Reddit mentions: The best brass instruments
We found 50 Reddit comments discussing the best brass instruments. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 39 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. pInstrument Plastic pBone Trombone - Mouthpieces and Carrying Bag - Bb Authentic Sound for Student & Beginner - Durable ABS Construction - Blue
- MUSIC TRANSFORMS: The affordable pBone plastic trombone in energizing colors is as fun as it is functional! A standard .500 bore pitched in Bb creates an authentic rich lower sound like its brass-playing equivalent. Great for musicians at any level!
- LIGHTWEIGHT: Half the weight of a brass trombone, the pBone is easy to play and hold resulting in good form and allowing an enjoyable practice or lesson. The ergonomic grip is perfect for hands of any size making it a student’s go-to musical instrument.
- QUICK ASSEMBLY: Maintenance free! The pBone has a unique design and works straight out of the box! Includes two mouthpieces and a fabric carrying case which provides safe storage and is easy to carry to school or lessons.
- TRUSTED QUALITY: Designed by award-winning musicians, the eco-friendly virtually indestructible trombone is for kids from beginner to intermediate levels! Creates an authentic robust sound approved by Music Teachers. Fully sustainable and recyclable.
- ENJOY FREE-LESSONS: Committed to music and learning, your order provides access to fun backing tracks, our Customer Support Team and other online resources! Order your trombone in your school color and start playing music today!
Features:
Specs:
Color | Blue |
Height | 14 Inches |
Length | 38 Inches |
Weight | 3 Pounds |
Width | 11 Inches |
Release date | March 2014 |
Number of items | 1 |
2. Mendini by Cecilio Gold Brass Standard Bb Trumpet with Hard Case, Gloves, 7C Mouthpiece, and Valve Oil
- Great Trumpet for Beginners: Ideal for beginner or student musicians. This student trumpet has a copper lead (not the metal lead, but leading up to it) mouthpiece, is topped with 3 comfortable mother-of-pearl inlaid keys and 3 smooth action valves.
- Great Sound: This well-crafted beginner trumpet for adults or kids produce a crisp, loud and high-quality sound. Paired with a committed player or enough practice, any one of these colorful brass instruments can be the right start to a jazz band.
- Elegant Design: The adults and kids trumpet has a beautiful and durable brass body with 5 inch bell and .460 inch bore, phosphorus copper mouthpiece, and smooth action valves. It also has a 1st valve slide thumb saddle and adjustable 3rd slide lock.
- Vibrant Lacquered Finishes: The B flat trumpet for kids and adults are available in a variety of vibrant and colorful lacquered finishes. Every player can pick a finish that fit their personality (red, black, nickel plated, gold, blue, or purple).
- Trumpet Care Kit Includes: A durable plush-lined nylon covered hard shell case with backpack straps, silver plated 7C mouthpiece, and trumpet accessories that include polishing cloth, a pair of white gloves, and a bottle of valve oil.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Gold |
Height | 11 Inches |
Length | 22 Inches |
Weight | 3.628736 Kilograms |
Width | 7 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
3. Yamaha YTR-2335 Bb Trumpet
- Standard Bb Trumpet
- Bore- ML 0.459"
- Bell Diameter 4 7/8"
- Yellow Brass Body and Bell
- Includes Deluxe Case and 7C Mouthpiece
Features:
Specs:
Color | Yellow,Gold,Nickel,Silver |
4. Yamaha Euphonium Valve Springs, Set of 4
Yamaha Euphonium Valve Springs, Set of 4
5. Mendini MPT-N Nickel Plated Bb Pocket Trumpet + Tuner, Case, Stand, Mouthpiece, Pocketbook & More
- Nickel plated Bb pocket trumpet with 7C mouthpiece
- 0.46 inch bore and 3.75 inch bell, comfortable white faux mother of pearl inlaid buttons
- Phosphorus copper used on lead mouth pipe (found on expensive trumpets) & smooth action valves
- Includes: Cecilio 92-D chromatic tuner, case, compact pocket trumpet stand (stored inside the bell of the trumpet), pocketbook, bottle of valve oil, soft polishing cloth, & a pair of white gloves
- 1 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer's Defects
Features:
Specs:
Color | Nickel Plated |
Height | 6 Inches |
Length | 12 Inches |
Width | 10 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
6. Yamaha EZ-TP MIDI Trumpet
556mm×159mm×125mm0.8kgTone Generation Tone Generating Technology AWM Stereo Sampling Polyphony Number of Polyphony (Max.) 32 Preset Number of Voices 22 Compatibility XG Yes GM Yes
Specs:
Weight | 5.82 Pounds |
7. pInstrument Plastic Kids pBone Mini Trombone - Mouthpiece and Carrying Bag- Eb Authentic Sound for Student & Beginner- Durable ABS Construction- Blue
MUSIC TRANSFORMS: The affordable pBone mini plastic trombone comes in energizing colors and is as fun as it is functional! The dual bore Eb alto trombone creates an authentic rich sound like its brass equivalent. Great for beginners!LIGHTWEIGHT: Half the weight of a brass trombone, the pBone mini is...
