Beginner Clarinet Buying Guide for School Band

Part of our school band buying guides.

Start with the band director's list

Read the instrument letter from school before you buy. The director teaches a room of beginners at once, so the list usually spells out the features that make every clarinet in the room behave the same way: a B-flat soprano clarinet, the Boehm key system, a plastic body. Match those, add the reeds and supplies the letter asks for, and your child is ready for the first rehearsal. If anything on the list is unclear, this guide explains each term.

Why a B-flat clarinet, and why plastic

The B-flat (Bb) clarinet is the one every beginner starts on; beginner band books such as Essential Elements have a "B♭ Clarinet" edition. The bigger alto and bass clarinets come later, if the director needs them.

Next, the material. Professional clarinets are made of grenadilla, a dense African wood. Student clarinets are made of ABS resin, a tough plastic (sometimes sold as "composite" or "Resonite"). Start on plastic, for three reasons.

• Wood can crack. Clarinetist Jenny Maclay puts it simply: "Cold wood + warm air = cracking." A wood clarinet carried from a cold bus into a warm classroom and played right away is at risk. Plastic doesn't care.
• Cost. Maclay says plastic clarinets generally cost under $500. Wood costs more, and so does fixing a crack: Saxquest, a repair shop, charges $100 to band one.
• Marching and pep band. Second Wind Music, a repair shop, says plastic holds up well to temperature and humidity, which makes it a great choice for marching and pep band.

Maclay suggests moving to wood between middle school and high school, or when a teacher recommends it. Until then, a good plastic clarinet does the whole job.

What "Boehm system" means

"Boehm system" is the name of the key layout. The standard Boehm clarinet has 17 keys and 6 rings, according to Thomann's clarinet guide. The other layout, the German (Oehler) system, is used mainly in German-speaking countries. In the US, Boehm is what every teacher expects. If a listing says "17 keys, 6 rings, Boehm," it's right, and every clarinet we sell says exactly that.

Our clarinets compared

Features come from each listing and Stagg's descriptions. Prices are our current prices.

What a clarinet costs, in context

For comparison, name-brand student clarinets such as the Yamaha YCL-255 and the Jupiter JCL-700N sold for about $880 to $1,430 new on Sept 28. They are ABS plastic too. The Stagg WS-CL210S, with the same Boehm layout and 17 keys and 6 rings, is $266.99. That difference can cover years of reeds, a mouthpiece upgrade and a hard case, with money left over.

The five parts, and how to put them together

A clarinet comes apart into five pieces. From top to bottom, the Howard County (Maryland) school district's care sheet lists them:

• Mouthpiece: the black beak the reed clamps onto.
• Barrel: a short piece; pulling it out a little lowers the pitch.
• Upper joint: the section for the left hand.
• Lower joint: the section for the right hand, with the thumb rest underneath.
• Bell: the flared end.

The joints slide together on tenon corks (thin cork rings on each end). The district's sheet says to keep fingers off the rods and push with a gentle twist.

The one thing to teach your child on day one is the bridge key. It's the small key that links the upper and lower joints. Press down the rings on the upper joint and the bridge key lifts out of the way. Forget, and it gets bent. Shawn Royer, a clarinet professor who worked in a repair shop, says the shop owner found bent bridge keys were the most common clarinet repair he did.

Small hands and open holes

A flute or sax covers every hole with a key. A clarinet doesn't. Several holes are open holes that the fingertip itself has to seal, like on a recorder. If a finger is a millimeter off, air leaks and the note squeaks or won't sound.

Writing for Yamaha, Shawn Goodman-Royer names the biggest open hole, under the right-hand ring finger. Not sealing it, he says, is "the most common issue for small-fingered students." His fix: curve the hand like holding a burger, but keep the fingertips flat, so the soft pads of the fingers cover the holes. If your child squeaks on low notes, check that finger first.

Reeds: strength, cost, and why they squeak

The reed is a thin strip of cane that vibrates against the mouthpiece. It makes the sound, it wears out, and it is numbered by stiffness.

• Strength: start on a 2 or 2.5. B Amazing Music's guide for band parents recommends 2.0 to 2.5, because softer reeds respond more easily while the lip muscles are still weak.
• Cost: Voigt Music Center sells a box of 10 Rico clarinet reeds in strength 2.5 for $24.99. We sell Rico's 3-pack of clarinet reeds in strength 2.5 ($4.95), and a box of 10 Vandoren 2.5 reeds ($19.95)Sold out.
• How many: the same guide suggests keeping 3 or 4 reeds in rotation, switching daily, and expecting about 2 to 3 weeks of regular beginner use. Our rough guess for a year: a box of 10 every two or three months, so $100 to $150.
• Why a chipped reed squeaks: the tip is paper-thin. B Amazing Music lists a chipped reed among the top causes of squeaks, and says to replace any reed that is chipped or warped. Hold the tip up to a light; if there's a nick, swap in a fresh one.

