7 Best Clarinets for Musicians of Any Skill Level

Buffet has been a name long synonymous with quality and craftsmanship, creating popular instruments that have been favorites among musicians for decades.

The Buffet Crampon R13 professional B-flat is a clarinet well-liked by the professionals and masters alike and for all the right reasons. With such a vastly known positive reputation, there’s little to say about this clarinet that hasn’t been said before, making it our Editor’s Pick today.

This professional clarinet is made only with the highest-grade materials. For the richest and most focused sound possible, the body is constructed with a durable premium quality grenadilla wood. The poly-cylindrical bore allows for a more flexible variation in tone while better projecting the sound, making it suitable for any setting or large performance/symphony. The nickel-plated keys are easier to maintain than silver-plated ones and don’t take anything away from the aesthetics. This clarinet also includes an adjustable thumb rest for added comfort.

For safety when traveling, the clarinet comes with a deluxe Naugahyde-covered wooden shell case with a plush inside to protect all the components of your instrument. Because of its popularity, the R13 clarinet also has a very good resale value.

Being a wood instrument, one minor issue with this clarinet is its tendency to stick at the joints. This doesn’t affect how well the instrument plays and should be fixed with some extra greasing.

The quality of this clarinet is a far cry from others, and as a result, may be pricey or out of reach for some.

What are its best features?

• High-grade materials
• Full and rich sound that resonates well
• Good resale value

What could be improved?

• Sticky joints
• Price may make this product out of reach

From Yamaha—a company known for its reliable quality in instruments of all levels—comes the famous YCL450 B-flat clarinet. If you’re looking for a good “step-up to the intermediate level” instrument, the Yamaha YCL450 clarinet is a choice worth considering.

This intermediate clarinet is advertised to offer professional qualities at a student-friendly price. It’s made with the materials to prove it. The body is made of grenadilla blackwood, which is known for its durability and incredibly rich and warm sound, but at the same time it may contribute to the somewhat costly price of this instrument.

Regardless, you’ll get an instrument that is justified as it truly lives up to its price. The silver/nickel plating of the key work incorporates the best of both worlds: it’ll be more durable and have the shiny appeal of silver. The quick key action combined with the rich tones allow for better control and playability, creating a more flexible and fluid sound when playing.

Also, in the package with the main purchase, you will find a 4C hard rubber mouthpiece and a case

To sum up, with top-quality materials, excellent sound and playability, and a reliable name any instructor or professional can approve of, this is the best transition clarinet you can get as you move forward with this instrument.

What do we love it for?

• Top quality and a reliable brand name
• Good playability and sound
• Durable materials

What were we disappointed with?

• Pricey because of the materials used

The Hisonsic Signature series 2610 B-flat clarinet is one that can work for all experience levels, from the beginning student to the experienced player. While being used for the first time, this clarinet pleasantly surprises many users by its quality in build and a sound that blends well in any band or large musical group.

The clarinet body is made up entirely of ebonite, which is a positive moment for your budget but sports an elegant classic appearance which is sure to impress. It produces a well-centered tone and sound projection suitable for most types of performances. It offers a very good overall sound for the money. The nickel/silver plating of the keys not only adds to the classic look but also adds a decent amount of durability when playing this clarinet.

This clarinet is easy to play, and encouraging for younger players. This model comes with few accessories including cork grease, a mouthpiece with reed protector, and a cleaning swab. The hard-shell plush-lined carrying case is a nice addition, though some have had issues with the case not always closing properly.

This clarinet is one that’s bound to impress, especially considering its true price. It’s this list’s best student clarinet as it caters to students of all levels well.

What stands out?

• Suitable for a variety of performance types
• Good tone and sound projection
• Nice classic appearance

What cons did we manage to find?

• Issues involving carrying case
• Few accessories included

Made especially for the beginning student, the B-flat clarinet from Glory is a great affordable option that makes the most out of its materials to provide the best sound possible. It’ll be easy to upgrade given its budget-friendly price, and makes for the best entry-level clarinet on this list.

The body is constructed with a high-grade black ebonite/ABS body, which is what makes the clarinet so affordable and allows it to project sound so well. Great for student marching bands, this clarinet has a bright tone that resonates well and can be heard anywhere. The durable nickel-plated keys require little maintenance and run less risk of tarnishing. This clarinet also features an adjustable thumb rest.

Included with this clarinet is a wide range of accessories that should be more than enough as a starter kit: a hard-shell carrying case with shoulder strap, a spare barrel, a cap, 10 spare reeds, a reed holder, 8 cushion pads, and care products including gloves, cleaning cloth, cork grease and a screwdriver.

