How Do I Choose the Best Trumpets for Kids?

As trumpets can be a big investment and should ideally last their players for at least several years, choosing the best trumpets for kids may seem like a complicated process. Just a few simple tips can make it easier to select the right trumpets for kids, however. First of all, before choosing a trumpet, speak to your child’s bandleader or instructor about recommended brands, sizing, retailers, and so forth. Secondly, keep in mind that cheap instruments often prove bad investments in the long run, and consider renting rather than buying to keep costs down. Finally, to cover maintenance expenses, you should seek a trumpet that is covered by a warranty.

Seeking the advice of an unbiased, experienced professional, such as your child’s bandleader or music instructor, can prove crucial to selecting the best trumpets for kids. This individual will likely be able to tell you which mouthpiece and valve sizes will best suit your child. He may also be able to tell you whether certain brands or models are especially good for children, and, perhaps more importantly, which brands tend to be of poor quality. Often, a bandleader or music instructor can also recommend reliable neighborhood instrument shops or Internet-based trumpet retailers.

When choosing trumpets for kids, you should also keep in mind that instruments with low price tags, while tempting, may in fact end up costing you a significant amount of money down the road. This is because cheaply made trumpets may need frequent repairs, or may even prove unplayable. A trumpet of poor quality can cause you to incur substantial ongoing costs, and may even lead your child to become discouraged with its bad sound. Instead of investing in a high-quality trumpet at the time that a child begins playing, many parents or guardians opt to rent an instrument until the child is sure she wishes to pursue trumpeting. Many instrument shops have a rent-to-own policy that allows customers to apply rental payments to a trumpet’s purchase price if they decide to buy.

Lastly, warranties can be an important consideration when selecting trumpets for kids. Like any instrument, a trumpet can be somewhat fragile. This can be a particular concern for parents or guardians of young children who may not fully understand the principles of properly caring for an instrument. Purchasing a trumpet that is covered by either a retailer’s or manufacturer’s warranty can help keep costs down if the instrument should later need repair.