The Best Beginner Clarinets As Recommended by 200 Real Band Directors

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I’ve worked with hundreds of band directors over the years as a music store rep. Before each new school year, we’d ask teachers what clarinet products they prefer for their students. These are the most-recommended beginner clarinets based on roughly 200 responses from real school band directors.

Pie chart showing top-recommended clarinet brands for beginners. Yamaha 53.3%, Vito/Selmer 18.2%, Backun 9.1%, Buffet 9.1%, Other Brands 10.3%. Data based on responses from 200+ school band directors.

1. Yamaha YCL-255

Yamaha is the de facto gold standard for most student-level band instruments, and the YCL-255 is no exception.

Teachers love Yamaha student clarinets because they’re incredibly durable and they sound amazing. From their perspective, kids don’t have to work as hard to produce a good quality tone.

As for durability, Yamaha clarinets are built like tanks. The keys don’t bend or break as easily, and they tend to have fewer long-term repair issues than other brands.

There are other variations of the Yamaha student clarinet, like the Advantage YCL-200ADII or the older YCL-23. Each of these are equally great beginner clarinets.

2. Leblanc Vito LCL301

Vito clarinets have been a staple in band rooms and music shops for decades. For some of the older teachers I worked with, they’re still one of the go-to recommendations for students.

Like the Yamaha, Vito clarinets have incredibly tough keys that stay rigid and won’t bend or break so easily. They also have a resin body that produces a pleasing wood-like sound that’s easy for beginners to play.

The Leblanc LCL301 is the current iteration of this clarinet. But really, any used Leblanc or Vito student clarinet is worth a look.

Selmer Clarinets

Selmer is another legacy brand that’s frequently mentioned by teachers. They’re part of the same parent company as Leblanc and Vito, so I feel they’re also worth mentioning here.

Historically, Selmer student clarinets have been really solid. That said, I can’t recommend the current Selmer 301N model. Conn-Selmer recently moved the production of all their student-level instruments to China. While that isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, I think this particular model is a bad clarinet. It sounds incredibly harsh, and the build quality is also really lacking.

If you’re dead-set on a Selmer student clarinet, I’d suggest the previous USA-made Selmer 1400B, or even an old Bundy model.

3. Backun Alpha

Closeup of the Backun logo on a Backun clarinet with rose gold keys.

Backun is a relatively new company on this list, but the Alpha has already made quite an impact. Teachers are starting to recommend them as much as other more-established brands.

Alpha clarinets are made from a proprietary blend of synthetic materials and feature durable nickel-plated keys. In my experience, it’s one of the best-sounding and most responsive student clarinets ever made, and what I personally bought for my daughter when she started beginning band.

Backun reps I’ve spoken with claim the Alpha was originally designed as a “pro-level” instrument for outdoor use. They’ve since refined that original model into one of the best student clarinets on the market today.

4. Buffet Crampon Student Clarinet

Buffet is one of the most renowned clarinet makers to ever exist. They’re best known for the R13, which is arguably the gold standard for professional clarinets.

They’ve taken what makes their pro instruments great and condensed it into the Buffet Premium Student Clarinet. It’s a fantastic instrument for the price, and it comes with some pro-level features like leather pads instead of synthetic ones.

Buffet student clarinets also come with the acrylic Urban Play mouthpiece, which is free-blowing and easy to play for most beginners.

For less than $1000, the Buffet student clarinet is one of the best deals you can find.

How We Got This Data

The music store I worked with services hundreds of band and orchestra teachers throughout Utah and parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nevada. Each year, we gather student supply lists and survey data from beginning band directors. That way, we make sure to stock the products they want for their students.

We got 200+ responses for the 2024-25 school year. I tracked which specific clarinet brands or models these teachers mentioned as “preferred” or “approved”. Here’s how it broke down:

  • 53.3% Yamaha — Over half of the responses mentioned Yamaha as their preferred brand.
  • 18.2% Leblanc, Vito, and Selmer — These legacy brands are all part of the same parent company and share a lot in common. So for simplicity, I grouped them together for these survey results.
  • 9.1% Backun — Backun was acquired by Eastman in 2017, and has since become a mainstream clarinet brand. Despite being a relative newcomer, the Alpha is now one of the most-recommended student clarinets.
  • 9.1% Buffet — While not particularly known for their student clarinets, Buffet’s pro-level clarinets give them legitimacy.
  • 10.4% Other Brands — Some teachers mentioned other brands like Eastman, Jupiter, and Accent. These aren’t considered the best of the best, but are acceptable instruments for most school band directors.

Obviously, this data isn’t perfect. It’s from a relatively small sample size in a specific region. But it gives at least some indication as to what real music teachers recommend to students.

Beginning Clarinet Brands to Avoid

Some teachers go out of their way to dissuade parents from buying certain brands. These are a few that were mentioned:

  • Mendini by Cecilio
  • Etude
  • Glory
  • Other cheap brands on Amazon

Durability is a primary concern here. These clarinets might work well out of the box, but often have frequent repair issues down the road. A broken clarinet can be frustrating and embarrassing for the student, which can lead to them quitting music altogether. 

Many repair shops will refuse to fix these clarinets too, meaning you’d have to replace it anyway. So that budget clarinet you thought was saving you money becomes an expensive headache later on.

Jack Barton
About the Author
Jack's been playing saxophone, clarinet, and other instruments for over 20 years. He spent most of his professional career working in music retail, where he's had hands-on experience with countless wind instruments and other music products.
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