Hi, I'm thinking of upgrading my Benge Trumpet (some kind of student model) to something a bit better... I'm starting to play it a lot more and the valve action is slowing me down a bit..

What would be a good trumpet to move to? Im looking for something to last me a long time as im off to uni soon. I've been looking at Yamaha Xeno's but I'm a bit lost...

Any help much appreciated!

Kris

Bach Straddivarius is a great line of Trumpet's, but it depends what you're after.

I agree that bachs are really great, but the price tags can be enormous (about £1000 ish I think). My teacher has recommended the Yamaha professional model as being good enough to do grade8 on and above, but not too expensive (£350 i think). Hopefully I should get one soon!

Never seen a 'professional model' Yamaha for anything like £350...
Yamaha top line trumpet is the Xeno which'll set you back a hair over £1000.

New Bach Strads will cost you a little more but they're THE standard Worldwide.
Expect to find a tidy, well used one for around £650.

As a sideline though, do you really need a new trumpet!?
What playing are you doing?
Could you just get the valves sorted on the Benge or is it stuffed? Does it have rings for 1st & 3rd slides?

If I were buying I'd find a cheap Strad.
If you must buy new, do check out the John Packer JP 155 or ACE.
These are REALLY good instruments and represent incredible value (no, I don't work for them...).

Whatever you do, try as many horns as you can and don't buy whatever's hot or new or what your mate plays.
Good luck.
E

Hi Kris

I started on a Yamaha £250ish Trumpet. At Grade 5 standard I moved onto the Yamaha Xeno. It's a professional trumpet and my teacher said it would last as long as I needed it. I really enjoy using it and I could tell the difference when I switched. It's a good all round trumpet. It cost me £1100 (but I gave my old one as part exchange). I would definately recomend it though. But the best thing to do is to search around different shops and see which ones have a good range of trumpets. Then arrange a time to go and try them all because at the end of the day it is whatever you feel best on!

What sort of music do you play and what standard are you?

Love to see where you saw a yam pro for £350! think you mean £1350
what about an intermediate standard. i did up to grade 8 on a yamaha 2320e and they are quite cheap on ebay.

I changed it a couple of years ago for a Yamaha 6335HII heavyweight model and that will last me for ages.

If you can i would recommend going to a shop where you can try different models. i went to John Packer in somerset and spent about an hour in a room with about 10 different models to try which i then wittled down to 5 then i had to get down to two!! very hard! but worth it if you are spending alot of money.

I've been looking for a new one too and had my eye on the Yamahe 4335, well, I'm on a budget! I went to Dawsons music shop, they've got quite a few branches around the country and are online. The lady asked if I would like to try the 'Mirage' too, which is there own import from China. Must admit I was a bit sceptical, but found that their top spec, and even the one below, played nicer than the Yamaha. The top spec one was £385. Am still looking because I want to try other trumpets, but I really did like this 'Mirage'!

I've got a YTR6335 at the moment. I'm lucky though because my school gives music pupils instruments while they get lessons ( they still have to give them back ) and they bought a special one for the EX- first trumpet and when he bought his own it got passed down to me as i'm next in the order!!!! It's an Awesome trumpet i just love it!!! Though it's RRP is £1129.. so it's not exactly the cheapest!!!! You should probably just go to a shop that stocks alot of trumpets and try them out, buy which ever one YOU think FEELS the right one for you!!!!