Reddit mentions: The best trumpets

Yamaha 2xxx series horns are great places to start. At first you really won't notice a difference between that and a more expensive instrument.

Yamaha YTR-2335 Bb Trumpet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007KPKXK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uOI0Bb0GE3ZC2


Trumpet is hard. It will take a lot of practice to make a good sound on a few notes. So don't get discouraged when you don't sound like Miles as fast as you would like.

Try to stay relaxed, tension breeds bad habits and will serious impede your sound.

If you can find a teacher you should definitely take a few lessons to get started. A little bit of guidance goes a long way.

I hope you love the trumpet and stick with it. Good luck on your journey!

There are a bunch of cool budget instruments out there you might want to look into.

A melodica can go for as little as 30 bucks on amazon. It's the instrument that plays The Office theme -- it plays like a keyboard, that you blow into, works like a harmonica and sounds sort of like an accordion. It's really awesome.

You could also just get a harmonica. Choose between a blues harmonica an a chromatic -- blues can only play the notes in a blues scale (for jazz), while chromatic is a little more versatile but harder to play.

For 70 bucks or so you could get a pocket sax. It's a little mini saxophone that sounds like a soprano sax mixed with a clarinet, and plays like a recorder.

If you want to get a brass instrument you could get a pocket trumpet to start. 150 dollars or more, basically a little trumpet with keys and everything.

Of course, if you're not afraid to spend somewhere more in the hundreds, you could get a secondhand version of almost any instrument. Check local garage sales or craigslist for used brass, woodwind, percussion, etc. instruments.

Online you can also find cool instruments for cheap. A cheap sax might cost only a few hundred dollars.

A general rule of thumb is "the bigger it is, the more expensive." So a baritone saxophone or a tuba will be super-expensive, while a pocket sax is cheap as dirt.

That’s a rough deal, but don’t give up!

If you can play trumpet to be got the hard bits of music down:

reading pitch

reading rhythm.

Pick up some mallets and figure out how to play marimba!

You could also pick up a midi controller like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E5YP0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cjEIBbDWBXSMH

Or this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MTKAD0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_0jEIBbNZ7CC8D

I bet your band director will work with you to keep you engaged with the group making music and challenging you to be a greater musician (source: I am a band director)

Reputable brands don't come with white gloves. Cheap pieces of junk tend to include them as a selling point.

Here is a trumpet that is a total piece of junk:
https://www.amazon.com/Mendini-Cecilio-MTT-L-Trumpet-Gold/dp/B00I8QJT78

And another:

https://www.ebay.com/p/BB-Beginner-Trumpet-in-Gold-Silver-Black-Blue-Purple-or-Red-Care-Kit/6004878180?iid=181383639744&chn=ps

and another:

https://www.ebay.com/p/Beginner-Gold-Lacquer-Brass-Bb-Trumpet-w-Care-Kit-Case-for-Student-School-Band/1154647816?iid=202404526935&chn=ps

These are all pieces of junk, yet they come with white gloves to keep the trumpet shiny!!! Oooohhh! It is a selling point for people who are looking to buy a nice instrument but don't know any better.

Olds is a great student brand, unless there is a problem with the instrument that isn't repairable, I'd try and talk him into keeping the current instrument. I have an Olds student model trombone that I use and I really like it.

Since he already has a decent instrument (assuming it is decent shape), you could try contacting a local independent music shop or instrument repair shop and see if they will be willing to take it on trade credit.

Not used and not local, but my sister helps with a local marching band and picked up one of these to help when she's working 1:1 with the kids.

She says it's not the greatest, but for the price it does better than expected. She's recommended it to a few new-to-band kids as a solid introductory-to-intermediate instrument.

There's a fretless instrument similar to a theremin called an Otamatone that you'd probably enjoy.

The same company that makes the pBone also makes a [pTrumpet](pBone PTRUMPET1W Jiggs pTrumpet Plastic Trumpet with Gig Bag & 3C & 5C Mouthpieces, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MPRVQPY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zxAzybTC8A9ZB) and an instrument called the [pBuzz](http://www.pBuzz.com/ Kid'sMusical Instrument https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H3E0YM4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VwAzybA4K6FAF), which is like a slide vuvuzela. The pBone and pTrumpet sound surprisingly good when played with regular (metal) mouhtpieces!

All else considered: a high-end harmonica set... like seven different Crossovers... or five different Seydel Session Steels... will cost you far less than an equivalent professional clarinet, professional violin, professional piano, professional guitar, or professional Trumpet.

Basically, you're gonna have to leave professional-grade and get a "student trumpet" if you want to compare costs to a set of high-end Session Steel harmonicas.

Special 20 is highly recommended around these forums. I haven't tried that one yet, as I've only really tried the Marine Band 1896. Frankly, the Marine Band is almost perfect for me, I just need screw-based construction to make it perfect (I open it up to tweak those reeds relatively often. I know this harmonica won't hold in the long run with the nails). Marine Band Deluxe might work out, but with only two harmonicas, its hard for me to form a solid opinion still.

IMO, ~$40 Lee Oskars and ~$40 Special 20 is the definition of "midrange" for me. High-end Diatonic Harmonicas are ~$60+. One day I'll try each of them, but it'd be a while. I'm not sure if I'm able to jam with a band yet with my skill level anyway.

I don't know. I have a pTrumpet, and while it plays alright, it's pretty squirrely when it comes to low register playing. It doesn't play 100% like a metal instrument would.

I'd recommend you scour the internet for a comparably priced metal instrument. You can get a Bach Prelude for a couple hundred $ more, and it will be a better analogue to a real (intermediate/professional) trumpet.

I'll have to see if I can hunt down a teacher. One model in particular I'm looking at is Jean Paul intermediate

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CYA7L6E/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I21DVQK371IKS2&colid=1Z8TGKYI4YWUE

Does that look good?

I'm looking at this trumpet if anyone cares
Mendini MPT-N Nickel Plated Bb Pocket Trumpet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050F3YQM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0zo.BbB79Z3A9

I have a Yamaha Advantage trumpet that plays smoother than what i’ve seen at around this price point. This is similar to what I use currently and I suggest taking a look.

I'd stick with a Yahama, Jupiter, or Bach beginner horn then. Those are going to be the highest quality and within your price range. Something like this

Pocket Trumpet?

I sorted by Prime and 4+ stars

Mendini MPT-N Nickel Plated Bb Pocket Trumpet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050F3YQM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iR5hDb3QATZ4K

Link

She has lost her trumpet. Tell her to look behind the sofa.

$100 brand new on Amazon