Hi All,
I've been playing for about 1 and 1/2 years and my teacher says i should really get a new trombone (Bb tenor), i have a signature student model but the sound really sucks.
Im trying to get something within the range of $400 or so, can anyone recommend a decent one? I've been looking at a bunch of different ones, and unfortunately because where i live, i dont have the opportunity to play any before i buy. im open to getting used stuff too.
I also saw a brand called "Cecilio" on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Cecilio-2Series-TB-280N-Trombone-Accessories/dp/B00158FIVW/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1296188428&sr=1-1

Is that horn any good?

Thanks! (Sorry if this has been asked a million times!!)

Stay away from those small brands that you find on eBay or Amazon. Your best option is always to stick with the major brands (Bach, Conn, Yamaha, King). For a student horn, a good choice would be the Yamaha 354 (or 356, which is medium-bore with a F-attachment), although it's a bit over your budget. But it is worth the investment. It won't let you down or need early repairs. Keep in mind that cheap chinese horns will often need work right from the start. You might be able to find a used Yamaha student model, but make sure it's in good shape, many of the used ones you find online are quite old school horns that have been played with and not well cared of by hundreds of young students.

I started playing trombone in 1950. Buying a trombone long distance can be a big headache as most will not have acceptable slide action. I started on a Pan American which was a division of Conn. It was better than some expensive pro horns are today.
If you look at what some of the big name players used Kind was the ruler when it came to jazz and club work. In my region in the early 1960 era Conn was about the only trombone band students sought after.
Really a trombone takes longer than most other instruments and if you are diligent you may not really be able to "sing" for about five years. A few are faster at it but not many.
Right now unless money was not an issue at all I would go with a older King with a good restoration job, an older Conn, a new Yamaha and I like the way Jupiter is coming on strong as well. I'm talking straight tenor trombones. I would also not neglect a three valve, tenor trombone either. They are a heck of a lot of fun and easy on the arms for long gigs.

I would get a tenor trombone with an F-Attachment. Also, since you have only been playing for a year, I'm assuming you have a 12C Mouthpiece. If you want a better tone, go with a 6 1/2AL. Your high range will suffer a little with this mouthpiece, but it will give a better sound. There is a great book out there for learning how to use the F-Attachment on a standard tenor trombone: "Introducing the F-Attachment for Trombone", by Reginald H. Fink. I hope this helps.

Please explain what you mean when you say the sound from your current trombone "sucks."

Also, how does the sound your teacher gets when playing your trombone compare to the sound you get while playing it?

How does the sound your teacher gets on his/her trombone compare to your teacher's sound on your trombone?

What kind of sound do you want to get? What kind of music are you wanting to play? What kinds of groups do you want to play with?

If you can answer these questions, it will make it easier for those of us responding to your question to make suggestions for you.