The Elkhart 100CL Clarinet is highly recommended for beginners on a tight budget and is, in our opinion, it is one of the best of the low-priced Chinese-made beginner clarinets.

The tone and intonation is good for an instrument of this price, and the key-work feels stronger than most, making it better-equipped to withstand less-than-delicate handling.

Unlike many of the newer manufacturers of beginner clarinets, the Elkhart name has been around since 1923. Elkhart instruments are now made for Vincent Bach, part of the Conn-Selmer group of companies, one of the world’s most prestigious manufacturers and distributors of wind instruments.

The Elkhart 100CL comes as an outfit with a quality case, reed and care kit.