85 115. .
24	BOOSEY & HAWKES IMPERIAL Bb CLARINET, in EBONITE	£595
	An extremely rare B&H 926 Bb, in ebonite, which has been exceptionally well cared for. The Imperial 926 was manufactured to the same standard as the Imperial Symphony 1010, both top of the range professional quality instruments. This clarinet was the former property of a well known British player, who as an RSC musician preferred this instrument for on-stage work. The instrument is lighter than a Grenadilla wood example, and has an exceptionally free and lively tone. The intonation is also superb, one of the best 926's I have ever come across. This could have something to do with the early serial number, and the fact that ebonite can be machined more precisely than Grenadilla wood. The instrument has double bladder fish skin pads all in excellent condition. The bore and body are excellent with no cracks, damage or wear, only slight surface marks. The Nickel plate is showing some wear to both rings and touch pieces, but the key work is in very good shape. There is no wobble or slackness in the regulation. The matching serial nos. are 49686, which probably dates to the late 1940's. The No.2 B & H m'piece is in good condition. The case is old, and possibly original, it still functions well. .
25	NOBLET, BY LEBLANC, MODEL 40 Bb CLARINET	£395
	This is an intermediate model 40 Noblet Bb clarinet, made from aged Grenadilla wood, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This instrument was bought new in the 1970's and has had only one owner. The Nickel silver key work is in fine condition throughout, with only tiny spot wear to the RH low F/C and E/B keys. We have just entirely re-padded in Pisoni Deluxe double bladder fishskin & the clarinet is sold with our full year's Clarinets Direct warranty. There are no cracks or damage to the wood which is in good order throughout. All parts of the instrument are made from wood, with the exception of the barrel, which is made from ebonite. The matching serial nos. are A2947. The case is the original in good condition. A new student m'piece kit can be provided for an additional £25. .
26	SELMER, PARIS, RECITAL Bb CLARINET	£1395
	A fair condition Selmer Paris Recital Bb Clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. Selmer Recital clarinets are undoubtedly amongst the best designed clarinets worldwide. The upper joint features a large reversed cone which narrows to 14.4mm. This results in exceptionally accurate twelfths, and overall the intonation is superior to most other French instruments sold today. The original, and sole former owner of this instrument, has had Eddie Ashton superpads fitted throughout, which are sealing well. He also had Ashton remove the alternative Eb/Ab LH lever, and modify the pin linkage mechanism at the bottom of the LH F#/C# LH lever, see photo 9. All Silver plate is in good condition, and indeed the look and solid feel of this key work is far superior to contemporary Buffet manufacture. In addition to the modifications to the key work, the instrument also has repairs to the Grenadilla wood. The upper joint has been pinned several times in the past, there are 8 different points on the wood surface where filler has been applied, which would indicate 4 pins in total. In addition, there are 4 surface cracks to the upper joint: One into the first trill key hole, one midway between this and another which runs into the speaker tube, and another which runs into and through the right hand register key pillar, see photo 11. Apart from this last crack, all the others have been filled. The instrument has been down to the Clarinets Direct workshop for a thorough "check down". All crack repairs are sealing well, and the touch corks, and regualtion have been attended to as necessary. The supplied Selmer barrels measure 62.5 mm & 64.5mm. The 62.5mm barrel has also cracked and been filled. The matching serial numbers are D1134, which dates to 1984. The supplied m'piece is an ebonite Leblanc, and the case is a brand new Venus. .
27	BUFFET EVETTE & SCHAEFFER E13 Bb CLARINET	£645
	A nice condition vintage Buffet Evette and Schaeffer E13. The German Silver key work is excellent throughout, with no wear. We have just entirely re-padded in Pisoni Deluxe Tan Leather pads, with the exception of the C#/G# key and register key, which are in cork. The clarinet is sold with our full year's Clarinets Direct warranty. The matching serial nos. are B8087 which dates to the 1950's: A fine period of quality hand finished manufacture. The wood overall is in good order throughout, with the exception of the upper joint tenon, which has a couple of chips, see photo 4, and the bell,which has a repaired crack, see photo 11. Neither of these affect the response, as the chips are on the outer edge of the tenon ring, and the crack to the bell has been filled and sealed in our workshop: The repair is also covered under our 1 year warranty . These days E13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections. The case is a brand new Carmichael, and the mouthpiece a used professional Selmer C85 115, in good condition.
28	LAFLEUR ARTIST, LONDON & PARIS A CLARINET	£745
	This is a Lafleur, Artist, London & Paris A clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This instrument was made for Lafleur back in the 1930's before Lafleur were bought by B&H. Then they were a fine instrument maker/importer, and this instrument is a superb condition professional model. The original owner was the late Steve Morris: Steve was one of Manchesters finest jazz musicians, well known for his celebrated "Band on the Wall" and the eponymous pub, which he owned and which became one of the North Wests premiere live music venues. The instrument has no cracks or damage to the wood, which is finest Grenadilla. The Silver Plate key work is also pristine throughout. The pads are double bladder fish skin which are in excellent condition. All touch and tenon corks are good. There is no joint wobble. The matching serial nos. are 10095. The m'piece is a Selmer B* in very good condition. There is also a Cordier reed cutter. The double case is a Buffet in black leather, which is in very good condition.   .
29	BUFFET Bb PROFESSIONAL CLARINET	£645
	A rare & fine early Buffet clarinet. The instrument dates from 1924 with S/N 1R967, and has wood in good condition for its age. There is an old, stable, pinned repair to the top of the upper joint, the crack does not run through into the bore, nor through a tone hole[ see photo 12]. And also a sealed crack repair to the bell. The Maillechort key work is well regulated with no wear. The pads are all sealing & are mainly fishskin, with the register key and top trill key being tan leather. All corks are good.   This instrument has been well maintained, & played regularly by an amateur with no problems for the last several years. The mouthpiece is a used Vandoren 3V in good condition, 1.15mm by 17.5mm. The case is A Buffet Evette & Schaeffer , fully functioning but with some interior stains & wear to the handle   .
30	MATCHED PAIR OF LEBLANC PROFESSIONAL CLARINETS	£1295
	THE A IS RESERVED, THE Bb STILL FOR SALE IN SINGLE CASE WITH M'PIECE FOR, £645. This matched pair of Leblanc pre-LL clarinets are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. Leon Leblanc, along with Charles Houvenaghel, the great Belgian acoustician, took the manufacturing of clarinets with scientific principles even further. Leblanc were the first major maker to set up an acoustic laboratory. Leon was a gifted clarinettist who took the top prize at the Paris Conservatoire as a young man. Although he could have had a great career as a performer, Leon chose to stay with the family business and apply himself to instrument manufacture, and bring acoustical, mechanical, and musical improvements to woodwind instruments. Although Leblanc's instruments were almost entirely handmade, Leon Leblanc insisted that the craftsmen follow careful measurements. "Music is an art, but it is still governed by the laws of science," he declared (Music Trades, July 1996). As a result, Leblanc instruments were more consistent than those that had come before. The company continued to strive for consistent quality, ease of playability, and mechanical innovation, throughout its history. These are a professional quality pair, and date from the mid-1950's. The intonation and response is the equal of the most expensive French instruments sold today. The Bb has matching serial nos. 10456 and has German Silver key work in fair condition. There are surface scratches to some of the key work. In addition, both F/C RH touchpieces on the clarinets have been shortened for fingering convenience. Perhaps the same previous owner intended adding some keys, but got no further than drilling holes for the pillars. These don't go through to the bore and have been neatly filled in. [ see photo 11] Apart from this the wood is in overall good condition . There are some thread and tape repairs to the tenons, but there is no joint wobble. All pads are leather, which despite their age are sealing well. The A, serial nos. 10243, has no cracks or repairs. The key work throughout is in good shape. Like the Bb, the pads are elderly but sealing well. There are some tape and thread repairs to the tenon corks. The m'piece is a Weinberg M1 Gold, in excellent condition. The case is of 1950's vintage in good condition.   .
