Commercial trumpet recommendation

[Jman17711]

Hello recently i've been on the hunt for a new horn that can serve as my lead trumpet. I have looked into some of the more mainstream options; Bach commercial, Yamaha shew, Yamaha La, Kanstul bergeron. Any other recommendations.

[mr oakmount]

If you want a new horn, you could try an Adams A5. Very open feel and bright sound, but "big bright", not brittle or nastily piercing. Great sound. Also works very well with shallow cups and tight backbores.
If you use a larger cup (not overdoing the backbore) like a Yamaha Rod Franks, you can also play legit on it, though slotting might be looser than might be comfortable for you. Give it a try if you can. You should quickly find out if you are comfortable with the blow or not.

If you like to go vintage, Conn Constellations (or a Conn Victor 6B) really take off like a rocket with a flat mouthpiece, but you have to be happy with the weight, wide wrap build and medium bore feel. Funnily, many players (me included) actually feel these Conns feel very open, definitely not tight or stuffy, as the bore size might suggest. A "small bell" 36B might be easier on lead than a "big bell" 38B. If you use a big cup mouthpiece, you go all the way from lead to smooth jazz solo.

Good luck and enjoy.

[Gonzalez]

Schilke B2
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Van Laar OIRAM light I
Van Laar OIRAM Ack

[kehaulani]

Getzen Eterna Classic Trumpet
https://www.getzen.com/trumpets/eterna-series/900-classic/
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

YTR-8310Z II Bobby Shew
Getzen Capri Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Subtropical and Subpar]

The trumpet players in the professional big band nearby almost all play on Conn 36Bs (the small bell Connstellation). I would throw in a recommendation for the Kanstul 991, which was Kanstul's near-clone of the 38B, and 990, which was their near-clone of the 36B. I adore my 991 (and it's not for sale!); it makes everything... easier than on my other horns. Especially range. It's just more accessible. Notes that register an "oh cr*p" on my Bach are no more difficult on my 991 than pressing a key on a piano.

There are a few 991s for sale on ebay right now; all are asking very dear prices, in my opinion. But they really are great horns.

To be honest I've never seen a 990 for sale. Perhaps it was a low production model like Kanstul's Committee (the 1603?). One of our resident commenters, shofarguy, perhaps, once told me that Kanstul literally only made a dozen of those.

But yeah, those medium bore horns (the 36B, 38B, 990, and 991 are all .438) are wicked things.
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1936 King Liberty No. 2
1958 Reynolds Contempora 44-M "Renascence" C
1958 Olds Ambassador
1962 Reynolds Argenta LB
1965 Conn Connstellation 38A cornet
1995 Bach LR18072
2003 Kanstul 991
2011 Schilke P5-4 B/G
2021 Manchester Brass flugel

[RandyTX]

You mentioned several Yamaha variants, but not one of their best options... sadly not very well known at all in the US, due to rather bizarre marketing and sales restrictions on it by Yamaha themselves.

It's available pretty much everywhere else except for North America, and a lot of international dealers refuse to ship one over here. Perhaps to avoid cannibalizing sales from the more expensive Shew and other 'named pro' models? (just a guess on my part, because frankly, it makes no sense not to sell them here, just like for years Yamaha pretended like their brass band instrument line didn't exist in North America).

There are several different trumpets they offer that share the same 6335 model number, but there is one that is nothing like the others really, the 6335-RC, known in some circles as the Yamaha 'commercial' trumpet. You can get them in the US, it just takes some work, but it's an absolutely fantastic horn and is likely a very strong contender for your desire for a new trumpet to do lead work on. Not sure why they didn't give it a unique model number, but you need to be careful if you try and order one, and don't end up with the wrong one. The RC variant is the one I'm talking about.

If you look it up on the international pages from Yamaha, lots of information, pictures, even videos about it, but Yamaha US pretends like it doesn't exist. Absolutely the best playing Bb I've ever had, and it makes it hard for me to go back to using anything else, even in more 'legit' settings, like church or orchestra work (when not using a C instead, anyway).

Definitely worth considering, great intonation and at a bargain price compared to other Yamaha instruments.
_________________
"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."

[kehaulani]

FWIW, I played a Connstellation in North Texas Lab Bands and traded it for a Severinsen. I did like the Conn, though.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

YTR-8310Z II Bobby Shew
Getzen Capri Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[TJTS]

CG Benge
Benge 3x+
Lightweight Bach 37 or 43
XO Brass 1600i (Ingram Horn)
Conn 8B Artist

Just a few that come to mind that I would take on any commercial gig.
_________________
Michael | Owner
www.thejazztrumpetstore.com
Vintage Professional Trumpet Store

[Speed]

I have a very nice Selmer Claude Gordon trumpet in the Marketplace. It’s a great lead horn.

[Bill Blackwell]

[nieuwguyski]

#1: Stomvi S3. My current lead horn and favorite so far.

#2: '58 Olds Recording. Not generally considered a lead trumpet, my particular example was a consistently great lead horn until the valves (high-mileage when I bought the horn) finally got too leaky. One of these years I'll have the valves rebuilt and compare it to the Stomvi.

#3: Schilke X4b. When I was at the top of my game it was amazing. When my mechanics were slightly off I could work harder (I was a lot younger then) and it was very good.

#4: Jupiter/XO 1600i. I loved everything about this trumpet for lead playing until the surrounding environment got too loud. My perceived lack of feedback from this horn (and my tendency to play in big bands that play loud all the time) made it not work for me.

(Honorable mention) #5: '42 Conn 48A frankenhorn (.467" bore wide-wrap Vocabell cornet with a Pilczuk trumpet leadpipe). Clunky bottom-sprung valves and "vintage" (but consistent) intonation patterns, this horn is a beast. Bright and fat, if you can supply the energy it will both cover and cut. It's great fun but requires more effort than any of the above listed trumpets.
_________________
J. Notso Nieuwguyski

[falado]

Hi, Benge 6X or Stomvi VR. Or VRII.
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[Brassnose]

I was/am tentatively on the same quest as the OP and one horn that keeps coming up over here is the Yamaha 3335. Easy, bright, and apparently quite loud, is what they say, paired with Yamaha quality.

Out of personal experience I’d add the Conn 52B (waiting for my teacher to sell his ) or a Blessing Super Artist, if you can find one in good shape. Both are very powerful horns.

King Silver Flair, Calicchios have been thrown in the mix of suggestions to me, as have lightweight Bachs, Schilke B2.
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2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
196x/7x Hüttl Silver Colibri 69
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance/Klier/Curry

[Lawler Bb]

Yamaha Shew or Yamaha LA
CarolBrass Andrea Giuffredi
CarolBrass Andrea Giuffredi Commercial (coming soon, according to AG)
CarolBrass BMAC
CarolBrass several others
Schilke B2, B3, B5, B6, S42, X3, B1
Benge anything
Olds Super
Adams A5
Stomvi S3 or VRII
Bach 37* or 43*
Scodwell
Charley Davis
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Eric Sperry
www.ericsperry.com
www.facebook.com/EricSperryTrumpet/
www.instagram.com/milwaukeetrumpet/

[giakara]

Getzen eterna classic and if you are lucky enough to find a well used Lawler TL5-1A .

Regards
_________________
Lawler TL5-1A Bb 2015
Lawler TL6-1A Bb 2004
Lawler TL5-1A Bb 2003
Getzen eterna 910 C
Getzen eterna 850 cornet
Conn Constellation 38A cornet
Selmer Paris 3 valve picc
Yamaha 731 flugel
Carol mini pocket
Reeves/Purviance mpcs

[Dayton]

A few to consider:

Schilke B2 or i33
Getzen 900 Classic
Yamaha 8335LAII
Bach 17043GYR

Try as many horns as you can. Also, give some thought to your mouthpiece. You may find that a different cup, backbore, etc., will help you get the most out of your "commercial" horn. Good luck!

[Seymor B Fudd]

[Craig Swartz]

Schilke B3. Very versatile instrument, depending on the mouthpiece. Very easy lead horn with Reeves pieces (I still use an ancient Jet Tone 3A) and as much core as necessary with more standard cups. Very flexible.

The Shew horns are also a good recommendation. Good luck.

[ldwoods]

King Silver Flair - great one in the marketplace right now...

https://www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=142944&s=1055T-King-Silver-Flair
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Larry Woods
LDWoods

[F.E. Olds Nut]

A few favorites:

Calicchio 1s2
Getzen Severinsen or 900 Classic
Bach 72*/43
Yamaha Z
Yamaha LA
Van Laar Chuck Findley
Carolbrass 5000-YST

I'm excited to try a Del Quadro il Capo, seems like that would be great to
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Del Quadro "The Mother"