The benchmark professional Bb clarinet, hand-selected and fully optimized with custom leather pads and recalibrated keywork. Ships performance-ready.
$4,694.00
The Buffet Crampon R13 has set the benchmark for professional clarinets since 1955. Its polycylindrical bore produces a direct, evenly voiced tone with a characteristic ring that projects through orchestral textures and blends naturally in chamber settings.
The nickel-plated key configuration delivers identical acoustic and mechanical performance to the silver-keyed R13. Nickel plating resists tarnishing and comes at a lower price point, making it a practical choice for players who prioritize sound and feel over finish.
Every R13 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 R13 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 R13 Bb is universally versatile. High school students advancing into competitive programs, college music majors, working professionals, and community band players all find the R13 responds to their needs. Its medium resistance—the benchmark against which all other clarinets are measured—rewards steady air support and adapts well to a wide range of mouthpiece and barrel configurations.
Band directors and private teachers across the country recommend the R13 by name. For students heading into All-State auditions, college juries, scholarship competitions or orchestral auditions, this is the instrument that meets institutional expectations and delivers the tonal quality those settings demand.
| Body | African blackwood (Grenadilla) |
| Bore | R13 polycylindrical |
| Keys | Nickel-plated |
| 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 R13s in your home for 5 days.
