What type of clarinet should I buy my 9 year old son?

Question

There are many different types (alto, bass, soprano, etc.) of clarinets and clarinets made from different materials, plus different manufacturers.....so I'm overwhelmed as to which I should get for my 9 year old son who wants to play the clarinet. I can't afford an expensive one (more than $200), so what should I get him? I realize he may only play it for a year and possibly get bored with it, but I can always resell it later on. I also don't want him to have one that's cheaply made and sounds crappy. Any help or advice will be appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

For a brand I would say a yamaha. They are realitively and good for beginners. there is also one at wal-mart that is decent for I think $150. not a very clarinet but it will be great for your son. Go with a Bb I recomned.Good luck!!

Answer 2

OK... first off, the standard clarinet that schools (and private teachers) begin students on is the Bb clarinet.  

If your son continues to play through the years, he will be introduced to the Bass, Eb soprano, and maybe Eb Alto and the "A clarinet" in junior or senior high (and maybe not even until college!).  The Bb is the standard clarinet, and once the embouchure (mouth position) and fingerings are learned, THEN they can move to one of the others.

As far as models go... always ALWAYS go for a name brand!  They are not always more expensive, but they are companies that are known for quality, craftsmanship, and knowledge.  A couple other posters said something about instruments from Sears, Walmart, Target, CostCo, etc... do NOT buy these horns.  Yes, they are about $150 or less... but the quality of materials and craftsmanship is SADLY lacking!  Usually these are POORLY made instruments (an understatement), will break upon opening the box, and are more expensive to repair than to buy a new one.

A sub-par instrument will make it frustrating for your son... he will never know if he is doing things right or wrong, and will have no basis from which to say "Oh... it's not MY fault... it's the horn."  He will get mad at his progress, be discouraged, and quit before he even has a chance!  

The name brands for beginners to look for are Selmer (sister companies that are good are Bundy and Armstrong), LeBlanc (or Vito), Yamaha, and Buffet.  Buffet also makes the most popular professional model (the R-13) and is WELL known and respected... but not neccesary for a beginner.

The beginner models for all of these brands are comparable in price and materials.  You can find a reliable, name brand for about $200, and many come in beginner packs (which include the accessories like cork grease, swabs, a book, a music stand, etc...), although reeds are usually seperate.

Beginner models are all made of plastic (also known as resin, ABS, Resonite, or Rosinite, depending on the brand).  The more advanced models are made of rare hardwoods such as Grenadilla or Rosewood... they are more expensive (we're talking $2K and up) and have a better tone, but are not good for beginners as they require more upkeep and are more susceptible to damage from the elements.

You can check online for some cheap models... I believe there are currently some Selmers on eBay starting as low as $20... but you will have to take it to your local music store to make sure it is in good working order (Craigslist, too).  If you have to have all the pads and cork replaced, it will cost roughly $100-$200, but you can find good deals online.  The same applies to pawn shops, but you should COUNT ON having the clarinet overhauled.

I would reccommend going to either http://www.wwbw.com or http://musiciansfriend.com.  Both of these sites are well known by musicians, have awesome warrenties and return policies, financing options, and a real-life WORKING customer service number... they also offer free shipping on most purchases (don't forget reeds, cork grease, and a swab!).

If you go through your local music store, try to find the one that works with your son's school... many times you can get free or discounted maintenance (which you WILL need at some point), and loaners if the instrument has to sit in the shop for any amount of time.  They may also offer financing or rent-to-own options.  The biggest benefit to going to your local music store is that they will also be able to reccommend the apropriate reeds and show your son how to put them on, put the instrument together, and proper care, etc.  They may also have deals on lessons.

On a personal note, no matter what kind of clarinet your son gets, he will sound crappy to begin with! LOL  All of us started somewhere, and our parents suffered lovingly for our art!  Don't expect to be able to recoup all of your money if he gets bored with it and you try to sell it... beginning instruments are cheap to start with and they are a dime a dozen.  However, if he sticks with it, a good student model (beginner model) should last him for about the first 5 years, and even through  high school he could use it for marching band.

Anyways, I hope this gave you a good starting point, and if you have any questions, please feel free to email me!

Good luck! :)

PS- No need to spend a ton on reeds at first either... your son will go through these guys like water for the first year... buy him the cheapies like Rico strength 2 or 2.5.  As he progresses, he should move to a better quality cane (different brand), and then to a harder strength, but to start, no need to spend a small fortune! :)

Answer 3

First; never ever buy an instrument from wal mart, sears, or any other department store, they are toys at best-poorly made out of tune garbage!

For beginners purchase a standard Bb (B FLAT) clarinet from a reputable music store.

brands that are acceptable include;

selmer, yamaha, leblanc, buffet, vito

can't afford much?

most music stores have a low commitment rent to own policy. you could pay as little as $20.00 a month to lease a good quality instrument.

not sure?

find a way to speak with his music teacher.

pawn shops?;

yes you can get a good deal if you are an educated consumer. I assume from this posted question that you know very little about clarinets-therefore i suggest you take a knowledgable clarinetist with you if you even think of buying from a pawn shop, that way they could inspect the instrument for you & tell you if it is damaged, needs pads or corks, is missing other items etc.

good online resource; wwbw.com

a good quality plastic or resonite clarinet is all a 9 year old really needs.

good luck!

Answer 4

I found a very nice clarinet for about $100 on Amazon.  It's synthetic, not wood, has a good sound, and should be a great starter.  It was for my son's music class in school, but I play it myself, too (a bit!).

I don't remember the name of the store, but it is large and reputable, and I've bought a couple other instruments from them.

Answer 5

I would get him a standard B Flat clarinet (similar to this link from Sears).

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605...

You shouldn't have to spend more than $200 to get him a good clainet for a beginner.

Answer 6

At his age, put an ad in your local paper's classifieds and see what turns up.  You could also try the PAWN SHOPS... sometimes they are a good source for cheap musical instruments in GOOD condition... (most are just junk).

Whatever you do... don't spend a lot of money for a 9 year old who THINKS he wants to play clarinet.  An "El Cheapo" Horner is just as good to learn fingering on as the $2000 concert model you are going to buy for him as a present when he get's the music scholarship to a good University.