Buffet Crampon’s most accessible professional Bb clarinet, built in France with a Tradition-derived bore. Hand-selected and fully optimized over 9 hours with custom leather pads by Rodriguez Musical Services.
$3,988.00
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. Built entirely in France using stained Grenadilla wood, leather pads, and wooden chimneys, the Gala delivers specifications that exceed what most instruments at this price point offer.
The tonal character leans warm and harmonically rich. Players who prefer a sound that blends naturally within a section and rewards musical sensitivity will find the Gala a natural fit. Black nickel-plated rings and a medallion give it a distinctive appearance.
The Gala occupies the space between the E12F intermediate and the R13/Tradition professional tier. 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 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 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 their first professional Bb clarinet, serious amateurs, and adult returners who want professional quality at a moderate price will find the Gala a compelling choice. It is also a strong option for players exploring the Tradition bore family for the first time; the Gala offers that tonal character at a significantly lower investment than the Tradition itself.
For parents: the Gala Bb is a genuine professional clarinet that costs less than the R13. If your student is ready for a professional-level instrument and their teacher is open to bore family options beyond the R13, the Gala delivers French-made quality and a warm, rich sound that performs well in band, orchestra, and solo settings. Players who pair it with the Gala A get tonal consistency across both instruments at a combined price below many single higher-tier clarinets.
| 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 |
In stock and ready to ship. Trial eligible; request a trial to compare two hand-selected instruments in your home for 5 days.
