Buying a musical instrument is an expensive (but worthwhile) investment, so it is important to find the right one. Whether you are just starting out and looking for your very first trumpet, wanting to step up to a higher level from a beginner instrument, or ready to buy a professional trumpet, there are a number of things to consider. In this article, we will examine the best trumpet brands and models to make sure you get the best trumpet possible.
The best trumpets, regardless if they are for beginners, hobbyists, or professionals, are made with quality materials and assembled with great care, so that everything works properly. One tiny misalignment mistake in a valve can mess up the entire trumpet and make it impossible to play!
Because of the intricate care necessary for the assembly of a quality trumpet for any level, it is recommended to stay away from mass produced Chinese-made trumpets, or ones that are not associated with a brand. The low price on these instruments may look enticing, especially in comparison to the higher-end trumpets, but you get what you pay for. A brand new trumpet coming in at around $100 would raise suspicions with any experienced performer or teacher. To make an instrument that cheap requires cutting corners, be it the quality of the material used, the care with which it was assembled, or, most frequently, a combination of the two. A variety of consequences ( such as brittle material that will warp and crack, or poor sound quality) makes staying away from these instruments best, especially for beginners.
Best Trumpet Brand for Beginners
Ease of projection and control, as well as superior durability, are other important features for a beginner instrument that can be found with this trumpet. The Bach TR300H2 is our favorite Bach trumpet model.
Features:
• Affordable
• Case included
Best Trumpet Brand for Intermediate Players
Bach trumpets are also a favorite of ours for intermediate trumpet players. The Bach TR200 model is a great intermediate trumpet.
Features:
• Highly rated
• High-quality sound
Best Bb Trumpet Brand for Professionals
Bach is also our preferred B flat trumpet brand for professionals. The Bach 37 model, in particular, has been the industry standard for generations.
Features:
• Beautiful sound
• Superior quality
Best C Trumpet Brand for Professionals
Yamaha makes a top-of-the-line trumpet with a fantastic tone, and a playability that is reminiscent of legendary old horns.
Features:
• Fantastic tone
• Easy to play
Best Trumpets for Beginners
For the beginners just starting out, especially if they are on the younger side, it is important that their first trumpet be easy to play. This goes beyond just the ease of the actual sound production of the instrument, but also the care with which it was designed. This list features two fantastic trumpets for beginners, at both ends of the spectrum, in terms of price. In addition to this list, consulting your student’s band director or going to a music store will help you identify good beginner trumpets. Music stores often partner with school systems and offer their recommendations for beginner trumpets, for either purchase or “rent-to-own.”
| Best Beginner Trumpets |
| 1. Bach TR300H2 |
| 2. Yamaha YTR-2330 |
Best Intermediate Trumpets
After playing for a number of years, it is not uncommon for the player to “outgrow” the instrument they are currently playing. That’s when it is time to consider stepping up to either an intermediate model, or professional model depending on the circumstance. The needs of the musician may have changed, and it is important for their continued growth to step up to an instrument that wasn’t designed with the beginner in mind. Intermediate trumpets are a little more expensive, and are designed for the trumpet player who has been playing for at least a couple of years. Like the beginner trumpets, we have selected two quality intermediate brands that are on virtually opposite sides of the price spectrum for this level instrument, and each is an excellent choice; it just comes down to the wants and needs of the individual.
| Best Intermediate Trumpets |
| 1. Bach TR200 |
| 2. Getzen 590S-S |
Best Professional Trumpets
One thing that we have not covered yet is that trumpets come in a number of sizes. All of the trumpets previously mentioned on this list are pitched in the key of Bb, which is the industry standard for all beginner and intermediate trumpets. At the professional level, it is very common for the player to need a trumpet pitched in the key of C, especially when they are playing in a professional orchestra – or pre-professional orchestras, such as youth or collegiate orchestras. The professional trumpets on this list are either in the key of Bb or C, and have been labeled so you know which is which. These are not the only kinds of trumpets out there – there are also Eb trumpets and piccolo trumpets, just to name two – but these instruments come into play further in the development of the professional player, and are more specialized.
