Buffet Eb Contra Alto R13 Prestige Clarinet – NEW w/ Silver Keys

Buffet Crampon R13 Prestige E♭ Contra-Alto Clarinet

The Buffet Crampon R13 Prestige E♭ Contra-Alto Clarinet brings the craftsmanship and acoustic heritage of Buffet Crampon to one of the deepest and most distinctive voices of the clarinet family. Designed for serious ensemble and professional use, the Prestige Contra-Alto combines a rich, dark tonal character with clarity, projection, and a remarkably responsive feel for an instrument of its size.

Crafted in France from high-quality African grenadilla wood, the Prestige Contra-Alto is designed to produce a deep and resonant foundation without sacrificing definition. Its undercut tone holes contribute to a quick response and even tonal character, allowing the instrument to speak clearly throughout its range.

The contra-alto occupies a unique position within the woodwind section. Its dark, expansive voice can reinforce the bass clarinet section, blend beautifully with bassoons and other low woodwinds, or provide a powerful foundation for clarinet choir and wind ensemble repertoire. The R13 Prestige is designed to deliver that depth while maintaining the tonal refinement expected from a professional Buffet Crampon instrument.

A sophisticated automatic double-octave mechanism with high B♭ key helps maintain clarity and security across the registers, while a half-hole speaker vent improves the response of F♯ and contributes to a cleaner, more controlled transition through the instrument’s range.

The professional 19-key Boehm-system mechanism features power-forged keys and posts that are copper pre-plated and finished in silver plate for strength, durability, and a refined feel under the fingers.

The result is an E♭ contra-alto clarinet with a deep, rich sound, responsive articulation, excellent tonal clarity, and the projection necessary to anchor even the largest ensembles.

For the professional performer, university, conservatory, clarinet choir, or serious wind ensemble looking for an exceptional wooden contra-alto, the Buffet Crampon R13 Prestige represents one of the most refined instruments available in this rarely encountered voice of the clarinet family.

The Copeland Difference

Large clarinets are extraordinarily dependent on proper setup. With their extensive keywork, large pads, long regulation chains, and complex venting systems, even small inconsistencies can have a dramatic effect on response and reliability.

Every Buffet Crampon R13 Prestige E♭ Contra-Alto Clarinet purchased from Copeland Clarinets is carefully evaluated and professionally set up in our shop before delivery. Pad seating, regulation, spring tension, mechanism alignment, venting, response, and overall playability are addressed throughout the instrument.

On an instrument of this caliber, setup shouldn’t be an afterthought. Our goal is for your Prestige Contra-Alto to arrive properly prepared, mechanically reliable, and ready to provide the powerful foundation this instrument was designed to deliver.