I didn`t like the Yamaha 26 and 250 at all (26, Japanese, 250 Indonesian), too resistive and the keywork wasn`t great, the open holes harder to cover than a Buffet or Hanson (I squoke more on the Yams than any other Clarinet).
#Buffet clarinet b12 pro
The best way to buy a B12 is used, they lose a fortune so a really good one can be had for £100 and the keywork is almost Pro level under the fingers, it`s the best bang for buck by far in the clarinet world, though I have to admit that mine IS a Schreiber made one, I don`t know if the latest ones are as good.
#Buffet clarinet b12 series
after that it`s their T series (preferably in lovely Rosewood) or the superb Buffet R series. I personally don`t see the point in getting an E11/12, it`s just an overpriced B12 made from botched Grenadilla (they fill and stain poor quality wood) instead of plastic, may as well save a fortune and get a real B12, if you`re going to get a wood horn, get a decent one, I`d take a look at the Hanson SE5 in Grenadilla, it`s a superb clarinet availabel in different bores and Hanson don`t stain or fill their wood (they`re made in Yorkshire too).
I`m not a "Beginner" at Clarinet but a very slow learner so my recommendations are from a far from "Pro" player level I rule out plastic clarinets, but am I doing myself a disservice by not looking at them? Are they strictly beginner instruments, or are they undervalued? But is there anyone with experience with both the E11 and E13? How big are the real world differences between them? How is the quality of modern Buffets? I have no doubt about the Yamaha build quality, but I remember that the Yamaha's I tried in the past had a dull tone quality, compared to my RC. Of course the only real way to choose, is in playing and comparing.
Without having it in-hand I wouldn't know if the problem is the clarinet or you or a combination of both. If you buy it used you need to also consider potential fixes to make it play as well as it can play.
#Buffet clarinet b12 professional
The Yamaha 450 is also on my list, though I favored my RC over the (at the time) professional Yamaha in the late 80's. Clarinets though, will always needs some sort of maintenance over time. That means looking at intermediate clarinets, like the Buffet E11 or E13. But since I only double on it, instead of it being my main instrument, I decided that I want to limit my budget. I decided that I want a new (or slightly used) clarinet. 1980 Buffet Crampon R13 Clarinet, Ferrees Cork Overhaul, Gator Case, Nice AU 2,128.88. It gave me sax money (which ultimately ended up in a nice Martin "The Martin" tenor), but I didn't expect that I would miss the clarinet so much. Buffet Crampon Paris B12 Clarinet W Mouthpiece Made In Germany. Buffet crampon B12 Clarinet Fully Serviced Clean & Sterilised Near Mint. Five years ago, I sold my Buffet Crampon RC¸ and I have regretted it since day one.