| Woowhee, I wish this forum had been around when my son started band. I would have saved myself some bucks.
The first mistake some parents (I'm included in this) make when their child is getting into band is the "my child might quit so I'll rent until we know for sure if he/she is going to stick with it" syndrome. Typically its a local music store that has come to the school with their instruments and their "special prices" and "guarantee's". "If you think your child might quit, then renting is definately the best route", they will tell you. Usually the "new" instruments have over inflated prices so the rental seems reasonable and attractive. Never do they mention used prices. Preying on the naivete of the parents makes this entire process work for the store and the unsuspecting parent is taken for a ride. By the end of a contract, the parent will have spent several hundred more than the horn is worth. Buying a used student horn shouldn't cost more than $300 (high estimate), if you sell it after a year for $250 then you're only out $50, not $500 for the cost of renting.
My second mistake with the process of getting my son an instrument was thinking that the music store was acting in the best interest of the parents and the student because the school invited the music store there. If the school and band teacher invited them, then they must be trust worthy, right? They must be giving good prices and the best quality for the money........... WRONG!!!!! The music store is acting in it's own best interest and is going to make as much profit as it can. When the student is entering band, this is a feast for the local music store. Beware, some band teachers get kick backs from the music stores, so the teacher might have other motives too. Hey, a new horn or $10 bucks for every horn signed can add up quickly and is attractive if the teacher goes this route.
Third, and where I finally woke up was the second round of new instruments being introduced to the student. This is usually done at the end of their second year or the beginning of their 3rd year - 7th grade. "Your child has grown beyound the current horn and it may be necessary to upgrade." Typically, the upgrade will be an "intermediate horn" or if your student is exceptional the "pro horn". My son came home from schoool with special prices being offered, for instance, the Bach Omega "special student price" $1100 and the Bach Strad 37 was only $2200. Guess what, I started looking and educating myself and learned some quick lesson about local music stores.
Don't buy an intermediate horn, they are a student horn with a few more frills but they are NOT an upgrade. Your student can play the student horn for quite a while. Don't feel guilty when all the other students have shiney new horns.
Buying on the internet has it's risk as well. Imagine a large chain, it gets 10 new Bach Strad's in. A few locals know of the delivery, so they cull the best sounding horns. The store owner might know a few "good" customers that are sold the better sounding horns as well. What happens to the ones that no one wants, the poorer quality sounding pieces. When someone mail orders or buy on the net and they don't know a "good sound" from a "bad sound" they keep the horn and the store just sold a piece of junk no one else would have purchased. Buyer beware.
Parents, if you need to buy an instrument for your child (and you know nothing about instruments) find someone that will evaluate the horn for you. Go to your local community band or the college, typically they will know someone that can help. Going to an instructor at a local music shop might not be best because the instructor (depending on their contract with the store) might only represent the store and not the students interest.
Shop around, there are a lot of good used instruments out there too. I don't want to suggest that all music stores are untrustworthy either. I've found that in my area, their prices are unreasonable and weren't that helpful to the parent that knew nothing of horns. |