Student Instruments Go Pro

Jiggs pBone is a featherweight, mostly plastic trombone designed for kids but hitting high notes with top brass players for sound quality and durability. Ashley Shabankareh, trombonist in New Orleans ska band The Local Skank, says with a standard metal mouthpiece attached, it sounds much like her brass instruments. $179

Vibrato A1 was company's first alto saxophone. The main tube, bell and neck are made of a blend of polycarbonate and ABS, the former providing "the required resonance", the former "elasticity and flexibility". The Vibrato A1 "has a vintage character that is a dark and warm sound that is hard to find in modern saxophones nowadays." Suitable for young children and ideal as their first saxophone--it's super lightweight at 850 grams--making it the lightest fully-functional alto saxophone available in the world today. The big deal are the self-leveling silicone pads that are non-toxic and soft
"to ensure the perfect seal on every tone hole." With DIY replacement, these pads are highly reliable and user friendly. “It plays like a dream and weighs only 2 pounds. I’m not sure how they did it, but it feels a bit like magic,” Clint Maedgen said. $575

Casio Mini Keyboard SA-76 is a 44-key digital piano that runs on six AA-batteries and sells at Toys “R” Us. Beck named a single after it. Mark Ramos Nishita, keyboardist and longtime Beastie Boys collaborator currently in David Byrne’s Atomic Bomb Band says: “Plug it into a wah-wah pedal and a stack of Marshalls, and it would sound amazing.” $70

Suzuki Q Chord is an electronic take on the autoharp that "produces enough distinct—and just plain ethereal—sounds to fill in for an entire band." Fans include David Bowie and Jim James of rock band My Morning Jacket. Some strap it on their bodies and play it like a stand-up keyboard or “keytar.” Beautifully-orchestrated song cartridges contain favorite
song titles in diverse genres (with lyrics). Plug in and strum.$300

SEE: "Too Cool for Music School" by Steve Garbarino.