31	SELMER, PARIS, FULL BOEHM PICCOLO Eb CLARINET	£2245
	Clarinets Direct is fortunate to count many of the UK's finest professional players amongst our clientele. The former owner of this ultra rare instrument, is one such. This is a good condition Selmer Paris professional Eb Clarinet, Full Boehm model, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. Selmer Eb clarinets are probably the most popular choice amongst professional players worldwide due to their fine ergonomics and excellent intonation. The main body of the wood shows no cracks or damage, with only minor scuffs and scratches. However the bell has two repaired sealed cracks, and in addition, perhaps due to the repair work there are some marks to the top of the bell tenon, see photo 12. The Nickel Silver plate shows some wear, mostly to the rings and the throat A & G# keys The S/N is A4228 which dates to 1981. The instrument has just been fully overhauled by Mike Huntriss in tan leather pads. The key work, which is complex and regulation are all in excellent order. There are two supplied barrels of 44.5mm and 46.5mm. The case is the original, which latches and protects the insrument well. .
32	MATCHED PAIR OF B&H 1010 CLARINETS-RESERVED	£1595
	This pair of B&H 1010's are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. These are a one owner pair from new, and the condition of these instruments is excellent. The Bb, serial no. 535463, has wood throughout in superb condition. All tan leather pads are in very good condition, as are the touch and tenon corks. The Silver plate is pristine. Both instruments have been through our workshop for adjustments and regulation as necessary. The A, serial no. 512709, has no cracks or repairs. The Silver plate throughout is in excellent shape, as are all Pisoni Tan Leather pads and corks. There are 2 barrels of 64.5mm, and 62.5mm. The supplied m'piece is a Peter Eaton 1010 model, S/N 1128, Stamped 1.24 36L. As Eaton measures tip openings to a theoretical maximum beyond at the extreme tip of the tip rail, most other m'piece makers would rate this about 1.14mm open. The m'piece is in very good condition, and tunes the pair well. The case is the original B&H, in excellent condition.
33	SELMER  PROFESSIONAL Bb CLARINET	£495
	A nice condition Selmer 7 ring Bb clarinet, of the old logo dating to the mid 1920's.  The German Silver key work is in very good condition and  all pieces are stamped Selmer. The wood is in overall good condition for an instrument of this vintage, with minor surface marks and scratches, no major cracks or repairs. The clarinet has been  just completely re-padded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather Pads & is in excellent playing order. The matching serial nos. are 5309. There are some thread repairs to the tenon corks, but all touch corks are fine  The supplied m'piece is a Selmer HS*, and the case is also in  good used condition.
34	PAIR OF SELMER, PARIS, ARTYS CLARINETS	£2995
	THE A IS RESERVED. THE Bb STILL FOR SALE FOR £1495 WITH M'PIECE AND SINGLE CASE. An exceptionally fine condition pair of Selmer Paris Artys Clarinets. These instruments have been professionally owned and played by one careful clarinettist, and are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. In common with other Selmer designs dating from the 1990s, the Artys features a long reversed cone through the upper joint. This results in stable tuning, and the clarinet also features a dark, even tone, throughout the registers. The Artys is now no longer manufactured. Some cynics think this is because with its relatively reasonable price tag, for a Selmer Paris clarinet, it stole sales away from the more expensive models which continue in the Selmer line up. The Bb clarinet, S/N N09621, is in excellent order throughout. The Silver plated key work is pristine. The wood shows no cracks or damage, apart from a tight surface hair line crack, which I am told is situated between the two top trill key holes. The current owner attempted to show me the crack, but explained that it does close up completely. It was not visible either to the naked eye, or camera lens. If the crack does exist, it certainly does not go through to the bore. The pads throughout are white leather, used, but in very good condition. The supplied barrel is 65mm in length. The A has matching serial nos. P03491. It is in mint condition, having had virtually no use. All white leather pads are as new, as is the condition of the Silver plated key work. The supplied barrels measure 66 mm & 65mm The m'piece is a Selmer HS*. The case is an excellent condition Yamaha, supplied with keys.
35	SELMER SERIES 9 FULL BOEHM A CLARINET	£795
	This Selmer Series 9 A is a commission sale for Clarinets direct. The Series 9 was the last of the jazz wide bore clarinets made by Selmer, with the top of the reverse cone at the start of the upper joint measuring 15.25mm. However these instruments were also popular with classical players; the great French virtuoso Ulysse Delecluse played Selmer Series 9s. This A clarinet features all the usual Full Boehm refinements: Fork Eb/Bb, alternative LH Ab/Eb, articulated C#/G#, and low Eb. The instrument has matching serial nos., T7584 which dates to 1964 & is in excellent condition. The Nickel Silver plating is excellent throughout, with no wear. The pads are all fish skin in good order, the clarinet has been down to the Clarinets Direct workshop for a thorough check over, with pads replaced as necessary, and all key work regulated. The instrument shows NO evidence of cracks or repairs; the wood throughout is pristine. The case is a single A case, in fair condition, the interior lining shows wear, but the case latches well.
36	SELMER, PARIS, FULL BOEHM Bb CLARINET	£645
	This is a very interesting early modern logo Selmer professional Full Boehm Bb clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. In some ways the clarinet is a transitional model. The logo is the modern Selmer type, but a larger design, yet this is a K6190 serial number [though extremely hard to decipher] and a "Brevete SGDG" stamp also. All of this point to a 1930's instrument just prior to the introduction of Selmer's Radio Improved clarinet, the first of the great modern clarinet designs. This clarinet has been well used: There are 2 cracks to the barrel which do go through to the bore, and these cracks have been filled and sealed. There is also a crack to the upper part of the lower joint, see photo 11. The pads are fish skin, in good condition and they are all sealing well. The German Silver keywork is in good condition, though the bottom E/B key has been cut through and shortened, presumably to stop a previous owner inadvertantly catching the Eb/Bb key, see photo 8. The case has been relined, it is worn, but latches well.
37	JACQUES ALBERT FILS 7 RING Bb CLARINET	£895
	A superb 7 ring Boehm system clarinet made by the last maker of the legendary Albert family: Jacques Fils. This instrument features both articulated C#/G# and fork Eb/Bb. The German Silver keywork is good, very solid, and with an excellent shine. The wood is in good condition for its age, with no major cracks or repairs, to the main body pieces, however the bell has a stress crack to the tenon, and also a chip to the wood above the bell ring, see photos 3 & 4: Neither of these affect the bore. This instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and the current owner has had it recently fully repadded by Eddie Ashton in superpads. From the look and style of key work this clarinet was probably made in the 1930's and Albert retired in 1939. Albert clarinets are well known for their unique warmth and depth of tone. To some extent they exhibit a rare synthesis of the best of German and French schools of clarinet making. The makers stamp is clearly visible on all sections, excepting the barrel which is by "Gras". The case is in good used condition. The m'piece is a brand new La Voz. .
