I am looking for a trumpet for my 13 year old (8th grade) daughter who has been in band for 3 - 4 years now. She is playing both concert band and jazz band and is doing well at it (1st seat in both). She would like a silver trumpet and the only advice I have been given so far is to look for an intermediate level trumpet. I have never played the trumpet so this is a brand new experience for me. Her first trumpet was one my brother-in-law used 15 years ago and has seen its better days. I have been searching on CraigsList as well as eBay. I have been told the best trumpet would be a Bach, but also have found they are higher priced.

First, is it possible to find something for $500 or less?

I would appreciate any advice on brands, models, estimated costs, where to look, etc. Thank you!

take a look at the yamaha's there built like tanks!

the 1335-2335 are beginner trumpets, so look at the 4335-6335's or if you can stretch a little more take a look at the 8335 which are the pro horns

the bach strad is a very obvous choice, again depends on money or some of the olds horns are good, also take a look at the getzens, I hear there intermediate range is very good.

if you can take her down to a shop and let her try some out and see which ones she likes but you will get much more for your money if you buy 2nd hand!

take a look on ebay and craigs list etc and see what you can find

Thanks for the advice reedy! We have looked at the Yamaha on line and hope to have her try one out in the next couple days. Also are looking at a Getzen and a few others.

First of all, Do not buy an Intermediate trumpet. They're a waste of money, basically a student horn with a thumb saddle and a third valve tuning ring. They don't sound any better. Save your money and wait to buy a GOOD professional horn, which will run you about $2,000. SHE needs to be the one who chooses it. SHE needs to like it. Take her to the BIGGEST music store around, and have her try EVERY pro horn in there. Bach Stradivarius are popular, along with Yamaha Xeno, and they are both very nice horns. HOWEVER, these both have inconsistent quality control, and it can take quite a while to find the one good horn in the bunch. What's most important is that she likes the horn. She'll knbow when it 'feels right'. I would also have her teacher come in with you when she's trying out the horn, to be sure her sound is the BEST it can be. In summary, Don't waste the money on an intermediate horn, wait and get a nice Pro horn, and make sure she and her teacher both like the sound she's getting on it.

@ reedy,
But the problem with that is that tanks don't sound good. That's the entire premice behind a Pro Horn. Think of it like a Tank Vs. a sports car, Tanks are made to withstand and hold together, just like a student trumpet. Sports cars, on the other hand, are made to perform (no pun intended) much like a pro horn. and Bach Stradivarius are not the best choice! Just because your section leader has one, and your teacher tells you they're the best, DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE! want to know a secret? most private lesson teachers and music store owners reccomend a specific brand of instrument, not because they are the best, but because that gets them money. THERE ARE MUCH BETTER THINGS THAN A BACH STRAD FOR THE SAME PRICE >:0

Thanks Nick! We actually purchased a trumpet a while back. But more or less did what you said. We worked with a gentleman in Ames, IA who buys, sells, and services trumpets. After talking with him at length, my daughter tried out a bunch of different trumpets, not paying attention to the name or price. When the dust settled, she chose an Olds Ambassador .. which we have been told is more in line with a professional trumpet. My daughter has been thrilled with it ever since!

We also had her old trumpet repaired and cleaned up and it has already been put to use as a back up for a couple other players. So far ... so good!

Well, Good! Olds are always good horns to go with and a safe bet! I would like to remind you, however, that you can RARELY depend on what people in these forums say. Unfortunately, Trumpet players have a bad reputation as the ones with the largest ego, and I must say that that is indeed true. The problem with forums like these is that you end up with LOTS of pompus, Know-it-alls who all want to be the boss. In reality, 99% of the people on this forum (myself included) are just highschool students that all think they are 'the man' and are more authorized to give advice. I would also have the talk with your daughter about going on to be a music major. It may be a little early, but the way I see it, there's not much of a point buying really nice equipment and paying for private lessons if she's not going to continue on with it. Lastly, remind her that practice is the best thing she can do, and it doesn't (entirely) matter what she plays, as long it's something! (there's this great book available, called the Arban's book, which has exercizes from beginner to insanely amazing expert. It usually runs about $15, but she can use it for a lifetime! "The true measure of an expert trumpeteer, is whether or not they've made it through Arban's"

Thanks again, Nick! I went to another forum as well as this one. Like you said, you read all the advice and then start to pick out the pieces that make the most sense. For us, a forum on another trumpet site directed us to the gentleman we ultimately dealt with so it worked out perfectly. I was never a trumpet player but was in choir in college. I think musicians in general are proud of their "instruments" ... whether it is an instrument or vocal ... to the point they are very willing to offer advice on their experiences.

If you play the clarinet, trumpet or trombone, alto saxophone or tenor saxophone you can purchase and download the accompaniment part for your instrument.
Full version of the party and the accompaniment are in a RAR format.
http://www.brassminus.com

Just for future reference, no one 'needs' a supposedly 'better' or newer trumpet. I have a Yamaha 1335 with the standard 14B4 (7C) Yamaha mouthpiece, and over the course of about three quarters of a decade, I developed a really good sound. It was only 4 months ago that I 'upgraded' to a Stomvi Old Style 3C mouthpiece. You'll find that the mouthpiece you play can make just as much difference as the trumpet, if not more. Yes, my sound has improved quite a lot, and it's much easier for me to 'sing' on my instrument. And I spent less than $100 on it. I still play my 1335 today.