The following are two Bb and C trumpets fit for the budding professional trumpet player. At this level, especially because of the cost of professional instruments, we recommend that you at least try out the particular model that you are thinking about buying before you purchase something from this list. Professional trumpets are more specialized, and when looking for a trumpet to help last a professional career, it is important that the trumpet fits the player like a glove – that it responds well to the player, and is made with their specific needs in mind. Everyone is different, and one trumpet is not the best for everyone – otherwise there would be no need for different brands or models. The following isn’t an exhaustive list, but includes some of the most popular professional trumpets. It does not include brands, such as Shires, as those trumpets are custom tailored to the individual player and are impossible to order without trying out in person.
Professional Bb Trumpets
| Best Professional Bb Trumpets |
| 1. Bach 19037 Bb Trumpet |
| 2. Bach LR180S-43 Bb Trumpet |
Professional C Trumpets
| Best Professional C Trumpets |
| 1. Yamaha Xeno Artist “Chicago” Series C Trumpet |
| 2. Bach “Chicago” Series C Trumpet |
Bach
The Vincent Bach line of trumpets has dominated the music industry for generations. Vincent Bach, known both as a talented musician and engineer, has helped shape the legacy of the Bach line of instruments that are played across the world by professionals and beginners alike.
Recommended Models:
Beginner Model
Bach TR300H2
Knowing that everyone needs to start at the beginning, craftsmen have designed this trumpet specifically for the use of a beginner student. They have tailored the instrument in such a way as to meet the demands of the contemporary beginner, as well as promote the speedy development of the trumpet player just starting out. Ease of projection and control, as well as superior durability, are other important features for a beginner instrument that can be found with this trumpet.
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Intermediate Model
Bach TR200
Described as an intermediate trumpet with professional features, the Bach TR200 easily earns a spot on this list as a high-end intermediate trumpet. The TR200 comes in either a gold lacquer finish or plated in silver – each providing a slightly different sound (users often describe the silver plating on a trumpet to provide extra “brilliance” to the sound). This trumpet, with its professional features, comes at a premium price as far as intermediate trumpets go, but it is an excellent trumpet, receiving very satisfied 5 star reviews from users who have purchased it online or in a store.
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Professional Models
Bach 19037 Bb Trumpet
The Vincent Bach Corporation has been around significantly longer than 50 years, but this trumpet celebrates 50 years since Bach moved operations from Mt. Vernon, New York to Elkhart, Indiana. Although this horn has the 50-year anniversary tag to it, it is still constructed using Bach’s legendary “often copied, never replicated” model that has made Bach the industry standard for generations. This particular trumpet is Bach’s most popular 37 model, and a unique aspect of this 50th Anniversary trumpet is that it actually harkens back to the original 37 drawings made by Vincent Bach. An Amazon user who moved from and older version of this trumpet (from 1972) up to this model boasts that this newer model is far superior in sound, intonation, and ease. Additionally, this 50th Anniversary Bach Trumpet comes with some nice cosmetics, including the case, which has a logo reminiscent of when Bach first started his company, a special bell engraving, and more.
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Bach LR180S-43 Bb Trumpet
While the Bach model 37 is the more popular of the two primary models, others swear by the 43 model and its broader, darker sound. Players often describer the “blow” of the 43 model in comparison to its 37 counterpart as being roughly the same – that there isn’t a difference in ease of playing, just in the sound heard by the listener. When all is said and done, it is most important to evaluate the sound that you’re looking for in order to decide which one is best for you. The wonderful qualities of the 37 hold true with this model – it just comes down to choosing which model is appropriate for the individual.
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Bach “Chicago” Series C Trumpet
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has been known for its legendary brass section for generations. Their trumpet section saw the entire career of the legendary Bud Herseth, who is frequently heralded as the best orchestral trumpet player to ever live. In 1955, the Vincent Bach Corporation made and delivered trumpets for this section to use. The four trumpets selected by the section in 1955 are still owned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and used by its current members. The exclusivity of these celebrated trumpets has finally lifted as Bach released their “Chicago” series model. The Bach “Chicago” Series trumpet is closely based on the original designs, and boast supreme projection and tone quality, as well as improvements that make this horn both easier to play, and even improve the resonance.