Specs:
Color | Blue |
Height | 14 Inches |
Length | 11 Inches |
Weight | 1.34922904344 Pounds |
Width | 38 Inches |
Size | Mini |
Number of items | 1 |
8. Jupiter 466L Bb Marching Euphonium
- Lacquered Brass Body is produced using state of the art technology to ensure an instrument of the most accurate scale and playability
- Stainless Steel Pistons have remarkably smooth, fast action for improved agility and playability
- ABS Molded Case offers excellent lightweight protection and is very easy to carry
- Key of Bb
- Lacquered Brass Body
Features:
Specs:
Color | Nickel,Silver |
9. Mendini MFH-20 Single Key of F Brass French Horn
- Lightweight standard key of F single French horn
- Lacquered yellow brass bell and body, .450" bore 12" bell, 3 solid rotors with mechanical linkage
- Includes: silver plated mouthpiece, pro-deluxe hard case, polishing cloth and a pair of gloves
- Bonus: Cecilio 92-D chromatic/string tuner with metronome
- 1 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer's Defects
Features:
Specs:
Color | Yellow,Silver |
Height | 15 Inches |
Length | 27 Inches |
Width | 19 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
10. pBone Jiggs pTrumpet Plastic Trumpet w/Gig Bag and 3C and 5C Mouthpieces, White, (PTRUMPET1W)
Pitched in Bb4.75 inch BellUnique fully plastic valve systemOne piece patented lead pipeAll plastic water key
Specs:
Color | White |
Height | 5 Inches |
Length | 21 Inches |
Weight | 2 Pounds |
Width | 6 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
11. Yamaha YTR-8335RS Xeno Series Bb Trumpet
Reverse tuning slideHand-lapped slides and Monel pistonsHand-hammered one-piece annealed bellDouble main tuning slide bracesOne-piece drawn leadpipe
Specs:
Color | YTR-8335IIRS - Silver Plated with Reverse Leadpipe |
Height | 15 Inches |
Length | 26.25 Inches |
Weight | 14.2 Pounds |
Width | 11 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
12. Prelude TR711 Bb Lacquered Student Trumpet
Genuine Vincent Bach 7C mouthpieceAdjustable third finger ring4-3/4" two-piece yellow brass bellTwo water keysClear lacquer finishYellow Brass BellRed Brass MouthpipeStainless Steel Pistons0.459 Bore, Case Included
Specs:
Color | MultiColored |
Height | 6 Inches |
Length | 21 Inches |
Weight | 3 Pounds |
Width | 5 Inches |
Release date | June 2011 |
Number of items | 1 |
13. Yamaha YEP-321 Series 4-Valve Euphonium Silver
- 4 Top-mounted Valves - Silver-plated
- Bb Euphonium with 0.571" Be
- 11" Yellow Brass Bell
- Yellow Brass Body
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 14 Inches |
Length | 30 Inches |
Weight | 27 Pounds |
Width | 19 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
14. Mendini MEP-L Lacquer Brass B Flat Euphonium with Stainless Steel Pistons, Gold
Lacquered Yellow brass body and bell Bb euphonium with rose-brass lead pipeLightweight, .566" bore, 12" upright bell, 4 stainless steel smooth top action pistonsIncludes: silver plated mouthpiece, pro-deluxe hard case, polishing cloth and a pair of glovesBonus: Cecilio 92-D chromatic/string tuner wi...
