Buying an instrument for a Christmas gift
When a parent notices his child beginning to show some innate musical talent, he goes out looking for the best music school in town and enrolls his child. Not long after, it’s time the parent shells out some cash for a musical instrument.
There are many things to consider when buying a musical instrument. Especially during the holidays, music stores are offering season sales bringing some prices down to 50 percent less. Here are a few fast things to keep in mind when shopping for some musical instruments.
Budget.
I’m pretty sure this is a first on everyone’s list. Budget is actually relative to the skill of the player. Let’s just say for the sake of the article that the one who will be using the instrument is a beginner. So having that in mind, there are entry-level but sturdy built instruments around P7,000 to P10,000.
Competition.
The player himself should go around different stores in town trying different brands and models of the musical instrument in mind. Each instrument is built differently, thus, should sound differently as well. Run your discoveries against online reviews and check which brand suits you best.
Function.
You want everything easy. Make sure you stick to the basic features that are easy to understand. Especially when on a budget, pick function over fashion. You would like to think that all the money should go to the playability and sound of the instrument itself rather than the aesthetic.
Performance-ready.
When you pick an instrument, try to go a step ahead among the rest of the bedroom musicians. If the budget allows, pick an instrument that is capable of performing in a live setting outside your own bedroom. Make sure it has a line-out for an amplifier or a mixer.
Resale value.
A lot of the magic in resale is based on how you maintain your instrument. But having said that, the brand and the instrument itself should hold their own when it enters the resale market. Think of the popular brands and its longevity when deciding on a purchase. Are you reselling because you’re quitting music? Of course not. You’re just upgrading from a beginner’s instrument to an intermediate player’s instrument. You’ll need to keep the expenses as low as possible.