38	MATCHED G RUDOLF UEBEL PAIR OF CLARINETS	£1295
	These are a rare and interesting pair of G Rudold Uebel handmade clarinets, which are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. Though Boehm system clarinets, with a compensating G/D vent on both, there are some subtle design differences in these instruments as compared to those made by the mainstream French manufacturers, and these combine to contribute to a tone which has has a lovely warmth and focus, a quintessential German sound. The last owner, an amateur player, has used them successfully for many years as a pair. The Bb is probably an earlier instrument than the A. The stamp is different, in that the country of manufacture is given as the "DDR", rather than "Germany" on the A. The rest of the stamp reads: " Wohlhausen [Vogtland]". The pressed steel type of keywork shows no plating wear, it is in excellent order throughout, Note also the quality of a tiny "grub screw" set into every pillar to stop movement within the mechanism. The Bb also features Uebel's earlier arrangement of the throat A and G# holes. Note how each note issues from its own dedicated tone hole, not sharing tone holes, as on standard Boehms: This all helps in achieving that German ideal of a pure tone. Along with the already mentioned compensating vent on the lower joint, there is also a wraparound register key. The Bb also has no bell ring, again unlike the A. All pads are in excellent condition. The wood throughout is in very good order, there is a repaired crack to the bell, see photo 8. In addition Alan Andrews, has just pinned a small crack to the top joint, which was running into the register key hole. This, of course, has a metal speaker pipe, so the integrity of the hole is in no way compromised by the crack. Nevertheless Alan has just come up with a unique way of pinning: He uses a computer generated model to accurately plot the course of the pins, which are custom designed to be self tapping and need only one entry hole. This technique represents a major advance over more traditional methods. So good is the repair, that I could not see it to photograph it. The matching serial nos. on the Bb are 2-75331. The A is probably of later manufacture, though it plays in an extremely similar way to the Bb. The key layout is entirely standard Boehm except for the compensating G/D vent. All the plating is in pristine condition. All the pads and corks are also in good condition. There are no cracks or rpairs to the wood of the A, which is in very good order throughout. Both instruments have had adjustable thumb rests fitted. The matching serial nos. on the A are 651834. The two single cases provided are in good order. The instruments tune and respond excellently with standard Vandoren m'pieces. Unlike the modern Uebel range which is marketed as of "above average" student quality, these instruments were made as professional handmade models. For the player unwilling to learn the Oehler system they do offer an easier alternative to achieving a more traditional "German" sound. .
39	PAIR OF SELMER, PARIS, VINTAGE FULL BOEHM CLARINETS	£1595
	An exceptionally rare and fine pair of vintage Selmer clarinets. These instruments are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, their current owner is a collector. As Full Boehm instruments they feature all the extras: Fork Eb/Bb, alternative LH Ab/Eb, articulated C#/G#, and low Eb. The Bb has matching serial numbers 8369, which probably dates to late 1930. This was the point at which Selmer began to stamp their clarinets with the more modern logo. The clarinet has been recently fully overhauled in fish skin pads, all of which are in fine condition. For Vintage instruments the grenadilla wood is in very good condition. There is only one small stress crack, which has been glued, and is in fact very common with this type of Full Boehm design. Because the upper tenon of the lower joint is metal lined, often a crack occurs between the top two tone holes of this joint where the wood is very thin. Fortunately the crack is cosmetic only, as the metal lining seals the tenon. Apart from this there are only light surface marks. The German silver keywork is in very good condition throughout. The design is slightly different to the "A", most noticeably in the much longer G# key barrel, and the fact that the LH levers have only 2 pillars on the A as against 3 on the Bb. Interestingly the bells of both instruments feature the later 1930's logo. It is possible therefore, that the bell for the A clarinet is a replacement. The A has matching serial numbers K1725. Early Selmer serial numbers are difficult to date reliably, it is likely however, that this instrument pre-dates the Bb by at least 3 years. The clarinet is also stamped " Brevette SGDG". There is no damage to the wood, which is crack and repair free. The German Silver key work is also in good order throughout. As with the Bb all pads are nearly new fish skin & are sealing well. The case is an original Pouchette leather example from the 1920's in excellent used condition, which has been partly relined. The m'piece is a used Selmer B.
40	BUFFET E13 Bb CLARINET	£775
	An excellent condition Buffet, E13 clarinet. The Grenadilla wood is in superb condition, with no scuffs or scratches, pristine. There is no joint wobble. The instrument has just had a complete overhaul in double bladder fish skin pads, and is sold with our 1 year warranty. The key work has also been regulated, with all touch and tenon corks replaced as necessary. The Nickel Silver plating throughout is in pristine condition, with no wear. The matching serial nos. are K82719. Contemporary E13s are treated with a chemical compound designed to prevent cracking. Unfortunately this appears to leach out of the wood after a few weeks of playing, causing many problems with joints sticking or refusing to go together. Thankfully when this instrument was manufactured, Buffet Crampon were still ageing the wood naturally. The supplied m'piece is an upgrade to a Vandoren 5RV in good condition, as is the Buffet case, which is supplied with keys.
41	KING MARIGAUX, PARIS, Bb CLARINET	£595
	This is a very good condition King Marigaux Bb clarinet, in Grenadilla wood. King, were, I believe, the agents for SML. Strasser, Marigaux, and Lemaire were makers specialising in professional, saxophones, oboes and clarinets. Today, as Marigaux, they survive as one of the World's finest oboe manufacturers. All the Silver plate key work is in very good condition. The wood overall is in excellent condition, with no damage or repairs, excepting the barrel which has a repaired, glued crack, see photo 5. In fact the instrument is sold with a replacement Selmer Paris barrel, which the former owner preferred. as the intonation was superior to the original barrel. The matching serial numbers are 0861. The case is a replacement "Kinsman" in good condition, as is the m'piece. .
42	STUBBINS, BY NOBLET FRANCE, Bb CLARINET	£695
	An extremely rare and desirable William Stubbins Bb clarinet, made by Noblet, France, featuring the Stubbins " booster key" for throat Bb. As one would expect the intonation and response are greatly improved over a standard Boehm system, but without the player noticing any difference in fingering, i.e the Stubbins mechanism does all the work! Selmer, in the past with their Omega clarinet, and many major German makers have adopted similar designs. This example is in excellent condition: there is no damage to the wood, excepting an lighlty etched security number to the back of the lower joint. The key work shows no plating wear, the Nickel silver is in fine order throughout. The double bladder fish skin pads, while not new, are all sealing well. There is no joint wobble, and the clarinet plays extremely well, very even and with a fine tone. The matching serial nos. are 56627. The supplied m'piece is an original Noblet 3V in ebonite, of very good quality. The case, though elderly, is in good condition it latches & protects the instrument well. .
