A refined take on the R13 bore with sweeter tone, smoother register transitions, and improved intonation. Hand-selected and fully optimized over 9 hours by Rodriguez Musical Services.
$7,180.00
The Buffet Crampon Festival shares the R13’s polycylindrical bore with one critical modification: the register tube is raised 2mm, a design element borrowed from the RC family. That single change dramatically improves throat-tone intonation (particularly on Bb and B) and smooths register transitions that can be problematic on the standard R13. The result is a more compact, concentrated shape of sound with a sweetness and tonal richness that has earned the Festival a devoted following since its introduction nearly 40 years ago.
The low register is fuller and more powerful than the standard R13. The tone across all registers carries a wider spectrum of color, and the overall character leans toward warmth and refinement. The Festival comes standard with the left-hand Eb/Ab auxiliary lever and metal tenon caps. A 2024 redesign further improved right-hand intonation and bell response.
Every Festival that Rodriguez Musical Services sells has been hand-selected by our performing clarinetists. We play-test numerous factory instruments to identify the clarinets with a rich, resonant tone, a sweet core (one that ‘sings’), evenness of scale and resistance, a sound that exhibits a large spectrum of colors, and the most consistent intonation.
Each selected Festival then goes through the RMS 9-Hour Optimization. The instrument is completely disassembled, and every pad, bumper, and cork is removed until only grenadilla wood and metal remain. Custom leather pads replace the factory originals. Springs are adjusted, key heights are calibrated, and the entire mechanism is regulated so that the action feels effortless and the response is even across every register and dynamic level.
The result is what RMS calls “performance ready”: smooth key action, rich and resonant tone, and consistent response from the bottom of the chalumeau through the top of the altissimo.
The Festival excels in contexts where tonal beauty and intonation matter. Orchestral section players, chamber musicians, university faculty, and advanced students preparing for auditions gravitate toward the Festival for its refined character and improved tuning. Players who double on second clarinet often prefer the Festival’s ability to blend seamlessly within a section.
| Body | African blackwood (grenadilla) |
| Bore | R13 polycylindrical (modified, raised register tube) |
| Keys | Silver-plated Features: Left-hand Eb/Ab lever, metal tenon caps |
| Pads | Custom leather (RMS-installed) |
| Springs | Blue steel |
| Includes | Original Buffet Crampon case, RMS certificate of optimization |
Contact for availability. Trial eligible; request a trial to compare two hand-selected instruments in your home for 5 days.
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