Yamaha
Yamaha is a well-known musical instrument brand. The Yamaha brand is often praised for its consistent rise in quality over the years as each new model comes out.
Recommended Models:
Beginner Model
Yamaha YTR-2330
If the most important traits for a beginner trumpet include an ease of playing, consistency, durability, and the ability for the instrument to produce a great sound, then the Yamaha YTR-2330 checks off all of these boxes. It’s also designed, specifically, to promote a natural way of holding the instrument and encourage proper playing technique – great things to make sure the beginner starts off with right off the bat! The Yamaha brand is often praised for its consistent rise in quality over the years as each new model comes out (interestingly, not every brand is this way), and this is a very recent model. Amazon users call this trumpet “outstanding,” praise its great sound, and seem to agree that it is a great instrument for a beginner. One thing to note is that the Yamaha brand is Japanese (but is a very well respected brand), and though one Amazon user was thrilled with the product, they were not expecting the wait time associated with shipping a product from overseas.
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Professional Models
Yamaha Xeno Artist “Chicago” Series C Trumpet
The Yamaha Xeno Artist Model “Chicago” Series Trumpet was designed through a partnership between Yamaha and Chicago Symphony trumpet player John Hagstrom, using vintage trumpets owned by The Chicago Symphony as a basis for the design. The plan was not to replicate these classic trumpets, but to instead understand what made them so special, as well as understand and acknowledge their flaws, in order to improve upon them. The result is a top-of-the-line trumpet with a fantastic tone, and a playability that is reminiscent of these legendary old horns. An additional improvement is that the Yamaha “Chicago” Series trumpet feels great to play and is easy to play – a common praise of Yamaha trumpets.
Getzen
Recommended Models:
Intermediate Model
Getzen 590S-S
If the most important traits for a beginner trumpet include an ease of playing, consistency, durability, and the ability for the instrument to produce a great sound, then the Yamaha YTR-2330 checks off all of these boxes. It’s also designed, specifically, to promote a natural way of holding the instrument and encourage proper playing technique – great things to make sure the beginner starts off with right off the bat! The Yamaha brand is often praised for its consistent rise in quality over the years as each new model comes out (interestingly, not every brand is this way), and this is a very recent model. Amazon users call this trumpet “outstanding,” praise its great sound, and seem to agree that it is a great instrument for a beginner. One thing to note is that the Yamaha brand is Japanese (but is a very well respected brand), and though one Amazon user was thrilled with the product, they were not expecting the wait time associated with shipping a product from overseas.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that this list is meant as a jumping-off point for the beginner or student of the trumpet that is looking to step up to either an intermediate or professional horn. This is not a specialized list for everything that is out there. As mentioned before, there are a number of different kinds of trumpets that this list does not touch on (for example, Bach also offers a professional C trumpet that is modeled after the Philadelphia Orchestra trumpet). Additionally, there are a ton of different brands of trumpets not mentioned in this article. For example, Schilke is very well-known and respected both for their mouthpieces and their trumpets. They are a common choice for their Eb and Piccolo models in particular. Their professional Bb and C trumpets are still chosen by many accomplished players, but are a little more specialized – the player going to Schilke needs to know what they want going in to find the right fit. The same can be said about the Shires brand – excellent trumpets in their own right, but these instruments are much better suited to the individual player who goes to try them out in person.
Whether you’re looking for ideas for that first beginner trumpet, or are looking to step up to another one, this list recognizes some of the most versatile and tried-and-true trumpets on the market. For the beginner starting out in band, it is also recommended to speak with the band director or private teacher. When stepping up to an intermediate or professional instrument, in addition to consulting those specialists, it is also important to try out several different instruments to see what works for you before making a purchase.
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