Do you need a good piccolo to play in school or for fun? You should know about the best piccolo brands and some of their popular models.
That way, you can compare the models and choose one that suits your playing. Because while recommendations are nice, we’re all different.
But first, this post contains affiliate links. Click here to read the full disclosure.
Yamaha
Yamaha makes piccolos for students, professionals, and everyone in between. The piccolos are a bit more expensive than similar models from other brands, but they can be well worth it.
If you want a beginner piccolo or one you can use outside, give the YPC-32 a try. It has a plastic body and metal head, which is pretty popular among student-level piccolos.
The YPC-62 is a good intermediate model, but it does require some care since it’s wood. You can get a warm sound, and it’s a nice model to play in orchestra or band as long as you’re inside.
Read my Yamaha piccolos guide to learn more.
Jupiter
Jupiter is another one of the best piccolo brands for students. It’s a bit more affordable than equivalent Yamaha models. And it may be a better fit for your playing.
The JPC1010 is a plastic model, so both the body and headjoint are plastic. That makes it a nice choice for marching band and orchestra because it can sound warm but is also durable.
If you want to get a wood piccolo from Jupiter, you may like the DiMedici. This model can be a great choice for the advancing player, and you can get that warm sound you may want for orchestra.
Read my Jupiter piccolo guide to learn more.
Gemeinhardt
Gemeinhardt makes a lot of different piccolos for beginners and intermediate players. They’re similar to Jupiter and Yamaha, but some players may like a Gemeinhardt better.
One of the models you should consider is the Roy Seaman Storm. This piccolo is from Gemeinhardt, and it’s a composite model. That makes it perfect for playing inside and outside.
You can also look into the 4P, 4PMH, and other models. That way, you can get the materials and sound you want at the price you can afford.
Roy Seaman
A sub-brand of Gemeinhardt, Roy Seaman deserves its own section. The Roy Seaman Storm is a super popular composite piccolo among students and intermediate players.
While I’ve never played this brand, I’ve heard many teachers and performers praise it. If you find other composite instruments don’t work for you, you should try the Storm.
There’s also the Classic and LTD models, which are made of grenadilla wood. That makes this brand perfect for intermediate players as well as flutists who need a good piccolo but can’t spend a ton of extra money.
Read my Roy Seaman piccolo guide to learn more.
Zentner
If you don’t care that much about getting a new piccolo, Zentner is yet another one of the best piccolo brands to try. Miles Zentner worked for Roy Seaman piccolos before their acquisition by Gemeinhardt.
That means these piccolos will sound and respond pretty similarly. The fact that you can find these piccolos used also means you can get a good deal on your instrument.
Unfortunately, you may have to shop around and perhaps wait a while for one to come up for sale. So keep that in mind before narrowing your search only to this brand.
Selmer
When it comes to the best piccolo brands, you may not think of Selmer. After all, it’s more known in the clarinet and saxophone worlds, but they do make a decent student piccolo.
The Selmer PC711 is one of the most affordable models I’ve seen from reputable brands. If money’s tight and you need a good piccolo, give this one a try.
It may not get you a solo piccolo spot in an orchestra. But the metal headjoint and plastic body can help you learn the basics of how to play the piccolo and prepare you for a future upgrade.
Read my guide to the best beginner piccolo to learn more.
Armstrong
When it comes to student piccolos, you may want to consider some of the models from Armstrong. I started on an Armstrong 204, and it served me well for about three years.
That particular model is all silver-plated, so it looks like a small flute but can sound a bit shrill. However, Armstrong also makes plastic and even wood models.
They aren’t super common, so prepare to do some research to find one for sale. If you find one you like, you can get a good sound and learn the basics fairly easily.
Read my Armstrong 204 review to learn more.
Pearl
One of my favorite flute and piccolo brands is Pearl. The brand only makes two main models, but they’re both great for intermediate players and anyone who needs a good backup piccolo.
I have the Pearl 105E, which is the standard of that model. It has a composite headjoint and body, and it has a wave headjoint. The split-E mechanism helps a lot.
If you want the warmth of wood, the 165 may be more your speed. It has a wood headjoint and a composite body. That can make it a bit warmer in tone, but it does cost more than the 105.
Read my Pearl 105 vs. Pearl 165 comparison to learn more.
GUO
GUO is another amazing brand to consider when shopping for a piccolo. They’re best known for their New Voice piccolos, which come in a variety of fun colors.
Another model you can try is the GUO Grenaditte piccolo. This model is the most similar to the Pearl 105, which uses the same material for the body and headjoint.
However, the GUO piccolo also features composite plastic keys. That makes the entire piccolo look black, so it can fully blend in visually with your concert black.
Read my grenaditte piccolo guide to learn more.
Di Zhao
Another one of the piccolo brands in a similar category is Di Zhao. The company makes piccolos for students and intermediate players, and they aren’t too expensive.
If you want a basic student model, the DZP-101 has a metal headjoint and a plastic body. You can use the piccolo in marching band, orchestra, or any other setting.
You might want to try the DZP-301 if you want a wood model but tend to react to grenadilla wood. The rosewood piccolo looks good and sounds great, just make sure to take care of the wood.
Trevor James
Trevor James is better known for making C flutes, altos, and basses. However, they also make a couple of piccolos that are slowly gaining popularity, particularly among students.
Their most famous model is the Trevor James Blaze, which is a grenadilla piccolo. It comes with a split E mechanism and a wave headjoint to help you get a good response.
