Buying guides
Read one of these before you buy. They cover buying a first instrument for a child starting band, checking a used trumpet, trombone or saxophone, choosing a clarinet and a flute, and when a step-up trumpet is worth it. Buying for a beginner? Start with the first instrument guide.
Buying your child's first band instrument used
How to buy a used first band instrument for a child starting school band, with what to ask the director, which brands to trust and how to read a listing.
Read the guide →What changes from a student trumpet to a pro horn
What changes from a student trumpet like the YTR-2330 to a step-up YTR-4335 and a pro Bach 180S37 or Yamaha Xeno, and what to check when buying each used.
Read the guide →How to check a used trumpet or trombone
What to look for in listing photos and on arrival when buying a used trumpet or trombone: red rot, dents, slides, valves, corks, lacquer and school horns.
Read the guide →Used student saxophone checklist: what to check in the photos and on arrival
How to check a used student or step-up sax from the photos and on arrival: pads, leaks, dents, the neck, corks, finish, what's in the case, alto vs tenor.
Read the guide →Wood or plastic clarinet: what to buy a beginner and a step-up player
Plastic or grenadilla for a first clarinet and a step-up, how wood cracks and how to prevent it, pinned cracks, and what to check on any used clarinet.
Read the guide →Flute options explained: holes, foot joints, G keys and headjoints
Closed or open holes, C or B foot, offset or inline G, split E and silver headjoints explained, plus what to check on a used student or step-up flute.
Read the guide →