What's the best clarinet for a professional musician?

Question: What's the best clarinet for a professional musician!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Most pros (roughly around 97%) play on the Buffet R13 (or the "upgraded" model, the R13 Prestige)!. They are consistant in tone through the entire range of the horn, and the craftmanship and quality of materials are unrivaled!. also, from one horn to the next, the pitch tendancies are the same!.!.!. when playing with a group of clarinets, it gives the section a warmer tone and better intonation because everyone is adjusting in the same direction!.!.!. those who use something OTHER than an R13 have to work harder to match pitch and tone on some notes!.

The other major brand that pros use is the Selmer Signature!. These clarinets can be just as rich in tone and are finely crafted instruments, but not as consistant as Buffet!. From one horn to the next, you may notice differences in tone and pitch tendancies, and there are more "lemons" than with the Buffet R13s!.

I usually recommend that if you want a Selmer, the best way to go about it is to make sure you can play it before you buy it!. I have found that some have an unequalled sound and playability, while others sound like a duck in a blender!. (No, I don't really know what that sounds like! lol) The R13 can be purchased without ever playing it (unless it's been used) with no worry about its tone or playability!.

The downside to both of these horns is the price!. The R13 goes for about $4500 (the Prestige is $4800), and the Signature is about $4200!.!.!. of course, these prices are for NEW horns!.!.!. you can check around the internet and find better prices (I got mine for $1250ish at wwbw!.com), or check your local music stores!. Again, I don't recommend buying the Signature unless you can try it first!.

If you are planning on going to college for music performance, most of your peers will be using the R13!. There are other brands used by pros, but these are the 2 major ones!. Personally, I love my Buffet R13 for classical playing, but for jazz and solo features I prefer the Selmer Signature- it tends to ring a little brighter and louder, but again, that will not be true of all Selmers!.

Good luck, and happy music making! :)Www@QuestionHome@Com