6 Tips On What You Need To Know When Buying An Instrument

Music is, without a doubt, one of life’s great joys. From east to west, cultures all around the world enjoy music, as it brings people together for moments of release, happiness, sadness, and more. Without music, culture would suffer massively, so taking up an instrument is a great life choice.

Whether you’ve played before or not, buying an instrument is a big commitment. This will be a piece of your life that you will likely keep for a long time, so buying an instrument should be a careful and measured decision. Here are six tips you should follow when buying a musical instrument.

Price and Quality

It may seem obvious, but it’s worth pointing out that price often reflects quality when purchasing an instrument. Cheap instruments are, most likely, cheap for a reason. For a beginner or a child, a cheap instrument could be a sensible purchase. However, it will likely need replacing after not too long. This is why buying a quality, more expensive instrument is often recommended. A higher-quality instrument will be crafted to perfection, meaning it should last you a lifetime.

Noise Level!

Some instruments are super noisy, there’s no denying that. Take drums as an example, if you or your kid are looking to take up the drums, the noise implications are quite large. In this case, you may consider an electric drum kit. The drum machine basics are the same as a regular drum kit, the only difference being there is no acoustic drum resonance creating high noise levels. With a drum machine, you can get just as much practice and skill development as an acoustic kit, but with one-tenth of the noise level.

This could also be true if choosing an acoustic guitar over an electric guitar with an amplifier or an electric piano over an acoustic piano. You want your instrument to bring you and your family hours of joy, not stress!

Second-Hand Instruments

There is a lot to be said for purchasing second-hand instruments. Often, people are concerned that a second-hand instrument will not have been looked after properly or will have damage that they are not expert enough to recognize. If you’re buying second-hand, ask a friend or someone with a bit more knowledge to take a look at the item on your behalf, so they can analyze what condition it is in. This way, you could get a great guitar, for example, for half the price of a brand new one. Quality instruments hold value for a long time, too, so you are making a sound investment here.

Instrument Insurance

If you do go for a high-end, top-quality instrument, it might be worth considering instrument insurance. Many home insurance providers will cover instruments up to a certain value as part of your policy, though you’ll likely have to declare the item specifics to them. If your home insurance does not cover it or you’re likely to take your instrument away from home a lot, consider specialist insurance, designed to protect the instrument wherever you are from damage, theft, or other issues.

Rent Before Buying

If you’re unsure of what you want but definitely want to give playing an instrument a try, consider renting. Many music stores and professional music companies rent out guitars, drums, pianos, brass instruments, and more, meaning you can test your expertise and enjoyment level without having to commit to a purchase. This may cost a little more if you rent for a long period, but can be super useful in your decision-making purchase.

Buy From an Expert

Whether you go for the high-end or middle ground when it comes to instrument quality, you still want to be sure you’re buying from an expert. Music stores want to make a profit, sure, but they’re usually filled with passionate musicians, who are always willing to offer advice on your purchase. They will have played everything in-store, meaning they can give you honest opinions on each instrument. Usually, musical instrument stores allow you to try an instrument in-store before you purchase it as well, so you can get to know your choice before spending any hard-earned cash! Don’t be afraid to ask, as all good music stores allow customers a chance to have a try before they buy.

Following these six steps will help you purchase the right instrument for you, of the right quality, and at the right price. Before you know it, you’ll be playing daily, learning songs, and having an amazing time with your new instrument. Whatever you go for, it’s guaranteed that you’ll enjoy playing.