Looking for a piccolo, and don't know what brand to get!

[idear]

Hi,
I am looking for a piccolo that is in the $150-$250 price range, as I can not go much higher. I am just playing in high school marching and concert band. I have found a lot on different brands and found the Bundy and Hawk aren't too good. I haven't found much on Allora. So my question here is if Allora is an OK brand, and if not what other brands I could look for and where I may find a webite selling them.
Thank you!

[Zevang]

Have never heard about this brand. Didn't you find any Yamaha piccolos out there? They are not the cheapest, but maybe you find a used one in good shape. They are reliable and durable.

[idear]

yes, I have found tons on Yamaha, and Jupiter. They seem to all be quite expensive. Im trying hard to stay away from ebay, but I can't find anyone with a used piccolo in good shape.

[pied_piper]

As Zevang stated, Allora is not a well known brand and it has no reputation. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's a bad brand, it simply means that it has no proven track record. I would also recommend one of the better known brands like Yamaha, Pearl, Jupiter, or even Gemeinhardt. The low end of these will start at around $600 and go up from there. Generally, you get what you pay for. That's especially true with musical instruments. If you can save up for a while longer, you will be better off in the long run to buy a quality entry level piccolo.

If that's simply not an option, you might look into the Vento piccolo. This is a relatively new brand, but it is backed by a U.S. company - musicfactorydirect.com. I tried one of these at the National Flute Association Convention and it played fairly well for a very cheap piccolo. The fact that this company displayed their instruments at NFA Convention shows that they are serious about their instruments and stand behind them. Unfortunately, I can't comment on the durability of the Vento; it simply hasn't been out there long enough to prove itself yet.

Caveat emptor...