Buying a clarinet for beginners can be an exciting yet challenging task. It would be best to choose a clarinet with limited knowledge and utterly unaware of aspects to consider while choosing one. It was quite a rough journey for me when I was looking to purchase a beginner clarinet.
Purchasing a clarinet is cost-effective. The moment you own a clarinet is priceless. But, what goes behind is often missed out by beginners. After years of guiding beginners in purchasing the best beginner clarinet, I have drafted this article as a detailed guide including the best products and features.
Top 7 Best Beginner Clarinets For Your Budget
1. Mendini by Cecillio Bb Clarinet – Best Budget Clarinet
Are you looking to buy a beginner clarinet from a standard, trustworthy brand? Mendini by Cecilio is the solution. The Bb clarinet from Mendini by Cecilio comes as a package including a pocketbook, case, cleaning cloth, cork grease, stand, ten reeds, and mouthpiece.
Whether you are pursuing clarinet as a hobby or a career, this Bb clarinet can excite you with its durable nickel-plated keys, lightweight, and great sound. The clarinet is known for its versatility. Perhaps, this product proves its versatility and costs $99.99. This Mendini by Cecilio Bb clarinet is also the perfect beginner clarinet and is popular among beginners.
Mendini by Cecillio Bb Clarinet
2. Eastar ECL-300 B Flat Clarinet – Best Beginner Clarinet For Sound
Eastar B Flat Clarinet has two styles – commander and student. There’s a difference of $100 between the two, but you need to go with the student-style beginner clarinet that has nickel keys and flat style as a beginner. Costing as low as $80, Eastar ECL-300 produces rich sound, made of high-quality ABS bakelite, double sheep casings, and two mouthpiece connectors.
I call it an excellent and cost-effective product as it comes as a package including 2 barrels, four mouthpiece connectors, a nylon hard case, cloth, three reeds, a cleaning kit, and nickel-plated keys. It has won the trust of many beginner clarinet players and teachers, especially for its extraordinary design and rich sound.
Whether you are looking to purchase a clarinet for a child or an adult, this clarinet comes with Boehm 17 key system, making it easier to play and use for long.
Eastar ECL-300 B Flat Clarinet
3. Jean-Paul USA CL-300 Student Clarinet – Best Beginner Clarinet All-Rounder
Jean-Paul USA CL-300 student clarinet tops the list on multiple aspects when you talk of beginner clarinets. Weighing 3.95 pounds and made of nickel, this clarinet is made exclusively for students. It tops on many aspects, including standard design, quality, weight, cost, and usability.
The first reason to suggest this student clarinet is that it is made of ebonite. When you buy a clarinet for kids, you need to ensure that the material is durable. As kids are prone to breaking the instrument or playing with it, the fragility of the material can be a bottleneck. Remember that this is heavier than a flute.
The second reason is that the CL-300 student clarinet contains a range of ideal accessories for beginners. The package includes a cleaning cloth, carrying case, cork grease, Rico reeds, and gloves.
The third reason is that the Jean-Paul brand has a clarinet made for every level of learning. Containing a cylindrical bore, this student clarinet allows you to play a wide range of tones. Nevertheless, you can use the same instrument to play some intermediate songs.
Jean-Paul USA CL-300 Student Clarinet
4. EASTROCK Clarinet Bb Flat 17 Nickel Keys Beginner Student Clarinet – Best Beginner Clarinet For Features
Are you looking for a responsive, distinctive sound from a durable clarinet? Eastrock Clarinet Bb Flat Beginner Student Clarinet boasts sturdy construction and projects a versatile design. When you look at how the instrument is made, you can notice the matte finish surface and nickel-plated keys. A memory needle within the instrument promotes excellent elasticity and allows better usability among students, including kids.
At a slightly higher price of $139.99, Eastrock provides several accessories, including a clarinet stand, wooden case, screwdriver, gloves, cleaning cloth, cork joint lubricant, and shoulder strap. A striking feature of this instrument is the bell mouthpiece. It is well-polished and makes it easier to produce a whole tone with minimal effort.
Another attractive feature of this clarinet is the latest hole-opening technology. This technology promotes stability and enhances tone quality with responsiveness, flexible buttons, and pitch management. It is hard to find a clarinet that outranks these features.
EASTROCK Clarinet Bb Flat 17 Nickel Keys Beginner Student Clarinet
5. Rochix Clarinet Beginner Student Level – Best Beginner Clarinet For Uniqueness
It can be less attractive when all students in the clarinet class own instruments from the same brand. If you are looking for a unique beginner clarinet, the Rochix Clarinet Beginner Student level is for you. The instrument in yellow costs $119.99 and is worth it.
Three things attracted me as a professional clarinet player.
– The woodwind instrument contains a double adjusting pipe meant to add smoothness and versatility to the sound. You will never get stuck while playing the instrument.
