So I need advice. My boy is in Elementary School and wants to try the trombone. He has no musical experience prior to this. The school is no longer offering rentals so we have to deal with private stores. The price is quite steep to spend on a rental and in the end of the 10 month Rental it is like $50 less compared to just buying one. And I'm also faced with the fact in the child may or may not want to continue playing the instrument. Also if he decides to play the instrument next year I will be faced having to repay for a rental or be faced with the choice of paying $50 more to own it. So if he chooses to continue and I didn't buy the instrument I will basically be paying double. There is an alternative for roughly $70 there is the blue plastic trombone for starters. However the sales lady who I assume is working on some sort of commission here was adamant not to buy it and go for the more expensive metal Trombone for the best quality. So anyone have an opinion on budget friendly instruments meant for beginners vs higher quality instruments meant for beginners or experienced players? What what you do?PlasticPlasticMetal
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Clarifying: 1 The schools use to offer free borrowed instruments for low income families or low cost rentals for the others but since COVID they are no longer permit to do so. 2 It's a requirement to take a musical class band orchestra or chorus. Once the child signs up for one they are not permitted to quit. So what he choose he will have it for one school year. 3A I'm Looking advice on plastic vs metal students grade instruments 3B would you choose: to do Buy the plastic or mental or rent
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For those who didn't know what plastic would sound like
Let me preface with I am NOT musician. I would NOT buy the plastic one, because there is a VERY significant difference in the physics of plastic versus the physics of metal. I think you may find that professional musicians would tell you that plastic wind instruments just don't produce the best kind of sound. The same can be said of wood acoustic instruments.
Furthermore, I think renting is the better option until your child demonstrates a strong 'lifetime-like' commitment to the instrument. As with most rent versus own dilemmas, at some point, the 'value balance' swings the other way.
I don't envy your decision, but you know your child best and how they think, so I'm confident you'll pick the best choice! Good Luck!
It's not uncommon for kids to try a few different instruments before finding the one they like. You might talk to his teachers about the plastic one and if they have any experience with it. Personally, I would probably stay away from the plastic for any kind of group performance or something that a kid is going to be carrying around. Looks like it comes with a bag instead of a case too. That sounds like the kind of thing I would buy just to blast into someone's tent in the morning. lol. I think I would rent for a few months and see how it goes, and if it looks like they are going to stick with it, buy the metal one. If he quits, you can always re-sell it and recoup some of the money.
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I got no idea of Trombones, and what you need to look for.
But for Bass Guitar there are (i think € and $ are about the same) super cheap ones 50€~120€, cheap ones 100-200€, slightly expensive but still affordable ~300 expensive ones ~700, and super expensive ones 2000 €
Never buy a new one below 100€, they are 99% crap, it isn't fun playing on one of these, you are getting frustrated, and will never really practice.
Around ~150€ is a good starting point, they are cheap but offer a good quality if you know what brands you can pick. Harley Benton for example.
300 are good with nothing to complain about, but its a hefty investment, if you are not sure wether your kid is going to stick with it or not.
Everything above is only for those who found their instrument and making a lifelong investment.
If you don't want a new one or can't afford rental, maybe look into used ones, they are still expensive as music instruments usually don't lose much value with age, and risky as you don't know what to look for, but if you can find out a brand/manufacturer who has a good reputation i will look for those on the second hand market.
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I *strongly* recommend that you buy a used trombone locally (even if you have to drive 50 miles). You can spend much less money and end up with a higher-quality instrument (a mid-grade model instead of a starter model). I promise you that you could get a great instrument for $500 or less - perhaps much less - and if it doesn't work out, you can turn around and re-sell it and you'd probably loose little or nothing in the end.
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When my son was in school he took up the trumpet. It was expensive to rent also. We looked on line for a used one (metal). We found one that was half the cost of the rental. He finished out the year and never took it up again. We sold it and basically got our money back. I would get the metal one. If you buy it you can always sell it when he's done
Having played brass instruments when I was at school I can't see how a plastic one will sound anything like a real one. Part of what makes the sound is the resonance from the vibration of the brass. Doesn't the school have a music club where he can try different instruments out?
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Trombone was the first instrument I began to play (it was in middle school band). I thought I was alright for a while but I began to lose interest after 3 years. After so long that case really is a pain to lug around.
But I got mine at a discount because it was used and a little beat up
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It would be nice to rent one from someone who could let you rent it for a certain amount of weeks or let rent for months just to make sure your son wants to take lessons I know how kids can be
@meetkitty123 Yeah, I hope you get some help with this, these schools place parents in a predicament and I know that is why I purposely in 5th grade made it so I didn't make it for choir
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Usually at school provides the instruments how do you know he’s not gonna get tired of it two weeks later and you wasted your money. I know how kids are they change their mind in a drop of a hat
True they do change their minds but They are required to choose band chorus or orchestra. once they sign up for one it's a full school year requirement. They aren't permitted to quit the class... so we have a year before he can drop the instrument.
@meetkitty123 all its a reed which needs to be used. Thats it. How much would a reed cost? then wipe it down with a bacteria wipe.. no one uses their heads
Well to start with cars aren't toys and at 18 he's will be required to have a job and if wants a car he will have to save up for it or contribute to the payments plus cover his own insurance. My parents didn't give me a car! I got my own! I've always cover my own bills my parents never paid for them past the age of 18. But how is your response helping me right now lol? 🤨 🤷 😝
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