43	VITO, BY LEBLANC, BBb CONTRABASS CLARINET	£2495
	This is a Vito BBb Contrabass clarinet, model 7182, range to low Eb. The instrument is made from Resotone plastic, and has a key lay out ideal for the beginning contrabass player. The design has a double register key, and also features balanced key action. The bore is 30mm & the S/N 2096D. There are no cracks or damage, and the Nickel plated keywork is in very good condition. The Contra was completely re-padded by ourselves last year in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather pads, and the pads are still in "as new" condition. The mouthpiece, is a Selmer E: This is a costly upgrade, as a Selmer Contrabass m'piece retails for over £500, but this does mean that the response is much improved over the original supplied m'piece. The original case is also in excellent used condition.
44	MATCHED PAIR OF LOUIS LONDON CLARINETS	£2295
	These are an exceptionally rare and fine pair of Louis early English clarinets. The firm was strongly associated with possibly the finest ever French makers: Martel Freres. Each Louis instrument was completely hand made and undercut in their London premises, 2 Burnsall Street, Chelsea W3. The finishing alone took 2-3 days. These instruments are a one owner pair, their former owner was a London professional who owned this pair and a later set of Leblanc LL's which he used for the duration of his career. Charles Draper personally endorsed these makers. The perfect uninhibited open response, and excellent tuning make for a true "players clarinet" which is a physical delight to blow, superior to much on the mass produced market today. These instruments are in excellent condition, for clarinets made in the 1920's. Clarinets Direct have just entirely re-padded the instruments in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Fish Skin pads, and the clarinets are sold with our full 1 year warranty. There is a small crack to the top of the lower joint of the Bb, which runs from the tenon ring down to the first tone hole, see photo 7. The crack is a surface crack only, and has no effect whatsoever on the response. This apart, the wood is in very good condition, with only scuffs and marks associated with careful professional use. There is no joint wobble. The German Silver key work shows absolutely no wear or play to the mechanism. The wood is Grenadilla, apart from the bells which are both in Cocus wood. This was a popular choice of wood with superior class instruments of the period, I believe that the finest craftsman thought that a Cocus wood bell would give extra vibrancy and resonance to the bell notes. Certainly when one changes register on these clarinets the timbre of the bell "B" is much more lively and this results in a lovely even scale across the break. Both instruments features an ebonite "bushed" C/G hole: I have several theories concerning this. 1. The hole may have been moved at the request of the original owner, certainly on both clarinets the thumb rests have been repositioned slightly lower, and the the wood surface filled with shellac, see photo 10. 2. The clarinets may originally have been made with 7 rings and the owner requested the tone hole chimney be remade, in the standard fashion. 3. As undercutting this tone hole can be extremely difficult, and indeed, the D/A twelfth is often very poor on modern clarinets, perhaps ebonite inserts were made so that the undercutting could be done to the most exacting standards, and then fitted to the clarinet. Certainly the scale, intonation, and response of these clarinets, is the equal, or superior to, the most expensive clarinets made today. The supplied m'piece is the original and it has been relayed to 1.1mm by 17mm. With a bores of 14.65mm for the Bb and 14.75mm for the A this pair will work well with any modern French bore mouthpiece. In fact these bore dimensions are exactly the same as for a Buffet R13 pair. A box of original, used Louis reeds is also included. The case is a brand new Backun Leblanc double pouchette with pouches and carry strap.
45	SELMER, PARIS, 10S II Bb CLARINET	£1495
	An excellent condition Selmer 10S II clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The Selmer 10 series was the first major model manufactured by Selmer to adopt a small bore undercut design, in the Buffet Crampon manner. The 10S II represents a major revision of the design which was undertaken in the late 1980's. Selmer seem to have tried to make the 10S II sit more easily with the later Recital clarinet: Compared to the original the instrument seems "darker toned" and plays slightly lower in pitch, i.e. aimed more at the US market. This Bb, S/N F7803, dates to the late 1980's and has Silver plate, in pristine condition throughout. There are no cracks or damage to the wood, which is in excellent condition. All pieces are original and have matching stamps. The clarinet has just had a thorough "check down" in our workshop. The fish skin pads, which are not new, are sealing well. The key work is well regulated. The case is the original Selmer, again in very good condition.
46	BUFFET VINTAGE CLARINET in A	£995
	A rare early Buffet A clarinet, without serial number. These instruments have a larger bore of 14.9mm, and larger tone holes than the contemporary Buffet's. The result is a free and easy playing A, with good intonation, and none of the third register problems inherent in the polycylindrical design. The drawbacks are flatter notes on low E and F, but to some extent this is corrected by the fact that, at this period, Buffet reamed the neck of the bell, continuing the flare of the lower joint: this does result in exceptionally even response across into the second register, a pity this is no longer standard practise. This instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and came to us from a young woodwind repairman who has prepared this clarinet to a fine standard. Buffet Crampon began to stamp serial numbers on clarinets from about 1885, either this clarinet is earlier than this [which from the key work and bore design is possible] or it is later, but with no serial number. Certainly, given the keywork design, large bore and small flare in the lower joint, this instrument is pre-WW1. The wood shows some surface cracks, scratches and marks, but for a clarinet of this age, it is in good condition. The first crack runs into the first trill key hole, it does not go into the bore, see photo 5. The second crack runs from the upper tenon ring of the lower joint to the first tone hole rim, again it does not go through to the bore or enter the tone hole, see photo 8. The third crack is at some 180 degrees to the 2nd, at the rear of the upper part of the lower joint, again it is a surface crack only, seee photo 10. All cracks have been glued, filled and sealed by the aforementioned owner. He also had the instrument entirely re-plated in Silver, consequently the key work is in exceptional condition for a vintage Buffet. All pads have been replaced with tan leather, apart from the register key, which is in cork. The stamps read "Buffet Brevette SGDG". All pieces are matching and original, excepting the barrel, which is of more modern Buffet type. The key regulation is excellent and there is no joint wobble. The mouthpiece is a Selmer C85 115 in very good condition, which plays the instrument at A=440 Hz. The case is brand new Buffet Prestige, in black leather, with warranty card and lock instruction manual.
47	BOOSEY & HAWKES IMPERIAL 926, Bb CLARINET	£525
	An extremely rare B&H 926 Bb, in ebonite. The Imperial 926 was manufactured to the same standard as the Imperial Symphony 1010, both top of the range professional quality instruments. This clarinet is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and has been well maintained, with servicing carried out by Graham de Vere White. The instrument is lighter than a Grenadilla wood example, and has an exceptionally free and lively tone. The instrument has tan leather pads which, whilst not new, are sealing well. The bore and body are excellent with no cracks, damage or wear, only slight surface marks. The Nickel plate is showing some wear to both rings and touch pieces, but the key work is in very good shape. There is no wobble or slackness in the regulation. I can just make out a serial no. which is 150509, which dates to approximately 1957. The white acrylic B & H m'piece is in good condition. The case is old, and original, it still functions well. .
