Purchasing an Instrument

Suggestions for Purchasing String Instruments:

Shenendehowa Music Department

• 1. The higher quality instrument you purchase, the more your child will enjoy practicing. A good tone and ease of playing is directly related to the quality of the instrument, and a good quality instrument will help greatly with students’ overall progress.

  2. A cheaper quality instrument is usually set-up incorrectly, and it may go out of tune or break frequently. This will frustrate you and your child, making practicing difficult and success challenging.

  3. A good quality FULL SIZE student instrument will range between $500 - $1,000.

  4. For students who are NOT ready for a full size instrument, please rent until students are ready to move up to a full size. In most companies, you will build equity that can be used towards the purchase of high quality full size instrument when your child is ready.

  5. Please look for these qualities when considering a student instrument:

  6. The top and sides of the instrument should be made of maple and spruce, and should be hand-carved.

  7. All the fittings should be made of ebony. Beware of EBONIZED instruments.

  8. The neck should NOT be varnished (glossy).

  9. The instrument should have standard pegs and set-up. Avoid “Perfection Pegs” on instruments. (Consult your child’s teacher for more information on this).

  10. The instrument should have a standard varnish and color. Brightly colored instruments (i.e. pink, blue, etc.) are intended to “look” cool, but music relies on the quality of the “sound”. A bad sounding instrument will be discouraging for your child no matter what it looks like.

  11. The tailpiece should be constructed from wood (not plastic), and should have removable fine tuners.

  12. Don’t rule out using older instruments from quality dealers. Often, these can work well for student purposes.

  13. You should purchase the instrument in a music store or from a luthier. Purchasing from the internet doesn’t give you the chance to hear or feel the instrument beforehand.

  14. There should be a trial period with a free money-back guarantee policy if you are not satisfied.

  15. Always consult your child’s orchestra teacher with any questions or concerns related to instrument purchase. Parents are strongly encouraged to bring potential instruments in to their child’s orchestra teacher to look over.