hi care to share what was your 1st clarinet you had when you was a beginner? I dont really want a professional model but I think intermediate would be fine for me because im only just playing for fun really. I take it that the difference between student and intermediate is just quality and tyoe of materials used yea.

What is your price range?

hi there, ideally around 250 pounds thats what i saved back so far lol im hoping i can get a good clarinet. i heard beginner models are around 100 to 200 so maybe 250 might get me something quite good.

My first clarinet was a Bb Buffet R13 which I inherited from my father. I am now also using as a back-up a much inferior Bb clarinet I can't conclusively identify which I also inherited from my father. The keywork is fairly cramped on the non-Buffet, and it's generally more difficult to play and doesn't sound as good. I briefly tried my teacher's Bb Buffet R13 and my father's A Buffet R13 (before having it sent to my nephew), and these felt very different from my Buffet.

My first clarinet was a plastic Jupiter Bb clarinet beginner. Don't waste your money on a more higher ranked clarinet if you won't play it a lot, a beginner will suite you fine I believe. I now play an R13 Buffet that was from the 1970s, very hard to come by, wooden, and was the academy model. Oh and with reeds, get 2 to 2 and a half reeds for your first year, best advice. AND CLEAN YOUR CLARINET! Mold will grow in it if you don't! Yucky!!! lol, i hoped this was helpful, I guess!

Buy a beginer one. Maybe a used one from a school student who recently quit, but have someone check it out. A former band director, I was in the minority regarding step up models. My theory is the beginner one will do all you need it to do. If you decide someday to really pursue it, buy a pro one--Buffet R13 or so. I play with a jazz/pop group for fun in Florida every winter we're snowbirding and use my plastic beginner one. For my professional playing I always use the Buffet, of course.