What kind of clarinet for a beginner?

[itchyandscratchy]

Dd1 (nearly 8) starting clarinet lessons this term and I'm going to buy her a clarinet from ebay. I've noticed though that there seem to be a variety of types (Bb/B12, etc)??

Which to buy?

Can you borrow or hire one to start with ? A good music shop can advise or her teacher.

B flat clarinet is the standard one for classical music.
It's a long time since I learnt so I don't know much about makes etc. Hiring is probably a good idea to start with if poss.

You want a Bb clarinet but if you're daughter's very small of hand she may start on a C clarinet.. Yamaha is a great make, my first was a Yamaha. Some people go for the Buffet B12 but I never liked it. Other popular makes are Jupiter and Schreiber.

As a teacher I wouldn't recommend you buy a clarinet from ebay if she's never played one - the 'feel' of different makes is very different. If you can hire one and she gets along with it then buy the same model off ebay, otherwise go to a good music shop where she can try them all out first and then look on ebay.

Think ahead to if your daughter wants to take clarinet seriously. Once you get used to a particular model she's likely to want to buy in that range again so see what does a decent mid-range model for a reasonable price - Buffet is good for this but they're new range of professional models (if you go that far!) isn't great, Yamaha's mid-range I don't like so much but they're good for progression onto Leblancs.

Talk to the teacher and delay buying if you can but if you're dead set on ebay the Buffet B12 is a very popular make, the Yamaha 250 will take you to Grade 5 or so, the Yamaha 450 will do Grade 6/7 as will the Buffet E11. A Jupiter 631 will do grade 5 at a push but go for a 737 if you can find it. If you link any that you like the look of on here then I can give you a few more pointers.

Hope that helps!

your daughter

their new range

I have no idea what happened to my grammar there!

Try and find a very, very, very quiet one.

Hi I am a clarinet teacher.

Boosey and Hawkes regent/ Yamahas and Buffet Crampon B12 (the make you mention) are good makes if you can find a cheap enough second hand one. I really would be slightly wary of E-Bay- you could probably get a cheapish one but if it's not in great condition you could end up paying loads for a repair. Make sure it's a Bb not an A!

Don't touch Parrot- chinese crap.

However I really would think about hiring one for a while either from a shop or ask your child's school music co-ordinator for any local ed schemes. We have one in Essex

Thanks very much. Really useful info

We were going to hire one but the hire costs were extortionate and would have paid for a second hand instrument within a term. So I figured that one of her own would be better - although I will get her to try some out first. I work in a school and we hire instruments out for older kids so I think I'll see of there are any there she could try out (or even borrow/hire for a while until she's sorted - I'm sure I could get it cheaper than the official service).