48	SELMER, PARIS, CENTERED TONE A CLARINET	£795
	A rare professional Selmer Paris Centered Tone enhanced Boehm A clarinet to low E, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The instrument features: Fork Eb/Bb, and articulated C#/G#. This clarinet is in very good condition for its age with no cracks or damage to the wood. The wood shows surface shows hardly any scuffs and marks, but there is a minor chip to the upper joint lower tenon outer rim, see photo 4. This has absolutely no effect on the response, as this part of the wood does not form the bore.     The fish skin pads are all sealing well, they have all been replaced within the last 6 months, and all touch & tenon corks are good. The instrument has been down to our workshop for a "check down" and minor regulation. The German Silver key work does show some cloudiness, which is cosmetic only, see photos 7 & 8. It is possible to buff this off and brighten the keys. We could offer this service, if desired, to the next owner. There are 2 original Selmer supplied barrels, one of 66.5mm and the other 64.5mm. The matching serial nos. are Q5178 which dates to 1955.  The case is the original, well used, but fully functional, and the m'piece a Selmer "E" in very good condition. This instrument tunes very well, it is an exceptionally fine example of a Centered Tone A. It last owner, a younger player, achieved full marks, 30/30, for his performance of the Mozart Concerto in his Grade 8 on this clarinet. .
49	SELMER BUNDY BASS CLARINET	£845
	This is a good condition Selmer Bundy Bass Clarinet in Resonite to low Eb. There are no cracks or damage to the body, which has only slight surface marks. The crook is in excellent shape, the bell has a few minor scratches and dings. There is a floor spike attachment to the bell. There is only slight wear to the Nickel Silver key work, the finger touchpieces show the usual spot wear: Overall the plating is 85%. The Bass has had recently a full Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather Repad and overhaul in our workshop. We have just taken this instrument back in part exchange against a professional Buffet Bass clarinet, and this Bass has been checked over again for pad seal, with regulation done as necessary. The instrument is well regulated, with all touch and tenon corks in good condition, it will play perfectly out of the box and for many years to come. The serial nos. are 7608. The case has some scuffs to the exterior, but the overall condition of the case is very good.. This is a fine example of the proven Selmer design; it is an ideal first Bass clarinet purchase.
50	MATCHED PAIR OF BOOSEY & HAWKES IMPERIAL 926 CLARINETS	£1095
	This matched pair of Imperial 926 Clarinets are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This pair were one of the last 926 Imperial pairs to be made by Boosey and Hawkes. The 926 Imperial was B & H's top professional model, alongside the larger bore 1010. The pair have been down to our workshop for a thorough check down and regulation prior to sale. The Bb has serial no. 531747 dating to 1981, and has Silver plate in good condition. The wood is in excellent condition with no cracks or repairs. The pads throughout are fish skin, worn, but still sealing well. The A, serial no. 504363 dating to 1980, has no cracks or repairs. The Silver plate throughout is in excellent shape, like the Bb the pads are not new, but sealing well. There are 2 barrels of 66.4mm, & 66.8mm. Unlike Buffet clarinets, the barrels on B&H clarinets are interchangeable between the Bb and A. The supplied m'piece is an original Boosey &Hawkes 926 No. 2. The case is also original, it still latches and protects the pair well.
51	SELMER, PARIS, CENTERED TONE Bb CLARINET	£795
	This is a Selmer Paris, Centered Tone, Bb clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The Centered Tone was the penultimate large bore Jazz Selmer clarinet, only the Series 9 was larger. Thereafter Selmer switched to making smaller bore clarinets more in the manner of Buffet. This Bb clarinet has matching serial nos. Q5224, which dates to 1955. The instrument has German Silver key work in very good condition, there is no wear, and the key work shows a bright finish. The wood shows surface marks and scratches, consistent with careful use. There are no cracks or repairs, however the lowest tenon of the upper joint has been re-bushed in ebonite to stop joint wobble. The instrument was professionally owned and played, and it has been well maintained. The thumb rest has been replaced with a modern adjustable one, with the screw holes for the original left unfilled. The pads throughout are all brand new Pisoni finest fish skin. The instrument has been down to our Clarinets Direct workshop for a complete overhaul, and, unusually for a commission sale, it is sold with our full 1 year warranty. As is the case with all Selmer Centered Tones the upper joint bore is a reverse taper, it measures, 15.2mm at the top of the upper joint narrowing to 14.8mm at the bottom. The barrel is from a later Selmer Series 10, and measures 66.5mm The m'piece is a jazz model, Selmer F, with a wide tip opening. The original case is a "Bags" in good used condition, which comes with back pack carry straps. This clarinet would pair well with No. 48.
52	J. C. DENNER BAROQUE C CLARINET, by ACKERMAN	£995
	This is a unique clarinet. It is a faithful reproduction of a Baroque C clarinet, by J. C. Denner, made in the early part of the 18th Century. Denner is credited with developing the clarinet from the chalumeau by widening the bore, providing a bell, and enabling the instrument to overblow: All features of this clarinet. This instrument was made for Alan Hacker by Brian Ackerman in the 1970's, and this instrument can quite rightly be seen as the start of a reproduction industry which went on to stimulate a revival of interest and an era of period instrument performance. The clarinet has 2 brass keys, is in boxwood and has five main pieces. The reed, a modern soprano sax reed can be cut down to fit, is attached to the mouthpiece by string. The approximate length is 60cm and the instrument plays in the key of C. The bore is cylindrical, apart from the bell, and measures 14.75mm. A is approximately 423Hz. This instrument was used by Alan Hacker for a recording of Vivaldi's Concerto in C for 2 Oboes and 2 Clarinets.
53	BOOSEY & HAWKES 1010 A CLARINET-RESERVED	£795
	This is a Symphony 1010 A in superb condition, featuring the later Acton Patent Vent. The clarinet has just been taken in part exchange by ourselves. The matching serial numbers are 500891, which dates to 1980. The clarinet has just been re-padded in our workshop, and is sold with our 1 year warranty. The tan leather pads are all new or in "as new" condition. The key work has been oiled and regulated, all touch and tenon corks replaced, and all spring tensions adjusted for optimum feel. The Silver plate key work overall is excellent, with no wear. The wood overall is also in good condition with no cracks or damage. The m'piece is an original B&H No. 2, in very good condition. The supplied barrel is of 63.5mm. The tuning and overall response of this clarinet are excellent. The original B&H case in blue leather comes with the keys, which is in overall good condition, apart from the lining to the upper edge of the outer case, which is loose [see photo 12].
54	MATCHED PAIR OF BUFFET R13 CLARINETS-SOLD	£2745
	These are an excellent condition pair of Buffet R13s which are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The current owner is a professional pianist, and she used these instruments as a second study clarinettist through University, consequently they have seen very little use. The Bb Clarinet has matching S/N 292055, which dates to 1989. It has wood in very fine condition throughout, with no cracks or damage. The fish skin pads, whilst not new, are all sealing well. The instruments have been down to our workshop for regulation as necessary, and all touch and tenon corks are good. The Silver plating is in excellent condition, with no discernable wear. The A clarinet has seen even less use than the Bb, again the wood has no cracks or repairs. The Silver plate shows no discernable wear, it is in superb condition. The pads are all fish skin in good condition, and like the Bb, the key work regulation has been done as necessary. This A Clarinet, with matching S/N 290109, also dates to 1989. All parts are original Buffet, and carry matching stamps. In addition to the two original barrels, there is now a third Buffet, of 64.5mm, for the A. The case is a modern Orly, it is in excellent condition, with a shoulder carry strap which is supplied. The m'piece is a used stock Buffet in very good condition.