Specs:
Color | Gold |
Height | 18 Inches |
Length | 35 Inches |
Width | 24 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
15. Yamaha YBB-641 Professional Rotary Tuba
- Key: BBb
- Size: 4/4
- Bore: .812-inch
- Bell: 16-1/2-inch
- Bell Position: Upright
Features:
Specs:
Height | 30 Inches |
Length | 48 Inches |
Weight | 59.85 Pounds |
Width | 25 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
16. Jean Paul USA TR-330 Standard Student Trumpet
The Jean Paul Trumpet is in key of BbComes with robust contoured carrying case for ease of use transportationBeautiful Yellow brass body construction with Gold Lacquer finishIncluded Accessories: Carrying Case, Valve Oil, Gloves, Cleaning Cloth, and Mouthpiece
Specs:
Color | Yellow,Gold |
Height | 15 inches |
Length | 6.5 inches |
Weight | 6.45 Pounds |
Width | 22 inches |
Number of items | 1 |
17. Meinl Trombone Didgeridoo, Fiberglass, Black Design
Fiberglass shell: The fiberglass construction delivers superior durability and a distinctive drone with harmonic overtones that allow you to easily achieve the desired Native Australian soundTrombone design: The telescopic design simulates a trombone, allowing for Pitch bends and variable melodiesMo...
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 36 Inches |
Length | 3 Inches |
Weight | 1.4550509292 Pounds |
Width | 3 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
18. Mendini by Cecilio Premium Grade Closed Hole C Flute with Stand, Book, Deluxe Case and Warranty (Rose Gold)
- Lacquer yellow brass intermediate Bb tenor trombone with F-attachment, Mechanical linkage
- .500" medium bore, Rose-brass 8" bell, Nickel plated lead pipe, inner & outer slide
- Standard shank with silver plated 12C mouthpiece
- Includes: Pro-deluxe durable plush-lined light weight hard case with backpack straps and zipper pocket, a pair of white gloves & cleaning cloth
- 1 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer's Defects
Features:
Specs:
Color | Rose Gold |
Height | 15 Inches |
Length | 42 Inches |
Weight | 13 Pounds |
Width | 17 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
19. Miraphone M5000 Ambassador Series Compensating Euphonium M5000S Silver
- Key: BbBore: .610-.638-inch Graduated BoreBell: 11.5-inchBell Material: Yellow BrassBell Position: UprightValves: Stainless Steel PistonNumber of Valves: 4Valve Position: Traditional 3 Top + 1 SideSystem: CompensatingFeatures: Ergonomic Design; Compensating Design; Gold Brass Leadpipe; Conical Graduated BoreCase: YesMouthpiece: YesMouthpiece Shank: LargeFinish: Lacquer, Silver
Features:
🎓 Reddit experts on brass instruments
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where brass instruments are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
Are you just looking for a euphonium? Or do you need to buy a marching horn?
If you do need a marching horn, I’ll dissent that Jinbao stencil will not be good in a couple of month. It’s all about who the importer is. Jinbao cranks out stencil horn to anyone who wants. Wessex, Mack Brass and Dillon music are the best in terms of quality control.
Only Wessex carries marching brass. Schiller gets their horns from Jinbao but I have only heard bad reviews of their quality control.
That being said, look for a used bach Mercedes marching baritone or a used conn 136e if you don’t want chinese. You can find them for around $500-$600 in decent playing condition. I have a conn 136e and it’s great. It’s a stencil of the King 1124 which is the gold standard marching baritone.
