Buffet Crampon’s most accessible professional A clarinet, built entirely in France with a Tradition-derived bore. Hand-selected by Rodriguez Musical Services, fully optimized, and shipped performance-ready.
$4,447.00
The Buffet Crampon Gala uses a polycylindrical version of the Tradition bore, combining the Tradition family’s rich harmonics with the R13 family’s overall balance and evenness. The result is a warm, rounded tone with clear intonation and responsive feel across all registers. The Gala is built entirely in France using stained Grenadilla wood, leather pads, and wooden chimneys, specifications that exceed what most instruments at this price point offer.
The A clarinet is pitched a half step lower than the Bb and is required for much of the standard orchestral, chamber, and solo repertoire. Players who already own a Gala Bb will find the A version a natural pairing, with tonal consistency between instruments. The A’s slightly longer bore adds warmth and depth to the Gala’s already rich character, particularly in the chalumeau and throat-tone registers.
The Gala occupies the space between the E12F intermediate and the R13/Tradition professional tier. It is a genuine professional clarinet with Tradition-family tonal character at a price point significantly below the Tradition itself. Black nickel-plated rings and a medallion give it a distinctive visual identity.
For players drawn to the warm, harmonically rich sound of the cylindrical bore family, the Gala provides an entry point that holds its own in ensemble and solo settings.
Every Gala A 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 Gala A 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 we call “performance ready”: smooth key action, rich and resonant tone, and consistent response from the bottom of the chalumeau through the top of the altissimo.
Advanced students transitioning to a professional A clarinet, serious amateurs, and adult returners who want professional quality with Tradition-family warmth at a moderate price will find the Gala A a compelling choice.
For parents: the Gala A is a professional-quality instrument that costs significantly less than the R13 A or Tradition A. If your student’s teacher has recommended exploring A clarinets and the Tradition bore family appeals to them, the Gala offers genuine French-made professional performance without the higher-tier price tag.
| Body | Stained African blackwood (grenadilla), made in France |
| Bore | Tradition-derived polycylindrical |
| Key | A |
| Keys | Silver-plated |
| Features | Black nickel-plated rings and medallion, wooden chimneys |
| 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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