The easy response of this instrument should no doubt encourage the younger and less experienced players as they should find the clarinet blows almost as freely as their plastic clarinet, but with a more refined “wooden” sound.
When playing the clarinet, the ease of response is quite noticeable, and this is a positive for the E11 as it is marketed towards the progressing musician rather than more intermediate/professional players. The clarinet is also supplied with a Buffet mouthpiece, ligature, reed, a pull-through and some cork grease everything you need to get playing! It has a slightly wider bore than Buffet’s other wooden clarinets, which is based on German clarinets and said to be freer blowing and therefore have an easier response for students who are in their early years of playing. It comes in a backpack-style case, which offers a good level of protection for the clarinet, and has a big pocket for your accessories. The newest version on the E11 clarinet is made in Buffet’s German factory, and has a stained African Blackwood body and sterling silver plated keys. The reintroduction of the E11 means there is again a wooden Buffet clarinet for under £700*, allowing more people the chance to own a wooden clarinet.
The E11 sits nicely between Buffet’s plastic student clarinet, the Prodige, and the intermediate E12F and E13 models, giving people who are looking for an upgrade instrument more options to choose from depending on their needs. The E11 is thought of as Buffets “entry-level” wooden clarinet the clarinet is designed with students in mind, and offers a step up from plastic models such as the Prodige. The E11 clarinet has been a recurring model from Buffet over the years, and about 2 years ago disappeared before making a return in early 2016 with a new refined design.