If you want to start learning a musical instrument, you should definitely have an instrument available for regular practice. However, I completely understand that if you’ve never played before and don’t yet know whether it will suit you or whether you’ll even enjoy it, buying an instrument worth tens of thousands right away might not be your goal. So what can you do? Read on — I’ll give you some advice.

You can either rent a musical instrument for a small fee or buy one straight away. If you want music to be a hobby, you certainly won’t need to invest hundreds of thousands.

Here’s some good news for anyone who doesn’t plan to buy an instrument immediately — nowadays, you can simply rent one. Many music instrument rental services offer this option. I also provide this service to my students, and I consider it the best solution at the beginning. However, I recommend renting only for the necessary period — just long enough to get familiar with the instrument, usually a few months (around 2–5).

On the other hand, if you’re thinking about buying your own instrument, it’s good to decide on your budget first. Instrument prices vary widely, but again — if you want to play just as a hobby, you definitely don’t need to spend a fortune.

With my hobby students, I usually choose clarinets or saxophones in the range of roughly 15,000–30,000 CZK. Of course, your teacher should help you choose a specific instrument — it’s in their interest too, since they’ll be listening to you play during lessons. I just want to outline a few options so you know what to expect. Since I personally play wind instruments, the information in this article focuses mainly on choosing these instruments for casual, enjoyable playing.

SAXOPHONE SELECTION

When it comes to saxophones, prices typically range from about 5,000 to 100,000 CZK. Instruments over 40,000 CZK don’t really make sense for beginners. On the other hand, I don’t recommend instruments under 10,000 CZK based on my experience — they usually last a student only about half a year before becoming insufficient. Lower and sometimes higher notes don’t respond properly, and they’re often made from materials that are too soft and easily damaged. Owners end up visiting repair technicians frequently, sometimes several times a month, which isn’t exactly comfortable. I do own a few of these instruments myself, but I lend them to students only for the initial familiarization period of about 2–3 months — and then it’s time to move on. After every student, I have them professionally adjusted, and the main issue is always the material and overall craftsmanship.

For beginners, I usually recommend an alto saxophone. I leave the brand choice open, but I often select between the Czech Amati (for example AAS33, around 20,000 CZK) and the Japanese Yamaha YAS-280 (around 28,000 CZK). For relaxed hobby playing, these instruments can last you a lifetime. If anything changes and you stop playing, Yamaha instruments are always in high demand and typically keep their value well. Yamaha saxophones are excellently crafted both in workmanship and materials. In my opinion, a quality instrument is essential — it makes playing a thousand times more comfortable and saves you from struggling with unresponsive notes, bent keys, and similar issues.

CLARINET SELECTION

When choosing a clarinet, it’s important to think about how you plan to use it. You’ll choose a different instrument if you play outdoors compared to playing indoors.

And what’s the difference? Mainly the material. Standard clarinets are usually made either from plastic or from wood.

Wooden clarinets are considered higher-quality in terms of sound. However, because they’re made of wood and warm air condenses into moisture inside during playing, the wood can expand and even crack — especially when played in colder environments. Among wooden clarinets, I’ve had great experiences with Buffet Crampon E11, E13, and R13 models, although the choice naturally depends on your budget. Recently, one of my students and I came across clarinets from the German company Uebel, and I must say I’m very impressed by both the craftsmanship and the quality of the wood.

Plastic clarinets, on the other hand, may not produce such a warm, velvety tone, but they’re made from very durable materials and are ideal for outdoor playing or colder environments, such as churches. I most often recommend plastic Yamaha or plastic Buffet Crampon clarinets to my students. Prices usually start around 15,000 CZK.

Conclusion

If you already know that playing a musical instrument is something you enjoy and you plan to stick with it for a while, I would definitely recommend buying an instrument — either new or second-hand. If you find a promising used instrument, it’s important to have an expert inspect it, play it, and evaluate its condition.

If you’re still unsure or don’t know where you’ll be in six months, I’d recommend renting an instrument. Yes, there’s usually a deposit of a few thousand CZK, but during the rental period you can set aside some money each month. When you return the rented saxophone, you’ll not only have saved some funds but also built a solid foundation for purchasing a quality instrument of your own.