I have seen these on ebay for around $100 for the pro model - are they garbage? Or would they be ok to start a kid (3rd grade) on?

Garbage. I recommend a used Olds Ambassador off ebay. You can find a good one for around $100 and they are the most durable, and best student horns ever built. Some even consider them pro models...

Old Ambassador seems ok, what about king or Getzent STudent model? But I dont wanna spend alot cuz I dont know if she will stay with it she is 8.

I played the trumpet in school from 4th to 10 or so - and got out of it- btu actaully I am thinking about starting again, I have not played in 9 years.

Where do I start?

if you`re ebaying than you should look at the getzen severinsen model. they come cheap and they are amazing. i`ve heard good things about tristar ech cornets but i think that tristar will break easily and it would be a waste of 100$

Yeah I am ebaying, but how can I be sure to get something like severinsen getzen USED and be sure valves are smooth and fast?

Well isnt that the hard part buying off of the internet... Unless they offer a return policy youre pretty much stuck with what you bought. It depends on how the valves were maintained, if they used different types of valve oil, if they used spit...stuff like that. Used trumpets are hard to break in too, especially if they were used alot, valve casings tend to "break in" with their owner, in other words, they tend to shift in angle by the way the fingers push the valves down. Oh and a thing about cheap horns is they have cheap valves, and the first thing they would do is corrode, valve oil will do murder to cheap pistons, especially water based i.e. Al Cass. Pro oil by zaja music is good stuff, its synthetic so you have to do extra cleaning to the pistons and valve casing before applying. I really like the stuff and they even have scented oils, Mmmm strawberry! Anywho, its really up to you. Hope all goes well!

Oh by the way, the whole angle shift thing is very small, a hundredth of an inch. But as you will learn, even the smallest change can really make a big difference.

whoah don`t worry about getzen valves not being smooth unless they`re dinged up. getzen makes the best valves ever. you can ask the seller questions and if they don`t answer honestly you either hunt them down and kill them or report them to ebay and get money back from them. just ask any questions you have about the horn and you should be fine.

Should I have not gotten all technical? ......poo.....

No, technical is OK. Thanks for all the help.

Hi,

An Olds Ambassador is a good choice. In addition, there is this small trumpet shop in Cincinnati, Crone Trumpet Repair, which specializes in restoring student trumpets to their former glory. Might want to check it out.

Consider a used Holton Collegiate too. A heavy duty student model that will last and last. And the resale should be comparable to the purchase price if reasonably maintained.

tstar trumpets arent bad. great customer service and they r realy good for beginners

I`m sorry to say, and no offense to Indian friends, but Tristar horns are wonderful as wall decorations.