Rich, projecting tone with the best intonation in Buffet’s bass clarinet lineup. Dual-vent octave mechanism for superior register transitions. Hand-selected and fully optimized by Rodriguez Musical Services.
$19,200.00
The Buffet Crampon Tosca Low C Bass Clarinet is currently the dominant bass clarinet among major orchestral players. Its rich, slightly covered tone projects with authority in large concert halls, and its intonation is widely praised as the instrument’s strongest quality. Timbre matching between registers is excellent, with a consistency from bottom to top that few bass clarinets at any price can match.
The Tosca bass is optimized for concert hall performance. The sound carries with focus and presence in orchestral settings, filling the room without forcing.
The feature that most clearly separates the Tosca bass is the dual-vent automatic octave mechanism. The Tosca uses two separate speaker holes, providing superior transitions throughout the registers. Articulation across the full range is responsive, the altissimo is stable, and the break between registers is smoother.
Like most Buffet bass clarinets, the Tosca typically benefits from professional setup work before the action feels right. Once properly set up, key action can feel comparable to a soprano Bb clarinet, responsive and immediate across the full mechanism. The RMS optimization addresses this directly.
Every Tosca bass clarinet that Rodriguez Musical Services sells has been hand-selected by RMS with a final play test by Alcides Rodriguez, bass clarinetist of the Atlanta Symphony.
Each instrument goes through the RMS optimization process, with particular attention paid to the bass clarinet register mechanism. Pads are evaluated and upgraded as needed with custom leather pads. Key tensions are balanced, key heights are adjusted, extra bumpers and felts are added where needed, and the entire mechanism is regulated for smooth, even response. Final play testing confirms the instrument is in performance-ready condition before it ships.
Professional orchestral bass clarinetists, graduate students preparing for orchestral auditions, and university programs purchasing a top-tier bass clarinet will find the Tosca the flagship choice in Buffet’s lineup. It is the instrument most commonly found in the bass clarinet chairs of major orchestras.
For players comparing the Tosca bass to the Prestige bass, the primary differences are the octave mechanism and projection characteristics. The Tosca’s dual-vent system provides smoother register transitions and more stable altissimo. The Prestige offers a warm, versatile tone at a lower price point with a single-vent system that performs well in orchestral, wind ensemble, and studio contexts. Both are professional instruments; the Tosca represents the top of Buffet’s bass clarinet engineering.
| Body | African blackwood (grenadilla) |
| Bore | Tosca polycylindrical |
| Range | Low C Octave |
| Mechanism | Dual-vent automatic |
| Keys | Silver-plated |
| Features | Metal-capped tenons |
| Pads | Leather pads |
| Springs | Blue steel |
| Includes | Original Buffet Crampon case, RMS certificate of optimization |
Contact for availability. Trial eligible; due to the instrument’s size, trials include one hand-selected and fully optimized bass clarinet.
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