Buffet Tosca Bb Clarinet
Buffet Tosca Bb Clarinet
The Tosca was first released in 2004, as Buffet's top-of-the-line clarinet, and pretty much immediately took off. Super popular for a long time (and still is). It is technically part of the "R13 family" of bores, but the bore in the bottom joint of the Tosca is narrower than the R13. The idea here with that bore change is a tighter core to the sound (a.k.a., "focus") and more stability in the clarion and altissimo registers.
The Tosca's narrower bore on the bottom joint has an effect on the low F — you'll notice the addition of a second F key (right pinky) to correct for it. You get used to it.
The Tosca pushes back more than an R13. If you're using (or planning on using) the same mouthpiece you like on an R13 with this instrument, you might want to consider opening up your setup a bit. Metal-capped tenons help reduce cracking — Buffet's nod to "okay, stable Grenadilla isn't as easy to find as it used to be."
Resistance: 7/10, Medium-Heavy
Because of the bore changes, the instrument feels more resistant than the R13/Festival/RC line of clarinets you may be familiar with. If you are used to a closed setup with hard reeds, you might want to consider a more open mouthpiece and lighter reeds. Otherwise, when you try this, you'll think "damn, this is hard to play" — and you'd be right. But with a more open setup, you will think "damn, this is easy to control."
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.
NEW!
View & compare detailed tuning, articulation and timbre data for every clarinet we carry.
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65mm and 66mm barrels
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Metal tenons and sockets
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Low F correction key
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Cork and gore-tex pads
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Silver finished keywork with adjustable thumb rest
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Tosca single case with case cover
FAQ
Short answer: All earspasm instruments come with a 7-day trial. Please read my trial policy before pulling out that credit card.
Medium answer: You have 7 days from the date of receipt to try the clarinet. If you don't like it, that's fine (my feelings aren't hurt!) — just let me know and I will send you a return label. Box it all up and send it back. We keep 5% to cover credit card transaction fees and a (hopefully!) brief round trip back to Miles or John — my technicians — to do a reset on the horn.
Long answer: Read my trial policy :)
What is an "open-box" clarinet?
Occasionally I get instruments that were used by the manufacturer for display at a trade show or Clarinet Day. They're brand-new clarinets, never owned, and they come with the full manufacturer warranty.
Because they've been unboxed, they can't be sold as "new." That means I get them at a discount-and you do too. I don't accept open-box instruments with any damage or cosmetic issues on the clarinet itself. On rare occasions, there may be a small scuff on the case.
Every open-box clarinet is inspected and play-tested before it goes up for sale.
Each one is set up, just like every instrument I sell. If you have any questions about a specific open-box instrument I have for sale here, just reach out and we can discuss!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Contact me to set up an appointment, and let's do it!
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