If your lookin for any euphonium don’t buy a marching baritone. They only have use in a marching band. I use mine in a fusion brass band for fun.
As for the Jinbao stencils, they copy the Yamaha 642 compensating euphonium. Mack Brass is the best band for your buck. Its only carried in silver and is $995.
I’d suggest replacing the springs with Yamaha springs. And maybe replace the felts. Neither are necessary but can make the horn just a little better.
Wessex Dolce already has better valve springs and felts. But the starting price is $1370. That’s for the gold brass bell version, which does have a beautiful warm sound. If you want the silver plated version it’s $100 more, and standard yellow brass bell. If you want silver I think the Mack Brass is the better option. Wessex does a few things like their Wyvern engraved valve buttons and the aforementioned springs and felts. But Tom McGrady who owns Mack Brass has a leaner operation so he’s able to keep the price down while still having great quality control.
I have a Wessex Festivo but still replaced the springs, but the felts are perfectly fine.
If you’re willing to spend $800 I’d say spend the extra $200 and get a Mack Brass euphonium. Otherwise look for a used Yamaha 321 on eBay. You can usually find them for a decent price. you’ll need to spend more on a used king 2280 which is the best non compensating euphonium on the market. The conn 19i is the stencil of the king 2280 and if you do see them on the market, they go for less than the kings but play just as well. They are a rarer find though.
Here goes...
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)
I've seen kids start in 4th grade on a standard tenor trombone. The instrument is a little heavy for small children, and it's a bit too long for most kids that age to get their arm out comfortably.
That being said, I can heartily recommend the pBone mini. It's tuned slightly differently than a standard tenor trombone; it's an alto. It's made entirely out of plastic, so it's lightweight and pretty hard to damage. The slide takes some getting used to (it has to get worn in first), but overall, I think they're perfect for young kids if you can find a teacher who's willing to work with you. You can then upgrade to the full size version.
This way, if he falls out of love with the horn, you're not out a whole lot of money. But if he sticks with it for the long haul, he's got one he can throw over his shoulder and take on plane rides if he has to travel.
Yep. It's a convertible model, but it looks pretty simple to switch. Pretty sure this is the horn I saw in use by Springs Valley High School from French Lick, IN, at the past few ISSMA Class D State Finals. Definitely wouldn't recommend Jupiters, but it appears as though the market is rather limited.
https://www.amazon.com/Jupiter-466L-Bb-Marching-Euphonium/dp/B006QCVRWG
Annnnd here we go again, another crazy but fun contest =)
Thank you!
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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.
If you want cheap euphoniums, here are some links to some cheap euphs
If you supply your own mouthpiece that is fine but some of them like the YEP 321 is small shank if that is a problem. Avoid Too good to be true euphoniums because they are probably made cheaply with machines and not hand crafted like most Euphs
What's worth investing in if you're planning on soloing is getting good at the horn... A soloist like Demondrae Thurman or Chris Leslie can make a cheap horn, like let's say a Mendini, sound phenomenal. In fact, here is a link: https://www.amazon.com/Mendini-MEP-L-Lacquer-Euphonium-Stainless/dp/B0052N90CO
pros to a plastic instrument?
COST!
I got a Cool Wind CTU-200 Series 4-Valve BBb Tuba Black for Christmas (thanks Santa) and it's been great - and $1,445.95 & FREE Shipping is better than
Yamaha YBB-641 Professional Rotary Tuba
$9,565.99$9,565.99
​
No complaints here!
Wow, that price is nuts. After a bit of searching, I found the [Meinl Trombone Didgeridoo] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBDG5_LpW5E) which bears a striking resemblance to the X8 Drums Slide Didge and ranges around the same price. Seems to have good reviews too.
Well the item that would make me most happy you probably can't afford it being this so to be reasonable I'll ask for this. Im a music nerd :3
like one of these?
What do you look for in alto trombones? By that I mean what are the generally accepted bore and bell sizes?
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