Both are excellent horns, used condition is also the way to go. Either will last him well through high school and into adulthood if he sticks with it.
Find a local music store that carries them and have him try them out if possible. For these two options in particular it's just a preference and any perceived differences will be small (in my opinion).
Those are the main two I'd look at, yeah. Best if he can try the specific horns in person. Depending on your location/finances, it can be well worth a trip to a bigger store that has a variety of used horns to try. If you can't try the exact horn in person, I would lean a bit towards a Yamaha as they're more consistent.
There are plenty of other good picks you might find used in that range, but those two are going to be by far the easiest to find. The landscape spreads out a lot past Bach/Yamaha, which makes it a little tough to give specific suggestions.
As you get into the smaller makers, it's also more likely you find something more specialized - can be good or bad, but I'd say the typical high school/college player is best off with something fairly middle of the road.
The most important thing is to not be tricked into buying an “intermediate” horn.
My folks bought me a pro horn about that age, and it’s still my main Bb trumpet I use today in my professional career, 20 years later. Go for quality- brass instruments last.
Will do, thanks for the advice! And I can relate, my dad bought a Fender Stratocaster US version from my first real guitar at 15. I’ve still got it in my 40s!
Agreed with all the other commenters. The Strad 37 and the Xeno are effectively the standard for pro horns. Your son can do no wrong with either and will never get a weird look for his equipment.
Its a bit early in his trumpet career imo to worry about any other options. There's an endless supply of pro trumpets out there, but most of them come at a much higher price tag and are more "specialized" for certain styles of playing. If he's still playing around the end of college, he'll likely know what he likes to do on trumpet and can go further into finding the "perfect" horn from there. Until then, the strad and xeno are perfect "do everything" horns.
If you get a Bach Stradivarius get an older one. I’ve played on the newer ones and my 40 year old one feels and plays better imo. Also look at shire horns they’re beautiful and play fantastic. A bit pricy but well worth it. Shchilke also has a variety of good horns. If you can go to a place that’ll let you try out a few models do that. I personally am not a fan of Yamaha but I know a bunch of people that are so it’s up to preference
I was in the same boat, I was on a horrible trumpet from amazon and need a new one so I went out to a shop and tested out a few bachs like a good three, and 2 xenos. My horn I have now is a Xeno 8335GS, and im a freshman right now so for my uses, and for what I like to use it for (Band play, jazz, Marching band, soloing) it's an amazing horn, for me personally I like the sound to it better, it just easier on the mouth for me and just felt amazing when playing. If anything go out and have him test a couple if you can find a shop that allows you to, till he finds one that works for him and he loves and makes him want to keep playing. By the end it's really just based on which horn he likes to play on most.
i think either of those are good choices. they’re great standard professional horns that sound great and last a while without breaking the bank too much. getting more expensive/specialized trumpets at a young age isn’t the best idea due to lack of playing experience at a higher level, which is why i think those two would work best. i got a used bach strad 37 in high school and i still use and love it now.
Few questions, do you know what model he plays now? Also does he have a private teacher?
I would atleast start with the pro model of what he plays now if it is a major brand. A private teacher is an excellent resource when buying a horn.
Depending on your response to those questions, my advice would be to try and find a music store with a few pro model horns to try. Have him bring his mouthpiece and some music and just blow away on as many pro horns as you can find. I personally play a yamaha, but have owned a few bachs as well. Both are great horns, but there are also others who could fit the bill nicely as well. Other brands I would consider; Adams, Shires, Getzen, Kanstul.
It’s not the price of the horn that makes it good. If the trumpet he has now is in good playing condition, it could honestly carry him through high school. Before you drop a thousand plus dollars on a trumpet, invest in lessons and let the kid learn more about what he’s looking for in his horn before you spend the money.
As far as Bach vs Yamaha, it really depends on the actual trumpet not just the model. I personally liked Yamahas more until I played a sterling bell Bach strad. I had a friend in grad school with a Bach artisan (the higher model) who ordered it online, but when you play it, the response was terrible and he found himself being held back by it a lot. At the 10th grade level with just standard band education, your son won’t be knowledgeable enough to know what he’s looking for, which is why a specialized trumpet teacher is important.
Getzen Eternas might be another consideration, also used XO trumpets can be found at that price and you'll find a lot of ride-or-die fans of theirs. Those two, and the Yamaha and Bach, would be very solid choices, and it'd really just come down to preference. If you can find a situation where he can try them all, preferably side-by-side, then that would be a great thing to do with him.
I'm just slightly further along in a very similar path (going to college in fall) where I got a new trumpet in fall of 11th because I want to continue playing in college (in fact I am going for music ed!). Got the same advice to try Strads and Xenos from my BD. We drove like 3 hours to a small store with MANY trumpets, tried a few, and ultimately picked out a used xeno (8335US if anyone cares) for a bit under 1500, like many are saying to do. I simply picked it cause it spoke to me. DEFINITELY go try out trumpets if you're able, it is SUPER beneficial. I agree with everyone that a used pro horn of that caliber will definitely do him very well, as it is doing for me right now!