55	BUFFET RC PRESTIGE BASSET CLARINET in A-SOLD	£4095
	Clarinets Direct is fortunate to count many of the UK's finest players amongst our clientele. The sole former owner of this superb instrument, is one such. The instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and the reason for the sale is that the owner wishes to purchase a new pair of Buffet Divine clarinets. Buffet Crampon is the undisputed finest volume maker of clarinets in the World today. This clarinet is one of their rarest and most expensive models, an A RC Prestige Basset. The istrument was designed to play the Mozart Quintet and Concerto as originally conceived by him, and has a range to low C. The instrument is in mint condition. The plating is pristine. The wood is without mark or blemish: NO damage or cracks whatsoever. It was bought new from T W Howarth & Co, and has been played only on a handful of occasions. This Basset features a "Schmidt Reform Boehm" type dual function register key, which automatically uses separate holes for throat Bb and the upper register. The instrument also has a voicing groove in the bell to improve the lowest pitches. The intonation and response are outstanding. The matching serial numbers are 31843. The Basset has had thorough check up in our workshop, with regulation and pads receiving attention as necessary. This clarinet is "as new". The supplied Buffet stock m'piece was not used by the sole former owner. The condition of the case is pristine.
56	DOUBLE BOEHM Bb CLARINET	£995
	This is possibly the World's rarest clarinet, a Double Boehm. It was the brain child of the great Belgian Acoustician, and clarinet designer, Charles Houvenaghel. I had always believed that only resonite instruments were made in this system, however this is a Grenadilla wood, quality made instrument, which from appearances may well have been made in the Noblet or Leblanc factory, see the "in-line jump" trill keys." With a double Boehm clarinet basically the fingering system of the LH mirrors that of the RH. For the third register a touchpiece is provided similar to that found on Alto and Bass clarinets. Houvenaghel believed this would make for a much more even scale, in terms of both intonation and tone colour. Sadly this view was not shared by other manufacturers, including his own employer: Leblanc. Doubtless this must have been a source of disappointment to him. Though this clarinet is perfectly playable, it is, in my opinion, definitely for a collector! The Bb has matching serial nos. 1025 and has Nickel Silver plate in fair condition, with some wear throughout, the plating is about 85%. The wood is in overall excellent condition, with no cracks or repairs, to the main pieces, though the barrel has cracked, and been repaired and sealed with glue. All pads are brand new Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather. The instrument has been completely re-padded by Clarinets Direct and is sold with our full 1 year warranty. The m'piece is the original, in good condition. The case shows some tears to the interior lining but still latches well.   .
57	MATCHED PAIR OF YAMAHA YCL64 CLARINETS-RESERVED	£1345
	A very good condition pair of Yamaha 64 clarinets, which are a commission sale for C D. Their former owner was bought them new by his father, who worked for Yamaha, on the occasion of his gaining a Music Scholarship. 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 late 1970's and early 1980's, when Yamaha made their first serious foray into top of the range professional clarinets. The wood was computer controlled, kiln dried, to assist in avoiding cracking, the silver plate, and key work, was of considerably better quality than Buffet. Many players found the ease with which these instruments responded completely won them over. Eddie Daniels, the world's foremost jazz player was such a convert: Perhaps surprisingly he preferred and endorsed the YCL64 range to the YCL84 which were Yamaha's most expensive Custom model. Though the 64 and 65 were sold as professional clarinets, unlike the modern 650, which is a Buffet E13 rival. The modern equivalent of the YCL64/65 is todays Yamaha CX Custom or above. The instruments have no cracks or damage to the wood, which is finest aged, unstained, Grenadilla. The Bb S/N 002821, has just been entirely overhauled in our Clarinets Direct workshop, in Pisoni Premium Deluxe fish skin pads, and is sold with our 1 year warranty. The Silver plated key work is very good throughout, with no discernable wear, only light surface scratches. The instrument features an adjustable thumbrest. The A, S/N 04215, is also in very good condition. As it has had less use than the Bb, only a couple of pads needed replacing. The double bladder fish skin pads, whilst not new, are all sealing well. All touch and tenon corks are good. There is no joint wobble. There are 2 supplied m'pieces, a Custom 4C in ebonite & a Yamaha 4C both are in very good condition, as is the Yamaha hard shell case.
373	BUFFET R13 Bb CLARINET -SOLD	£1145
	A good condition vintage Buffet R13, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The German Silver key work is in nice condition, with no marks or scratches, though the C#/G# key is not original to this clarinet, it is a replacement from an earlier Buffet model. The wood condition shows no cracks or damage, only surface marks, consistent with its age. The instrument has recently been fully overhauled in finest Pisoni Premium De-luxe tah leather pads. The clarinet has been through our workshop for a thorough "check down" prior to sale: there is no joint wobble, and the regulation throughout is good. The matching serial nos. are F72729 which dates to 1962. Back then this was the finest professional instrument Buffet made, with unstained, matched wood. This was before the introduction of the ""Prestige" range, which effectively downgraded the standard R13 considerably. These days R13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections. Buffet are currently attempting to recreate this Gold standard of manufacture in their current "Vintage R13" range please go to www.buffetcrampon.com for more details. This instrument will not disappoint; the quality of scale and intonation are everything one has come to expect from this period of careful hand manufacture. The case is the original and is in fair condition for its age.   .
382	BOXWOOD AND IVORY C CLARINET BY  NICHOLSON EARLY 19th CENTURY- SOLD	£595
	PRICE REDUCED! ON HIRE TO THIN MAN FILMS PRODUCTION COMPANY UNTIL MAY 2013 I am indebted to Mr. Simon Waters, who recently delivered a paper to the Galpin Society in Edinburgh on Charles Nicholson flutes, for the chance to quote him in this revised, and corrected listing:  "In that paper I noted that there are many flutes stamped NICHOLSON/LONDON which are plain boxwood instruments which likely predate the earliest Charles Nicholson NICHOLSON"S IMPROVED flutes (which were made by ThomasProwse) by some years, and that these flutes are likely to be from an entirely separate London-based maker called Nicholson. The stamp they bear appears, on the basis of the photos on your website, to be identical to that on your clarinet. I think it highly likely that the 'C' indicates pitch, as was common practice on many makers' boxwood clarinets of this period, and that your clarinet was made by this London-based maker without any connection to Charles Nicholson the flautist."   A very rare boxwood and ivory C Clarinet by  Nicholson with 8 brass keys. This example has been professionally owned and played at A=440hz. The tone holes have been filled on the two main joints in order to tune to modern pitch. There are 5 pieces and the original African blackwood m'piece, which has just been relayed by Edward Pillinger &  is playable with a modern  Eb reed. The wood is in good condition for its age: There are 4 repaired, sealed cracks to the upper joint, see photos 5, 6 & 7, and also several repairs to the bell base, including 3 glued cracks to the ivory ring. The instrument has felt squares which act as pads, these all seal well. The tenons are bound with string which is also how the reed is fixed to the m'piece. The stamps on the upper joint and bell read " C Nicholson, London". The total assembled length is 589mm. I will supply a case.
