Does anybody here own/play a trumpet?

[phorsenuf]

My son has been playing the trumpet for a couple of years now and plans to continue playing through high shcool. He has been using a school isssued one, but now we would like to buy him his own. We know nothing about trumpets and I know I could research them until I am blue in the face but sometimes its just easier to ask those who play.

What are good brands and what are ones to stay away from? Are there certain "specs" it should have? What about the gauge of the brass? We want to get him a good one without breaking the bank (for now at least).

I see some on ebay but the prices seem too low. There are alot of Maxums listed.

Any help would be sooo greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by phorsenuf
My son has been playing the trumpet for a couple of years now and plans to continue playing through high shcool. He has been using a school isssued one, but now we would like to buy him his own. We know nothing about trumpets and I know I could research them until I am blue in the face but sometimes its just easier to ask those who play.

What are good brands and what are ones to stay away from? Are there certain "specs" it should have? What about the gauge of the brass? We want to get him a good one without breaking the bank (for now at least).

I see some on ebay but the prices seem too low. There are alot of Maxums listed.

Any help would be sooo greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

I have a friend who is a professional trumpet player. I can ask him and get back to you.

I'm in the sam boat but with an oboe! Not many oboes out there for sale!

 

[phorsenuf]

Originally posted by Cindy B
I have a friend who is a professional trumpet player. I can ask him and get back to you.

I'm in the sam boat but with an oboe! Not many oboes out there for sale!

Thanks, I would appreciate that!

 

[pw2pp]

I see some on ebay but the prices seem too low

I wouldn't let the "too low" price scare me off. I know that you can get good deals on Musical Instruments on eBay because it is so competitive since there is a bigger pool of buyers on eBay (rather than just selling an instrument out of a store). I don't know a whole lot about what to look for in a Trumpet, etc... except that it should be a name that you have heard of though. I would look into that first and then watch eBay for awhile.
I bought a King Trumpet and a Gemeinheart (sp?) flute on eBay and the kid's Band Teacher was impressed at the low price I paid for good instruments.
Make sure it is a "good" name Trumpet (NOT a generic, no-name) one and they should have an up-close pic of the name and # of the trumpet.
Good luck.

 

[ByTheSea]

We bought our son's trumpet on Ebay - it was a great deal. We have a friend who buys and sells a lot of instruments on ebay, and knows quite a bit, he gave us a list of brands/names to avoid and a list of brands/names to watch. Shoot, I don't think I kept the list but READ THE FEEDBACK on the sellers, and find a good rating site to check the brands.

We paid about $200 for the same trumpet the local store that has a "rent to own" plan with the schools wanted over $800 for (also used) - we rented for the first 3 months until we were sure our DS would stick with it (first year playing) and bought on ebay when the initial 3 month special rental period expired.

 

[phorsenuf]

Originally posted by ByTheSea
We bought our son's trumpet on Ebay - it was a great deal. We have a friend who buys and sells a lot of instruments on ebay, and knows quite a bit, he gave us a list of brands/names to avoid and a list of brands/names to watch. Shoot, I don't think I kept the list but READ THE FEEDBACK on the sellers, and find a good rating site to check the brands.

We paid about $200 for the same trumpet the local store that has a "rent to own" plan with the schools wanted over $800 for (also used) - we rented for the first 3 months until we were sure our DS would stick with it (first year playing) and bought on ebay when the initial 3 month special rental period expired.

What brand of trumpet did you get him???

 

[sharbear]

One thing I would like to say to parents with kids who want to play instruments. Don't do the rent to own plan. You will WAY over pay!

My DD plays the flute so I don't know much about the trumpet. But I got both of her flutes from Woodwind Brasswind in South Bend, IN. www.wwbw.com I really recommend this company. They are great to deal with. They have people there who can answer questions and try to steer you to the instrument that is right for your child. If you can find a store near where you live, you can try out the different trumpets and find the one he feels most comfortable.

