Copeland Clarinets: The Origin Story
Copeland Clarinets are a relatively new name in the clarinet market. We began producing Copeland-branded instruments in January 2023, which means we are now celebrating the three-year anniversary of our new instrument line! That said, the origin story of Copeland Clarinets goes back much further.
Clarinets by Copeland officially began in January 2013, but the roots of the business trace back to May 2010, when I first walked through the doors of Onks Woodwind Specialists to interview for an apprenticeship. Located just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, those early years with Jason Onks shaped everything that would come later.
As I grew as a clarinet repair specialist, I began noticing a troubling trend: the overall quality of new instruments I worked on was declining, while prices continued to rise. My first response to that problem was to refurbish professional-level instruments (primarily Buffet clarinets) and sell them at prices musicians could actually afford. That side project eventually became Clarinets by Copeland!
In those early years, I became known for my refurbished instruments. Few shops were fully overhauling clarinets to the level of detail I insisted on. I spent countless hours refining setups, pad work, key fitting, and response. Even then, I carried a long-term vision: one day, I wanted to offer my own line of clarinets—affordable instruments, accessible to all, built to a genuinely high standard.
In 2019, I left Onks to pursue ministry at seminary, and at that point Clarinets by Copeland moved to Louisville, Kentucky and became my full-time work. I handled all repairs, refurbishing, and sales myself. As the business grew, I began carrying other brands, including Royal Global, and later became a dealer for Backun. While I believe there is real value in offering multiple models for players to try, being a dealer also revealed an important limitation: pricing control. That limitation was the very reason I avoided selling new instruments in the early days. My slogan at the time was “better than new clarinets at a used price.” I believed deeply in that approach. Eventually, however, curiosity—and frustration—pushed me further. I began studying instrument manufacturing and researching where many major brands actually source their instruments. This led to conversations with manufacturers and the testing of multiple prototypes.
Our first original model was the Copeland Karis, built around a Buffet-inspired bore with keywork designed to feel familiar to Buffet players. Shortly after came our hard rubber Low C bass clarinet, originally released simply as the Copeland Hard Rubber Low C Bass and later renamed the Copeland Bara. That instrument was based on an older Selmer design concept. Both of these models were produced by highly-respected factories in China—factories that also manufacture instruments for many well-known global brands.
While the Karis and Bara were successful, I wanted a truly professional clarinet that was unmistakably our own. That pursuit led to the development of the Harmonia, Willow, and ultimately the Telos models. These instruments share a common core design, with intentional refinements. The Harmonia and Willow are mechanically identical, with the Willow distinguished by rosewood construction and rose-gold keywork. The Telos represents the culmination of our design work, featuring off-ramp style tone holes in the lower joint to improve venting, along with a low-F correction key and the left-hand side Eb key. The result is exceptional response, refined intonation, and remarkably precise keywork.
These professional models are built in a different factory—one that services many major brands worldwide. Today, nearly every clarinet brand utilizes Chinese manufacturing in some capacity, whether for parts, bodies, or complete instruments. The issue is not where an instrument is made, but how it is made—and by whom. Our factories are experienced, well-established, and held to extremely high standards that we are proud of! Yet what truly sets our instruments apart is what happens after manufacturing. These instruments are not simply pulled straight from a box and then immediately shipped; every Copeland clarinet is inspected for quality and consistency, fully set up, hand-adjusted, and play-tested in our shop in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
Today, we offer a full family of clarinets, from contrabass to E-flat. In just three years, we are approaching serial number 300, using a single unified serial number system across all models. If you have not already, we invite you to try a Copeland clarinet. We believe they are among the most affordable, professional-quality clarinets available on the market—trusted by artists, educators, and students worldwide. When you purchase one of our Copeland clarinets, you’re not just buying an instrument—you’re backed by our repair shop, our experience as clarinet players and educators, and our commitment to doing things the right way. Our mission as a small business is to provide high-quality instruments that are accessible by all people, from all backgrounds, and to provide excellence in all that we do, from the design process to shipping, and in all interactions and steps along the way. After more than 16 years of professional clarinet repair experience, and more than 25 years as a clarinet player myself, I fully stand behind these instruments and am excited to offer them to the clarinet community. From start to finish, we are proud of our Copeland clarinets and are confident that you will be too! Thank you for trusting us, and for supporting our small business.
— Jonathan Copeland