Definitive Guide: Best Professional Clarinets (Buffet R13, Yamaha Custom, RZ Solo)
Choosing a professional clarinet is not about finding the "best," but finding the instrument that perfectly matches your tonal concept, technique, and repertoire. At this high level, the instruments are crafted from premium Grenadilla wood (or Green-LinE), and the differences lie primarily in the Bore Design (the interior carving) and the mechanical consistency. If you are a professional symphonic musician, soloist, or elite student, this guide analyzes the current market standards, focusing on the distinct sound identity of each brand.
Professional Brand Index
To facilitate your navigation, select the brand of your interest:
Standard Professional Clarinet Models (Bb)
RZ Clarinets
RZ Bohema: The Smooth 'Dolce' and Orchestral Sound
Bb Professional Clarinet (Bohema Series)
Professional Opinion (RZ Artist): The Bohema series is renowned for its smooth ("dolce") and mellow tonal character, ideal for ensemble or orchestral sound. It is a warm and balanced instrument that stands out for its easy blowing, a key RZ feature. Additionally, it offers consistent response across all registers and a sound that evokes bel canto.
RZ Capriccio: Soloist Brilliance and Extreme Projection
Bb Professional Clarinet (Capriccio Series)
Professional Opinion: The Capriccio was designed for the soloist who needs to stand out easily. Its new bore design enhances the addition of harmonics and brilliant resonance, resulting in a full, vibrant, and highly projective sound that does not break in the concert hall. (Note: This is the model I personally use, and I confirm its excellence in performance). It incorporates gold-plated posts (in the standard or Gold Edition version) and multiple precision adjustment screws in the keywork.
RZ Solo: Craftsmanship, Stability, and "No-Crack" System
Clarinete Bb Profesional (Serie Solo)
Professional Opinion (RZ Artist): The Solo represents the pinnacle of Czech craftsmanship, focused on tonal stability and the longevity of the instrument. Its distinctive feature is the RZ patented "No-Crack" system, which minimizes the risk of cracks in the grenadilla wood—a vital investment. It offers a deep, sweet, and focused sound, designed for individual expression of the soloist. It includes silver-plated keys with gold-plated posts and inserted rosewood tone holes.
Buffet Crampon
Buffet Crampon R13: The Global Standard and Polycylindrical Richness
Bb Professional Clarinet (R13 Family)
Professional Opinion: The R13 is the best-selling and global standard professional clarinet, especially in America. Its polycylindrical bore produces a rich, powerful, and full-bodied sound, famous for its flexibility to adapt to all repertoires (symphonic or solo). It requires greater control from the musician but rewards them with a great personality. The Festival model offers a similar balance with more stable intonation.
Buffet Crampon RC Prestige: Clarity, Purity, and European Precision
Bb Professional Clarinet (RC Family)
Professional Opinion: The RC Prestige series is distinguished by its focus on pure tuning stability and a round, clear, and sweet sound. It features a bore that favors precision and high-quality keywork with metal-ringed tenons to prevent cracking. It is the R13's main competitor and the favorite in many European orchestras.
Buffet Crampon Tosca / Légende: Vanguard and Ergonomics
Bb Professional Clarinet (Premium Range)
Professional Opinion: These models represent the vanguard of Buffet, offering a homogeneous, velvety, and stable sound. They stand out for their superior ergonomics (flat keys, precision adjustments) and luxury features (low F correction key, Green-LinE materials, or rose gold plating). Ideal for the musician seeking maximum acoustic and mechanical sophistication.
Additional Buffet Crampon Models
For complete coverage of the professional range, here you can find other high-end models:
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Buffet Crampon Divine: View Divine on Thomann
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Buffet Crampon Légende: View Légende on Thomann
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Buffet Crampon Légende Mopane: View Légende Mopane on Thomann
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Buffet Crampon BCXXI: View BCXXI on Thomann
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Buffet Crampon Tradition: View Tradition on Thomann
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Buffet Crampon Festival: View Festival on Thomann
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Buffet Crampon Festival Mopane: View Festival Mopane on Thomann
Yamaha Custom Series
Yamaha YCL-CSG III: Absolute Control and Solid Core
Bb Professional Clarinet (Custom Series G)
Professional Opinion: The CSG III is Yamaha's flagship model for the soloist demanding absolute control and a solid tonal core. Its bore and thick-walled bell design focus on a dense, focused, and powerful sound, with the impeccable tuning precision for which Yamaha is renowned. It is an excellent alternative to the Buffet R13 for repertoire requiring great stability.
Yamaha YCL-SEV / SEVR: Tonal Warmth and Harmonic Richness
Bb Professional Clarinet (Custom Series E)
Professional Opinion: The SEV series focuses on the richness, warmth, and expressiveness of the tone. Its bore is designed for a more broad and enveloping sound (similar to the Buffet RC), expanding the sound without requiring great blowing effort. The SEVR (Revised) model adds thicker key plates and, optionally, rose gold plated posts for a more delicate timbre and a luxurious aesthetic.
The Clarinet in A: The Essential Tool
The A clarinet is not optional for the symphonic musician; it is a fundamental piece of the professional set. Tuned a minor second below the Bb, it is used in the orchestral repertoire to facilitate reading and execution in complex sharp keys.
For optimal performance, the A clarinet must be acoustically as similar as possible to its Bb counterpart. Brands like Buffet Crampon and Yamaha offer professional A models with the same bore design as their Bb models:
Note on RZ Clarinets: While RZ offers high-end A clarinets (Bohema A, Capriccio A, Solo A), they are currently not available through the Thomann distributor. We recommend contacting the brand (RZ Clarinets) or an authorized dealer directly to inquire about their availability.​
Final Note: Have you chosen the clarinet of your life? Share this guide and don't forget to visit our sections for previous levels: Student Clarinets and Intermediate Clarinets.