MichaelsDad

I am looking for a step up trumpet for my son. He will start High School next fall. He progressed very well in middle school with a Bach TR300 student trumpet handed down from his big brother. He was first chair in all the middle school bands and made third chair in the region honor band (lower half of Georgia). His band leader, his tutors and the band director of our local college have all told me that he has a lot of talent and potential. His grandmother has generously offered to contribute $800 towards a new (and she insists it must be new, not used) trumpet. We want to get it before he starts symphony band camp two weeks from now. We can come up with another $400 max to make the total available $1200.

While I would love to be able to shop for a used pro trumpet, our financial situation does not allow us to turn down the help and we have to live with the restriction of buying new. There are no music store with a selection of trumpets within 100 miles of our small town, so I need to get the trumpet from one of the online dealers like WWBW, Musicians Friend, Sam Ash etc.

I asked his MS band teacher for advice and he said the King 2550 Silver Flair and the Getzen 590 Capri would be good horns for him. I have been scouring the internet trying to find anything I could find about these horns and others in the price range. I have found good and bad comments about both, but there seems to be more positive said about the Getzen.

One thing that bothers me about the Getzen is that it has a two piece bell. From what I have read, a one piece bell is better. Is this something to be very concerned about? Also I have seen that the horn is available with either a saddle or a trigger 1st valve slide. I'm not clear what is the difference or why to choose one over the other.

I know many will want to advise me to buy a used trumpet, and I think that would be good advice. But given that I will be buying a new trumpet and that I will be ordering it from an online merchant, can anyone offer advice or comments on these horns or others available for $1200 or less?

Thank you

bagmangood

I wouldn't go so far as to say a one-piece bell is better than a 2 piece bell - many top manufacturers make one-pieces and many others make 2 piece bells

I would probably go with the getzen if I had to pick between the 2, but really ideally he should get a used professional. There will be a fair amount of money wasted in buying an intermediate. Are you sure you can't convince grandma to try a used?

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C: Bach C180-239 (Akwright conversion),
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RobL

Sorry to be blunt, but if you are buying online (blind) and brand new there is no getting round the fact that you are:
1. Taking a risk and gambling that the instrument meets your needs
2. Spending money that will depreciate the second that you make the transaction.

Why not spend some time with his grandmother reading through the various threads on this site and see if she changes her view?

__________________
Bach Strad 37 - showing its age...
Yamaha C - silver - love it
Getzen Piccolo
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Unnamed pocket trumpet - ok actually

rowuk

Monette, one of the most expensive trumpets in the world uses a two piece bell. It is how well a horn is built, not us second guessing the artisan.

I don't think that the Capri or Silver Flair are considerably different from the Bach.

A new Yamaha YTR6335 model can be had for around a grand, as can a used Bach Strad. If you are buying blind, I would get a Yamaha. No other company has the consistency of manufacturing that they do.

I do not like high ticket decisions where the child is not physically involved in the process. It is too valuable a chance to teach fiscal responsibility and get a committment before laying the money out. It is worth driving hundreds of miles to give the child the experience of "kicking the tires". You just need to take a trusted set of ears in the know. Maybe the music teacher has several kids and parents and you can make a field trip out of this?

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

MichaelsDad

I really wish that was true.
Buy Yamaha Band & Orchestra YTR-6335 Series Bb Trumpet | Professional Bb Trumpets | Musician's Friend

Show me where I can get a new Yamaha YTR6335 for near $1000 and I'll be all over it (after discussing it with my son who has been very involved in this process from the start). The YTR4335 in silver goes for about $1250. Do you think it would be a better choice than the Getzen 590 or the King 2550?

MichaelsDad

I showed my son pictures of the Yamaha YTR4335 and he was concerned about the 1st valve saddle. His current trumpet does not have one. The Getzen has a trigger, but we do not understand what the trigger does. Any help?

Thanks

nordlandstrompet

The saddle and the trigger has the same function.
With the saddle you pull the tubing out, and with
the trigger you push the tubing out.

They are there so you can adjust the tuning of the trumpet.

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nordlands
roarmp.com

"When you play an Andante, people have to cry..." Maurice Andrè


Olds Recording
Yamaha 731S cornet
Conn V1 flugel

Leblanc fan

My personal opinion is that if you cannot get your son to a store to physically try the horn, then go with the Getzen. To me the valves are the most important part of the horn and as many will agree, Getzens have some of the best valves in the business.

I have a Getzen Eterna cornet that is over 30 years old and the valves are still flawless and the horn plays great.

I have a total of 10 horns in my stable including Schilke's, Getzen, Holton, LeBlanc, X-Stream and a couple of cheap Chinese. The Getzen is still one of my favorites to play.

YMMV,

Chris

trumpetup

Hello MichaelsDad and welcome to the TrumpetMaster forum. The 1st valve lever does the same thing as a 1st valve saddle. It helps inherent intonation problems with certain notes. When you use the 1st valve, or 3rd valve for the 3rd valve slide, you can slide it out a little while you are playing to make a sharp note come into tune. The lever works by pulling it in toward the valve body. The saddle or a ring is used buy pushing it away from the valve body. It does the same. It is just what you are more comfortable with. That's one of the reasons rowuk urged you to get your son to a place he can try them. I have heard good reviews of the Besson BE700. They sell for less than your price range. For $1000.00 new you will usually get something simular to his Bach TR300. As you can see from his accomplishments the TR300 is a pretty good horn. I have a Getzen Capri cornet that is a great instrument. Good luck and keep us posted. We like to brag about our kids!

MichaelsDad

Thanks to all for the feedback and for clearing up the questions about the bell and the slide/saddle. At the moment we are leaning toward the Getzen Capri, primarily because of the reputation of the valves and the trigger option. He has played other horns with a 1st valve saddle and did not like the way it felt compared to his Bach.

I do understand the concerns about better value from a used pro horn and not being able to let him try the different horns hands on. But sometimes circumstances do not allow us to do things the way we would like. I am trying to help him make the best choice possible given the constraints. If he continues to work as hard as he has so far and shows the same kind of improvement and promise, we will gladly help him move up to a pro level trumpet before he goes to college. A major reason for the rush to buy this horn is that he really wants to have it for the band camp coming up week after next. He wants time to adapt to the new trumpet before he goes to school in the fall.

I am surprised to see the cost of new Bach TR300 trumpets. I think I paid about $350 for the one he has been using when I bought it new for his brother 13 years ago. Have prices changed that much or has the model moved upscale since then? That horn has served him well but is showing its age after seeing two boys through middle school. He will continue to use it for marching band at football games and such, though it may need some service.