Royal Global Polaris Bass Clarinet
After playing the Royal Firebird Bass Clarinet, we challenged Royal Global to develop a mid-priced instrument in conjunction with our shop. After a year’s work and a wonderful collaboration, I’m thrilled to say that the Royal Global Polaris Low-C Bass Clarinet has just been introduced and it closes a glaring gap in the market!
It’s a fully professional low-c instrument with a cost lower than that of high-end soprano clarinets. The cost... ONLY $6,800! The closest thing, in terms of pricing is made by Yamaha at around $9500 with Buffet and Selmer coming in between $13,000 - $16,000!
The wood is sourced from Africa, from the same supplier that all of the big makers use and is aged naturally in climate-controlled facilities for a period of 5-7 years. The factory where they are produced is located in China.
Chinese craftsmanship has come a long way over the years and these instruments are a testament to that. The wood selection is simply top-notch, the keywork is elegantly made and strengthened with triple silver plating. The finishing is high quality, and all bumper and cork materials used are the same as you would find on any “high end” brand.
Some unique features to point out are:
Metal thumb rollers
Metal resonators come standard on just about every pad for increased depth and core to the sound
Comes with 2 pegs, a long one for standing and a short one for sitting
Compact yet spacious case with an expandable pouch for music storage and backpack straps
3-year warranty against cracking versus the usual 1-2 year warranty from other manufacturers
In terms of feel, the Polaris feels like one of the best Buffet Prestige 1193s I’ve ever played. It blows freely and has a stable presence of the fundamental in every register, the tuning and evenness across registers is great, and there is minimal “choking” or constriction on clarion E, F and F#. The altissimo really sings!
At the $6800 price point, I don’t think there’s any other instrument that even comes close in terms of quality and value. For too long, players interested in the bass clarinet in any kind of a serious way would have to settle for a cheaper plastic or hard rubber instrument (because of cost) or fork out over $13,000 to get a professional instrument.
The Polaris bass clarinet from Royal Global fills a huge hole in the market left by other manufacturers. Players can now get a fully professional instrument of exceptional quality for a price that won’t break the bank.
Want to try one for yourself? Check it out at the New York Clarinet Workshop!
-Michael Norsworthy
New York Clarinet Workshop Co-founder