Flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and saxophone
Option 1: Rent to own at Rieman Music, Sleister Music, or Uptempo Music
These local companies offer a rent-to-own program, which is attractive to many families. If your child continues in band beyond 5th grade, the instrument will be paid for in a couple of years. If your child chooses not to continue in band, then you don’t own an instrument you won’t be keeping at the end of Fifth grade. In addition, all 3 companies offer a repair and maintenance program on their instruments that takes care of routine and unforeseen repairs and instrument issues (there are several at this age level!). More information about the rent-to-own programs can be found at:
Option 2: Buy new or used
Some parents prefer to purchase used instruments advertised in classified ads or online auction sites. This is where you have to be careful not to purchase a “lemon” which will end up costing you more in repairs than to rent or purchase new. Often if the purchase is local, the seller will let you have your band director or a music store look over the instrument to determine its condition and any repairs necessary.
If you do seek a used instrument, we want to provide you with a list of recommended instrument brands. These are brands which have proven themselves to be of a high enough quality to withstand the rigors of a fifth grade band program and can be repaired by our local repair shops. If you find a brand name instrument not included on this list, please contact us first. Scores of new instrument companies have popped up in recent years promising quality instruments at cheap prices. We have found that you will always get what you pay for when it comes to band instruments.
Flutes: Yamaha, Gemeinhardt
Clarinets: Yamaha, Selmer, Buffet
Saxophones: Yamaha, Selmer, Cannonball
Trumpets: Yamaha, Bach, Conn, King, Getzen, Jupiter
Trombones: Yamaha, Bach, Conn, King, Getzen, Jupiter
Option 3: Use a family instrument
Some families have instruments available from a parent, older sibling, or other relative. These instruments will most likely need to be taken to a repair shop and looked over to see if any repairs or cleaning is necessary. Families may need to rent an instrument for a month or two while their family instrument is repaired and cleaned.
Option 4: Borrow an instrument from school
Our Johnston Band Together program is available to families who qualify for the Free & Reduced Meal Program. Please click the button below for more information.
Horn, euphonium, and tuba
Students selected to play the horn, euphonium, and tuba will be able to rent directly from the school district. The cost is $100 per school year. Our goal for euphonium and tuba students is to enable each of these students to have one instrument at home and one at school so they don’t have to carry the heavy, large cases back and forth from home to school on the bus. Students will receive their instrument at their first lesson in the fall. The rental contract and rental fee will also be taken care of the first few weeks of school.
Percussion
Percussionists are asked to rent or purchase a xylophone kit. The kits also come with a practice pad for snare drum practice. All 3 companies listed above offer xylophone kits on a rent-to-own basis.
Lesson Book
All students will need to purchase the book Tradition of Excellence, Book 1, for their chosen instrument. Books are available for purchase at the 3 companies listed above.