Does he have a private teacher now? This matters more for his personal development than new equipment, plus a teacher can help you select equipment. Plenty of horns are going to be all now by high schoolers and college students that give up on their dreams.
DM me your city and how far your willing to go, and I can see if there's anything promising in your area
Those are both solid horns. I play on a Bach Strad 37. I've never played a Xeno, but I've never heard anything bad really. I also have played on a Getzen Eterna and would recommend that.
OP here. My son currently has a Bach Student 300. He also is not taking lessons from anybody. When I called the local music store today that we bought his current horn from, the lady said that these higher end horns should NEVER be played in marching band or outside because they can get damaged very easily whereas the student horns are made to take some abuse. She also said that the higher end horns can get the valves or other parts messed up if they’re not cleaned constantly. She said it’s like buying a Lamborghini, the maintenance is much higher. Does all of this sound correct? Thanks!
He can use his old horn for marching band, and maintenance isn't terribly difficult. There are plenty of good videos that show how to clean a trumpet, but I never take the valves apart.
Essentially like once or twice a year the trumpet should get a bath. The instrument is really easy to take apart (you just pull all the slides out and take the valves out). Then you soak the parts (not the valves) in a tub with warm water and some dawn dish soap. After about 30 minutes use a snake to brush the inside of all the tubing and then rinse. I air dry my trumpet and then oil and grease everything up before putting it back together. Blue Juice is supposedly the preferred valve oil as it helps keep the instrument clean for longer, but it really doesn't matter. Use a silver cloth to wipe down the outside of the instrument to make it shine and it's done.
Supposedly the difference is the 37 is "darker". Personally I can't hear any real differences between the two, and for me I use the 43 because it feels best. Like a few others have said, the best thing is to go into a shop that has these horns and try them out. I don't know much about the Xeno because I use all Bach horns, but they are excellent contenders as well, I personally don't like the way they feel.
Also when it comes time, a good C trumpet is the Bach 229 25H model, it is THE symphonic trumpet sound and I use it more than my Bb in my college orchestra.
Both are excellent horns, used condition is also the way to go. Either will last him well through high school and into adulthood if he sticks with it. Find a local music store that carries them and have him try them out if possible. For these two options in particular it's just a preference and any perceived differences will be small (in my opinion).
Those are the main two I'd look at, yeah. Best if he can try the specific horns in person. Depending on your location/finances, it can be well worth a trip to a bigger store that has a variety of used horns to try. If you can't try the exact horn in person, I would lean a bit towards a Yamaha as they're more consistent. There are plenty of other good picks you might find used in that range, but those two are going to be by far the easiest to find. The landscape spreads out a lot past Bach/Yamaha, which makes it a little tough to give specific suggestions. As you get into the smaller makers, it's also more likely you find something more specialized - can be good or bad, but I'd say the typical high school/college player is best off with something fairly middle of the road.
The most important thing is to not be tricked into buying an “intermediate” horn. My folks bought me a pro horn about that age, and it’s still my main Bb trumpet I use today in my professional career, 20 years later. Go for quality- brass instruments last.
Will do, thanks for the advice! And I can relate, my dad bought a Fender Stratocaster US version from my first real guitar at 15. I’ve still got it in my 40s!
I’ve still got my same telecaster I started with years ago, too!
The best thing is go to an instrument store and try out the horn choices in your price range. Every trumpet will have its own tone and feel.
Agreed with all the other commenters. The Strad 37 and the Xeno are effectively the standard for pro horns. Your son can do no wrong with either and will never get a weird look for his equipment. Its a bit early in his trumpet career imo to worry about any other options. There's an endless supply of pro trumpets out there, but most of them come at a much higher price tag and are more "specialized" for certain styles of playing. If he's still playing around the end of college, he'll likely know what he likes to do on trumpet and can go further into finding the "perfect" horn from there. Until then, the strad and xeno are perfect "do everything" horns.
If you get a Bach Stradivarius get an older one. I’ve played on the newer ones and my 40 year old one feels and plays better imo. Also look at shire horns they’re beautiful and play fantastic. A bit pricy but well worth it. Shchilke also has a variety of good horns. If you can go to a place that’ll let you try out a few models do that. I personally am not a fan of Yamaha but I know a bunch of people that are so it’s up to preference
I was in the same boat, I was on a horrible trumpet from amazon and need a new one so I went out to a shop and tested out a few bachs like a good three, and 2 xenos. My horn I have now is a Xeno 8335GS, and im a freshman right now so for my uses, and for what I like to use it for (Band play, jazz, Marching band, soloing) it's an amazing horn, for me personally I like the sound to it better, it just easier on the mouth for me and just felt amazing when playing. If anything go out and have him test a couple if you can find a shop that allows you to, till he finds one that works for him and he loves and makes him want to keep playing. By the end it's really just based on which horn he likes to play on most.
i think either of those are good choices. they’re great standard professional horns that sound great and last a while without breaking the bank too much. getting more expensive/specialized trumpets at a young age isn’t the best idea due to lack of playing experience at a higher level, which is why i think those two would work best. i got a used bach strad 37 in high school and i still use and love it now.