383	SELMER, PARIS, CENTERED TONE Bb CLARINET-SOLD	£795
	This is a Selmer Paris, Centered Tone, Bb clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The Centered Tone was the penultimate large bore Jazz Selmer clarinet, only the Series 9 was larger. Thereafter Selmer switched to making smaller bore clarinets more in the manner of Buffet. This Bb clarinet has matching serial nos. P3200, which dates to 1952. The instrument has German Silver key work in very good condition. The wood throughout is in good condition with no cracks or repairs, only slight surface scuffs and scratches. However the lowest tenon of the upper joint has a couple of chips on the outer rim [see photo 4]. These do not affect the bore, or response, in anyway. The pads throughout are all new Tan leather, and the instrument has been down to our Clarinets Direct workshop for a thorough check down and overhaul. As is the case with all Selmer Centered Tones the upper joint bore is a reverse taper, it measures, 15.2mm at the top of the upper joint narrowing to 14.8mm at the bottom. The original case is in good used condition.   .
384	G RUDOLF UEBEL, Bb CLARINET-SOLD	£595
	This a G Rudold Uebel handmade clarinet, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. The former owner, is a Dutch professional player, and this instrument has been extremely well maintained. The Bb is stamped "Germany" " Wohlhausen [Vogtland]", which means that the instrument was made after German reunification. The pressed steel type of keywork shows only slight plating wear, mainly to the ring keys, the plating is approximately 95%. All pads are finest Pisoni white leather in excellent condition. The wood throughout is in very good order, with no cracks or repairs. The matching serial nos. on the Bb are 1-701385. The case is a Noblet, with some interior stains, it latches well and protects the instrument well. The instrument tunes and responds excellently with standard Vandoren m'pieces. Unlike the modern Uebel range which is marketed as of "above average" student quality, these instruments were made as professional handmade models. For the player unwilling to learn the Oehler system they do offer an easier alternative to achieving a more traditional "German" sound.
385	F A Uebel BASSET HORN in F to low C -SOLD	£3995
	This is a rare and unique Basset Horn by F A Uebel of a pattern which is much like todays more recent designs by Buffet and Leblanc. Previously Clarinets Direct had always understood that F A Uebel made Basset Horns only of the small bore type, i.e. basically as extended clarinets. These featured clarinet size mouthpieces slightly bored out to suit the extended range and compass of an F Basset Horn. F A Uebel was acknowledged as one of the finest Basset horn makers in the world, and, in fact, supplied Basset Horns to the clarinettists of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. This instrument then is of a completely different type; in that it features a mouthpiece of 97mm length which takes Alto clarinet reeds. The bore, at 17mm is also similar to modern Alto clarinet bore. The stamp reads " F A Uebel, Marknuekirchen" and "B & S". This instrument is in superb condition: NO cracks, or damage, with pristine silver plated key work throughout. There are a few slight marks to the outer edge of the bottom tenon of the lowest tenon, apart from this the wood condition is perfect. The mechanism is enhanced Boehm, with an automatic register key, which features a dedicated Bb tone hole and overblowing vent. The instrument is also part plateau. The range is to low C, with compensating open tone hole on the bell. The three lower pitches are fingered using the standard Uebel triangle formation underneath the thumb rest. The design is beautifully simple and ideally weighted. The Basset Horn features, a grub screw into most pillars to stop lateral movement and poor regulation, the build quality and workmanship are much superior to contemporary mass manufacture. The Basset Horn has just been entirely re-padded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe tan leather pads and is sold with our full 1 year warranty. Interestingly the instrument is stamped "Made in Germany", therefore it is possible that this Basset Horn was made prior to the partition of East and West Germany i.e. before 1949. The matching serial nos. are 900-57631 This instrument will play perfectly out of the box. A comparable Selmer retails today new for £9700. The original m'piece and case are in excellent condition. .
386	BOOSEY & HAWKES IMPERIAL Eb CLARINET-SOLD	£1745
	This is an excellent condition Boosey and Hawkes Imperial, Eb Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct This Eb has a fine Provenance, having had only two professional owners: Initially Ruth McDowell, of the CBSO [subsequently BBCSO] bought it new in 1977, and latterly it has been owned by a younger London professional player. The Silver plated key work shows no wear, the plating is pristine throughout. There are no cracks or repairs to the wood, which is in good order throughout. There is some blue tack in the top two tone holes of the upper joint for tuning purposes, which we shall remove in the Clarinets Direct workshop. The instrument is currently undergoing an overhaul, in fish skin pads, with all touch corks and regulation seen to as necessary. It will be sold with our full 1 year warranty. The barrel is original and measures, 44.5mm. The original case is well used, but still latches securely. The original m'piece is a B&H, ebonite example, in good condition. This Eb is a top professional model, it plays with an excellent warm tone, and very fine intonation. The serial nos. are 472818, sadly this model is no longer made. .
387	BUFFET R13 Bb CLARINET -SOLD	£1195
	A vintage Buffet R13, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This instrument comes from the collection of a fastidious collector, the instrument is in outstanding condition. The German Silver key work is pristine throughout. The wood is in good condition with no cracks or damage, only slight surface marks The instrument has been recently re-padded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Fish skin Pads, and all are in "as new" condition. The matching serial nos. are 48969 which dates to 1955. This is one of the first R13s made, and when one plays it and appreciates the excellent intonation, sound and response, it is easy to see why this model began to dominate the market, as the preferred choice of all serious clarinetists. Back then this was the finest professional instrument Buffet made, with unstained, matched wood. This was before the introduction of the ""Prestige" range, which effectively downgraded the standard R13 considerably. These days R13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections. Buffet are currently attempting to recreate this Gold standard of manufacture in their current "Vintage R13" range please go to www.buffetcrampon.com for more details. The case is the original Buffet, in black leather, there are some stains and scuffs to the interior, but the exterior condition is good, and the case is in remarkably fine shape for its age. The m'piece is a brand new student model.   .
388	SELMER, PARIS, 10S Bb CLARINET-SOLD	£995
	A Selmer 10S clarinet, in excellent condition. The Selmer 10 series was the first major model manufactured by Selmer to adopt a small bore undercut design, in the Buffet Crampon manner: Indeed with a bore of only 14.60mm, the 10S is even smaller in the bore than the Buffet R13. The clarinet is extremely lively, easy to play, and has excellent intonation. This Bb, with matching S/N Z7774, dates to 1977 and has Silver plate in pristine condition, with no discernable wear. There are no cracks or damage to the wood, which is, again, in excellent condition. All pieces are original and have bright matching stamps. The clarinet has just had a complete overhaul in double bladder fish skin pads at our workshop, and is sold with our full 1 year warranty. The m'piece is a Selmer C85 115. The case is the original Selmer, which for its age is in very good shape.   .
389	MATCHED PAIR OF FULL BOEHM SELMER, PARIS, 10S CLARINETS-SOLD	£1995
	A rare pair of Selmer 10S full Boehm clarinets, in excellent condition. These are a one owner pair, used by a professional clarinettist and teacher, who initially having a successful career as an architect, subsequently retrained as a musician. The Selmer 10 series was the first major model manufactured by Selmer to adopt a small bore undercut design, in the Buffet Crampon manner: Indeed with a bore of only 14.60mm, the 10S is even smaller in the bore than the Buffet R13. The design is extremely lively, easy to play, and has excellent intonation. The Bb, with matching S/N D5979, dates to 1987 and has Silver plate in pristine condition, with no discernible wear. There are no cracks or damage to the wood, which is, again, in excellent condition. All pieces are original and have bright matching stamps. The clarinet has just had a thorough check down in our workshop, with pads and regulation attended to as necessary. The A S/N D0669 again dates to 1987. Like the Bb the condition throughout is excellent, with no cracks or damage. There are 4 barrels, with shorter 64.5mm barrels for both Bb and A for the Winter months. The m'piece is a Selmer HS*, in excellent condition. The case is the original Selmer, which for its age is in very good shape.
