The Buffet Festival Bb Clarinet Greenline was designed back in 1987 with the recommendations of three highly recognisable artists that were known all around the world. Together Jacques Lancelot Guy Deplus and Michel Arrignon all inspired the design of this now very popular clarinet. Unlike other clarinets the Buffet Festival include two different sized barrels for a choice of tone. The Festival clarinet meets its players needs and ambitions and stands out in todays musical market. The Buffet Festival boasts a versatile sound which blends in nicely with the repertoire of Mozart and Boulez. Please note that wooden instruments are affected by humidity and temperature and as a result the wood may expand and contract which would affect joints such as the tenons and bell rings. If you do experience any difficulties please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help. *Please note – if you dont already have one youll need to purchase a mouthpiece separately for use with this clarinet. Choose from our clarinet mouthpiece selection. New bore design The new poly-cylindrical bore design combined with the Tosca inspired tone hole placement results in an instrument that presents a clear focused and weighted sound suitable for all playing styles. These innovations result in the player being able to focus more on technical aspects rather than voicing and embouchure alterations to achieve their tonal desires. Top quality mechanisms With any Buffet Clarinet you are purchasing one of the best designed and manufactured clarinets on the market. The stainless steel rods and pivot screws are silver plated to provide strength durability and a stylish look. The maillechort keywork (an alloy of copper zinc and nickel) has been cold forged and plated in copper and then silver plating. This gives a smoother finish and a longer lasting set of materials. The waterproof GT pads meet undercut tone holes to create a fantastic seal and a sound that is full of tone. After all this the instrument is adjusted and tuned to precise measurements by expert technicians before it leaves the factory. As a tribute to the clarinets of decades past the key posts are left in their bare state to give a vintage and aesthetically pleasing result. Greenline Traditionally the majority of clarinets are made from African Blackwood (Grenadilla) which is a rare species of timber found exclusively in Tanzania Mozambique and India. Grenadilla is a heavily branched tree which can take around 80 years to grow before profitable harvesting can be done. Buffet Crampon soon realised the environmental concern that Grenadilla is not sustainable and decided to create the Greenline material for their clarinets and oboes. Greenline is formed by merging 95% Grenadilla wood powder with carbon fibre and a specially formulated epoxy resin to create a very durable material. The wood powder is gained from shavings and excess Grenadilla pieces which are discarded when making 100% wood body instruments. Greenline has the same acoustic properties as natural wood and even weighs the same which is why it is used across all professional clarinets and oboes from Buffet. Greenline is also much more stable than traditional wood instruments in environments where temperatures and atmospheric conditions are constantly changing. Since Greenline does not crack musicians need only to be concerned about their performance not the instrument. Buffet Crampon Since 1825 Buffet has developed around the recognition of its instrument manufacture. The guarantee of such quality is the charm to a players heart and as all products are made in either France or Germany workshops this quality is continuously reliable. All workers start as apprentices to learn everything they need to from highly skilled craftspeople however the most important skills are dedication passion and patience. Since birth almost every Buffet instrument has been continuously tested and developed. Listening to their players needs Buffet has adapted their instruments to cope with modern instrumental demands. Specifications Key: Bb Pitch: 440/442Hz Body: Unstained Grenadilla Bore: Poly-cylindrical Barrel: 2.55″ & 2.59″ Keys: 18 Rings: 6 Thumb rest: Adjustable Keywork finish: Silver-plated Springs: Flat blue needle springs Pads: GT leather & natural cork Included accessories: Hard case mouthpiece cap & reed case