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Do you want an easy way to order a good clarinet without driving to a music store? Consider this best clarinet on Amazon guide to learn if the website has what you need.
Amazon may not be a specialty music store, but it does have a good selection of instruments and accessories. Read on to learn which clarinets to try from Amazon.
If you’ve ever shopped for some clarinet reeds on Amazon, you may have seen the site recommend clarinets to you. But can you really trust the clarinets you find there?
Fortunately, there are some good clarinet models available on the site. As long as you know what brands and models to look for, you can find some of the best clarinets on Amazon.
I looked for clarinets from well-known brands as well as at different price points. While most of the models I found are Bb clarinets, I made sure to include an Eb clarinet and a bass clarinet to round out the selection.
Give the following clarinets a try to see if they fit your needs.
Jean Paul USA CL-300
The Jean Paul USA CL-300 is an excellent student model clarinet. It uses ebonite for the body, so you don’t have to worry about protecting wood as you learn to play.
You can get a focused, clear sound on the instrument, which can help motivate you to practice and improve. Plus, you get a good mouthpiece and reed to start, so you don’t need to shop for accessories immediately.
Everything comes in a durable case that you can use to transport or store the instrument. Compared to other models, this one is quite affordable, so it’s great if you have a small budget.
Pros
- Easy to play
- Durable
- Comes with accessories
- Great for beginners
- Affordable
Cons
- Quality control issues
Jean Paul USA CL-400
An intermediate model, the Jean Paul USA CL-400, is very similar to the brand’s other clarinet. This instrument features ABS resin, which is a very common body material among student models.
It comes with a mouthpiece, reed, and cleaning supplies to help you play and keep the clarinet in playing shape. I don’t know what the company means by “bari mouthpiece” and if it will even fit the clarinet.
Bari saxophones are much larger, so you may need to get a new mouthpiece for this instrument. Still, it’s not nearly as expensive as clarinets from other brands.
Pros
- Good for advancing students
- Comes with accessories
- Easy to play
- Looks and sounds good
- Affordable
Cons
- The mouthpiece may not fit
Jupiter JCL700NA
The Jupiter JCL700NA is perfect for students who need an instrument that will last a while. Like the second Jean Paul USA model, this one uses ABS resin for the body.
That makes it durable, and you can play it in extreme temperatures without worrying about wood cracking. Plus, it sounds great, so people may not know it’s not wood.
This clarinet even uses the traditional French design that offsets the trill keys to keep moisture from building up. Then, you can focus on getting a good sound rather than swabbing out your instrument all of the time.
Pros
- Durable
- Easy to play
- Good sound
- Affordable
- Great design
Cons
- Not for advanced players
Yamaha YCL-255
If you’ve played another instrument from Yamaha, you’ll love the Yamaha YCL-255. This student clarinet’s body uses ABS resin to make the instrument durable and suitable for inside and outside.
You can adjust the thumb rest to make holding the clarinet more comfortable. And the strap ring lets you connect a neck strap to take more weight off your right thumb.
This model is great for beginners and players needing an upgrade from a cheaper clarinet. It’s also useful for casual players who may not want to spend more but still need a good quality instrument.
Pros
- Easy to play
- Durable
- Sounds great
- Good for a variety of players
- Affordable
Cons
- Not ideal for professionals
Yamaha YCL-450
The first wood model on this list, the Yamaha YCL-450, is an excellent upgrade from any beginner model. It uses grenadilla wood, which is the standard wood for clarinets.
You’ll also receive a mouthpiece and ligature, so all you need to play is a reed. However, you do need to be very careful to keep the wood from cracking when the clarinet goes from a hot environment to cold or vice versa.
Compared to other wood models, this one is relatively affordable. It’s great for players who want to get a warmer sound than plastic clarinets can provide.
Pros
- Warm tone
- Great upgrade
- Easy to play
- Comes with a mouthpiece
- Somewhat affordable
Cons
- The case it comes in isn’t great
Selmer CL211
Another wood clarinet to try is the Selmer CL211. It’s a bit more expensive than the Yamaha, but it has plenty of great specs to make it worth the price.
