srcronk

Hello, all!

I'm a come-back player in Ruston, LA (home of Louisiana Tech University). I had played trumpet from grade school through high school, and had played French horn the last couple of concert seasons in high school.

Didn't pick up a brass instrument for about 25 years, but then had an opportunity to borrow a French horn to play in a church orchestra, and soon after bought one of my own. I got the itch to try playing trumpet again, so about 18 months ago I picked up a very inexpensive Blessing trumpet that unfortunately had really been mistreated by the young boy that had played it before me.

I still play French horn mostly in our church's orchestra and the local community band, I think in part because fewer adults bought their own horns when they played in high school and college, so directors have a harder time finding players to cover all the parts. However, I've had a few opportunities to play trumpet descants or switch over to trumpet when we were short-handed at church. I'm not happy with my current instrument, though; the lacquer is scratched and worn and the valves sometimes stick even if they've just been oiled.

My sweet wife has granted me permission to look for a nicer horn in the $800 to $1000 range, so I'm reading all the advice I can from people who have experience with a variety of instruments and mouthpieces.

Thanks so much to all who have contributed to this forum!

Jude

Hi!

(Is the Administrator running a special for French horn/trumpet players this week?)

You're probably right about kids not buying their own (French) horns in high school back then, at least I didn't and I didn't know anybody (that is, the other guy) who did. But then, we could keep them over the summer if we'd signed up for band next year, so there wasn't really any need to buy your own.

What do you have now?

Have fun considering all the trumpet options. You won't lack for suggestions here.

Jude

commakozzi

You can find a lot of great stuff in that price range. I love my horn, it's a Yamaha YTR-6335HSMV Mike Vax model. I was shopping around in a Sam Ash store, looking for Aebersolds. I wasn't really in the market for a new horn, but they had a Bobby Shew Yamaha on the wall and this Mike Vax horn. The Bobby Shew was a nice light weight horn, but if I was going to buy a new horn I wanted to get something of a medium weight. So, I tried both horns and the Mike Vax was great! It's easily a $1,600 horn, but they said they couldn't sell either horn, so I gave them $800 cash for it right there!

misty.sj

Howdy from another horn player. :) I'm back to the trumpet as well.

You will find that you have a lot more choice in that price range for trumpet than you do for French horn! Look through these forums for great advice and tons of opinions on finding a good horn. I think that most people agree that a used well-cared-for horn will get you more horn for your money, than a brand new horn. Some people are having great luck on eBay, but you have to be very careful and it's probably best to try-before-you-buy.

PhatLips

Hey, I'm just a couple of hours below you in Pineville. I have some friends in Ruston and several in Monroe. There is a good community band in Monroe led by Dr. White if your're interested. They have about 60 members and practice on Monday nights. Let me know if you need paticulars......good luck.

administrator

Welcome to the TM srcronk!

srcronk

Thanks! I've played with the Russtown band the last couple of years, but it only meets in the summer. I'm on Prof. White's mailing list, but my teaching schedule has kept me from participating in the Monroe band. I hope this spring that I'll have a chance to play trumpet with the Monroe group, though I wouldn't be surprised if they, too, want a French hornist

Stan

Vulgano Brother

Hello, Scronk! What a great name for a horn player!