The Cheapest Clarinet on Amazon | Band Director Reviews

Ever wonder what the cheapest clarinet sounds like? Does it even play? Does the mouthpiece deserve to be thrown in a dumpster? Find out with this review! We'll put the cheapo clarinet head-to-head against more expensive ones, do a blind test, and more!

The clarinet I review in this video...

Another cheap option that might have a better mouthpiece...

The Buffet student clarinet I can EASILY recommend -

I've started a Patreon! Go check it out if you want to see behind the scenes footage and support my garbage tier instrument buying habits! Also, go vote on my 10k sub challenge!

Stay Mad!
Chase Jamison

#clarinet #instrument #review

*I may be compensated if purchase using the above links, (even if you don't buy exactly what it links to) which helps me to continue making these videos and other music materials. This won't cost you anything extra. Thanks for the support! :)

Timestamps
0:00 - Intro
1:26 - Unboxing Start
3:18 - Love you!
3:51 - Unboxing 2
9:38 - Putting It Together
13:13 - First Notes
18:12 - This Stand...
19:00 - Chromatic Scale Test
22:21 - Cheap VS Expensive Play Test
23:02 - Blind Test with WIFE!
26:08 - Blind Test with ME!
29:34 - Conclusion/Double Clarinet Action!

[Flurgh]

11:00 - Hi! Band repair tech and woodwind player here. The bridge key: You do press it down on the top joint while assembling the instrument. Also the reason it is “too open” when you looked at just the top joint was because the instrument was not assembled. It is meant to rest on the lower joint bridge key. Some times folks add a bit of cork to the back of the top joint bridge key where it touches the body when disassembled, but it isn’t necessary.

As far as the ligature placement - the screws are always on the right side. So that ligature was meant to be played with the screws facing down.

From a player/repair perspective on those low priced clarinets my experience is that they have a lot of intonation problems. The chimneys (open holes) are prone to leaking where they go into the body, and the tone holes aren’t very level.. which makes it a nightmare to keep the pads sealing. The keys tend to be extremely soft too so they bend easier and come out of adjustment faster. Also replacement parts are not available to repair shops.

All that being said, if it’s the difference between a kid being able to participate in band and not being able to get a start on something they might love… that’s a decision for the band director and parents.

Hope some of this information helps you in your career as a music educator!

[VideoGameMarimbist]

Perhaps a fun idea, for when you have a full band worth of cheapest instruments, would be to record a band standard using all the instruments. Link I mean you record each part then splice them together in the video editor. You could even call it a performance by "Amazon's cheapest band"!

[AsleepPig]

as a bari sax player who switched to bass clarinet i feel u on calling clarinet fingerings sax notes

[danielsimpkins]

“Percussionists can grab sticks and start hitting stuff” 🤣🤣🤣 as a drummer I had to laugh. I feel your pain my friend.

[Error-bhgg]

As a clarinetist the way you assembled the clarinet fascinates me. I've never seen anyone assemble it top down. I usually go bottom up. But great review I'm really glad I found your channel I'm really enjoying your content.

[craterellus]

Some little words of wisdom from a very experienced woodwind player. Align the reed much lower than you think you should, reed placement can often have as big of a difference in playability as the clarinet itself. As a studying band director, I totally get the struggle of dealing side instruments without knowing the little things :)

[dominichubbard]

So you had a student break your clarinet, but for me, it was the band teacher who broke my flute, a month into my first year of band. Couldn't afford to get it repaired or get a new flute, and that ended my band career right there.

[Milamberinx]

These videos are like if Peter Quill was abducted by an orchestra instead of space pirates.

[Swordsmith_]

Hey! As a clarinetist I want to tell you that when you’re doing a chromatic scale, there is a key right between the low G and low A that you can press that makes it easier to go from Bb to B natural. Press it when play low Bb to make it a B natural. (Also works with F and F# with the register key)

[singingislife]

A lot of my students play the Bb plastic Bundy clarinets (including myself) as they are made by Selmer and are max $50 for a used one.

[chrisperyagh]

7:40 - The LH2 ring key venting is usually higher when the top joint is separated as its venting is set by the RH ring keys once assembled. Most clarinets (even pro level Buffet, Selmer and Yamaha ones and others) are like that from the factory. You can fit a small stopper on the underside of the LH2 linkage (where the bend is) to lower it enough to make assembly easier so the cork on the LH2 linkage piece doesn't get torn off from clumsy assembly which is what you're doing at 10:38 - you should ALWAYS hold the LH2 ring key down when assembling both the main body joints to avoid any damage.

[thedanyesful]

Great video! The blind test with your wife helping was probably the highlight. Your humility, optimism and energy drive an engaging presentation!

[Qkano]

My first clarinet recently cost me £20 ... second hand.

I still use it on the beach (not caring about the salt spray) and it still plays tolerably well.

Don't regret buying it - it cost me less than the cost of one lesson to discover I wanted to learn to play.

[weirdbones]

This channel is super fun for me because, wow, the only instrument I had access to as a kid was my mom's piano, so I have no idea how any other instrument is played. Edutainment at its finest~

[bytehead]

My granddaughter decided she wanted to play clarinet, so I gave her mine. It's 55 years old. I spent $500 to refurbish it.Which is more than what my family spent on it new. Inflation I guess. Of course, it hadn't really been played much since the last refurbishment. I guess it can be considered to be antique. Cause I guess I'm antique at 66. Oh, and yeah, mine is a Normandy. At least the cheep clarinet is a wood clarinet, not a plastic one. I can't complain, mine made me 1st chair my senior year. Reverse plastic ligature and everything. I didn't know that plastic reeds were a thing, either.

[isaiahhymans]

as a clarinet player, i laughed so hard

[Tbah]

Clarinetist (of sorts) here. I was laughing in tears! I sooo feel for the student getting the cheapo horn and ragequitting after 2 lessons. A good mouthpiece is a must. And not too expensive thing to add to that...

BTW the zipper thing being 'off rails' is a bag manufacturing thing. Usually the one making the bag would set it but hey, that takes 2 seconds and time is money.

[strawberrv]

4:56 like i say, it’s called a b flat clarinet because it’s in the key of b flat, not because you’re supposed to be flat😂

[chihirofujisaki]

I got a clarinet at a thrift store for like 75$ and it was definitely used (ew) but I cleaned it and fixed it up and other than the crappy mouthpiece (like that one) it works great! I bring it to band a lot in case anybody forgets theirs/needs to get theirs fixed :-) very glad I found that one because I really thought it would be crap 😅

[hannahgough]

This is what I got taught by my clarinet teachers is that you start at the bell and work up it is so you don't chip or split the reed.