WAIT! If you don’t want to get cheated out of hundreds of dollars, read this first!
Two things are true: Instruments are expensive AND Lots of kids need them for the band classes. The combination of those two things means there’s a BIG opportunity for less-than-reputable people to try to make money off well-meaning parents who are understandably trying to protect their wallet. They create super cheap “Instrument Shaped Objects” (ISO’s) and try to pass them off as quality instruments, and sell them for half the price. They look shiny and wonderful in the pictures, they might even look great in person. Sometimes they even come in fun colors! But it’s “fools gold.” I promise.
What’s wrong with making a cheaper instrument? Well…it isn’t that simple. Here’s the issues
- They’re made out of extremely cheap material, so they break constantly. Often the metal used is a soft knock-off alloy that will bend out of shape at the slightest pressure. The plastic will chip and shatter. The small things like springs and guide brackets will just shear off. Your child will spend far less time actually getting to play music than sitting there waiting for their instrument to get fixed.
- Most of the time, repair shops won’t/can’t fix them. They break so much that it’s not worth it for them to guarantee their repairs. Usually the parts aren’t even available. And sometimes they’re just not repairable at all, even if the shop is willing to try.
- They sound bad. No joke. Even professional musicians would struggle to make these sound good, let alone beginners. Even with a great instrument, the #1 reason kids quit playing an instrument is because it’s “too hard” and “they sound bad.” If the instrument they’re playing is too poorly made, they don’t even have a chance to sound good. It’s awful to watch your child to work and practice so hard…for so many hours…only to continue sounding like a duck with a stuffy nose because the “instrument” they’re playing is an ISO.
How to spot an ISO
Price is the #1 give-away
“If it seems too good, to be true it probably is.” Is it possible you found a super good deal on a real instrument? Yes….but you probably didn’t. You will never find a NEW instrument for a crazy low price unless it’s an ISO. You might find a used one, but typically if someone is selling a used instrument, they know what they have and won’t underprice it. Here’s a list of the MINIMUM you should expect to pay for a decent instrument. If it’s less than this…it’s probably an ISO:
Flutes – $200-$400 used. $800-$1000 new.
Clarinets – $200-$400 used. $800-$1200 new.
Alto Sax – $600-$800 used. $2000-$2400 new.
Trumpet – $200-$400 used. $1000-$1500 new.
Trombone – $300-$600 used. $1000-$1500 new.
Brand names
This isn’t a full-proof method. There are now some “knock off” companies that are putting out terrible products and labelling them with brand names of good instruments. Typically those companies are based out of countries that don’t enforce trademark laws, so they can get away with it. HOWEVER. Generally speaking the following are reputable brand names. If it’s a NEW instrument from one of these companies, it’s probably good:
Yamaha, Bach, Giardielli, Jupiter, King, Eastman, Blessing, Selmer, Armstrong, Buffet
That’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start. That said, different brands hold up to wear-and-tear differently. So if you’re looking at a used instrument, they’re not all made equal. For instance, a used Bach trumpet is probably still great, but a used Buffet clarinet might be terrible. Which brings us to the BEST way to tell the difference:
They are experts. They see these instruments every day and work with them day-in-day-out. They know what’s good and what isn’t. They can usually tell just by looking at the listing. So before you buy anything, email them and send them the link to let them evaluate it! If you don’t know their direct email, you can use our contact page and we’ll make sure that it gets to the right place.
Bottom line
If you’re looking to save money, the best way to do so is a “rent to own” program offered by many music stores. Your child will get to play on a brand new high quality instrument. If they decide they don’t like it and quit? It won’t be because they were playing on a terrible instrument…but it also won’t cost you $1000 to find out.
If you want to buy an instrument, that’s fantastic! There’s nothing quite as exciting for a young band member than having their own new instrument! But it’s not going to save you money over renting. If you find a product that looks like it will, it’s probably an ISO.