Horn “size”?

[MarkD]

New member so if I posted in the wrong place, mods feel free to move.

I’m yet another comeback player who last played in high school, 40 years ago.

I just started again about a week ago with a private instructor and for now, I’m renting a student model trumpet. (Nobody in the Phoenix area rents pro trumpets). I discovered that student model trumpets don’t have much room for my left hand- Apparently my hands grew bigger since high school, lol!

So my question is if intermediate or pro trumpets have more room for your left hand? I haven’t kept up with trumpet brands, etc., so I don’t know anything about all the brands available today.

I can hold the horn ok but my fingers are cramped and moving the 3rd valve slide is difficult.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[kehaulani]

Mark, look for my private message.
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[Dayton]

Welcome back to trumpet playing! If you buy an intermediate or professional model trumpet with a fixed finger ring it will most likely be sized for an adult hand. If the position of the ring isn't right for you it can easily be relocated by a repair technician (perhaps with a small spot of lost lacquer or silver plate). Also, there are larger rings available if the ring itself is too small.

Good luck!

[Christian K. Peters]

Hello,
Welcome to the TH. If looking at trumpets is really bothering you with the left hand valve section and finger ring, you might look at for a cornet. There are a few out there that have more of an open wrap with a taller valve section. Yamaha, Besson maybe Kanstul and and older Olds might have a more agreeable grip. Or, just work to find the grip that is the most comfortable. Middle finger in ring might be the trick.
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Christian K. Peters
Schilke Loyalist since 1976

[MarkD]

[MarkD]

[MarkD]

[1957Tim]

Hello MarkD. I wouldn’t be too quick to dismiss Christian’s cornet advice. Some of us trumpet players spend more time playing cornet than trumpet. And don’t even throw a flugelhorn in the mix or you probably won’t get the trumpet back out of the case. The cornet is simply a wonderful instrument to own and play.

-1957Tim

[MarkD]

[khedger]

One quick fix is to adopt a 'split' configuration for your left hand. Wrap the first three fingers around the valve casing and 'split' the pinky down below the third valve slide/pipe.

keith

[deleted_user_02066fd]

[1957Tim]

MarkD,

The trumpet I play has three different tuning slides. Each slide has a different I.D., which allows the trumpet to take on a different sound, so customizing your sound with just one horn becomes a reality. Some trumpet player’s simple use three different trumpets to accomplish this. What I have found since joining this forum is that if it can be done, someone here has done it, and they are always happy to share their experiences. Over the years I’ve learned a great deal about “God’s instrument”, to quote Maynard, and I’ve met some great people. One member allowed me to play his instruments to see first hand just what I was missing. That’s how I ended up with a flugelhorn, but that’s another story.

One other thing I want to leave with you Mark. You have a totally different work ethic now then you did in high school, so if you will get a teacher and work at a reasonable level, you will be doing things on your trumpet/cornet that you only used to dream about.

Have fun my friend,

-1957Tim

[MarkD]

[Brassnose]

Or look at a horn with a wider wrap such as the Constellation models. I really like them but have no funds at the moment
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1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[MarkD]

[Crazy Finn]

This has probably already been answered above, but no - professional don't have more or less room for the hand than student ones.

This isn't to say that they all are exactly the same. They're not. But, most modern instruments have pretty similar dimensions whether student or professional.

There are slight differences between makers - moreso than between different levels of instrument within each maker. One maker might have more room, another less.

Cornets tend to be taller and have a bit more space between slides and the leadpipe/bell for the hand.

Believe it or not, some vintage horns are even narrower than the current standard horns.

There are a few vintage horns that are a bit taller - the Conn Connstellation 38B, for example.

I'm the wrong person to give you a good idea of what might work. My small hands can deal with almost any configuration cornet or trumpet.

You'll probably have to experiment with grips. You're not the first trumpet player with larger hands. Some people play with a pistol grip, basically the whole hand is grabbing the bottom part of the valve section. You won't have access to the first or third slide adjustments, unless the 3rd slide has an underslung ring.
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[Ed Kennedy]

[nieuwguyski]

I have fairly large hands and I haven't played with all fingers above the third slide in decades. The split-finger "Vulcan" grip (two fingers on top, two fingers on bottom, middle finger in the ring) works for me. I can easily play with only my index finger on top, but then I can't use the first slide very well.

There are a limited number of trumpets built with taller valve blocks: the vintage Conn 36B and 38B, the Vintage Holton Model 50/B-101/B-102/B-103/T-101/T-102/T-103/T-104, Kanstul 991 (copy of the Conn 38B), and the Edwards X-13, among others.
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J. Notso Nieuwguyski

[deleted_user_687c31b]

These won't solve your issue but they may be fun to share:

...someone made their own 'huge trumpet' which would be a little easier on 'big hands'.

And then there's this bass trumpet by Bach.

Both are pretty big I reckon'.

[MarkD]