At this time of year, many new "band parents" are scrambling
trying to find suitable and affordable band instruments for their children.
I was overwhelmed when my first child entered band and I was left paying
about $40 month rental for her clarinet. (I was not certain that she would
stay in band, so I didn't want to commit to buying an instrument.) She
DID stay in band, and over a three-year period, I paid approximately $1300
for a clarinet (that I now own) I could have bought for approximately
half that price through a mail-order source on the Internet, had I been
aware of such a thing.
I paid approximately $650 for my second daughter's intermediate
wooden clarinet (purchased through mail-order) that I was going to have
to pay $1025 for through a local store. (The older daughter's clarinet
cost even more....because of monthly maintenance fees and "carrying charges.")
My suggestion to frugal parents who are interested in
purchasing a new instrument is to check prices on the Internet before
buying through a local music store. (Some stores will match the mail-order
prices, if you ask.) In my community, students are told to begin on an
intermediate-level clarinet as opposed to the "student" model. There is
no need to do this because the student model is quite acceptable and more
appropriate. Student models are available Internet companies for approximately
$350 including mouthpiece and case.
I would not recommend buying a used instrument from a
private source unless you really know what you are doing. eBay is especially
dangerous and caution is necessary when purchasing a used instrument "sight-unseen".
If you don't know what you are buying from someone who does not know what
they are selling, its just asking for trouble. For
those who are interested in buying "used" instruments, close contact with
someone who knows about instrument is advisable.
