Designed in 1987 with the advice of three French clarinetists, the Festival is, to me, an evolution of the R13 clarinet. Why? The instrument's bore is based on the R13 design, but Buffet re-engineered the register tube for more precise tuning—specifically it's 2mm higher than the R13. As a result the Festival quickly became one of Buffet's most popular clarinets, because of its clear, gorgeous, silky tone, and flexible registral shifts, courtesy of that register tube redesign. You can totally hear it in the recordings below. (So have a listen!)
Resistance: 5/10, Medium
Playing the Festival feels similar to the R13: middle-of-the-road in most respects. It's got a medium amount of resistance—though a bit less than the R13. Despite the lower resistance, the Festival somehow is able to have a a more mellow sound, which is usually reserved for clarinets that have a higher resistance. Innnnnteresting.
In general, more resistance in a clarinet design usually keeps the louder dynamic ranges from spreading; the clarinet "holds its core" and focus, but will provide a smaller dynamic range (on both ends, loud and soft) and smaller color palette. A less resistant clarinet typically provides a much wider tonal palette to choose from, but will require more control from the player to control pitch and sound consistency.
When listening for how a clarinet responds to added air pressure and embouchure control, listen to the Weber example (wide dynamic range and color range), then the Berlioz excerpt (wide dynamic range, but narrow color range), and finally the Gershwin excerpt (narrow dynamic range and narrow color range). You will hear how these clarinets respond — for better or worse! — to my input as a clarinet player.
Then compare the Festival with the Buffet R13, the Backun Model Q, the Royal Firebird, and Uebel Rêve. When listening to the sound examples of all four, listen for the dynamic variations, especially with the extremes in the Berlioz and Gershwin.
All earspasm instruments come with a 7-day trial. Please read my trial policy before pulling out that credit card.
Comes with:
- 64mm & 65mm Barrels
- Ligature & Cap
- Cork Grease and Swab
- Standard Buffet Case
FAQ:
Q: What if I'm in New York and want to try it in person?
A: Contact me to set up an appointment, and let's do it!
Q: Does the instrument come with a warranty?
A: Yes, it comes with the Buffet warranty against cracks, etc. If you ever have any problem with the instrument, I’m your quarterback. I’ll take care of the whole process, just let me know you need help, and I’ll take it from there.
Q: What happens if it's damaged during shipping?
A: Inspect the package before you sign off at delivery! If there are any issues resulting from shipping, we have taken out an insurance policy to cover damage (and loss). But we need you to document this damage or we can't do anything to help. Please read my trial policy for how to handle this issue, should it arise.
Q: If I decide to return it, do have to pay return shipping costs?
A: Not if you live in the Continental US! Because I want you to find the right instrument for you, and doing so online is harder than doing so in-person, I will cover the return shipping. Please read my trial policy for trial and return rules.
Q: Do you ship internationally?
A: Yes. You can add your shipping address when checking out to see what the shipping costs will be before taking the plunge. Note that VAT and Customs Duties are not included in this cost.
