The Ultimate Clarinet Upgrade Guide: Budget-Friendly Tips That Actually Work (Part 2)
Nov 03, 2025
Smart Clarinet Shopping: Expert Gear Advice at Every Budget (feat. Josh Goo & Lynne Snyder)
What should you actually buy to improve your clarinet playing? Two professional clarinetists reveal their surprising recommendations—and they might change how you think about gear.
If you've ever stood in a music store (or scrolled through an online shop) wondering what clarinet equipment is actually worth your money, you're not alone.
Should you upgrade your mouthpiece? Get a new case? Invest in an overhaul? Buy that shiny new clarinet?
In Part 2 of my conversation with Josh Goo (founder of Quick Start Clarinet) and Lynne Snyder (creator of Queen Reed), we tackled these exact questions. Their answers were practical, honest, and occasionally surprising.
Here's what we discovered.
The Best Investment Under $500 (It's Not Equipment)
When I asked what someone with a few hundred dollars should buy, I expected answers like "a new mouthpiece" or "quality reeds."
Lynne Snyder had a different take:
"Go get yourself some tickets to an orchestra or a group of your choice and get as good a seat as you can get."
Her reasoning? The value isn't just in hearing excellent clarinet playing live—it's in the connections you can make afterward.
"Grab a clarinetist after a show," she explained, "and if you say, 'Hey, what mouthpiece do you use? What reeds are you using?' people want to talk about their equipment, their warmup routine, or any of those burning questions we all have."
Jay agreed: "...if they want to talk to me and tell me they think I sound good playing the clarinet? You've got my attention. I'll tell you anything you want to know about what it is that I'm doing."
The lesson: Sometimes the best investment isn't gear—it's inspiration, connection, and mentorship from musicians you admire.
The Great Case Debate: Zippers vs. Latches
Our conversation took an entertaining turn when discussing clarinet cases.
Lynne's choice: A thin Bam double case with zippers
- "I don't want latches, I want a zip."
- The trade-off? It's so thin she can't fit her reed case inside, requiring a separate bag
- But she loves the fashion coordination possibilities!
Josh's choice: A Pro-Tech double case with backpack straps
- Room for music and iPad
- Reliable and affordable
- Has served him well for 10+ years
My take: I'm a latch person, I've never had a latch fail (while Josh has experienced zipper failures). We all agreed on one crucial feature: a case needs to open on your lap without sliding off.
The Weissman cases look incredible and travel well, but their lap stability leaves something to be desired.
When to Spend Big: The Clarinet Overhaul Question
We tackled the expensive question: Is a full overhaul worth $1,000+?
The general consensus:
- Clean, oil, and adjust is often sufficient if things are working
- Full overhaul provides peace of mind with brand-new pads
- Lynne leans toward "if it's working, don't mess with it" (superstition plays a role!)
- Josh likes the security of seeing all new pads
The bigger challenge? Finding and maintaining a relationship with a good repair technician.
"Repair technicians have a fixed amount of hours in a day," I noted. "They charge by the hour, and in New York City, the profit margins aren't huge. So if you don't have a relationship with them, they're too busy for you."
We all admitted to being "chronic under-servicers" of our instruments—probably getting work done less than the recommended once-per-year schedule.
Buying Clarinets: New vs. Used
The reality: All three of us have bought used instruments throughout our professional careers.
Josh had the best story: He took on an adult student in Chicago who came in with a brand-new Buffet Tradition—purchased based on serial numbers that clarinetist Richie Hawley had tested at the factory in Paris. The student took lessons for six months, decided to focus on saxophone instead, and sold Josh that barely-used professional clarinet at a great price.
Lynne played a used R13 from the 1970s for most of her career until she finally "blew it out" about six years ago. She then upgraded to a new R13 Prestige.
My advice: If you can find a great player selling a clarinet they've had overhauled, you're winning on multiple levels—you get a good instrument with all the work done, and you save significant money.
The Dark Horse Recommendation: Buffet E-12-F
When I asked about clarinet purchases for significant investment, Lynne offered an unexpected suggestion:
The Buffet E-12-F intermediate clarinet paired with an excellent mouthpiece.
"I've seen more students succeed with this combination," she explained. "It's got a smoothness, a creamy quality, but it's not dull-smooth. It's still colorful but still smooth. For your money on a Buffet now, that's a good thing. And if you can find it used? Even better."
This recommendation flies in the face of conventional wisdom that says you must have a professional model instrument. Sometimes, the right intermediate clarinet with quality accessories outperforms a professional horn with mediocre add-ons.
Josh's Rave: The Backun Alpha Bass Clarinet
If you have money to invest and want "a really fun toy," Josh enthusiastically recommends the Backun Alpha bass clarinet.
Why it's special:
- Fully synthetic construction (no wood to worry about)
- Professional sound and playability
- Significantly more affordable than wooden professional models
- Can be played indoors, outdoors, in any temperature
- You don't have to baby it or worry about maintenance
"Bass clarinet's the best out of the clarinets anyway," Josh grinned, "so you'll have that to play with, which is great."
For clarinetists curious about bass clarinet but hesitant to invest in an expensive wooden instrument they might not play regularly, the Alpha offers an accessible entry point.
The Frustrating Reality: Clarinets Don't Work Out of the Box
We addressed an industry-wide frustration: When you buy a clarinet—almost any clarinet—it doesn't really work right out of the box.
Keys don't seal properly. Spring tensions are off. Everything needs adjustment before it plays well.
Why do we accept this?
"At the end of the day, the answer has something to do with profit margins," Josh theorized. "The factories just can't set them all up nicely."
The solution: Buy from dealers who properly set up instruments before selling them.
We specifically recommended:
- Brian Corbin (Corbin Clarinet Products)
- Alcides Rodriguez (Rodriguez Musical Services)
- Michael Lowenstern (EarSpasm Music)
These sellers work on instruments before shipping them, ensuring you get something that actually plays well. And remarkably, they sell at the same prices as buying directly from manufacturers—they just eat the setup cost.
"It would be weird if you walked into a car dealership and bought a car and immediately needed to spend a lot of money to get it to work right," I pointed out. "People wouldn't buy it."
Yet in the clarinet world, we've normalized this. Buying from trusted dealers who pre-adjust instruments eliminates this frustration.
Final Thoughts: What We All Play
For transparency, here's what we're currently playing:
- Jay: Buffet RC Prestige
- Josh: Buffet Tradition
- Lynne: Buffet R13 Prestige
We're all Buffet players at the moment, though Josh is eyeing the new Backun Essence as a potential future purchase. The Essence fills a needed niche—professional quality at a more accessible price point than the Lumière.
Your Turn
We ended the episode with a call to action for listeners: Share your most favorite piece of equipment or your most desired piece of gear.
What's that thing you imagine would change everything if you just had it?
We all have those dreams. Sometimes they're realistic. Sometimes they're fantasies. But they're always fun to talk about.
So drop a comment below: What's your prized clarinet possession? What's on your wishlist?
And if you have a few hundred dollars to spare? Maybe consider Lynne's advice and buy some concert tickets.
Listen to the Full Episode
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