Kessler Custom 2nd Generation Wood Clarinet

Kessler Custom Performance Series Wood Clarinet
2nd Generation Design

With our Kessler Custom instruments, we have always worked on providing players exceptional performance and quality at affordable prices. Specifically, when we feel that a certain value price point for customers is not being matched with the performance level that they need, we seek to offer a solution in our Kessler Custom line. Throughout the years, we have offered a few models of clarinet but were always working to provide our customers even more. Our new Performance Series 2nd Generation Wood Clarinet is the culmination of that process!

First, it is made in the same facility that makes our 2nd Generation Low C Bass Clarinet. This instrument has received rave reviews for performance, quality and value. Our Performance Series Bb Clarinet offers this same level of design and craftsmanship.

Traditional Design
First off, we are staying with an all wood clarinet. While various synthetic materials can be beneficial on larger instruments, the fact remains that on a Bb clarinet, wood is the optimal material to provide the mass needed for the tone you want. While not all woods are created equal, our clarinet is made from a high grade, unstained wood. This is paired with a traditional metal ringed design. While ringless designs have gained popularity, and were used on our previous generation of design, they also offer a higher risk of damage due to the lack of reinforcement. With our instrument’s exception cost value, we are opting to stay with traditional metal rings as the instrument will surely find its way in to the hands of younger musicians who might not always be as careful as they should.

Professional Bore
Our clarinet uses a bore that is designed to offer a richer tone and quicker response, like professional clarinets. It offers exceptional intonation and a balanced response throughout all registers.

Synthetic Pads Throughout
We opted for synthetic pads throughout the whole clarinet. In the upper joint, we utilize the Valentino Master Series pads as they emulate the feel and performance of a cork pad while offering better stability and sealing to the air column. In the lower joint, we switched to more standard white synthetic pads so as to soften the lower registers tonal attack. This combination offers excellent performance, pad life and stability.

Wood vs. Hard Rubber
Some vendors of affordable performance clarinets use hard rubber instead of wood for a variety of reasons. They tout the “resonance” and “durability” of it trying to make you believe that hard rubber is actually better than wood… to be blunt, we disagree. In our opinion, a premium quality wood is immensely better than hard rubber. It has more mass and produces a richer tone. Hard rubber is less expensive and easier to manufacture with, which makes it a tempting alternative. Wood takes longer to age before it can reliably be used in an instrument… but like they say: “Good things come to those who wait”.

We believe that the “easy” way is not the right way when it comes to achieving the best performance from our Kessler Custom clarinet. We believe that a great piece of wood, like we use, is going to provide you with a better sound AND the stability that you require. Yes it costs us more and takes longer to do right, but it’s worth it because your sound is worth it.