Ok, I am buying a piccolo and I am having trouble on what kind I should get. I am in a Middle School band right now, but next year, i am going to be in a High School Band. The band contains both marching and concert. There is stage band like Jazz band and that. I want one piccolo for both marching and concert band. My options are a plastic, silver, or wood...lol, i guess that is all the options. Right now, my High School has all plastic ones for marching band. If I am calling them right, plastic is the ones with the black body? The brands I am thinking of are Yamaha, Lazer, Jupiter. I like the cover on the head that covers the head joining hte body :-D

If you are going with a plastic body, go with a Yamaha-great marching instruments and they sound nice in a concert setting. Very reliable.

Yes the go with the Yamaha hands down but if marching make sure it is all plastic or silver head and plastic body if you intend on ever playing it in a concert band as well as in marching. Th YPC32 is good I used one of those all through high school, for marching as well as concert band.

go with pj hardy or sonare which is currently new on the market and you can find it as low as 500 in some places

Sonare piccolo?
Keywork made in China or Taiwan?

It is very important for a piccolo`s reliability that its very short pivot tubes have no sloppiness, and that the linkage tabs are rigid enough.

These are not particularly common features of Chinese-made instruments. It would be nice to assume that Powell has established sufficient quality control over these things, but seeing the piccolos are new on the market, I would do a thorough check on these things, by a good technician, before spending money.

PJ Hardy? Sorry, I`ve never heard of the brand, which probably means one should be even more cautious.

The Sonare instruments are far superior to ANY other chinese horn - just because they are made in china does not equate them with the ebay nonames.

I have a sonare flute myself, and am an instrument dealer with access to all major manufacturers.

Selmer saxes made in Paris are ALSO held in very high regard, but short pivot tubes (especially on the two smallest saxophones) which are sloppy are quite common, leading to compounding problems when adjustments are necessary. A top name does not always indicate top quality!

BTW, the mechanism on a flute is far easier to make to a good standard that the mechanism of a piccolo.

No, I am not passing negative judgement on ALL that comes from Taiwan, but am suggesting that any buyer be VERY careful. Take heed of technicians as well as marketers and owners who may know little about mechanisms. On a piccolo the standard of mechanism is critical!

Now was I comparing with the Ebay rubbish. I am, however, mindful of the relative rubbish from China and Taiwan which is marketed under once well-respected big names.

I`m glad you enjoy your flute.

Cheers.

The Sonare piccolo is not yet shipping. Both the body and headjoint are made of a new polymer (in the USA). The headjoint is cut and the scale is drilled at the Powell factory. They keywork comes in from China. They are supposed to hit the streets in July/August.

They will have one at NFA.

Sonare is a subsidiary of Powell. They are worth a look.

this is interesting. everyone that has replied has a different idea of what the best piccolo is out there. all i am going to suggest is go to a local or well known music/insturment dealer and just spend some time trying out the piccolos they have in stock. you could end up getting a piccolo from an entirely differnt brand or maker, but what it all comes down to is what piccolo you think works best for you.

But be aware that if you strike it lucky, SOME brands of piccolo play surprisingly well when they are new, and then the first time the neeed servicing, which may be very soon, you strike it UNlucky.....they are simply not economical to service. All that is left is to trash them! - lesson learnt the hard way.

Buy brands with good reputation earned over a long period.

You`ve never heard of a PJ Hardy? Well, then you must not be a professional flutist. There are many professional flutists who occasionally play piccolo playing on very moderately priced P J Hardy piccolos! They are excellent! I have had one for 10 years and I love mine! Can 100% recommend them. Perhaps you haven`t heard of him because he specializes in piccolos! That`s practically all he does!

i`d suggest a yamaha.. i have the yamaha ypc 30 and i love it! it`s very reliable.. mine`s all silver and its been used for concert band, many however do not recomended them for it.. so that you`ll havta decide by your school or someone else who knows more about it than me anyways!

Flagirl, may I ask which professionals that you know of that play on a PJ harding? They are student models, so I would really be interested in knowing some names.