Buying tips & guidelines

Clarinet - Buying tips & guidelines

When you or your child become excited about playing the clarinet, find out more by clicking on the tile below. However, it is best to buy a cost-effective, robust clarinet with a good tone. You can also rent one that can be returned when you are tired.
Make sure that you are interested in a student clarinet. This is an investment, so you'll want to spend your money wisely. Quality instruments appreciate; you can usually resell the instrument for at least the original purchase amount.

Buy a reputable brand. When it comes to clarinet, for a beginner, a plastic clarinet (and resin and resonite) is more durable than wood and is much cheaper.

Do not think that plastic in clarinets is cheap plastic. It is meant for the clarinet and is practically indistinguishable from most listeners. Most reputable brands have very good clarinets you can get either new or used.

Refrain from buying extremely cheap brands that will hold you back as a student. Ask an expert or clarinet-playing friend, visit a local music shop or speak to your music teacher to get guidance on which clarinet to get.

Buying online

Skwiix strongly advises against purchasing any instrument on the internet, regardless of the source, without initial research. There are musical instruments available on the internet that are suitable for beginners and will allow parents to save a significant amount of money when buying an instrument for a child who is not yet or may never be, ready to make a lifetime commitment to playing the instrument. However, there are also some very untrustworthy sources, and there are sellers who, intentionally or not, cannot judge its condition or provide an accurate description.

You cannot accurately judge the condition of an instrument from a picture. If you purchase an instrument online, choosing an online retailer with an established reputation would be wise. Also, ensure that the seller offers a guarantee that allows you to return the instrument if you are not satisfied once you have had the opportunity to inspect it. Visit the affiliate partners to see the price range of Clarinets on offer.

Buy vs Rent

In essence, rental is more flexible (with a monthly charge and the ability to return) for beginners. It allows you the freedom to change your mind or switch to another instrument at any time or upgrade to a better instrument as you grow and become more skilled at playing the instrument. Most rental agreements will also include repair and maintenance plans at an extra fee for the rental duration. Renting for the short term is recommended until you make up your mind or participate in a rent-to-own program.

Purchasing is a more stable and cost-effective choice if you are sure to stick with the commitment to play the instrument in the longer term (Having played for around 1.5 to 2 years, have a solid conviction to pursue your interest in playing the instrument or based on a teacher’s recommendation due to your skill at playing) then purchasing may make more sense.

Before buying a new clarinet, talk to as many people as possible who have played or who understand the clarinet. This may include music teachers, directors or friends who play the instrument. You’ll likely find their advice helpful. If possible, consider taking them with you to the music store so they can try out the instrument themselves.

New vs Second hand

As a starter at playing the instrument, it does not make sense to go for an expensive clarinet as your very first instrument. It will make sense to buy something other than a highly cheap one. Finding an excellent quality used instrument that has been taken care of can save you a substantial amount of money, and therefore go for it.

The reasoning driving the purchase of a new instrument should always be quality or craft that will support your effort to learn to play the instrument. Yes, you can buy better quality for more money, but if you do, then you should make sure your dedication to learning to play the instrument is high; that way, you get paid off for your investment.

It is also a good idea to buy an instrument in a shop with a woodwind instruments maintenance workshop in case your instrument requires fixing. A master artisan will be more convinced to quickly repair an instrument they have sold – in the event you really need that kind of help for some future date.

You should also check if it is possible to lend a used instrument and buy it later or to lease a new instrument from the music shop, which you can buy later.