The clarinet can help you produce a warm and centered tone, and it sounds great alone and in a group. It uses aged grenadilla wood to help produce that tone.
Along with the clarinet, you’ll receive a Selmer Paris mouthpiece that can further improve your playing. If you want an affordable wood model to last you for years, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Pros
- Easy to play
- Decent price
- Good sound
- Aged wood
- Comes with a mouthpiece
Cons
- Not for beginners
Buffet Crampon E11
If you only ever remember one clarinet brand, let it be Buffet Crampon. The brand’s E11 clarinet model is an intermediate option very similar to the Selmer and Yamaha.
This clarinet uses African blackwood (another name for grenadilla), so you can get a warm sound. There are also excellent quality pads that seal well and help you play easily.
Plus, the E11 isn’t as expensive as some other wood clarinets. Whether you’re looking to upgrade or to buy a backup clarinet for your main instrument, this is a good one to consider.
Pros
- Great materials
- Easy to play
- Good for advanced players
- Sounds amazing
- Affordable
Cons
- Not for beginners
Buffet Crampon R13
Maybe you’re looking for a more professional Bb clarinet, in which case, you should try the Buffet Crampon R13. This model uses grenadilla wood to give you a warm, rich sound.
It’s also a very flexible model, so you can use it to play almost any clarinet music. If you find that none of the intermediate models meet your needs, you should try this one.
A lot of professional clarinetists use the R13, so you can’t go wrong with it. And if it’s not perfect, you can swap out the mouthpiece for one you like better.
Pros
- Great sound
- Suitable for professionals
- Flexible
- Durable
- Nice wood
Cons
- A bit expensive
Yinfente Ebonite Eb Clarinet
Maybe you love your current Bb clarinet but want to expand to the Eb clarinet. The Yinfente Ebonite Eb Clarinet is an excellent choice to get you started with the smaller instrument.
Like some student Bb clarinets, this one doesn’t use wood. That makes it a great choice for beginners and anyone who doesn’t want to worry about caring for wooden instruments.
But you can still get a great sound out of this instrument, and you can swap out the barrels to get a sound you love. It’s also very affordable, so give it a try to expand your clarinet playing.
Pros
- Great sound
- Affordable
- Good for beginners
- Easy to play
- Durable
Cons
- Not a super popular Eb model
Yamaha YCL-221
If you’d prefer to expand your playing to the low range, you may want to try the Yamaha YCL-221 bass clarinet. This model plays an octave lower than the standard Bb clarinet.
It uses ABS resin and metal to make up the body, which keeps it from getting too expensive. But it still has some professional specs, such as the ability to reach a low Eb.
The model is also quite durable, so it’s nice for students and professionals. And since it’s not super expensive, it’s also good for casual players or woodwind doublers.
Pros
- Durable
- Good sound
- Easy to play
- Nice range
- Versatile
Cons
- Not wood
How To Find The Best Clarinets On Amazon
I can share all of the clarinets you can find on Amazon. But you need to think about which clarinet will be the best for you and your needs as a musician.
Whether you’re looking for your first clarinet or an upgrade, you should consider a few things. Shopping on Amazon is nice, as long as you know what to look for.
Think about the following factors to narrow your search for your ideal clarinet.
Compare Brands And Models
The best clarinet brand and model for one person might not work for you. Don’t be afraid to consider a few different brands and model numbers as you shop around on Amazon.
And try to stick to reputable brands if you can. Amazon has a lot of super-cheap clarinets that seem like good deals, but they’re too good to be true.
If you can stick to the brands that have a history of making quality instruments, you’ll end up with a good model. Then, you can enjoy playing the clarinet for years to come.
Research Sellers
One of the biggest risks of buying a clarinet on Amazon is that anyone can sell to you. Before you purchase, check who is selling the model you want to buy.