I'm only 'upgrading' in a few months because I actually have the money to go buy a decent trumpet. By the way, anything from 1k-2k is considered intermediate. <1k is beginner, 2k-3k is semi-professional, and 3k+ is professional.

I don't understand all the hype on Bach Strads. They're inconsistent. Yamahas have never failed me - the ones I have tested anyway - and they're much more consistent than Bachs. Xenos, generic and custom, are some of the best instruments, for me, that you can find in the world. But again, this is all just because Yamahas suit my playing style.

When or if she considers getting an even more expensive trumpet, you need to know what kind of music she wants to get into - does she want to go completely contemporary, completely classical, or a mix of both? Yamaha Xenos, Kanstuls, B&S Challengers I and II and Getzens all facilitate jazz playing (and screamer trumpeting) quite easily, but can still be used in classical situations, especially so the Xeno and Getzen. If you find she's into classical more, then there's a lot to choose from - Stomvis are just beautiful in the classical setting, as are Schilkes, Fides, Giardinellis and Amatis.

Also, here's the cheapest and most reliable internet source for shopping trumpets, or indeed, any instrument. I love this shop, especially seeing as I can save up to 1.5k on RRP (here in Australia, everything's too expensive). http://www.wwbw.com/

Just remember: It's not about what you have, but it's what you can do with it that really makes a difference.

Thanks mctrumpet!

Just for future reference, no one 'needs' a supposedly 'better' or newer trumpet. I have a Yamaha 1335 with the standard 14B4 (7C) Yamaha mouthpiece, and over the course of about three quarters of a decade, I developed a really good sound. It was only 4 months ago that I 'upgraded' to a Stomvi Old Style 3C mouthpiece. You'll find that the mouthpiece you play can make just as much difference as the trumpet, if not more. Yes, my sound has improved quite a lot, and it's much easier for me to 'sing' on my instrument. And I spent less than $100 on it. I still play my 1335 today.

yes and no, I played with a guy years ago when i was in college, we both had the same teachers both practiced the same sort of stuff for the same sort of time, we where both the same sort of standard for a very long time, we kinda grew up together in that respect, now he got a bach strad for his birthday and I was still playing cornet, but then moved onto a yam 1335 within a few months hes sound went through the roof! I met up with him again a year later and joined a jazz band he was playing in, I got in on 4th and he had been playing lead, now for a 14 year old to be getting F's and Gs above top C and for them to sound decent! well good effort!

when I bought a Bach Omega my sound changed instantly from my 1335 and changed again last year when I got my Selmer TT, my range changed, my sound changed, my abality to go from playing a mellow jazz solo to screaming lead in a split second changed! couldnt do that on the yammie or bach!

so why do manufacturers spend the time, money and effort on expensive horns if no one needs a better trumpet? tell that to monnett and there 40k trumpets!....

I'm only 'upgrading' in a few months because I actually have the money to go buy a decent trumpet. By the way, anything from 1k-2k is considered intermediate. <1k is beginner, 2k-3k is semi-professional, and 3k+ is professional.

its not always about price! there is a company in the UK who make trumpets called John Packers, now there beginners horn is around £100 new! and by god there better than the £350 1335's!

there pro horn costs around £800! they make 2, one based on a strad and one based on a shew, both very very good!

I played a yammie 9335NY too, now that was around the £3000 mark! but I preferred my TT which was half of that!

I don't understand all the hype on Bach Strads. They're inconsistent. Yamahas have never failed me - the ones I have tested anyway - and they're much more consistent than Bachs. Xenos, generic and custom, are some of the best instruments, for me, that you can find in the world. But again, this is all just because Yamahas suit my playing style. When or if she considers getting an even more expensive trumpet, you need to know what kind of music she wants to get into - does she want to go completely contemporary, completely classical, or a mix of both? Yamaha Xenos, Kanstuls, B&S Challengers I and II and Getzens all facilitate jazz playing (and screamer trumpeting) quite easily, but can still be used in classical situations, especially so the Xeno and Getzen. If you find she's into classical more, then there's a lot to choose from - Stomvis are just beautiful in the classical setting, as are Schilkes, Fides, Giardinellis and Amatis.

what!?.....


have you ever seen the fact that different manufactures make different horns....

lets take schilke, now they make quite a few! I play tested there S32 and a B4, now I cant remember which was which, think the s32 was designed for classical playing, but the other was designed for commercial playing, and both sounded very different!

lets take stomvi then, ever heard of the stomvi mambo? designed for a latin american sound... not classical!

now the bach strads, theres over 500 different combinations of strads from big heavy and dark to small light and bright, so to say that is utter crap!

now if you said a xeno was a good all round trumpet, and the shew was a good lead/jazz horn then I would have believed you!....

Just remember: It's not about what you have, but it's what you can do with it that really makes a difference.

very true! but I have found it much easier to have the best tools for the job