Piano
Acoustic Pianos
Purchasing an acoustic piano can be a big decision. If you are looking for an inexpensive or free piano, put the word out to everyone you know. You may get lucky in finding someone who is looking to offload the piano that they aren’t using anymore. Here are some great options for starting your search.
Big Wrench is a great place to find a used piano. They even have a service where they will come and assess a craigslist piano
Piano Piano is a midtown option that has great rental options and rent to own.
Electric Pianos
Electric pianos are a great, lower cost option that won’t take up as much space in your apartment. They make great pianos that feel like a regular piano. It’s recommended to buy a very sturdy stand with these pianos as they can be heavy.
A great low cost option is the YAMAHA P125 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano with Power Supply and Sustain Pedal, Black. Recommended is the L125 Stand.
Make sure the keyboard has fully weighted keys. Without this option it’s very difficult to transition to an acoustic piano. Craigslist, Ebay and Facebook are great places to search for these keyboards as well.
Guitar
It’s important to purchase a high quality instrument. We recommend sticking with name brands such as Yamaha, Ibanez or Takimine. These companies sell instruments that are of good quality and not too expensive.
Guitars for Little Fingers – Ages 5-7 (Guitar Friends)
A great option that comes in ½ size is a size that most kids can handle.
Guitars for older students ages 8 and up
We recommend taking a fun trip to a guitar center conveniently located in Brooklyn where the students can try out the different size guitars. Their staff are very knowledgeable and will help you find the right size guitar for your fingers.
Strings
Make sure you talk to your teacher about what size instrument you need. Renting strings is a great option for growing students. It’s easy to swap out one instrument for a larger size as needed. Adults and older students can also take advantage of their rent-to-own program. If you are in the market for a high quality instrument, it is recommended that you speak to your teacher directly as stores and availability can change.
We also recommend renting or buying an instrument from these shops:
Shar Music Instrument
Flushing Violin Shop
Johnson Strings
BKCM is a drop-off location for Johnson Strings. Please let them know you are a student at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and they will be happy to drop the instrument here.
Brass and Woodwinds
It’s important to have a good working instrument that is of high quality. Student models are fine for beginners, although we recommend name brand instruments such as Yamaha, Bach, Eastman or Jupiter. If you have specific questions about where to find a quality instrument, please send an email to pablo.masis@bkcm.org.
Here is a resource for renting instruments suitable for beginners through advanced. To purchase brass and woodwinds in person we recommend: