Help my 9 year old wants a Trumpet for Christmas!

mummy_jeans

OMG my little man has "decided" he will probably write to Father Christmas and ask fior a trumpet!!!! I have no idea about trumpets. Can anyone direct me please? I am not looking to spend a huge amount but equally don't want something that will fall apart in 3 months? What is an example of a reasonable trumpet? Help :eek:

Nile

Hello mummy_jeans

I'll move your thread to the 'Music' board. In preparation for when your little man is practising his music skills...........I can recommend these ear plugs:D:

http://www.earplugs.co.uk/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1293

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

mummy_jeans

Thank you Nile much appreciated and ear plugs even more so te he!

kerri_gt

Is he already having lessons? If so, speak to his music teacher. If he isn't, then I assume you're planning to start him on some? Again I would speak to his teacher for a reccomendation. Some schools (if he learns through school) will offer a loan system - many children 'desparatly' want to learn an instrument then give up quickly. He doesn't necessarily have to know it's on loan, or say Santa has sent it specially for him to try out on loan to see if he really likes it. Also, if you have a local music shop, go in there, they will be able to offer advise, and prob have adverts for second hand instruments, or again, some offer loan/rental options.

If he's never played before, perhaps take him for a visit to a music shop to try out the trumpet to see if he likes it, that way 'he can be sure it's what he wants before writing to Santa'

jane130

my sons school can get instruments cheaper through some special scheme , or they rent them to kids having lessons ,my son's saxophone costs £60 a year to hire. I definatly wouldn't go all out and buy one up front without making sure he will like it first .

RuthnJasper

jane130 wrote: »

my sons school can get instruments cheaper through some special scheme , or they rent them to kids having lessons ,my son's saxophone costs £60 a year to hire. I definatly wouldn't go all out and buy one up front without making sure he will like it first .

I was going to suggest the same thing as Jane! My young nephew is wild for his music, but my bro and sis-in-law won't buy him a new instrument of his own until he's tried it for a few months. Probably just as well, or otherwise they would now be the proud owners of a barely-touched guitar, piano and saxophone!

Alas for them, my fabulous nephew did settle for, and was purchased, his genuine instrument of choice - which he has stuck with. A drum-kit.

I think my sis-in-law had already written the letter of apology to the neighbour before the payment for the drums left her debit card...

EDIT - I meant to say 'good luck' to the OP's son with his trumpet-playing. I think it's great, when a young child expresses a desire for something like that, that he's believed and given a chance to have a genuine go at it; rather than getting told that he's too young to understand what he really wants. Anyway, hope all turns out well. Dedication's what you need...! :D;) x

Owain_Moneysaver

It's essential to get a proper try out with an instructor before writing the letter to Santa. Some people have mouth/teeth that make playing a trumpet difficult.

Yamaha have an electronic trumpet - don't know if it has a headphone output :-)

theoretica

A lot of my friends who played brass started out on the cornet, rather than the trumpet, and his teacher may advise this. They are smaller and lighter so easier to hold up.

I too support the suggestion to hire, and get advice from his teacher.

crazyguy

If you do not have one at the moment you may wish to consider purchasing a shed so you do not have to listen to him playing it.

nat2607

Hi, I play the trumpet at a very good level in dance bands at weddings and so on, and am also in a championship section brass band on solo cornet - as well as teaching brass inn a former life, so I'd like to think I know a little bit about what I'm talking about.


The advice I'd give you is to BUY a good quality, second hand, student trumpet, you won't loose too much money on it as if he decides to give up, you should get roughly what you paid for it give or take twenty quid or so as long as it isn't destroyed! As well as this you won't be throwing your money down the drain renting an instrument.


The reason I suggest a second hand one is that at the moment there is a huge influx of cheap instruments coming over from India and China, you can get a new instrument for less than £80 now, but it's really not worth it. There is no quicker way to get a child to loose interest in playing an instrument than to give them one of such poor quality, and this includes the ones that are made of colored brass, they are difficult to play and to sound nice, and are really, really poor quality - the valves cease and they dent and scratch incredibly quickly.


The names you're looking for are: besson, bach, courtois, elkhart, jupiter and yamaha. I've included a couple of ebay examples of the sort of thing you're looking for. These instruments are made by established companies who (in most cases) make high end instruments and put this level of expertise into their student models. They shouldn't have too much wear if you buy carefully,

What you're looking for is:

• Free moving valves
• Free moving tuning slides
• Mouthpiece which is easily removed from instrument
• corks and water key working
• No significant dints (don't be overlyworried about a few dings in the bell, they won't affect the sound, but try and avoid any big dints around the tubing of the instrument)

Here's a couple of examples I plucked off ebay to give you an idea:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Vincent-Bach-Elkhart-TR100s-silver-plated-Bb-Trumpet-/330622001745?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Brass_RL&hash=item4cfa9b6251
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gold-brass-Jupiter-Trumpet-great-sounds-great-condition-/120787541694?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Brass_RL&hash=item1c1f7f9ebe
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vincent-Bach-Prelude-Bb-Trumpet-TR710-NEW-MODEL-/190580020648?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Brass_RL&hash=item2c5f7455a8
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Besson-1000-Trumpet-/130583355250?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Brass_RL&hash=item1e675fdf72



Regarding the noise, you can start of purchasing a practice mute for about £15, it takes off 90% of the noise but makes it more difficult to blow, or, when he's more committed/ you begin to go insane, you can buy a 'silent brass' system which is electronic and sits in the end of the bell with headphones attached.


As a final thought, there are many, many brass bands looking for beginners to learn at the moment, and most provide an instrument and excellent tuition for a pound or two a week, the instrument will more than likely be a cornet, but they provide an excellent service and environment for children wanting to learn, and teaches kids more than just how to play, it's excellent for socialization, respect and teamwork - I can't recommend it enough!


Please feel free to PM/email me if you'd like me to take a look at any instrument online before you buy, or have any further questions

mummy_jeans

Thank you all for your suggestions I really do appreciate it. He is playing at school, the school invested in Brass instruments for Year 3 up to play so he has been playing for 2 years. I think I now have a couple of options therefore second hand or rent. I am leaning towards buying second hand I won't then spend a huge amount as if I was buying new - just in case. In my rose tinted world I just think a trumpet from Father Christmas doesnt get much more traditional, as my son said "Father Christmas is soooo clever he will be able to make one! "

Thank you again your time and effort is really appreciated - thank you.