Back to School Series - Introduction

With the start of Term 1 just around the corner we are putting together a series of buying guides to help families learn a little bit more about the various instruments and their buying options.  

Many Western Australian children are offered the chance to learn music through their school. It is a fantastic opportunity that can benefit the child in many ways. There are numerous studies that show that children who study music consistently score higher in their year 12 exams than students who do not learn music. Music engages both sides of the brain, and gives students a constructive and creative social circle through school bands and orchestras. Then there is also the core reason that music is fantastic in itself! (We won’t lie, we may be biased on this topic, but then again, it’s hard to deny how great music is).   

Most school music programs start in primary school, where potential students are selected based on a variety of factors, including interest and aptitude for music. Students can be involved in their school orchestra or ensemble in primary school and are encouraged to continue the instrument into high school.

Many schools offer the chance to hire the student’s chosen instrument for a year to determine whether the instrument is the right choice for the student. After this hire-year though, if the student finds that they would like to continue with the instrument, parents face the unenviable choice of navigating the sea of options when it comes to purchasing an instrument. For many parents, this can be a nightmare, especially if the parent comes from a non-musical background.

We’ll be kicking off the instrument buying guides over the next few days, but first a few general pointers that apply equally to all instruments:

1. Where possible, buy a new instrument

There are a few upsides to buying a new instrument.

The first is the warranty. Most of the time, you don’t get warranty with a used instrument, whereas all new instruments come with at least a one year warranty. At Sound Centre the majority all of our band and orchestral instruments come with at least a three year manufacturers’ warranty, except for our stringed instruments.  

Why is this important? Warranty gives you the peace of mind that if you have any issues with your new instrument within the warranty time frame, due to any problems that may have occurred in the workshop, you can bring it back to our store and have the problems fixed free of charge. Of course, this doesn’t include if someone drops or dents the instrument. Also, most instrument cases do not have warranty. With instruments such as clarinets, flutes and saxophones that have many moving parts a warranty proves very helpful when something goes wrong.

2. Buy from an Authorised Dealer

Buying from an authorised dealer ensures that the product you are buying is genuine and not a copy or fake that can sometimes be easily purchased from overseas. Sound Centre are authorised dealers for all the brands that we stock and we pride ourselves on taking the time to learn about the product through training sessions without suppliers. This ensures we are passing on the correct and latest information about our products onto you.

Buying from a reputable music store has a long list of benefits, such as the ones already listed. One of the noteworthy things a good music store will offer is service. In this online age it can be easy to forget the benefits of knowledgeable and courteous service, but it becomes readily apparent if you do not know where to start or if problems start to occur with your instrument.

3. Try the instrument out

We recommend that your child to the store when purchasing their instrument. Reputable music stores will allow you to try out the instruments, and this is important so that you get a feel for the instrument. Different people prefer different handling and tone, and you can only figure this out through trying the instrument. You wouldn’t buy a car you hadn’t test driven, so why would you buy an instrument without trying it out first?

4. Remember that you get what you pay for

It’s an inescapable truth that you get what you pay for with musical instruments. Quality materials and workmanship have a price, and there is simply no way that cheaply made instruments can match the sound and longevity offered by better made instruments.

Found a deal that is too good to be true? Unfortunately in those types of situations the instrument can be fake, damaged or maybe an ex-demo instrument. Online stores can be deceiving. Yes, you can find cheap instruments on there but you cannot look, see or touch the instrument before buying.

Cheaply made instruments  can often require replacement of parts in as little time as 6 months after the purchase date, whereas a quality instrument can last years without the need for repairs.

If you have any further questions about buying any back to school instrument, accessory or books, we'd love to help! Post a comment, or call us on 9370 1185 and ask for Shannon.