– The bell socket in this student-level clarinet is made of an alloy that extends the life and improves control over the instrument.
– The instrument comes as a complete package containing a pair of gloves, a cleaning cloth, a case, a thumb rest, five reeds, a swab, a screwdriver, and eight mouthpiece cushions. All of these can help you with repairing and maintaining the instrument.
There are 17 nickel-plated keys, and the brand also produces clarinets in about nine colors. What’s your favorite color? You can find a clarinet in the same color in the range.
While it does look like a toy instrument, you can enjoy the artistry and great tone as you begin using it. You also get a portable backpack to carry the instrument wherever you go.
It is a great product not to be missed.
6. Yamaha YCL-255 Standard Bb Clarinet – Best Standard Beginner Clarinet
When you think of buying an instrument, Yamaha will probably be on the list of desirable brands. Yamaha has constantly been producing excellent quality instruments. Yamaha YCL-255 Standard Bb Clarinet is proof of this statement. Made of nickel and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, the beginner clarinet from Yamaha contains a 65mm barrel and an adjustable thumb rest. The CL-4C mouthpiece that is sent with this instrument has an excellent quality. Perhaps, it improves the playing technique.
Another exciting feature of this instrument is the extraordinary durability due to strong screws in addition to silver soldered rings. What I like more about this beginner clarinet is that you get access to many resources as soon as you purchase and register on the Yamaha website. As a result, you can master this instrument and also play intermediate songs/tunes with the same instrument. Isn’t that a gamechanger?
Yamaha YCL-255 Standard Bb Clarinet Bb Clarinet
7. Jupiter JCL700NA Student Bb Clarinet – Best Lightweight, Minimal Beginner Clarinet
Are you looking for a lightweight clarinet for your students or yourself? Jupiter JCL700NA weighs 1 kilogram and is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Despite these aspects, it produces a fascinating tone quality from the durable wood body.
Made of ABS Resin, the clarinet also contains nickel-plated nickel-silver keys. What I like about this instrument is the offset trill keys in it. These keys eliminate moisture and make it smoother to play. There’s no reason you can dislike playing this instrument. It is well-crafted for beginners and is not overloaded with unnecessary features that beginners may probably not use.
Jupiter JCL700NA Student Bb Clarinet
How To Choose A beginner Clarinet?
Choosing the wrong clarinet as a beginner can lower your motivation and affect the quality of music. A quality clarinet contains a wooden bore, cork joints, a keypad covering holes, and a quality bell.
According to Schmitt Music, you need to look at factors like materials, keywork, tone hole spacing, and sealing pads when choosing the clarinet.
According to Spinditty, every connecting joint in the clarinet should be covered with cork, and keys should also be covered appropriately. These approaches help minimize repairs and wear and tear at an early stage.
Here are some more tips for choosing a quality clarinet.
– The body of the clarinet should be made of wood. If it is made of plastic, remember that it is ideal for a short span.
– The keys in a clarinet are usually made of silver or nickel. However, it is better to go with nickel as it extends the life span.
– The ligature of the clarinet should promote the free and flexible vibration of reeds.
– Check if the instrument has a new barrel as it can produce a better tone.
– Purchase a clarinet that has smaller bore clarinets. This type of clarinet is ideal for beginners.
– Beginners widely use the Bb clarinet due to its ease.
This is an essential checklist to keep with you when purchasing a beginner woodwind instrument to start your clarinet journey.
Is The Clarinet A Good Beginner Instrument?
The clarinet is the perfect choice for a beginner instrument. It is cost-effective, versatile, and relatively easy to learn compared to other instruments.
London Music Co highlights that the clarinet serves as a starting point if someone wants to learn an instrument. However, it is not possible to master it in a short span. It has an impressive and expressive tone that needs regular practice.
If you plan to practice the instrument regularly, you can quickly get through the journey and move to the intermediate stage in less than a year. The clarinet is also considered affordable for beginners as it supports several genres and a wide pitch with the same instrument. You should be glad about all these benefits at a handy price.
How Much Does a good beginner clarinet cost?
A good beginner clarinet can cost between $80 and $1100 based on the features, make, brand, and quality. Intermediate and expert clarinets can cost above $1500.
The cost of a good beginner clarinet is based on material, brand, condition, design, added services, and mouthpiece. Brands like Yamaha offer extensive services for repairs and customizations with supporting guides to enhance overall customer satisfaction.
The majority of clarinets suggested in this article fall within $200. If you have a $500 or above budget, you can go for more customizations.
Conclusion
With this detailed guide, buying a beginner clarinet is no longer a daunting task. In addition to several product suggestions, we have also presented a checklist to let you purchase that PERFECT clarinet.
Do not rush up in purchasing a clarinet, as you can more likely compromise on quality and other features. Compare products, take suggestions from friends and instructor, and then go with the clarinet made for you!