Should I write a review or not?

HornofPlenty · Veteran Member Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 231

I don't have a horse in this race and I have not tried a Carol trumpet. However, I happened to be at an instrument shop when two very good repair
techs were really studying the Carol to see if they were going to possibly carry the line or not. I am a frequent customer so they kind of let me in on the conversation. They both agreed the general design was great, looks were great, but that the materials used to build the horn were not up to the same quality materials used on their Yamahas, Bachs and Schilkes that they carried. When I left they were leaning on not carrying the line as they wanted only top quality trumpets at their shop. I remember they showed me two things to prove their point, but I can only remember one(the other may have been a fit or alignment issue?)....they pulled slides out of a Schilke and of two Carols and said look at the metal...in the Schilke it was all one "shade" of metal, on the(brand new) Carol trumpets there was not a uniform color, there were what looked like patches(scars?) of discoloration or wear(not dirt marks), which the tech told me is a sign of lower quality brass/ metal. Maybe they got two subpar Carols.

Now, they did not say Carol trumpets were not a great value and they did love the design(s), they just said it did not quite compete with the horns they were selling from a quality(build) of parts standpoint. Again, I did not try them. I would like to try one sometime. I have two friends that play on them and love them, but both live too far away to just drive over and try them. So, it might just be Carol trumpets are doing everything they can to make a great trumpet at the price point they are offered at and it sounds like many people like the horns, so that is great!

It seemed like the debate was more...do we offer a lower cost horn that MIGHT have lower quality build(but a great value) or stick with the high cost, high quality build materials and fit and they wanted to stick with the high price stuff and not offer a lower priced alternative.

Heck, I may own one within the next year. I am very curious. Again, not trying to slam Carol at all, just passing on info that I found interesting and had never heard anyone say about the Carol horns before. We all win with more choices!

Retlaw · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:49 am Post subject:

TrumpetMD · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 7:06 am Post subject:

TrumpetAlways · Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:57 am Post subject:

Thank you all for the feedback.

As I said; The trumpet does not play badly. I bought it before Thomann increased the price by more then 200 Euros!!...thats another thing that surprises me. And they does not even have it in stock.

I have decided to keep it as my back up trumpet. I payed 880 Euros for it.
It plays like a horn worth twice as much just I do not like the ressistanse and the slotting.

Now for my next try: Hub Van Laar B1, B5 and Oiran II....can not wait!

etc-etc · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 3960

Last-ditch thought:

Are you sure the valves are numbered same as they are inserted? Could it be that in the final assembly someone mixed up the valve order?

Also, did you replace the spit valve corks? These make the trumpet sound terrible if leaking.

TrumpetAlways · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 10:17 am Post subject:

etc-etc,

Thank you for your reply.

I do not think any trumpet on this planet can play at all with the valves in the wrong places. The corks are just fine! Or shall I say as fine as it gets with this brand.

Manuel de los Campos · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:08 am Post subject: BS

gregplo · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: BS

TrumpetAlways · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 12:57 pm Post subject:

Manuel de los Campos,

Thats Ok.You do not have to believe me.Bay the way: I own a6310Z and a 8310Z.Among many other Bb horns....

I still love you.

gregplo · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 1:01 pm Post subject:

yourbrass · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 6:48 pm Post subject:

Carol Brass is, as I understand it, made in Taiwan. Their manufacturing skills are about twenty years ahead of mainland China, IMO, relating to brass instruments.
So it depends on your dealer to take care of you by making any adjustment necessary to at least be sure that valve alignment is correct, etc. If the horn sucks, I'd take it back, if there was any guarantee of satisfaction.
Because they're made in Taiwan, I have no doubt a lot of them play perfectly fine.