390	BUFFET E13 Bb CLARINET-RESERVED	£775
	An excellent condition Buffet, E13 clarinet. This instrument was one of a one owner pair, and has seen exceptionally light use. The Grenadilla wood is in superb condition, with no scuffs or scratches, pristine. There is no joint wobble. The pads, which are mainly double bladder fish skin, are all sealing well, the instrument has had a thorough check down in our workshop: The pads have been replaced as necessary. The key work has also been regulated, with all touch and tenon corks replaced as necessary. The key work shows no wear or play to the mechanism; in stark contrast to more recent E13 manufacture. The Nickel Silver plating throughout is in good condition and the matching serial nos. are K80985. The supplied m'piece is a Yamaha in good condition, as is the Ortola back pack case.
391	BUFFET BASSET HORN in F-RESERVED	£POA
	This is a rare and unique Basset Horn by Buffet of a pattern which is much like todays more recent design by Selmer. The instrument plays with a modern Vandoren m'piece, though the tenon has to be reduced both in length and diameter. The instrument is made of cocus wood and has no serial number. Either it pre-dates 1885 or, more likely, was a special order. This instrument is in superb condition: NO cracks, or damage, with pristine German Silver key work throughout. The instrument is open hole, apart from the index finger of the left hand which is fitted with an overblowing vent for the altissimo register. The range is to low E. The Basset Horn has just been entirely re-padded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe fish skin pads and is sold with our full 1 year warranty. Interestingly the instrument is stamped "Brevette SGDG", therefore it is possible that this Basset Horn was made prior to WW1. This instrument will play perfectly out of the box. A comparable Selmer retails today new for £9700. The custom adapted case is in good condition.
392	BUFFET RC PRESTIGE Bb CLARINET-RESERVED	£2195
	Clarinets Direct is fortunate to count many of the UK's finest players amongst our clientele. The sole former owner of this superb instrument, is one such. The instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and this clarinet was hand selected at the Buffet factory. Buffet Crampon is the undisputed finest volume maker of clarinets in the World today. This clarinet is one of their most desirable models, a RC Prestige. The instrument is in excellent condition. The plating is pristine. The wood is without mark or blemish: NO damage or cracks whatsoever. It was bought new from Buffet direct. This clarinet was the first Buffet design to feature a voicing groove in the bell to improve the lowest pitches. The intonation and response are outstanding. The matching serial numbers are 467348. The majority of the pads are finest Pisoni white leather in perfect condition, though some other pads are tan leather or skin. This instrument was the main Bb of a busy professional, as such, it has had pads replaced as necessary, rather than a complete overhaul. All pieces matching and original. The supplied Buffet single case is brand new. .
393	BUFFET R13 Bb CLARINET -RESERVED	£1315
	This clarinet is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. It is in near mint condition, with only slight wear to the stamps to distinguish it from new. It was bought as a spare instrument by a now retired professional, and essentially has had no use from new. This same professional had a large collection of instruments and has just moved into sheltered accommodation. Shortly to be offered for sale, will be a rare and unique Buffet RC, without Serial Number, a gift from the Buffet factory. Everything about this clarinet is pristine. The grenadilla wood is perfect, without mark or blemish. The same is true of the Nickel Silver plate. This instrument has just had a complete repad in fish skin pads in our workshop, with regulation done as necessary. So, unusually for a Clarinets Direct commission sale it is sold with full 1 year warranty. The matching serial nos. are 221442 which dates to 1982. At this period in time the R13 Prestige range had not yet been introduced, and this was the top professional model produced by Buffet Crampon. Modern R13s are now manufactured with inferior wood, and also less time is spent on their hand finishing: This makes it extremely hard to find a new R13 of this quality.   .
394	EATON ELITE Bb CLARINET -RESERVED	£1895
	This Eaton Elite is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. It has had only one owner from new, and the condition of the instrument is extremely good. The Elite is Eaton's wide bore English model, based on the Boosey & Hawkes 1010. This Bb, serial no. E274, has wood throughout in very good condition, there are no cracks or repairs, excepting a small chip to the outer rim of the upper joint tenon, see photo 11. This is completely hidden when the clarinet is assembled and has no effect on the response. All tan leather pads are in very good condition, as are the touch and tenon corks. The Silver plate is without any marks or tarnish, excellent condition. There are 2 barrels of 63.2mm and 64.8mm in perfect condition. The m'piece is an Eaton Elite stamped: 1.24 21V, S/N 3045, in good used condition. The original Paxman case is again, in very good condition. This instrument has had only light use and represents a substantial cost saving over new. .
395	J R LAFLEUR, Eb CLARINET-RESERVED	£545
	This is a Lafleur Eb clarinet, in nice condition. This instrument was most probably made after Lafleurs' amalgamation into the Boosey and Hawkes group. After their take over the Lafleur stamp seems to have been put on only student models made by Boosey & Hawkes: Interestingly the stamp itself is of basic design. The main body of the instrument is in Grenadilla wood, with the bell made of Bakelite, this had been usual practise with some earlier Lafleur, and Boosey & Hawkes, London & Paris models, which often featured ebonite barrels and bells. The wood condition overall is very fine, but there is an area around the speaker key tube, where the wood shows two surface grooves, see photo 11. It is likely that this was a surface flaw to the body of clarinet as manufactured, this suggests strongly that the instrument was made as an intermediate model. There are no cracks or repairs to the wood, but thumb rest has been moved downwards at some point in the past, and the screw holes filled in, see photo 10. The Nickel silver plate is in superb condition, with no discernable wear. This Eb has just had a complete overhaul in double bladder fish skin pads and is sold with our 1 year warranty. The m'piece is in ebonite, and playes nicely with 2.5-3.5 strength reeds. The intonation is stable at A=440 Hz, and this instrument represents excellent value for money. The case is in fair condition, it latches well, but there is some wear to the original lining.
396	BUFFET RC A CLARINET-RESERVED	£1245
	An extremely fine Buffet RC clarinet in A. This instrument has had only had one professional owner, and is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. When the American investor Martin Tolchin bought Buffet Crampon 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. This instrument was the finest and most expensive Buffet clarinet of the period, priced at approximately 15% more than the contemporary R13. The RC model did sell very well: It had a more relaxed warm tone than the R13, which attracted many UK players. This A has S/N 201522, which dates to 1980, there is no damage to the wood, which is in superb condition. The Nickel silver plate is also in excellent shape, around 98%. The instrument has just been completely overhauled by Clarinets Direct and is sold with our full 1 year warranty. This clarinet plays with a dark, focused sound and excellent evenness and intonation. It was manufactured as Buffet's top professional instrument with unstained Grenadilla wood. Today one would have to spend over £3000 on an RC Prestige instrument, and choose from a large number of examples, to get anything of like quality. The case is the Buffet original, in good condition, with a fine plush interior. .