Compared to some other wood piccolos on the market, this model is pretty affordable. I’d recommend it to students as well as to anyone who plays and loves a Trevor James C flute or low flute.
Lyric
Another one of the best piccolo brands to consider is relatively new to the scene. Lyric first launched its piccolo around 2017, and I got to try one back then.
I think the model sounds great, but it’s not that much better than the Pearl that I have. Still, if you’re upgrading from a metal or plastic piccolo, it could be good for you.
For better or worse, this model only comes with a wave headjoint. It also features a split E mechanism and is the most affordable model I’ve seen that has a grenadilla headjoint and body.
Ready my Lyric piccolo guide to learn more.
Burkart
Burkart makes a variety of piccolos, and they’re all of fantastic quality. However, they don’t have any plastic or metal models.
If you’re ready for wood, you may start with the Resona piccolo. It’s relatively affordable, but you can still get the standard Burkart sound that you would get on something more expensive.
At the professional level, you may want to try the Professional or Elite piccolos from Burkart. Then, you can get an excellent sound, and you may like the sound better than the Resona.
Read my Burkart piccolo guide to learn more.
Powell
Powell is another one of the piccolo brands that focus on higher-end and professional instruments. They do have the Sonare line, which is like the Resona piccolo from Burkart.
But most of the Powell piccolos are much more expensive. Some of them are close to $20,000. But if you’re serious about playing the piccolo, you should try a few Powells.
At the very least, consider the Signature model. It has a lot of the same features as the more expensive piccolos, but it’s not terribly priced.
Read my Powell piccolo guide to learn more.
Hammig
Another one of my favorite piccolo brands is Hammig. They pretty much specialize in piccolos, unlike the other brands on this list. The other companies make good piccolos, but they also make flutes.
I bought the 650/3, which is a bit expensive, but it has the wonderful G# facilitator. So if I need to play a high G#, I don’t have to worry about what alternate fingering to use.
Be sure to try one or more Hammigs and try their different headjoints. Then, you can make sure the instrument is right for you. I know some other players who wouldn’t choose this brand even though I like it.
Read my Hammig piccolo guide to learn more.
Bulgheroni
An Italian brand, Bulgheroni is well known for making oboes. However, they also make a few different professional piccolo models that are great for advanced players.
They’re very similar to the Hammig piccolos in that the high G# mechanism is standard. The models also come with Straubinger piccolo pads, which some players love and others hate.
The Bulgheroni 401, 501, and 601 models use grenadilla wood, while the 601C uses cocus wood. Unfortunately, these piccolos are rare, and the only place I know that sells them is Flute World.
Read my high G# mechanism guide to learn more.
Haynes
Haynes is another excellent piccolo brand to look at. This company is super well known for its line of professional flutes, and it’s one of those brands that’s been around for decades.
They’ve made metal and wood piccolos, and the Haynes sub-brand Amadeus recently came out with an intermediate model. I’d recommend that as an option if you’ve tried piccolos at that level with no success.
Haynes has even made Db piccolos, and you can find a few used ones for sale. For better or worse, Haynes piccolos tend to be expensive, even when you shop on the used market.
Keefe
Keefe is one of the highest-level piccolo brands. I love how you can choose from three different headjoint cuts, including traditional, modern, and classic.
Unlike other piccolo brands I’ve seen, you can also choose whether you want it tuned to A = 440, 442, or 444. You can also order your piccolo with a C# trill key, which isn’t a very common spec on piccolos.
Unfortunately, the last I heard, there’s a long waitlist of about three years. But that does give you plenty of time to save up for your new Keefe piccolo!
Read my guide to how to practice piccolo intonation to learn more.
Nagahara
One of the most unique piccolo brands out there has to be Nagahara, which makes the Nagahara Mini. It’s one of only a couple of models that features a low C on the piccolo.
So if you tend to come across a lot of newer piccolo solos, having that low note comes in handy. You can also choose from a variety of woods, including grenadilla, mopane, and rosewood.
I love how the piccolo also features a G# touchpiece, so you can easily trill from G to Ab or G# with the first finger of your right hand. You can do that on other piccolos but not as easily.
Read my guide to the best piccolo wood to learn more.
Which Piccolo Is the Best?
The best piccolo depends on the player and where they’re at in their piccolo playing journey. For example, I’ve played the Armstrong 204, Pearl 105, and Hammig 650/3.
They’re all different, but they served my needs at the time of when I bought them and later played them.
However, you may not like any of those models. You need to consider your playing style and goals as well as your budget to help choose the best piccolo.
Is Mendini a Good Piccolo Brand?
Mendini isn’t the best piccolo brand out there, but it’s also not the worst either. If you’re on a tight budget, I wouldn’t say you shouldn’t try it.
In fact, you can use it for a few months to determine if you like playing the piccolo. However, you should continue to save up for a new piccolo that will last a bit longer.
How Much Does a Good Piccolo Cost?
A good piccolo costs anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $40,000. The specific price depends on whether the piccolo is new or used, what materials it’s made from, and the brand.
I’d recommend planning to spend around $1,000 for a good student piccolo. When upgrading, plan to spend around $4,000 to $6,000, especially if you consider yourself a piccolo specialist.
Choose the Best Piccolo Brand and Model for You
I could recommend some of the best piccolo brands all day. But you still have to put in a bit of time to find the brand and model that fits your needs the best.
If you don’t know where to start or what to look for, check out the full buying guide. Then, you can learn how to choose a piccolo that you will want to play!
I find it remarkable you don’t mention Keefe piccolos.
I totally forgot about Keefe! I’ll add it to the list.