Yamaha · Student · YCL-255 · 2012–present
For well over a decade the Yamaha YCL-250 was the de facto standard student clarinet, and in 2012 Yamaha replaced it with the YCL-255. Paul Effman Music, a New York school-band dealer, found the new model almost identical at first glance. The two changes were a bell with no metal ring and an adjustable thumb rest with a loop for a neck strap, which helps small hands hold the weight. Everything else carried over, including a matte ABS resin body made to look like wood grain, nickel-plated keys, a 65 mm barrel based on Yamaha's high-end designs, Valentino synthetic pads that cope with temperature changes better than skin pads, and stainless steel springs. Yamaha says the all-resin bell is lighter and has a resonance chamber that helps the low notes speak in tune. ABS is strong and barely notices humidity, which is why Yamaha sells the 255 on durability and ease of play for beginners. It comes with a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece, ligature and cap. Dawkes Music in the UK says the YCL-250 arrived in the early 2000s and within a few years sold as well as Buffet's B12 there, so a used 250 is the same clarinet a generation older.
This is the safe first clarinet for a child starting school band, and the one many band directors expect to see. The plastic body won't crack from humidity like wood, so spend your attention on the pads, the corks and a bent bridge key.
Build and caseYCL-255
A clarinet marked YCL-255 dates from 2012 or later, when it replaced the YCL-250. A 250 with a metal ring on the bell is the older model, which Dawkes Music dates to the early 2000s.
Students twist the joints together during assembly, which bends the bridge key and the trill keys at the bottom of the upper joint. Tenon corks wear or tear, and pads deform and leak. Yamaha warns that ABS can deform near heat and shouldn't get bore oil.
More on this in our clarinet buying guide.
Buying guide
We'd buy a cased YCL-255 from a US seller, like the one titled with the original case and amazing condition at $445 delivered from a 99.8% seller. There are at least 65 for sale, and the $575–775 delivered band is set by Japan dealers charging up to $253 to ship, while US sellers with good feedback ask $400–515 delivered and new ones ask about $850. None here is titled serviced, so budget for a shop check-up and look at the pads, the cork rings on the joints and the bridge key in the photos. Skip the zero-feedback listings titled just "Yamaha YCL-255 Bb Clarinet". One shows a store screenshot instead of a clarinet, and another shows a bell with a metal ring, which marks the older YCL-250.
$299.99delivered
The lowest delivered YCL-255 here, with the hard case and free shipping from a US seller with 99.9% feedback. It's an auction with 1 bid and days to go, so we'd stop around $445, what a cased US one asks at Buy It Now, and ask whether the mouthpiece and ligature are in the case.
Yamaha YCL-255 Bb Clarinet Student Band Instrument With Hard Case
$346.16est. delivered
Titled with the Yamaha 4C mouthpiece, with the case in the photo, at $346 delivered, well under the Japan-set band. It ships from Canada and the seller only says it seems to be in nice condition, so ask whether it's been played lately.
Yamaha YCL-255 plus Yamaha 4C mouthpiece. SEEMS TO BE IN NICE CONDITION
$445.00est. delivered
For a parent we'd pick this one, titled with the original case and amazing condition, at $445 delivered from a US seller with 99.8% feedback. It isn't titled serviced, so budget for a shop check-up and ask whether the mouthpiece is included.
Yamaha YCL-255 Clarinet with Original Case Standard Bb YCL 255 Amazing Condition
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 12, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 12, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$299.99delivered
$299.99 · free shipping
Auction · 1 bid · ends in 3d 19h
Good buy
Auction with 1 bid. Hard case, free shipping, in the US.
Seller: barbwhyr40
99.9% positive
Used$346.16est. delivered
$304.69 + $41.47 shipping
Buy It Now$304.69
Good buy
Titled with the Yamaha 4C mouthpiece, case in the photo. Ships from Canada.
Seller: sharpclaw.ltd
99.9% positive
Used$445.00est. delivered
$425.00 + $20.00 shipping
Buy It Now$425.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Titled with the original case and amazing condition. In the US.
Seller: rfpawn
99.8% positive
Used$399.99delivered
$399.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$399.99
Our take
Titled with the original case. In the US, free shipping.
Seller: mariospawnshop1978
99.5% positive
Used$619.08est. delivered
$600.00 + $19.08 shipping
Buy It Now$600.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Zero feedback, and the photo is a store screenshot, not the clarinet.
Seller: carmow_3
No feedback yet
Used$641.55est. delivered
$580.00 + $61.55 shipping
Buy It Now$580.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Zero feedback, and the bell in the photo has a metal ring, the mark of a YCL-250.
Seller: mad_8290
No feedback yet
Used$644.06delivered
$644.06 · free shipping
Buy It Now$644.06
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Same photo as another Japan dealer's listing. Ask for your own photos.
Seller: attamaru
99.1% positive
Used$1,263.00est. delivered
$1,010.00 + $253.00 shipping
Buy It Now$1,010.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Priced high
Titled tested and working, but about twice the median with $253 shipping from Japan.
Seller: epinardshop
100% positive
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