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My niece is starting 6th grade band and has decided to play trumpet. I was wondering if anyone had a Bb trumpet lying around that is really cheap, not sure if she will stick with it. I really dont care about cosmetics, just that it is in good playing shape. Please email me if you have anything.

brassmansam@hotmail.com

I don't know cheap you want to go, but some of the house brand stuff at Giardinelli (and I suspect other Internet vendors) is good stuff for around $250 - $350. Made in Europe (German, Czech, etc.). The one I got has a VMI look to the valves and general appearance. Good fit and finish to everything.

Because she is 12, and I have no idea how long she is going to stick with it, i was wanting to spend sub $100.

I have considered some of the internet no name horns, but if I can find an old Conn or King, it would hold up a little better.

NEW RED w/ GOLD NICKEL PLATE Bb TRUMPET & YAMAHA KIT

Buy It Now = $99.95, shipping = $19

And, its red!

Would a cornet work?

A good Yamaha 2 series cornet may even be preferable, depending on the girl's physical stature, since the cornet wrap (the way the tubing bends) is "tighter," meaning more looped than straight, and so your left hand is marginally closer to the body. For a lot of younger players, this is more comfortable and easier to hold until they get some physical maturity. I found a Bach CR300 (same thing) on ebay for my son for $150, and $40 of dent work later it looks brand new, as they are going for $400 used in fair shape and list over $1000.

Please do not get one of the "new" cheap horns for @ $250 that will fall apart within a couple of months, have sticky valves, and will cost more in the long run than going down to your local music store and, if nothing else, rent one for a few months that has repair work as part of the package. She will drop it at least once. She has to. It's part of the learning curve.

Stick with a name brand horn. If in doubt, read up about a prospect at http://www.brassreview.com .

If you see one used on eBay, it's not necessarily a bad horn. It's not necessarily a good horn. I got my deal because I've looked at thousands of horns over 30 years and knew what to look for. Get help from someone used to looking at horns.

Slightly used, even if the lacquer is worn, of a reputable brand will still be playing long after the "new shiny cheap one" has been tossed in the heap. Just peruse the forum to see the venerable brass played by the forum members, including my 1971 Besson tuba, 1969 2-20 trumpet, @1945 King Silvertone cornet and @1963 King 3B trombone.

It's also not that good horns are made today. Actually, most modern brass instruments of reputable brands are generally of good quality. Not necessarily great, but good. But of course, since they are new, you'll have to pay for that new lacquer or silverplate as well. Better someone else suffer the depreciation until you know she is going to stick with it.

Thanks for the help. I know better than to purchase the cheap ebay horns.

I would like to find a 60s or 70s, Conn, King, Holton, Selmer, or Yamaha. They tend to hold up well for younger players.

Try a Sol's. Found a trigger 'bone for $200, and it was a King/Cleveland. So, it was smaller bore, but it works well for jazz. It's a good screamer, and it can rip paint off of walls, but if it's my secondary instrument, it's worth it.

I just sent you an email concerning a Blessing B-125 trumpet with a link to photos.

Can she be prodded to play cornet instead? I've seen good-condition Bundy cornets (fine for student use) for around $75 on Craigslist and other places.

Hey! all the above are great suggestions. Even Dillon Music has a subtopic for student horns, and they'll be cleaned and gone over. Hang in there it'll probably pop out of nowhere. For example: the daughter of a family friend is starting elementary band. She wanted a flute. To put it mildly, the family is not possessed of the best economic means. The new wife of the girl's mother's X-spouse found out, and told the girl's mother her daughter tried it out for a year and quit, but they still have the flute. Mothering instinct thankfully took over and carried the day. The new wife gave the girl the flute. The girl now has a much better flute for starting band than she would have gotten from even the most well meaning of rental programs.