n4vgm

I am just entering the brass world and found your site helpful already! Name is Bob from SE Florida. I've been a musician for decades and got a BA in Theory in my youth. Currently play drums and guitar.

I picked up a Bundy trumpet at a thrift store for $50 and am having my local music store do a clean/oil/unstick slides. From what I've seen on the Web, these are not considered "good" horns but without doing the work myself I'd likely spend $100 on any clean used student horn. I'll post the S/N, etc when I get it back, maybe someone here will have a clue when it was made.

I have wanted to try trumpet or trombone for years so this must be the time! I even emailed an old friend who plays trumpet and he gave me some tips to start. For now it will be tone and control, just feeling the thing out. I found some facinating data on how the valves work and how each changes the pitch different steps.

Anyway, I have already found some interesting information here and I thank you all in advance for the help.

Bob

screamingmorris

A Bundy trumpet is perfectly OK for learning to play trumpet.
Although many musicians like to joke about them (we have nothing better to do?), I have seen some musicians post that they have played specimens of the Bundy which were remarkably good student trumpets.
In Trumpet Herald Web site there was a beginning student, age 13 or so, who was playing a Bach Strad, which in my opinion is a ridiculous extravagance for a beginner.
It makes much more sense to start out on a student trumpet to get your feet wet and see if it is something you might want to continue with.
Then a year or two down the road, if you want to continue, a better trumpet would be warranted.

What mouthpiece are you using?
Many of my generation started out with Bach 7C mouthpieces, but my local music store indicates that most students today are wanting to start on a Bach 3C, which is shallower but with larger diameter.

- Morris

n4vgm

Well, it has a mouthpiece. Since it came from a thrift store I did not actually put my mouth on it.

How do I tell, is it stamped on it somewhere? I pick it up Wednesday morning but then have to work 11-8. Don't think I can try it out at work - Public Library!


Bob

n4vgm

This site is awesome! I'll be making an air freshner mute for sure!

Bob

n4vgm

Ok I got the horn back today from the store. They unstuck the slides/cleaned/oiled it, I purchased a maintanance kit, and I asked them to find an old case if they had one. Total for all that was $55. Not too bad. the horn tech said he would look up the serial number for the year it was made. It does say "Designed by Vincent Bach" on it and the S/N is 531907. The mouthpiece says 7C.

Bob

RGood

Put that horn in your hands - lift it up and make some music!!!

Best of luck with the venture into the world of brass!

n4vgm

Thanks RG. I did give it a try yesterday and was able to produce a sound that reminded me of a bovine creature with stomach issues - but ya gotta start somewhere. I made a Renuzit mute and it really lowers the volume. I'm going to try 15 minute sessions at first just getting a stable "note".

Bob

IAmBrassman

This is my first post on Trumpetmaster -- and ironic timing, at that. I've been on some other forums for years, and consider myself a highly accomplished super-amatuer (though currently in a comeback stage of life...).

That being said, a Bundy student trumpet with 7C mouthpiece was my first trumpet (after learning the basics on a cornet). Of the inexpensive options, I consider this one of the very best.

Resist the urge to upgrade horn or change mouthpiece for at least a year or two -- -- just spend gobs of time with it up to your face.

....and ENJOY!

n4vgm

Thanks "I". That is good news. This horn may not have been played very much as I can't seen much lacquer worn off. I hope to hear back soon as to when it was made.

Bob

GordonH

Are you a ham radio operator?
If so, there are a few of us around here.

Gordon
GM4SVM