Top 5 Student Trumpets: A Music Educator's Perspective

Choosing a trumpet for a new student can be daunting, especially with the overwhelming number of options available. This article provides a music educator's perspective on the top five student trumpets, steering clear of "cheap internet brands" and focusing on quality instruments that will set students up for success.

The Dilemma: Avoiding the "Cheap Internet Brands"

Band teachers often caution against purchasing inexpensive trumpets online, and for good reason. These instruments, often costing as little as $99, can be frustrating for both the student and the educator. They are frequently poorly made and difficult to play, hindering the student's progress and potentially leading to discouragement.

The focus here is on instruments that educators would be proud to see in the hands of their students.

Top 5 Student Trumpets

Here's a curated list of the top five student trumpets, considering quality, playability, and value:

1. LJ Hutchen #4218 Bb Student Trumpet: The Best Value

The LJ Hutchen #4218 Bb student trumpet stands out as the best, least expensive option. Priced at around $249.99, it offers exceptional quality and playability for the price. Its popularity is evident in its fantastic reviews and status as a top-selling trumpet at major retailers nationwide. LJ Hutchen also has a stellar reputation for customer service, providing peace of mind should any issues arise.

While it may eventually require an upgrade for students who progress to advanced levels, it's a solid choice for beginners, especially considering that many students may pursue other interests as they advance in school.

2. Jupiter 600L: Excellent Quality with a Great Case

The Jupiter 600L is an excellent student model trumpet, known for its quality and the inclusion of one of the best trumpet cases in the industry. Jupiter brass instruments have gained significant recognition and continue to be competitive in the brass market.

3. Bach TR-300H2: American-Made Quality

For those looking to "buy American," the Bach TR-300H2 is a great option. This trumpet is entirely made in America by Conn-Selmer in Elkhart, Indiana. Bach Stradivarius trumpets are highly regarded professional instruments, and the expertise in crafting these professional trumpets trickles down to their student line. The Vincent Bach TR300H2 even has two features that the Professional Stradivarius model doesn’t, a Red brass leadpipe which adds warmth to the sound and has a higher resistance to corrosion. It also has a spit valve on the third valve that the Professional Stradivarius doesn’t. The seamless all yellow brass bell produces a clear, warm timbre. The 0.459 Medium Large bore is easy to play. The first and adjustable third valve slides allow you to stay in tune. The adjustable third valve makes it easy to adjust to your personal hand size. The stainless steel valves are smooth and will last the life of the instrument given their resistance to corrosion. The case felt lined hard case will protect it from the abuse of being hauled to and from school and lessons. It comes with the most popular mouthpiece for beginner trumpet players, the Vincent Bach 7C.

4. Yamaha YTR-2330 Standard Bb Trumpet: A Top-Tier Student Instrument

The Yamaha YTR-2330 Standard Bb trumpet is one of the most respected student trumpets available. Yamaha trumpets are known for their ease of play, excellent cases, and high resale values. Yamaha also offers a 5-year warranty on their student trumpets. It has Monel alloy piston valves usually found on more expensive trumpets. The 2nd and main tuning slides are designed and built the same as their professional trumpets which makes this trumpet easy to play with great sound quality. It has both a first and third valve slide. The third slide is adjustable to fit different hand sizes. It also has a third valve water key or spit valve. The hard case is solid and well cushioned. It comes with a TR-11B4 mouthpiece. Its specifications make it similar to a 7B which means the cup is slightly shallower than a 7C. This trumpet comes in either a yellow/gold epoxy lacquer finish (model YTR-2330) or silver plated (model YTR-2330S).

5. Yamaha YTR-200ADII: Durability and Quality

The Yamaha YTR-200ADII trumpet is similar to the YTR-2330 but includes a premium, plush-lined plastic case designed for durability.

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Additional Considerations

New vs. Used Instruments

While new instruments offer the peace of mind of being in pristine condition, used trumpets can be a cost-effective option. Brands like Getzen, Bach, Yamaha, Jupiter, and King have produced reliable student horns that can be found on the used market. Classic pro or intermediate horns like Olds Ambassadors or Martin's can also be excellent choices, offering great playability and unique character for a similar price.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Used Trumpet

If considering a used trumpet, it's crucial to inspect it carefully. The valves MUST run fast and smoothly when you push them. Meaning you have to be able to pull them out without any effort. Pull out the main tuning slide and take a look through the lead pipe. On many used trumpets you can see corrosion and debris inside the pipe and if you happen to see this then, once more, do not buy the horn. Pull out the second valve slide and look into the valve casing. Press down the second valve and check if the holes in the valve align with the tubing that you are now looking in to. A very slight misalignment is acceptable but no more than one or, absolute max two millimeters. Blow air through the trumpet, first without pressing down any valves and then do the same with the valves pressed down. The air should flow freely in both cases. If it doesn’t then something inside is blocking the air and that is not acceptable.

Key, Bore Size, and Materials

The most common key for a trumpet is B-flat. The most popular bore size is Medium-Large (ML), which is 0.459 inches in diameter. For the materials, The material finish found on the valve pistons most touted as the best is Monel. The other materials are stainless steel pistons and bronze pistons. All of these refer to the metal plating or coating on the piston valve itself. Choosing a horn that has a rose brass leadpipe or nickel silver is good because these metals are more resistant to corrosion from being wet all the time.

Finishes

There are 2 main finishes that are put on the brass to protect it. One is lacquer which can be yellow, gold, or rose in color. A gold lacquer finish is the most common. The other common finish option is silver plating. The pros of a lacquer finish trumpet is that it may sound warmer as the bell won’t vibrate as much. This is because the lacquer coating is slightly thicker than the silver plating. The trumpet may feel slightly lighter in weight. The cons of a lacquer finish are that it’s a little less durable than a silver plated trumpet. Lacquer is a little more prone to scratching, cracking, and peeling. A silver plated finish on a trumpet will be slightly heavier which makes for a more penetrating, full sound. This means the same trumpet may have a brighter sound with a silver finish. The pros of a silver plated trumpet are that the finish can last a lifetime if cared for regularly as it is quite durable. The cons are that it is more expensive than lacquer and will require regular polishing to prevent or remove tarnishing.

Mouthpiece

Most beginners start with a 7C mouthpiece which has a medium cup. The 7C is considered a great starter mouthpiece for a student or younger player in elementary or middle school. That is because the size (Rim Diameter) is 16.20 millimeters. For an older student, you may want to try the Vincent Bach 1 1/2 C which has a rim diameter of 17.00 millimeters.

Accessories

The accessories to look for are a mouthpiece (usually a 7C mouthpiece) and a sturdy carrying case. Valve oil for the 3 piston valves and slide grease will be needed. Some beginner trumpets also include gloves to help protect the finish. Many bandmates (and I) use fiber channel clothes to hold our horns when we practice. This keeps the acids from the sweat on our hands from attacking the finish.

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