Time to Upgrade!

How to Find Quality Intermediate Band Instruments

The holidays are fast approaching. As you begin making your gift lists, you might consider upgrading your student’s beginning band instrument to one at the intermediate level. What a perfect present for your advancing musician!

But where do you start?  

A Word of Caution

Last spring we wrote Renting or Buying your First Band Instrument: The Ultimate Guide.  Now that your student is years into their musical adventure and thirsting for more, they are ready for an instrument that is going to allow them to really show what they are capable of doing!  

One of the most basic rules for instrument purchases still applies whether you’re considering a beginner or intermediate horn: buyer beware!

Be careful if you’re considering any instrument that sounds too good to be true when it comes to price. 

The fact is that intermediate, semi-pro, and professional level horns are precision machines with exacting specifications that are crafted with quality and sometimes precious metals. They’re built by many hands, from the machining of parts to their assembly to quality checks at several points along the way.

If the instrument you’re considering is markedly below the average price of others, it’s likely not comparable in quality or in need of major (costly) repairs.

Gently Used

A great way to find intermediate horns is to buy them used from high schoolers or early college students who are parting with them as they move on to semi-professional or professional level instruments. 

These are generally instruments that are well cared for and more affordable than a new horn. 

But be prepared. The odds are they will still cost around $1,000 or more depending on the instrument. 

When the kids are away at college, it’s oftentimes the parents who are the seller. They are typically careful about vetting who they’re going to sell the instrument to because they’re hoping that it will also be played and cared for while helping that next budding musician on their own journey.

We love these kinds of sales and have been privileged to help facilitate many of them over the years, from our former students to our current students.

For example, we were overjoyed to see our former student Caitlin’s horn sold to our then current student Zach. Years later, Zach’s horn is ready for its next young adult so we’re considering who among our roster is ready to take that big step. We will happily tell them that “Yes, this is a good instrument that’s been well cared for because we’ve watched its history.”

When finding a private sale like this, we strongly recommend asking the seller to meet you at a local shop with a BIRT (Band Instrument Repair Technician). They can inspect the horn and confirm it is in sound condition and let you know of anything that might need adjusting or repaired. Then if you do buy it, you can have the BIRT perform any cleaning or set up on it to ensure it’s ready for your student to play.  

Local Music Merchant

Finding the upper-level instruments used in a retail setting is more challenging, as these instruments are rarely available for long. 

If your local music store sells used or consigned instruments, they are typically brought in, shop checked, and then quickly snapped up. 

If the music store has its own private teachers in-house, they are always looking for instruments for their own students, as are the store’s owners who will let their frequent customers know about availability. Regular clients always stick around to talk shop, so they also know who is on the hunt for an instrument for an up-and-coming musician. If you don’t already have a relationship with your local music store, find one near you!  These stores and their staff are a valuable resource!

If you are looking for a new horn, we again highly recommend shopping at a reputable music store with knowledgeable staff who can help explain the differences between the upper-level horns they carry. 

Factors influencing the instrument’s price point can be brand reputation, cost of source materials (for example, a silver-plated vs. solid silver flute), care and maintenance, or the location and method used to produce it (i.e., how much was machined vs. handmade).  Music store professionals are passionate about instruments and are excited to help young musicians grow into a more advanced horn.

Online Shopping

Alternatively, if you are looking for new and wish to purchase online our advice is the same as it was for the beginning band instruments. Woodwind Brasswind is our go-to for online instruments, mouthpieces, and ligatures. They are a fantastic resource to compare prices and determine what things should cost vs. those other online TGTBT (too good to be true) deals you might find on social media marketplaces. But even a horn shipped to your home should be sent to your local BIRT for a setup before it is ready to give to your student.  

Happy Horn Hunting

Congratulations from us if you have a musician ready to take this next big step!  Happy horn hunting and if you have any questions, please drop us a line!