Instrument advice


redkneck

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Guest TennesseeTurkey

Back when I was in the 6th grade and we were having to buy instruments for band our band teacher had a rep from a instrument store in tupelo come in and help people out. I was lucky and played the Tuba and only had to buy the mouthpeice ($50) and the school supplied the instrument.... Best advice I can give is dont go out and buy sears and roebuck type brand instruments, you need to get a yamaha brand or the like..... most of the time you can get most of your money back out of an instrument as long as its well taken care of.... If you want them to be good and have a chance to get better dont skimp on quality...

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Guest TennesseeTurkey
Thanks Will. I wasn't going to get a Chinese instrument or anything, but I know a folks around that have instruments from when their kids played a few years ago and was wondering what could go wrong with them as far as tuning.

if you have a band director worth anything at their school they should be able to teach them basic maintenance on their instrument, such as not getting a woodwind wet.... ever...or how to keep the slides greased on brass instruments... I was a music major becoming a band director before I quit college.....

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Yeah definitely don't buy a cheap one, get the good ones. I know you always buy the good ones John since you drive Chevy and BMW. :p:D There's not much tuning in brass and woodwinds. If it were me and I was buying a used trumpet or clarinet I'd get a new mouthpiece for it. I know they sterilize them, but still. With the clarinets you'll have to buy reeds for them. Don't think either of these instruments require too much maintenance. I forget if the 3 valves have to be oiled on a trumpet or not. I played trombone in highschool. The only thing I had to do was oil the slides.

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Yeah, I'm with you on the new mouthpiece for sure Shaun. So.... when I see a good lookin trumpet (same model the band director recommends) on ebay for a quarter of the cost I shouldn't worry about having to dump 500 bucks into new valves or something in case the seller never maintained it?

Is there anything to even tune on a clarinet? I know all the keys have to be oiled and the seals good but that's it right?

I'm not that cheap, but these two would set me back over 2 grand. If they want to stick with it, I'll buy whatever they want in a year or two, I just can't see it right now.

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Guest TennesseeTurkey
Yeah, I'm with you on the new mouthpiece for sure Shaun. So.... when I see a good lookin trumpet (same model the band director recommends) on ebay for a quarter of the cost I shouldn't worry about having to dump 500 bucks into new valves or something in case the seller never maintained it?

Is there anything to even tune on a clarinet? I know all the keys have to be oiled and the seals good but that's it right?

I'm not that cheap, but these two would set me back over 2 grand. If they want to stick with it, I'll buy whatever they want in a year or two, I just can't see it right now.

Most often if valves on brass instruments are seized up they can be fixed cheaply, you shouldnt have to replace parts if they are stuck, as far as the clarinet goes yes clarinets do have to be tuned and woodwinds are the harder of nstruments to tune.... Im fairly certain you dont oil them either but you do replace the cork under the keys after so long...

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My wife was a music major and played first chair trumpet all the way through high school. As for trumpets, I'd ask the music director if he/she has one laying around. Trumpets are a dime a dozen, you should be able to get one cheap.

You could also go the rental route, just don't tie yourself into a long term contract.

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