Take a look at their seller profile on Amazon and see if there are a ton of negative reviews. You can also search the name on Google to see if the seller is a music store or individual.
Buying through a store or a professional dealer can be less risky than buying from a random person. The more you can learn about a seller, the more peace of mind you’ll have before you buy.
Read Reviews
Of course, you should also read customer reviews for the models you want to try. Take a look at positive and negative reviews, but take them all with a grain of salt because instrument purchase can be very subjective.
You should also consider how recent the review was posted. If it’s a few years old, the person’s issue may not apply to a clarinet you buy now.
As you look at reviews, you can also look at the questions and answers on Amazon. See what others have asked and if the seller has answered. Then, you can have as much information as you need to make the right purchasing decision for you.
Consider Amazon’s Policies
One of the benefits of buying a clarinet on Amazon is that you can return the items you don’t like. That gives you a few weeks to test a clarinet before you commit to buying it.
And most of the clarinets qualify for financing. You can pay for the clarinet over a year, and you may not need to pay interest.
This is a great way to get a clarinet just outside of your budget. You’ll receive the instrument and can use it now, but you’ll have more time to cover the cost.
Just make sure that you can afford the monthly rate so that you’ll pay it off in a year. Otherwise, you may need to pay interest, if not to Amazon, to your credit card company.
Increase Your Budget
While not specific to Amazon, you may want to save up a bit of extra money. The more money you have to spend on a clarinet, the more options you’ll have when shopping.
Even though you can finance a clarinet, buying it outright is good if possible. You won’t have to worry about paying for the clarinet over time, so you can just own it.
Be sure to research clarinets and prices. That way, you can set a realistic budget and get a clarinet that will meet your needs.
FAQs About The Best Clarinets On Amazon Guide
Answer: You should buy a clarinet on Amazon if you want convenience or the ability to finance your purchase. When you buy on Amazon, you can place the order without leaving your house.
Then, the clarinet will arrive on your doorstep, and you can test it out. And you don’t have to waste time going from music store to music store to find a clarinet that you want.
Answer: Unfortunately, the selection of clarinets on Amazon is just a small portion of all clarinets on the market. If you only shop on Amazon, you can limit your choices, and you may need to compromise on your ideal model.
Plus, the selection of Eb, bass, and other clarinets is almost nonexistent. So if you want to try different sizes of clarinets, you may need to shop elsewhere.
Answer: Ideally, you would avoid the cheaper clarinets on Amazon. They’re okay if you have a tight budget and just want to get started playing now.
However, you shouldn’t count on them lasting for more than a few months. It would be better to wait and save up for a better model to use at the start of your clarinet studies.
Answer: Think about your current skills as a clarinet player and the model you play now. Then, you can figure out what brands you do or don’t like to narrow your search.
Next, order the clarinet that you think you’ll like and give it a try. If you don’t absolutely love it, send it back and try other models until you find the one.
Answer: Sadly, you can’t control what happens during the shipping process. But you can control a few factors that will decrease the chances of something bad occurring.
First, upgrade to the fastest shipping available. You’re already paying a lot for the instrument so spending a few extra bucks is worth it to get your clarinet sooner and keep it from staying in transit too long.
Also, try to be at home during delivery day. Once the clarinet arrives, you can bring it inside and keep thieves from taking it.
If you’re buying a wood model, try to order it when the weather around you is mild. Then, you can keep the clarinet from having to react to extreme temperature changes that could cause the wood to crack.
Answer: You can buy tons of clarinet accessories on Amazon. Some popular options include mouthpieces, reeds, and cleaning supplies.
That means you can order everything you need along with your clarinet. That way, you’ll have what you need to start playing once your instrument arrives.
Final Note On The Best Clarinets On Amazon Guide
Whether you’re a beginner or professional, it can help to read a best clarinets on Amazon guide. Then, you can determine if the website is a good place to shop for your next instrument.
If you do want to shop on Amazon, give the Yamaha YCL-255 a try, especially as a beginner. It’s of excellent quality, and it can play well as you learn and advance.
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