Instrument Acquisition Guide

Used Instrument Information

While this is not an exhaustive amount of information you need to know about buying a quality used instrument, we do hope that this will help you make an informed decision.  There are a few basic things we must be aware of when purchasing a used instrument.

1)  Look for quality, name-brand instruments when possible.  This is not important because of the "cool" factor of owning a name-brand instrument, but rather two critical factors.

• Playing quality (sound, response, intonation)

• Repairability

Certain instrument manufacturers have been around since the early 1900s, and have proven over time that their instruments are capable of consistently producing good tone and intonation.  Another thing to note is that many name-brand manufacturers use standardized part sizes.  Having a cheaper new instrument off of Amazon or eBay (think pretty colors and often in the range of 150-200 dollars) will cause headaches when repair time rolls around because most repair shops don't carry replacement parts for them.  Those instruments are also not often built that well to begin with and will usually break within months.

If you have questions about whether an instrument is of good quality, send the listing to Mr. Lee for him to review.  A list of brands that Mr. Lee recommends is at the bottom of the page.

2) Surface scratches and wear are cosmetic problems (less appealing visually but not affecting sound quality), but dents can be much more serious.  The smaller the diameter of the instrument tubing, the more a dent will affect that instrument's sound.  Dents in bells have the smallest effect on sound but still can cause issues.

AUTOMATIC INSTRUMENT DEALBREAKERS: 

• Cracks in woodwind instruments (especially oboes, bassoons, and clarinets)

• "Red Spots" on brass & metal woodwind instruments are indicative of corrosion that is eating through the instrument from the inside.

3)  Try before you buy whenever possible.  If you can, bring an instrument to Mr. Lee or another knowledgeable musician to have a look at it and give their opinion.  Every instrument plays slightly differently, even across the exact same make and model.  If you can find an instrument that responds well to you and that you like the sound of, it can make a world of difference in your musical journey.

List of Trusted Manufacturers

Armstrong (Woodwinds)

Bach (Trumpets and Trombones)

Blessing

Buffet-Crampon

Bundy

Conn

Fox (Oboes and Bassoons)

Gemeinhardt (Flutes)

Holton (Brass Instruments)

Jupiter

King

LeBlanc (Woodwinds)

Meinl Weston (Euphoniums and Tubas)

Mirafone (Euphoniums and Tubas)

Selmer

Yamaha

Trusted Budget Brands

These brands toe the line between the major brand names and the "cheapo-rando" instruments that you would find on eBay and Amazon.  While the instruments are sourced from the same companies as other cheap brands, they are adjusted and quality-controlled before being sent to customers.  Mr. Lee recommends these brands in a pinch due to their good customer support and available repair centers when maintenance is needed.  However, you should still look to buy an instrument from the more established brands above if your budget allows for it.

Jean-Paul (Flutes, Clarinets, Saxophones, Trumpets, Trombones)

Wessex (Horns, Euphoniums, and Tubas)