With such a focus on entry-level use and playability, the Glory B-flat clarinet wasn’t designed to last you an extensive amount of time. It comes with plenty of spare parts, but under the circumstances that some parts get damaged, it would be hard to find and replace when repairs are required.

It’s recommended that some parts, including the mouthpiece and ligature, get upgraded to make the most out of this clarinet.

Why did it make our list?

• Bright tone and good sound projection
• Affordable with a good value
• Plenty of accessories and spare reeds included

What is not ideal about it?

• Not the most durable construction
• Difficult to repair or replace parts

The Lexington B-flat clarinet from Aileen is yet another great student clarinet choice for those moving onto an intermediate level of playing.  It offers everything that comes standard with the more popular student clarinets and more with their professional grading. What makes these clarinets stand out from the others is their testing and performance gradings done by pro musicians, so you can be sure this instrument plays to the best of its capability. With its simplicity being friendly for most experience levels combined with testing from professionals, it can fall somewhere in between as a great affordable option for intermediate players.

The durable Bakelite body is finished with a wood grain effect for a classic look. The nickel-plated keys are both durable and easy to maintain. It also includes an adjustable thumb rest.

The full kit of accessories that come with this clarinet includes a reed, a mouthpiece, gloves, a cleaning cloth, cork grease, a screwdriver, and a premium hard-shell foam case with a shoulder strap for easy transport.

The sound of the instrument itself is decent, though not impeccable, and may not have that warmth that some more experienced players may prefer. To fix this issue, replacing the mouthpiece with one that produces a better tone is recommended.

Why is it special?

• Good quality
• Inspection and testing are done by professional musicians
• Easy to use and clean

What are the flaws?

• The mouthpiece may require upgrading

Yinfente is a bit of an underdog brand in the world of clarinets. Though their products are not as well-known as those of the big-name brands, they do create good quality instruments that buyers can be satisfied with. If you’re looking for a step-up clarinet for the pro level, this is the one for you.

With a visually appealing and solid rosewood body, this intermediate clarinet is capable of producing a more professional sound, with fuller and richer tones you won’t find from a plastic instrument. On top of that, rosewood is strong and durable.

The keys on the Yinfente clarinet are silver plated while the pads seal perfectly over the accurately cut holes in the clarinet body.

This clarinet comes with two barrels, an extra reed, a durable carrying case, and care products including a cleaning cloth, white gloves, a small screwdriver, and cork grease.

Considering the quality, the clarinet comes at a great value for its price (one you would find on far pricier instruments). That being said, it is more expensive than your average student clarinet.

One issue some have is that the reeds that come with the clarinet seem somewhat subpar in quality. They can be easily upgraded, though, and don’t take away from the instrument’s overall quality.

What many people don’t know is that Yinfente is a company with 30 years of experience in the field of manufacturing quality instruments. Everything is checked over for quality several times before completion and shipping, ensuring you get the best possible instrument upon delivery. The quality is reflected onto these instruments and is why the Yinfente makes it as our upgrade pick for this list.

Why is it special?

• Quality rosewood construction
• Great value for the price
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Care products included

What are the flaws?

• Reeds are lower in quality

The Eastar ECL-300 B-flat clarinet is one of the few entry-level and student clarinets that can offer affordability without sacrificing decent sound quality. It actually comes at a great value, with a wide variety of accessories.

This instrument features classic appearance with good quality, considering the price, and a bright sound that projects well.

Before shipping, each instrument is inspected for quality to ensure you have as few issues as possible. Though this doesn’t affect the durability of your clarinet, you’re less likely to get one with faulty placements or measurements.

The material construction of the ECL-300 clarinet is standard among most student-level clarinets worth considering. The high-grade ABS Bakelite body is what gives it its bright tone and projection, and the durable nickel-plated keys with Italian felt pads provide the right amount of airtightness. The body is completed with a faux woodgrain finish for a nice aesthetic appeal.

The cylindrical bore adds to the projection, making the notes clearer and the tone brighter. Though some may not be fans of the bright tone this clarinet brings, the mouthpiece can be replaced to create some extra warmth in the sound.

Included with the Eastar clarinet is a kit equipped with everything you need: extra mouthpiece connectors, a 4C mouthpiece, two pairs of reeds (one pair for practice), a basic hard-shell case, gloves, joint grease, and a small tripod stand for your clarinet.

It makes as the Budget Pick on this list for the very reason that it proves you don’t need a hefty price tag to find a decent instrument.

What makes it special?

• Affordable with great value
• Quality inspection
• Plenty of accessories

What cons did we find?

• Sound lacks warmth
• Could be more durable