I don't know if I would go the ebay route UNLESS you were very sure what brand and model of trumpet that your DS wants and needs. If he is serious about playing and practices quite a bit, it would be better to go with an intermediate trumpet. If he wants to dabble and doesn't take private lessions (and has no desire to!) then a student trumpet would work for him.

My DD just got back from music camp. She loved it but now she wants to take up the oboe! Her father says NO! but she really wants piccolo also, at least it's cheaper than the oboe. It's nice when your child has an interest in music, it's been really good for our daughter.

 

[GeorgeG]

There are different grades within even the best brands from student to professional models. You should talk to your son's music teacher regarding which grade he's ready for and which bore he recommends for your son in particular.

I have a Bach Stadivarious with a medium/large bore. It's a top line trumpet and the larger bore produces a nice tone. Many trumpet players prefer a medium bore for a brighter sound, though. A lot depends on what kind of music will be played and medium bore is more of an all-around sound.

I also have a Yamaha that's medium bore and a decent trumpet for more casual playing.

Of the brand names that I have had and my friends have that I can recommend are:

Bach
Yamaha
B&S
Olds

Again, remember there are a wide range of grades (and prices) in most of these. I agree with some of the others that the Woodwind/Brasswind is a good place to at least get a feeling for price and to see what you're up against in model selections.

If your son is really serious about staying with playing, I'd go for one of the "professional" models. Properly taken care of they can last a lifetime without losing their value. I've had my Bach is 31 years and still my horn of choice for serious work. Be prepared to spend about $1500 and up, though, and that's at discounted prices.

Good luck!

 

[Mskanga]

I was in the same boat last year except dd was playing the flute, I had no clue what I was up against. I rented for the first for months for very little , then I paid $25 for the three remaining months. I turned the flute in in June.
I asked her music teacher at the end of the year to give me an idea where to look into buying one and what brand, he said he didn't want to buy anything expensive like a Yamaha or anything like that , but not to buy the ones offered in Walmart, Sam's Club, BJ's or places like that, he had several people who did last year and they all broke.
I looked at wwbw.com also and I came up with the same type of flute that she was using for @$140. I was going to get that one but I decided to take a chance on ebay.
I purchased a flute from a company for $50 , I figured if something is wrong I have 7 days to return it, and if I lose , I only lose $50 which is less than if I had rented the flute over the summer.
We received it last week, had it checked by her music teacher and he said that flute was actually better than the one she had before rented!
The one that I had rented was also on a rent to own plan, by the time I had decided to buy it if I wanted, I would have paid over $2,000 , that is insane.
DD likes this one better than the other one too.
Believe when I say I was as clueless as you are right now, at least now I know she has a C foot with open holes flute, sometimes I feel like I am the one going to school, LOL.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by sharbear

I has no desire to!) then a student trumpet would work for him.

My DD just got back from music camp. She loved it but now she wants to take up the oboe! Her father says NO! but she really wants piccolo also, at least it's cheaper than the oboe. It's nice when your child has an interest in music, it's been really good for our daughter.

I have to say the oboe is a great instrument. There aren't many oboe players, and well, since they are so RARE oboe players usually get their pick of things. Bands are clamoring for oboe players.

My son had never played any instrument before, and he chose oboe. First I said NO Way, and I was talking to the instrument teacher in school.

She said in our district, and in our state, there are few oboe players. Most students wind up in intermediate/advanced classes right away. They go to All STate, and other band competitions since there aren't many oboeists. Colleges give away oboe and bassoon scholorships because heck, there aren't that many people that can, or want to do it.

Oboe is a tricky instrument. My son had never played anything before, and got it quickly. Umbersure (spelling?) is a little challenging, but one private lesson corrected that.

The instrument itself sounds beautiful. The reeds are expensive! You have to buy lots of reeds, and its not a one time reed like a saxophone. Good oboesits make thier own reeds.

My son started oboe a month ago, and is doing pretty well. He's 9 years old, and can do it. He is having a concert next week.

B flats/sharps are tricky for him, but you do need to practice..

