Woodwind (Band) · Rental $20–35/mo · New $180–800 · Used $90–400
Rental: $20–35/month (plus maintenance plans). New: $180–800. Decent used: $90–400. Run your numbers →
Works with braces after an adjustment period.
Good for most builds; needs fingers that can cover holes fully (usually fine by age 10).
Moderate. Squeaks in month one are a rite of passage.
Small case, backpack-friendly.
The flexible all-rounder — clarinets can later switch to sax or bass clarinet easily, which keeps options open.
Wooden intermediate clarinets run $900–1,800.
Reeds are an ongoing cost ($3–4 each, they break constantly). Budget a reed habit.
Renting runs $20–35/month. New beginner instruments run $180–800; good used ones $90–400. Run the numbers in our rent-vs-buy calculator before signing a rental contract.
Works with braces after an adjustment period.
The flexible all-rounder — clarinets can later switch to sax or bass clarinet easily, which keeps options open.
Take the 2-minute instrument picker — it weighs braces, build, noise tolerance, temperament and budget across all 13 school instruments.