Affiliate Disclosure
FirstInstrumentGuide is committed to transparency. This page explains how we earn money and how it affects (and doesn't affect) our recommendations.
How We Earn Money
FirstInstrumentGuide is a free resource supported by affiliate partnerships. When you click on certain links and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This includes:
Amazon Associates Program
FirstInstrumentGuide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
When you click an Amazon link on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission (typically 1-4% depending on the product category). This doesn't increase the price you pay.
Other Affiliate Programs
We also participate in affiliate programs with select music education services, including online lesson platforms. When you sign up for these services through our links, we may earn a referral fee.
How Affiliate Relationships Affect Our Content
What Affiliates DON'T Influence
- Our rankings and recommendations: Products are ranked based on quality, value, and suitability for beginners - never by commission rate
- Our reviews: We highlight both pros and cons honestly
- Products we cover: We review and recommend products whether or not they have an affiliate program
- Our editorial integrity: No company can pay for placement or influence our opinions
What Affiliates DO Allow Us to Do
- Keep the site free for all visitors
- Spend time researching and testing products
- Regularly update our guides with new information
- Avoid intrusive advertising
Our Promise to You
We commit to the following principles:
- Honesty first: We only recommend products we believe in. If something isn't good enough for our own kids, we won't recommend it to yours.
- Transparency: Pages containing affiliate links include disclosure notices. This page provides complete details about our affiliate relationships.
- Reader interest: Your trust is more valuable than any commission. We will never compromise our recommendations for financial gain.
- Independence: We don't accept paid reviews, sponsored content, or "pay for placement" arrangements.
Identifying Affiliate Links
Links to Amazon and other affiliate partners typically include tracking parameters (like tag=firstinstrumentguide-20 for Amazon). All external affiliate links are marked with rel="sponsored" in the HTML.
Pages containing product recommendations include an affiliate disclosure notice near the top of the content.
Questions?
If you have any questions about our affiliate relationships or how we make money, please don't hesitate to contact us. We believe in complete transparency.
Last updated: January 2026