The mouthpiece: a small upgrade for later

The mouthpiece in the box gets a beginner started. As the sound develops, many players move to a new one. DANSR, the US distributor of Vandoren, says "most students will grow out of their stock mouthpieces within the first six months."

The upgrade is inexpensive. Summerhays Music asked about 200 band directors which beginner mouthpiece they like. Over 65% named the Clark Fobes Debut, which Schmitt Music sells for $32.99. Ask the director first; some have a favorite.

The ligature is the metal clamp that holds the reed on. Keep it straight and make sure both screws turn. Tighten it snug, not hard.

What should come with it

• Mouthpiece, ligature and cap (the cap protects the reed tip).
• Reeds, ideally two or three, in a reed guard.
• A swab: a cloth on a weighted string.
• Cork grease: a small tube for the tenon corks when the joints get stiff. Lauren Cork Grease is $4.95.

Worth adding: pad cleaning paper ($3.95) for sticky keys, a clarinet stand ($14.95) so it never lies on a chair, and a folding music stand ($29.95) for home practice. For a crowded bus, we sell a Stagg molded ABS clarinet case ($94.99) and an MBT padded clarinet case ($91.99) with a shoulder strap.

For more on picking an affordable instrument with confidence, see How to Choose an Affordable Band Instrument That Plays Great.

Rent or buy? The clarinet numbers

• Beacock Music rents clarinets for $19.99 to $39.99 a month.
• RentMyInstrument rents a used Jupiter student clarinet for $35 a month plus $7 for maintenance. You own it after 36 payments: about $1,512 in all.

Typically, a school year of renting (9 to 12 months) costs about $180 to $500. The Stagg WS-CL210S, at $266.99, costs about what 7 to 13 months of rent at Beacock's rates does, and after that it's simply yours: no more monthly payments, and it's ready for a younger sibling when the time comes.

Owning makes the most sense when your child is excited to start, you'd rather not have a bill every month, or a brother or sister will play next.

Daily care and yearly service

• Swab after each and every use. Take off the mouthpiece, drop the swab through the bell and pull it through. Howard County's care sheet gives exactly this rule. Never wash the body in water; it damages the pads.
• Wash the mouthpiece weekly with dish soap, warm water and a small brush.
• Grease the corks when the joints get stiff, not every day.

What service costs: Ward-Brodt Music charges $75 to adjust a clarinet without new pads, $23 to $35 per tenon cork, and $425 for a full repad. Matt's Woodwind Shop charges $225 for a clean, oil and adjust on a plastic clarinet and $350 to repad one. Saxquest charges $350 to overhaul a plastic student clarinet. Budget typically $75 to $225 for a yearly checkup. A full repad (typically $350 to $425) shouldn't be needed early if the clarinet is swabbed.

Quick checks: is it playing well?

Any clarinet, new or years old, benefits from a quick look now and then. Here is what to check.

• Pads seal. Low notes should come out clear. If they turn thin or fuzzy, a pad may not be sealing. Music & Arts says a pad that looks "old, discolored, or tattered" is probably leaking.
• Keys spring back. Every key should snap back when released. A sticky one often just needs pad cleaning paper.
• Keys are straight. Music & Arts notes a bent key can hit other keys and make noise. Check the bridge key first.
• Joints fit snugly. A joint that wobbles usually means the tenon cork needs grease, or in time a new cork.

The easiest check is free: ask the band director to try it in the first week.

Four mistakes to avoid

• Buying wood for a beginner. Plastic first; wood in high school.
• Reeds that are too hard. Stay on 2 or 2.5 until the teacher says otherwise.
• Forcing the joints together. Lift the bridge key and twist gently.
• Skipping the swab. Moisture left inside is hard on pads. Swab after every practice.

Common questions

What age can a child start clarinet?

Most school programs start in grades 4 to 6. The main hurdle is fingers big enough to seal the open holes.

Should I upgrade the mouthpiece right away?

Ask the director. Many start with the one in the box and upgrade within the first year.

What else do I need besides the clarinet?

With the Stagg WS-CL210S, add a pack of strength 2 or 2.5 reeds and a tube of cork grease. A clarinet stand and a music stand for home practice are nice extras.