Buffet A RC Prestige Basset Clarinet – NEW w/ Silver Keys

Buffet Crampon Prestige A Basset Clarinet

The Buffet Crampon Prestige A Basset Clarinet extends the beauty and warmth of the A clarinet into an expanded lower register, offering professional players an instrument capable of descending fully to low C. Crafted with the refinement of Buffet Crampon’s Prestige family, it combines a rich, expressive tonal character with the extended range required for some of the clarinet repertoire’s most important works.

Perhaps most closely associated with the music of Mozart, the basset clarinet restores the extended lower range for which works such as the Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet were originally conceived. Its additional low register opens possibilities unavailable on a standard A clarinet while giving the instrument an especially warm, soft, and resonant voice.

Crafted from carefully selected African grenadilla wood, the Prestige Basset Clarinet provides the tonal depth and natural resonance expected from a professional wooden Buffet Crampon instrument. Its extended body and acoustic design allow the low register to speak with richness and authority while maintaining clarity and consistency throughout the traditional range of the A clarinet.

The professional silver-plated Boehm-system mechanism extends the instrument’s range to written low C, giving the player access to the additional notes required for authentic performance of basset clarinet repertoire. Precision steel springs, GT pads, an adjustable thumb rest, and Buffet Crampon’s Prestige-level finishing complete an instrument designed for serious professional performance.

Designed for 440/442 Hz, the Prestige A Basset Clarinet includes both 64mm and 65mm barrels, providing additional flexibility for pitch, response, and playing conditions.

While its historical connection to Mozart makes the basset clarinet particularly significant, its capabilities extend well beyond Classical repertoire. Its expanded compass and distinctive tonal character make it equally compelling for contemporary music, chamber performance, orchestral repertoire, and players exploring the full expressive possibilities of the clarinet family.

For the professional clarinetist, university professor, specialist, or serious performer looking for an authentic A basset clarinet with the craftsmanship and tonal character of Buffet Crampon, the Prestige offers an extraordinary combination of extended range, warmth, refinement, and expressive freedom.

The Copeland Difference

The extended mechanism of a basset clarinet makes precise setup especially important. Regulation between the standard and extended keywork, pad seating, spring tension, and venting all play a critical role in ensuring that the lowest notes respond as freely and reliably as the rest of the instrument.

Every Buffet Crampon Prestige A Basset Clarinet purchased from Copeland Clarinets is carefully evaluated and professionally set up in our shop before delivery. Pad seating, regulation, extended low-C mechanism, spring tension, response, intonation, and overall playability are addressed throughout the instrument.

Our goal is for the extended range to feel like a natural continuation of the clarinet rather than an addition to it, giving you an instrument that is responsive, reliable, and ready for the repertoire it was created to perform.