• Determine the Right Woodwind for You

• Select Woodwind Accessories

• Find Woodwind Instruments on eBay

• Buy Woodwind Instruments With Confidence

Determine the Right Woodwind for You

Determine the Right Woodwind for You

Each type of woodwind instrument has a particular sound and creates its own mood. In selecting the woodwind instrument that's right for you, consider the type of music that you want to play and your skill level. Some instruments are more prevalent in jazz bands while others are heard primarily in orchestras.

Once you know which woodwind you want to play, you'll find instruments by some of the best brands, like Yamaha, Jupiter, Pearl, Amati, Selmer, Bundy, Blessing, Buescher, Conn, and more, on eBay.

Clarinet

You’ll find clarinets in orchestras, jazz bands, and wind bands, where their distinctive sound is well-represented. If you've heard the opening notes of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, then you've listened to a clarinet.

• Clarinet size & construction: The clarinet is a reasonably small, and very portable, woodwind instrument. Clarinets feature 17 keys, which create sounds as you blow air between a single reed and mouthpiece. Because of its compact size and light weight, younger children often select clarinets as the first woodwind instrument they learn.

• Clarinet ranges: The most common type of this woodwind instrument is the B-flat clarinet, which generally produces notes in the treble range. But, there are a variety of other types you can play. The E-flat clarinet produces a higher-pitched sound, while the alto clarinet and bass clarinets produce lower-pitched sounds.

• Clarinet materials: Once you’ve selected what range you want to tackle, choose the type of material you want for your woodwind instrument. Purchase a wood clarinet to produce a warmer, more professional sound. Get the more durable plastic clarinet for a youngster who’s bound to be hard on it.

Saxophone

The highly versatile saxophone delivers a singing quality with a rich register and extended range, making it one of the most popular woodwind instruments. The saxophone creates particularly romantic and soulful music, and as such is well-represented in jazz and the blues.

• Saxophone construction: The saxophone has a cone-shaped bore, like an oboe; a reed; mouthpiece; keys, like a clarinet; and usually a brass body. Sizes vary, depending on the type of saxophone you select.

• Saxophone types: Saxophones range in size and pitch. The smallest and highest pitched is the soprano saxophone, followed by the alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, and contrabass saxophone.

• Selecting the right saxophone: Beginners should consider the alto saxophone first. Playing it requires slightly less air than the tenor sax and its smaller size makes it easier to hold the woodwind instrument. Experienced players can progress to other saxophone types.

Flute

One of the oldest and most popular instruments in the world, the flute is the only non-reed woodwind instrument. You’ll find the flute played in school bands, symphony orchestras, flute choirs, jazz ensembles, and as a solo instrument. You play the flute by blowing air through the instrument’s cylindrical body and pressing the keys.

• Beginner flutes: Beginners should get the concert, or C flute. Beginner flutes are generally made of nickel and are silver-plated. Look for a curved headjoint, which makes it easier for smaller players to play.

• Advanced flutes: Advanced flute models are made out of materials such as silver, gold, glass, or carbon fiber.

• Other flute types: The flute family also includes the piccolo (pitched one octave above the standard flute), E-flat, alto, and bass flutes.

Oboe

Achieve a high and reedy sound with the oboe, a member of the woodwind double reed family. Oboes are made from various woods or high-quality plastic resin. Unlike the clarinets or saxophone (which have a mouthpiece and reed), the oboe has a double reed.

Bassoon

Another member of the woodwind double reed family, you play the bassoon in the tenor range or below. A bassoon is an 8-foot-long wooden instrument which produces distinctive tones with great character.

Recorder

Play a wide variety of music with the recorder, a flute-like woodwind which is often found in large groups or chamber groups. High-quality recorders are made from different hardwoods, but many are made of plastic—a good choice for the beginner.

Bagpipes

Play Scottish music with bagpipes. Most bagpipes are made from African Blackwood, though plastic is also common. The pipe bag may be made of sheepskin or various types of hides.

Select Woodwind Accessories

Select Woodwind Accessories

Woodwind instruments require maintenance. Shop eBay for the parts and products you need to keep your woodwind instrument sounding good.

• Woodwind reeds: Clarinet reeds and saxophone reeds produce the sound. Reeds come in strengths from 1 to 5, with the higher numbers indicating stronger reeds. Buy softer reeds if you’re learning to play the instrument.

• Woodwind mouthpieces and straps: Upgrade your clarinet mouthpiece or saxophone mouthpiece to make playing easier. Purchase a neck strap to help you hold your woodwind instrument.

• Woodwind key pads: Popular woodwind instruments often need replacement pads for the keys. Search eBay for the clarinet pads, sax pads, flute pads, or other types your woodwind instrument requires.

• Woodwind maintenance products: Shop eBay for the cork grease, cleaning swab, cleaning tools, and cleaning kits you need. You’ll find it helpful to have a reed case and trimmer.

• Woodwind protection: If your woodwind instrument didn’t come with one, get a clarinet case, saxophone case, or flute case by Protec, SKB, or another maker.

• Woodwind music: Learn how to play and improve your music repertoire with instructional materials (such as a method book, CDs, and sheet music) from Hal Leonard and other companies. Buy a music stand to hold your music in a comfortable line of sight.

Find Woodwind Instruments on eBay

Find Woodwind Instruments on eBay

Once you know what type of woodwind you want, go to the Musical Instruments portal, click Woodwinds, and start searching for item listings on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Bagpipes, Bassoon, Oboe, Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo, Recorder, Saxophone, and more. As you dig deeper into the site, you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by brand.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find an alto saxophone, type “alto saxophone” (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Woodwind Instruments With Confidence

Buy Woodwind Instruments With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to C$1,250.

• eBay Security & Resolution Centre: Visit the Security & Resolution Centre to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.