Thomann 12H Ocarina C3 dark blue

The Thomann Plastic AC is made by Focalink (as can be seen on the ridge in the product image) and I decided on getting the product after numerous reviewers recommending the Focalink plastic ocarinas.

The sound quality is nice, with a rising breath pressure (more air is needed on the higher notes). Acute bending on the higher notes is not necessary at all.

12 holes is perfect, since it enables you to play sharps and flats easier, as well as increasing the range of the ocarina somewhat. Playing with 12 holes is not really harder than playing with 10 holes.

The plastic material has the advantage of making the ocarina a lot less fragile. If I go on trips, this is the ocarina I bring along as I don't have to worry about breaking it by placing it in a backpack or in one of my pockets. It wouldn't be a biggie if you dropped it on the floor by accident, whereas a clay ocarina would most likely break.

The major downside with this ocarina is that it has some condensation issues, meaning that as saliva builds up in the mouth piece, it starts to sound airy or might not even play the notes at all. This can be quickly remedied by sucking in the saliva (as opposed to blowing it in) or by folding a piece of paper and sliding it in and out the mouth piece.

Since I got this item, I also bought the Focalink/Stein Double AC which - being a clay ocarina - does not have condensation issues. If you do not want to bother with condensation at all, spend some more money and get a clay ocarina instead.

Another advantage with the Double AC was that I felt that it feels and looks a lot more like a real instrument. The plastic AC does its job, but it looks a bit like a toy and the blue color (which might appeal to some Zelda fans) looks a bit hideous to me.

If you are curious about what it's like to play the ocarina but don't want to pay too much money to find out, this is the ocarina to get. It blows the socks out of any recorder in the same price range.

Pros:
* Sturdy plastic build - can be dropped or thrown into a bag without fear of shattering, unlike clay ocarinas. I found mine quite comfortable to hold and play, as someone with medium-sized hands.
* Very affordable for a starter ocarina.
* Good tuning - avoid those cheap Ocarina of Time ocarinas you usually see online at all costs, They tend to be very badly-tuned, which should be an absolute deal-breaker for everyone, given ocarinas aren't made to be tuned by the player, like guitars.
* Useful booklet - teaches all the basics of playing as well as fingerings for multiple pieces.

Cons:
* Moisture - plastic ocarinas condense some of the water vapour in one's breath during playing. This causes the tone to become weak and muddy eventually, requiring one to quite literally suck the water out to fix it. Clay ocarinas are porous and so do not have this problem.
* Cheap string - Mine unraveled quite easily, but the string can be replaced for almost no cost.
* Acute bending - this is a technique where one tilts their head right down when playing high notes, making them much clearer-sounding. Some ocarinas don't require this technique to sound clear, but this ocarina does.

Overall, I think the pros far outweigh the cons with this instrument, for a beginner especially. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to get started with ocarinas.