Selecting the right clarinet

The choice of which instrument to select, especially if it is your first depends on different factors, including:

The level of your commitment to playing the instrument
How much time do you want to spend rehearsing playing the instrument
How much money do you wish to spend on the instrument
The styles and genres you want to play
The instrument type that best suits you

How much you can spend on the quality of the instrument you get is wide-ranging. You can get a simple, good, working, used instrument that is entirely sufficient for your purposes or a new expensive instrument that may not necessarily fit your goals. The Alto and bass clarinets are generally more costly because they are larger and produced in smaller numbers.
You should always seek help before you buy an instrument to know whether the quality of what you're getting is worth the price. Soliciting the help of a clarinet, teacher, a friend or someone who plays the instrument to go with you to test, feel, and check the instrument before you buy is always recommended. It makes sense to check if you can lend a used instrument from the music school and buy it later, lease or rent a new instrument from the music shop, which you can buy later.
Take your time with the decision to get your instrument; take your time to ensure that you get the right thing. You can ask if you can take an instrument home for a day's tryout based on a prior arrangement/agreement with the shop before making your decision. If the dealer still needs to get the type of instrument you want, you should ask him to show you the ones they have that are within your budget range to try out. Off course, be aware that the professional clarinet will differ from the student's in terms of quality and cost.

The number of keys and rings increases for better models, even of the same clarinet brand. Indeed this is also reflected in the quality of play and the price.
It is also generally argued that better clarinets are made from wood. It is because the cheaper instruments use cheaper materials, and wood is expensive. The exception is when grenadilla powder is used with inlet carbon fibre glued together with a resin. The advantage of using grenadilla is that it has no risk of cracks in the instrument.
To ensure you are buying an instrument fit for purpose, carefully check if anything is broken, scratched or cracked on your selected instrument before you buy. You do this by checking if: -

All the keys and tone holes have no problems with them.
See if any screws on the instrument shake or are all firm.
The mechanics of the instrument works smoothly.
All springs are working fine; if they close all keys, they should be without too much noise.
All the pads are glued in properly and look healthy.
Hold the upper and lower joint under intense light and look through the bore to see if there are any cracks or scratches.
Look at the joints, and feel with your finger to see if there are any cracks.

Skwiix tips & warnings

Tips

If you buy from a music store, ask about their repair rates, if they have a rent-to-own program, if there are services they'll provide for free, etc. This is important and might help you choose which music store to give your business.
Ask your friends and acquaintances if they have a clarinet lying around; car boots and yard sales are excellent places to look too.
Don't throw away your student model even if you advance and buy a higher-quality clarinet. You will need this one for those rough times (outside or in practice).
You don't want a wooden clarinet outside, so you want a plastic student model for those circumstances.
Auction sites can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Be sure to buy correctly on eBay and other auction sites.
If you have a friend, teacher or band director who could come with you to test some instruments and help you choose the best tone quality, this would be very helpful.
Especially if you are buying for a child, a good investment is a neck strap. They aren't expensive, attach to the clarinet's thumb rest, and are used to take the weight off the thumb and transfer it to the neck.

Warnings

Be aware of what comes with your clarinet. Most beginner set-ups will come with a mouthpiece/ligature, a cleaning swab, cork grease, a case, and (if you're lucky) a low-strength reed. Make sure you get everything you need to play out of the case. It is often the sign of a good value instrument.
Do not buy cheap exports, as they break apart extremely easily. The register key can break off, or the pads rot in a few months. Be very careful!
Don't be fooled into thinking that just any clarinet will do. Stick with the reputable brands previously mentioned. A cheap instrument will cost you more in repairs and frustration than you ever wanted to spend.
Try to avoid auctions. Most clarinets sold there are usually extremely old and not playable. Finding a quality used clarinet is possible, but most will need work (and money) to make them playable; they are not a good choice for a beginner.
Periodically check to make sure the instrument is in good working condition. Your best deal is to take it to a professional repair person. Sad but true, virtually all instruments returned to the store by students who had become frustrated and no longer wished to play had some major malfunction that would prevent the instrument from playing correctly. Because the student was unaware of the problem, they would assume that it was a lack of ability rather than a lack of a decent instrument.
Do not buy clarinets (or any instruments) from general supermarkets and their like. Clarinets from such places usually are extremely poor. Their keywork is low quality and will bend or break very easily. Many repair people refuse to work on such instruments because they use non-standard parts that are not easily repaired or replaced. Avoid these like the plague.