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I'm looking for some general suggestions for my now 3 yo daughter. I'd like to get her a brass instrument to play on. I can give her lessons probably until around high school age, I feel fairly confident in my pedagogical knowledge. I started on trumpet, and I know what I owned (180 43 bell, 181 37 bell, YFH-231S, blah, blah), and I see how expensive that nonsense is now, and don't want to outlay that much cash up front. I'd like to have something that makes a good sound that I could use to demonstrate.

So...

I'm thinking about a cornet or pocket trumpet due to the size. The question becomes, are there any new brands of decent quality that are under $500? Something with good valves and parts. Are there some quality cornets floating (used) that people just don't buy because they aren't cool, or have they been bought up by the brass band folks?

I'd go to the trumpet websites, but c'mon guys, they're populated with trumpet players.

the elephant wrote:Look for an old Olds Ambassador. Best student horns ever made.

I'm guessing they (Olds) made cornets?

After I posted my reply, I got to looking on ebay. Seems like a good number floating around there. Prices seem very good for a small person to start on.

However, I wonder if some shops (Joe S. ) might have a few in ready-to-play shape so that I can avoid fleabay.

I have a middle of the line-up Giardinelli house brand. It was made in Czechoslovakia -- which, I admit, is a very general, almost useless statement. The quality of construction and finish is pretty good. The valves look like they came from the same place as the valves in my VMI euph and fit very well. I solicited the opinion of a local semi-professional (the guy has a good paying day job), and he (while not gushing over it) gave it his blessing as a good student horn.