Startone SCL- 25 Bb- Clarinet

Good construction, a bit to be desired for tone

The clarinet itself is very well built, comfortable to hold, and looks incredibly nice. Everything assembles very neatly, and the weight is very comfortable. Where i was a bit dissapointed was the tone of the instrument. due to the reeds that are included, and the mouthpiece. I highly recommend buying some new reeds, and a new mouthpiece (i found the "Yamaha Bb- Clarinet Boehm 4C" very satisfactory)

Unreal Value

Costing less than the preffered mouthpiece on it (EV10 with HCL1G) speaks easily in all three registers with great intonation with Vandoren Classic Blue from 2.5 to all the way down to 1.0.

Ideal for beginners and hobbyists

This instrument is a perfect deal for beginners and hobbyists like myself. I played around with it for about 10 days now and I was able to make some nice sounds out of it. However, I've noticed some minor scratches in the upper section, and one of the tone holes wasn't perfectly made. But if you're completely new to clarinet, this might be a good option to consider.

Very good for beginners. Good sound and perfect price. Mechanism is pretty good. Case is like a backpack which is excellent for young students.

amazing for amateur

good quality with amazing case

Great value for money

I'd been playing the piano for a while and wanted to try something else. This entry-level clarinet is perfect for my needs.

It seems solidly built and comes complete with everything stated on the webpage plus two bonus reeds (strengths 2 and 1.5). I suggest you buy some additional reeds (while you benefit from the free shipping) and recommend the Vandoren Classic Blue series: they sound a lot better than the Startone ones.

All in all, I am extremely satisfied with my purchase.

Addition, after 4 weeks:

I'm still enormously satisfied with my clarinet and delighted I'm getting a decent tone out of it.

I'd like to add that I've just bought a thumb rest and a small batch of mouthpiece cushions, both of which increase the level of comfort. I strongly recommend these (I got the aS brand for both).

Perfect for beginners

Fantastic value for money. After a few minutes my 10 year old son, a total beginner, was able to produce quite a decent sound. Very satisfied with my purchase.

My first wind instrument

This is my first wind instrument so I definetely don't know what i'm talking about but... this feels great and rugged, sounds good even with my crappy begginer technique and the price point is AMAZING.

Very much recommended.

Very impressive!

I'm a music producer and I was looking for a clarinet I could toy around with and possibly use in very casual recordings.

PROS:

Has everything I can imagine a beginner could want.

Really nice bag, comes complete with a swab, cork grease, two barrels, neck strap. Everything one could ask for.

The tone is quite nice with a good reed (I got Vandoren 56 2.5 reeds) so make sure to order reeds - the difference is absolutely day and night. The tone is nice and I can definitely imagine myself using it for simple indie album recordings.

The keys are solid and don't make noise - that was a huge surprise, considering the price.

CONS:

The tone in the upper registers aren't bad but aren't exactly stellar either. I haven't been played the clarinet for a decade, so it could be my skills but the tones in the upper octave are slightly harsher than I'd expect.

The sponge pad for one of the keys was flimsy, although a drop of glue did the trick.

OVERALL:

I would definitely recommend it for a beginner or for hobbyists (in this regard) like myself. Good tone, solid build, and an amazing price.

Nice enough especially for the price

I bought this because I wanted to explore the woodwind family & just because it was so cheap and I thought I couldn't really go wrong after reading the other reviews and I'm glad I did because it is a nice instrument and for the price I have no complaints whatsoever. Comes with everything you need in a light sturdy case with shoulder strap and back pack straps, reeds, swab & grease (although no strap for the clarinet but to be honest, for the price I will not complain) Managed to get a sound out of it pretty much straight away and after a few minutes of finding my way around it was enjoying playing it a lot. If you're curious about the clarinet/woodwind this is a great way to start exploring.