Buffet Crampon Cie 1975 R13 Professional Bb Clarinet

The Centered Tone (often abbreviated CT) was Selmer Paris’s top professional Bb clarinet model from roughly 1952 into the early 1960s. It features a relatively large bore and large tone holes, producing a free-blowing response, strong projection, and a full, warm, woody, centered tone. It became especially associated with jazz (Benny Goodman was a notable user and endorser) but is also versatile for classical and other styles.

These instruments were built in France from high-quality aged grenadilla wood with nickel- or silver-plated keywork. Later examples in the series (including many R-series instruments) often show a more tapered bore design compared with the earliest cylindrical-bore versions. They are identifiable by features such as the large hexagonal register/speaker key bushing on many examples, and some carry “Centered Tone” engraving.

Dating the Serial Number

Selmer Paris clarinet serial numbers from this era use a letter prefix for the series:

• R series began around R1200 in 1958.
• By early 1959 they had reached around R6100.

R4731 therefore falls solidly in 1958 (mid-to-late in the R-series production for that year). This places it in the later part of the Centered Tone run, shortly before Selmer transitioned toward the Series 9 models in the early 1960s.

Approximate Market Value

Recent asking and sold prices for playable, well-maintained or recently serviced Selmer Paris Centered Tone Bb clarinets (including other R-series examples) typically range from about $1,000–$1,800 USD, with many solid instruments listed or selling in the $1,200–$1,600 range.