As a parent of a new band instrument student, you may have some questions about purchasing versus renting an instrument. Perhaps you have seen instruments available at stores such as Costco or Wal-Mart. You may have checked internet instrument sale sites to see if any instruments might be available. When choosing an instrument for your child, please select a quality instrument in order to ensure that your child will have a successful beginning experience. Please look for the following when choosing an instrument:
1. Brass instruments should be gold or silver in color. (For example, trumpets should not be blue.)
2. For flutes and saxophones, the keys should be the same color as the body of the instrument.
3. Clarinets should be black in color and should have metal rings around the instrument that are
silver in color.
Brands to choose:
Yamaha
King
Conn
Armstrong
Gemeinhardt
Buffet
Selmer
Olds
Bach
Holton
Please avoid these characteristics when choosing an instrument:
1. “Colorful” instruments i.e. pink, blue, green, black.
2. Internet instruments where the shipping charges exceed the costs of the inst. Also, be very
careful - not all internet instruments come with a warranty if something breaks.
3. Instruments that include gloves.
Brands to Avoid:
1. Anything sold by Costco or Wal-Mart.
2. Vito, Mendini, Jean-Baptiste, Cecilio, P-Bone, P-Trumpet, Borg, Benjamin Adams, Windsor.
These brands are not easily repaired, so damages to the instrument will likely mean that the instrument will need to be replaced.
A word to the wise: You can find some great deals on yard sale sites, Facebook, etc,...this can be risky if you do not know what to look for. Be very careful that you do not buy an instrument that needs more work than what you paid for the instrument. Your child’s band instrument teacher will be happy to help you find a quality instrument.
Please contact your child’s instrument teacher by e-mail for help.