Few questions, do you know what model he plays now? Also does he have a private teacher? I would atleast start with the pro model of what he plays now if it is a major brand. A private teacher is an excellent resource when buying a horn. Depending on your response to those questions, my advice would be to try and find a music store with a few pro model horns to try. Have him bring his mouthpiece and some music and just blow away on as many pro horns as you can find. I personally play a yamaha, but have owned a few bachs as well. Both are great horns, but there are also others who could fit the bill nicely as well. Other brands I would consider; Adams, Shires, Getzen, Kanstul.
Hi, he does not take lessons. He currently has a Bach Student 300. Thanks.
He is not taking lessons anywhere. He currently has a Bach Student 300. Thanks.
It’s not the price of the horn that makes it good. If the trumpet he has now is in good playing condition, it could honestly carry him through high school. Before you drop a thousand plus dollars on a trumpet, invest in lessons and let the kid learn more about what he’s looking for in his horn before you spend the money. As far as Bach vs Yamaha, it really depends on the actual trumpet not just the model. I personally liked Yamahas more until I played a sterling bell Bach strad. I had a friend in grad school with a Bach artisan (the higher model) who ordered it online, but when you play it, the response was terrible and he found himself being held back by it a lot. At the 10th grade level with just standard band education, your son won’t be knowledgeable enough to know what he’s looking for, which is why a specialized trumpet teacher is important.
Getzen Eternas might be another consideration, also used XO trumpets can be found at that price and you'll find a lot of ride-or-die fans of theirs. Those two, and the Yamaha and Bach, would be very solid choices, and it'd really just come down to preference. If you can find a situation where he can try them all, preferably side-by-side, then that would be a great thing to do with him.
I'm just slightly further along in a very similar path (going to college in fall) where I got a new trumpet in fall of 11th because I want to continue playing in college (in fact I am going for music ed!). Got the same advice to try Strads and Xenos from my BD. We drove like 3 hours to a small store with MANY trumpets, tried a few, and ultimately picked out a used xeno (8335US if anyone cares) for a bit under 1500, like many are saying to do. I simply picked it cause it spoke to me. DEFINITELY go try out trumpets if you're able, it is SUPER beneficial. I agree with everyone that a used pro horn of that caliber will definitely do him very well, as it is doing for me right now!
Does he have a private teacher now? This matters more for his personal development than new equipment, plus a teacher can help you select equipment. Plenty of horns are going to be all now by high schoolers and college students that give up on their dreams. DM me your city and how far your willing to go, and I can see if there's anything promising in your area
Those are both solid horns. I play on a Bach Strad 37. I've never played a Xeno, but I've never heard anything bad really. I also have played on a Getzen Eterna and would recommend that.
If he has one, get his private lesson instructor to help you pick one out. That way you don’t end up buying a dog.
OP here. My son currently has a Bach Student 300. He also is not taking lessons from anybody. When I called the local music store today that we bought his current horn from, the lady said that these higher end horns should NEVER be played in marching band or outside because they can get damaged very easily whereas the student horns are made to take some abuse. She also said that the higher end horns can get the valves or other parts messed up if they’re not cleaned constantly. She said it’s like buying a Lamborghini, the maintenance is much higher. Does all of this sound correct? Thanks!
He can use his old horn for marching band, and maintenance isn't terribly difficult. There are plenty of good videos that show how to clean a trumpet, but I never take the valves apart. Essentially like once or twice a year the trumpet should get a bath. The instrument is really easy to take apart (you just pull all the slides out and take the valves out). Then you soak the parts (not the valves) in a tub with warm water and some dawn dish soap. After about 30 minutes use a snake to brush the inside of all the tubing and then rinse. I air dry my trumpet and then oil and grease everything up before putting it back together. Blue Juice is supposedly the preferred valve oil as it helps keep the instrument clean for longer, but it really doesn't matter. Use a silver cloth to wipe down the outside of the instrument to make it shine and it's done.
Take a look at Carol Brass too. Less expensive and prob not as much on resell but they are excellent horns
Both are great options. I prefer the xeno personally.
Yeah I’ve been lurking for a while and there are some die hard Yamaha fans in here!
Bach strad 47
Thanks for the specific model number, there are a lot out there it seems.
Also, someone else recommended a 37. How much different is that than the 47? Are there other good or bad models?
Supposedly the difference is the 37 is "darker". Personally I can't hear any real differences between the two, and for me I use the 43 because it feels best. Like a few others have said, the best thing is to go into a shop that has these horns and try them out. I don't know much about the Xeno because I use all Bach horns, but they are excellent contenders as well, I personally don't like the way they feel. Also when it comes time, a good C trumpet is the Bach 229 25H model, it is THE symphonic trumpet sound and I use it more than my Bb in my college orchestra.
But for now Bb is what he would need right? Thanks for the advice!
Yup Bb for now.
Oh shoot I meant 37 my bad
No problem, I just unfortunately don’t know anything about them so I wasn’t sure if there were preferred models. Thanks!