Jupiter JCL-700S-Q Bb clarinet

The Jupiter JCL-700S-Q clarinet is made from ABS polymer with a brushed matte finish similar in appearance to traditional grenadilla wood. These days, nearly every student clarinet is constructed from this material – as well as being cheaper and easier to manufacture, instruments made from the hard plastic are more robust and reliable than their wooden alternatives and produce a comparable tone to all but the most highly trained ear.

Its silver-plated nickel keywork is designed especially for small hands and includes French style offset trill keys. The addition of an adjustable thumb rest allows students of any age to find a comfortable playing position, and the back of the clarinet also features a ring to which a neck strap can be attached to help young players support the instrument’s weight.

This outfit comes in a zip-up backpack style moulded foam case that is designed to be compact and lightweight without sacrificing protection. All the essential components and accessories are included: mouthpiece, ligature, mouthpiece cap, cork grease, cleaning swab and pull-through, neck strap, and owners’ manual offering tips on assembling and dismantling the clarinet.

A Vandoren 2.5 strength cane reed is also in the box. This is a thicker reed than a beginner might feel comfortable playing, and so a packet of size 1 or 1.5 reeds might be a sensible investment.