The Clarinet Web Site | Home of the Andrew Roberts Clarinet Service

2020 brings big changes!

There is a slight delay in repairs whilst the workshop undergoes some much needed improvements

10 years after ARCS’s first lathe arrived, it is time for a newer model to be installed complete with digital readouts and powered cross slide!

First stage is moving the old lathe to it’s new home not too far from the workshop but still a big job requiring some serious lifting

: Old lathe

: stripping

: drawers out

: stripping..

: gone!

From Next Tuesday the new project of installing and setting up the new lathe will begin……watch this space

Advertise your second hand instruments

New Stock now available!

Want to sell your second hand instruments then advertise your second hand clarinets somewhere that will attract interest. With some many hits our website offers the perfect place to add you instrument, include a picture and make it sell quickly. Why pay too much commission? Our initial commission rate of just 5% is the lowest available and will mean you get more cash from your instrument sale. Ask about our enhanced sales offer, you can’t lose! Contact us at sales@theclarinet.co.uk for further details.

One of the “new” secondhand instruments, belonging to customers, include this Buffet E flat that has performed in many major symphony orchestras in the UK, as it is the property of the recently retired Principal Clarinet of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It is in need of some TLC but will be available with the option of a complete ARCS overhaul The price is £1500 or £1900 with the overhaul, recommended at this specially reduced cost!

New Price!

We have delighted to say that we can now offer the last few remaining older Mk 2 models of the outstanding bass clarinet crooks with a 20% discount! The price for the MK3 and the Tosca are slightly higher, please call for the current prices for all models. If you haven’t tried one yet this is the time to see what it can do for your bass clarinet – its a bit like adding a turbo charger

Current stock list below

1 x Selmer MK2 RA HH gold plate

1 x Buffet MK2 SA HH gold plate

I x Selmer MK3 SA HH gold plate

1X Buffet Tosca MK3 SA HH gold plate

Latest customers reviews

I am very happy with the work you’ve done on my clarinet. It’s probably the best I’ve ever known my instrument, it plays with ease and silently for the first time ever! I wish Buffet actually set up their instruments like this from new! It’s really obvious how much my instrument had deteriorated I was working quite hard for an airy unfocussed sound but had just adjusted over time, but no more! I’m delighted with the ease of response , the beautiful consistent tone across all registers and the ease of producing the wide leaps and large slurs across registers. I have found that I can drop a couple of my venting fingerings as the intonation and tone colours have all improved too. The most surprising improvement was how much more alive and immediate the sound was, with no wasted air the dynamic response is more obvious and has more subtlety. The pianissimos were amazing! The “niente” effect was just magical when I discovered how easy it is now! The cleanliness of articulation is also better especially with staccato attacks. Everything I’ve read and head about your brilliant overhauls has been proved, I am absolutely delighted and look forward to being able to concentrate on the music rather than the technique in my playing – shame it’s 10pm – I want to practice again!!

Rob Cox

Freelance player and teacher

My Buffet RC Prestige is now 35 years old and had been subjected to ten years of heavy use since you last serviced it.

The whole instrument has been restored to its former glory. I would even go so far as to say that it now plays better-than-new thanks to the new ARCS MK5 pads you have fitted. These, in combination with the felt you use instead of cork, make for a totally noiseless action. It’s a small but vital point, and one I wasn’t expecting, but I love the cushioned thumbrest you have created. I was previously thinking of trying something like the Kooiman thumbrest but the cushioning you have provided on the existing thumbrest suits me well and is really comfortable. Overall the marked improvements are:

Intonation – noticeably improved in the altissimo register.

Speaking – rapid staccato tonguing is now a joy across all registers and notes that were sometimes reluctant, such as top D, now speak freely.

Tone – is improved and is more flexible at all dynamic levels. The bottom register is also beautifully rich.

Keywork – somehow the keys feel tighter into the instrument. There is an evenness in the action that allows your fingers to “ripple around”. It’s fun!

In a word, the clarinet is now effortless. It finally sounds like me, rather than like me fighting to be me. Many thanks for your expertise in restoring a much-loved instrument.

Chris Evans MA

Solo Clarinet, Waterloo Band of The Rifles

After trying a colleagues clarinet that had just been overhauled by ARCS I thought it was about time my own Buffet R13 deserved an overhaul.

What a difference this made I was literally blown away, what a transformation, it plays better than new, not really surprised as it was losing at least 30% of its air tight seal !! Very quiet keywork, his own designed pads seal the tone holes beautifully, now it’s a real pleasure to play.
Andrew also advised that the bell required some attention due to this being dropped, this was repaired with carbon fibre, again wonderful job.

Andrew is a genius, I highly recommend him and I will certainly use him again

Robert Ghigi
Army Musician

Thank you Andy for the fantastic work you have done overhauling both my A and Bb clarinets. I was beginning to feel frustrated that the clarinets were stuffy and not projecting fully across the range, plus the key work was noisy, and didn’t sit correctly under my fingers. The main difference now is that they play freely and I feel like they are working with me, rather than against me. I now feel that I don’t have to work as hard to achieve the result I want. Thank you also for cleaning them up and making them look like new again. I would highly recommend your overhaul service to colleagues and pupils’

Emily Anderson, clarinet teacher RWCMD Junior Conservatoire

I have only known Andy personally a short time, but I have been aware of him for considerably longer, having blown several colleagues instruments that have had the ‘ARCS’ magic performed on them. He worked on my B&H 1010, improving the C#/G# note by removing and fitting a custom C#/G# tone hole and reshaping the key. He also tweaked and altered the shape and feel of the key-work to make it feel more like a Buffet. What a massive improvement. He has since gone on to adjust my R13 ‘A’ clarinet to correct two very stuffy notes, and has done a complete overhaul of My Buffet S1 Bb clarinet using his latest Mk 5 pads.
Andy is a genius, not only is he a wonderful soloist/clarinet player himself, but is also a marvellous technician. He is able to offer his personal knowledge of playing to advise you and then execute the highest level of workmanship to his repairs, modifications and overhauls. He is very easy to communicate with, and from the very outset, it is clear that he knows everything there is to know about clarinets. He is also able to offer advise on everything from posture to mouthpiece choice, (I am now using a Brad Behn mouthpiece purchased from Andy).

Thanks so much Andy.

Mike Read, freelance woodwind Specialist and Tutor Leicestershire

Just wanted to drop you a line as promised and tell you how pleased I am with the overhaul you did on my Bb clarinet. The whole thing is balanced beautifully and plays so evenly and smoothly! It responds like a new instrument. It’s always daunting handing over an instrument for repairs, but I know how seriously you take your work and so I knew I could trust you to do your absolute best for me. You didn’t disappoint! Your patience in helping me get to the bottom of an issue which had been plaguing me (and other instrument technicians!) for months was greatly appreciated. I can’t wait to get the A done now. Thank you so much for the new lease of life you’ve given to my much-loved Buffet

Anne Harper Freelance clarinettist Belfast

New videos section added

We hope you will find this new section helpful, new items will be added as often as we can however, the workshop is very busy right now so it may take a while. Just click on the link in the menu bar to see the videos on the importance of the correct thumbrest/position and the recent concerts!

New Pre owned stock now available

We now have some additions to the pre owned stock of clarinets

Check the revised list on the for sale section for more exciting additions including ligatures!

Latest arrivals now awaiting preparation in the Andrew Roberts Clarinet Service workshop include a rare Buffet S1 in fantastic condition. We have just bought back an instrument we supplied some years back, a lovely Buffet RC A clarinet in fabulous, barely used condition. This was originally chosen for its evenness and excellent intonation, it will be given the upgrade to MK5 pads soon and will be a fabulous instrument for someone! It will be in a used but great condition BAM trekking double case

A rare pair of Leblanc Concerto clarinets in great condition as well as several Leblanc Opus,B flats some in unused condition, and a lovely Concerto 11, which has now been sold!