The world of beginner student trumpets is surprisingly vast and varied. With so many choices, we wanted to give a little breakdown of some of the best brands for students on the market. Whether you're looking for the right student trumpet for yourself or buying for the trumpet player in your life, take a look at our guide below to find the brands and student trumpet models worth checking out.
Under each brand, we've also included some of the more expensive intermediate and professional-grade models, in case you're after something a bit more serious.
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Bach
Bach Student Trumpets
Bach is a widely respected, American-made trumpet brand with a reputation for releasing some of the highest-quality student models on the market. The Bach TR300H2 is one of the brand's premier student options, made up of a combination of various materials—including red and yellow brass—that aid in their solid projection and tone.
The Bach TR300H2 is often the first choice for many young trumpet players, and it's a worthy choice. But remember: a beginner student trumpet isn’t meant to be the only horn you ever buy, and players often comment that as their skill level increases, they need to graduate from this trumpet to something geared toward intermediate players.
Yamaha
Yamaha Student Trumpets
Yamaha has a reputation for producing some of the highest quality trumpets, student-level and up, at very affordable price points. The brand's student models are based on its professional-series trumpets, with features and parts that are either the same or inspired by the pro series. Yamaha refers to this methodology as “vertical integration,” which makes it easy for players who started on one of the brand's beginner models to transition to a pro series model.
Yamaha’s factory used to be based out of Japan, where the beginner model YTR-2335 was made, but has moved production to China, where the YTR-200 is now made. Despite being built in different countries and the stigma often attached to Chinese instruments, Yamaha’s commitment to quality is evidenced by the fact that the YTR-200 is made with the same high-quality materials as the older YTR-2335 in a highly controlled factory setting. This ensures that although production has moved, quality will remain consistent.
Blessing
Blessing boasts a line of quality-driven, sturdy, and durable trumpets with its BTR series. The revamped brand is packed with different combinations of bell shapes, slide assemblies, and leadpipes sure to impress any player of varying skill levels. Models in the BTR series can be found in brass, silver-plated, or lacquered brass depending on your material preference.
Not only are these trumpets designed with the student in mind, they’re priced for students as well. This makes them a go-to choice for beginner or intermediate players looking for an affordable trumpet made in America.
King
Established in Ohio in 1894, King has built up a brand of quality trumpets known for strength, durability, and projection that artists like Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, Tommy Dorsey, and Ziggy Elman have all sworn by.
The King 601 student model is designed after the King professional trumpet that Harry James made famous in the 1940s and ‘50s. Rose brass accents provide a warm tone, Monel pistons increase the durability over years of use, and a clear lacquer finish adds warmth to your sound. Whether you want to excel in the comforts of the band room or head onto the field for marching band, the King 601 is the perfect professional-quality instrument at a student-friendly price.