 

[MerryPoppins]

My DS had a silver Bach trumpet. After he played for a year and wanted to stick with it, we bought from a discount music company in Kansas. He has been very happy with it. Now DD plays the flute and eventually we'll be looking to upgrade her instrument I'm sure.

 

[ennazus]

I don't know a lot about trumpets... but my son has been playing for 4 years. He started when he was in first grade. The first year we choose a rent to own program where we could give the trumpet back just for the payments we'd made and not own any more or pay it off (for a lower price) at any time. Part way through the year I knew our DS was going to stick with it, so I paid for it outright.

I'd ask how old your son is.

My son is just not careful enough to get a high end trumpet, imo.

We've had to have the bell straightened a couple times and once he even stuck a marble down the bell (he wanted to know what it sounded like with the marble in there!) So... LOL I think age (or maturity) would play an important factor in how much I'd be willing to spend.

 

[phorsenuf]

Originally posted by ennazus

I'd ask how old your son is.

He's 14 and going into 9th grade.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I forgot to mention that where we live, the kids all seem to want silver trumpets in high school. So our theory was that if we were buying we'd search for a silver so it would keep him happy longer.

 

[ennazus]

Originally posted by phorsenuf
He's 14 and going into 9th grade.

LOL! OK, he's probably not going to be sticking marbles in the bell like my little guy did!

 

[HOGFAN]

BUMP

 

[Jungle Skipper]

I have a Bach Strad....silver with gold trim. I have played for 10 years and love the Bach Strads...just my opinion.

Jungle Josh

 

[Danauk]

I have played the trumpet for 20 years and studied it at university when I was doing my graduate music degree. I play a Bach Strad (a brass coloured one) which is one of the best trumpets you can buy so that would probably be a bit over the top for a child (retail for my trumpet now is around $2800!!) I bought that when I knew I was serious about studying the instrument for a long time to come. I would recommend any other Bach trumpets or Yamahas as they are quite good. Make sure your son selects a good mouth piece as these are very important. Different mouth pieces suit different people and many do different jobs (some are suited for high jazz playing, some for lower notes etc.) Don't always stick with the mouth piece supplied with the instrument. I would agree with other posters in that a medium bore trumpet would be best instrument to buy right now for your son.

Good luck, please let us know what you finally decide.

 

[Barb D]

May I piggy-back on your thread while we have the trumpeters' attention?

We have a trumpet; it was my great-grandfather's, passed down to my brother, who gave it to my son. At the time, a few years ago, the dentist told us he didn't want DS playing the trumpet yet because his teeth weren't set yet. Or something like that. Now he's 13, and has suddenly gotten interested in it again. He's not particularly musical, and up until now hasn't had the self-discipline to practice on his own. But he's starting public school for the first time this year, and wants to try band. I've signed him up for private lessons for at least the rest of this month, so he can see if he really wants to do it (and will actually practice!)before school starts.

Here are MY questions:

If he starts now (going in to 8th grade) and is disciplined about practicing, should he be good enough by high school to be in a band? Or is it too late for that?

What kind of maintenance is the trumpet likely to need after years of not being played?

I can't find any brand information on the trumpet except that it was "Made by Frank in Chicago..." I've done some internet searching, and can't find anything about "Frank." Also, there's a number on it: 11907. I'm guessing it's either a serial number or a date (Jan 19, 1907 or Nov 9, 1907 maybe?) Anybody have any ideas about where I could get more information?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Bach is definitely the best! DS is a music major, trumpet performance, he's played the trumpet for about 10 years, so we have a lot of experience buying trumpets! His first one was $69 from a pawn shop-don't even know the brand. First new one we bought was a Bach, student model, about $375 at that time. A few years later, he got a Bach Strad with a reverse lead pipe (don't ask me what the significance of the reverse lead pipe is) He's at University of North Texas, with a lot of trumpet professors, who all seem to recommend Bach Strad. I've talked with 3 or 4 trumpet players at WDW (in Tomorrowland, Epcot, etc.) and they all have Bach Strads! Good luck-as a parent, I'm a real believer in promoting playing a musical instrument-it's done so much for DS.