1st Clarinet For 10 Year Old Options

[Jazbob]

Any recommendations for a first full size clarinet for a 10 year old boy? He has just passed grade 1 on a Lyons C plastic clarinet, which has been great to start on, but is now getting too small. I am quite interested in the Hanson clarinets. Any advice anyone?

[sbhoa]

Hanson are good.
I have one and the more experienced players who have tried it were impressed.

[CJB]

I've heard nothing but good things about Hanson but still haven't tried one myself.

I'd also suggest looking at the Buffet B12 and the Yamaha 250. My personal preference is the Yamaha, but that is just 'cos the keywork fits my (small) hands better.

Encourage him to keep the Lyons though, he might find it useful to avoid transposition later (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[barry-clari]

Hanson are good.
I have one and the more experienced players who have tried it were impressed.

It is a good clari. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Would agree with the B12 and the Yamaha 250 too - though I tend to lean more towards Buffet over Yamaha, but that's just personal preference.

[notmusimum]

Any recommendations for a first full size clarinet for a 10 year old boy? He has just passed grade 1 on a Lyons C plastic clarinet, which has been great to start on, but is now getting too small. I am quite interested in the Hanson clarinets. Any advice anyone?

My eldest was a small just 11 year old when she began learning Clarinet on a B12.

My youngest daughter is waiting on a Baritone Sax form Hanson and I must say they have been wonderful over it.

[jacobvaneyck]

The new Jupiter is by far the best beginner clarinet I have seen on the market just now. I learned on a Buffet B12 but this has been overtaken by Jupiter in the last few years. They look and sound more like wooden clarinets than most other plastic ones.

Just to redress the balance on Hanson one of my pupils has just been messed around by them basically told 'in a few days.......in a few days............... ad infinitum for about two months. It was a nice clarinet when it finally arrived though, but that was an advanced one.

[notmusimum]

The new Jupiter is by far the best beginner clarinet I have seen on the market just now. I learned on a Buffet B12 but this has been overtaken by Jupiter in the last few years. They look and sound more like wooden clarinets than most other plastic ones.

Just to redress the balance on Hanson one of my pupils has just been messed around by them basically told 'in a few days.......in a few days............... ad infinitum for about two months. It was a nice clarinet when it finally arrived though, but that was an advanced one.

I have rather gathered that they are having a few problems but I'm prepared to overlook that as in other ways they have been far better than any other company would have been under the same circumstances.

We don't have the Bari yet and haven't been given a delivery date but we still have a loan one so it's not totally crucial.

[Rosemary7391]

Hanson may be a little disorganised (Need regular reminding I think!) but I love thier instruments, and thats the important thing, surely?

[Jon S]

Just to redress the balance on Hanson one of my pupils has just been messed around by them basically told 'in a few days.......in a few days............... ad infinitum for about two months. It was a nice clarinet when it finally arrived though, but that was an advanced one.

Funny, I had the same experience trying to buy a Buffet clarinet. First I was told 2 weeks, then six weeks, then 8 weeks... When they tried the old excuse about the computer being down so they couldn't tell me when I cancelled the order and bought a Hanson instead! Hanson delivered it when they said they would.

[notmusimum]

Just to redress the balance on Hanson one of my pupils has just been messed around by them basically told 'in a few days.......in a few days............... ad infinitum for about two months. It was a nice clarinet when it finally arrived though, but that was an advanced one.

Funny, I had the same experience trying to buy a Buffet clarinet. First I was told 2 weeks, then six weeks, then 8 weeks... When they tried the old excuse about the computer being down so they couldn't tell me when I cancelled the order and bought a Hanson instead! Hanson delivered it when they said they would.

I think they may have experienced an upsurge in demand recently and that's giving them difficulties in filling orders. When we went to their place just before Christmas they had taken drastic measures to get some instruments in stock. Looking forward to going back again soon.