I am a total believer in putting it on your face and not thinking about it - let it work where it’s naturally meant to work. If we were all the same, than the same formula for placement or equipment would work for everyone. I have seen people destroy themselves by overthinking and changing for no real reason other than to see if “maybe it works better over here”, or trying to get some textbook formula of placement. I have seen students struggle because teachers told them their teeth had to align perfectly before they could play, so the student spent several minutes trying to line up teeth and embouchure every time they tried to play, and all sorts of other foolishness. Unless your embouchure is truly messed up and weird, it’s better not to mess with it, especially over the internet where no one can really see what you’re doing. A couple of lessons to make sure you’re not damaging yourself with a good teacher would be the way to go.

Here’s one I took for work - that’s our mascot, Primo! Head tech made him out of old mutes and woodwind mouthpieces and caps. I’ve started taking yearly holiday photos of him

Range building should be a long term goal, not a short term goal. Musical Directors can hope all they want, but you can only build what you can build, and we’re all different. Don’t hurt yourself to force out some unreliable pitches that aren’t part of your regular daily ability. Build what you can and find a musical way around the rest - your audience will thank you, and so will your chops!

I figured I would add to this discussion by posting a link to my shop’s page - I do fairly regular blog posts there, usually about the more interesting horns that cross my bench. I’ve had a few that belong in this category because even though they might be in perfect shape, they don’t function properly in a modern playing situation. This one is a prime example - perfect and beautiful but not a good player, probably why they didn’t make it for long! It sold easily to a collector, though.
https://www.brassandwinds.com/blogs/news/1921-conn-20a-flugelhorn

I second a lot of what has been said here, but would also add that iReal pro is much better for backing tracks than the others mentioned. You can download a huge library of tracks, and use them in any key you want, unlike Abersolds, which sometimes do standards in weird keys. You can also play them in any style, so when you learn more and want to get creative the options are open. It’s also easy to create tracks to go along with books of licks or scales.
Another thing I would highly recommend is finding a big band to play in if you can. One of the things that really changes between jazz and classical are articulations and cutoffs. Spend some time in a section following a decent lead player and you will get better at both. Check out Craig Fraederich’s books - the theory book sets things up pretty simply for jazz beginners and has playing exercises to go along with the written activities. He also has some free stuff on his website that is excellent.
Biggest thing, listen constantly!! Also, listen to more than just trumpet players

Funny how no one is shaming fat old men in speedos.......
Really, though - what’s the problem with old ladies with tattoos? I intend to be one eventually, and feel zero shame about it.

Technicians tend to keep our info to ourselves because we’ve seen what happens when DIYers work on stuff, and it’s almost never good. It can be hard to guide a good apprentice right in front of you, and even harder to guide anonymous folks on the internet. There’s a reason we go to school and/or apprentice with good techs - it’s a hard trade to learn! Not only do we not want to lose any possible sources of income, but we also want to save you from breaking more than you fix and having a higher repair bill in the end. We also don’t want to be blamed for giving you just enough info to be a danger to your equipment, and then be blamed for it. The same goes for pro players/teachers, although it applies more to lost income. There are many players doing some kind of YouTube free lessons, but you don’t end up with the full benefit of the lesson without feedback from the teacher. Sometimes it’s just enough info to be dangerous as well, depending on the student and the lesson.
I’ve been getting paid to play for 35 years, and as a tech for 3.5 years. Neither pays enough that I live any sort of glamorous life, though having the benefit of a pension from my career in Navy bands has made my repair career a possibility. During COVID, both pro musicians and techs have suffered, many to the point of needing to change careers. Many have not only lost income, but also gigs that would advance their careers. I definitely lost two gigs due to Covid that would have helped me quite a bit! Many techs that lost business have also had to deal with the possibility of being exposed to Covid through customer horns - not an easy living, for sure. Since I work on horns before they go up for sale, I try to send as much business to local techs as I can. If you don’t use them, they may not be there to help when you need them!

I thought you all might enjoy my latest bench post - I do certainly get to work on some fun stuff!
https://www.brassandwinds.com/blogs/news/what-s-on-my-bench-a-1904-conn-connquerer-cornet

It’s fine to say “buy the best”, but then we have many other arguments on what is the best and why. When you get into professional trumpets, you don’t necessarily get into better quality for every dollar spent. You do get to the point of buying one instrument over another because it suits you better. A prime argument is that I could spend $1k more for a Bach or Yamaha than I did for my Adams A1, but they don’t suit me as well. Then we get into the vintage horn argument - is it really a bang for your buck if it’s a pro model and costs you less, but is worn to the point of being unplayable. There is a Connstellation on my bench that I would never think of gigging on, but I could grab any one of those Jupiter 1100s and have a successful gig tomorrow. In 5 years my chances would still be better on that Jupiter than on some of the worn out Bach Strads we’ve had that badly need a valve job, though the Jupiter may not have the same resale value as either of those horns. Are we looking for resale value or playability? Good questions to consider!
I also agree with comments about Manchester Brass and Carolbrass - nice players at their price point.

Finally found that on iPad, if I resize to square the pics will upload!! 1939 King Silver Tone Master cornet, silver finish with gold accents. Love how this one plays!! All it needed was a clean, and even came with original case and case candy.

@kehaulani we do have a few in stock that aren’t on this list, but not many in right now. Every dealer is having trouble getting them right now! I do have a couple of used Yamahas to get to this week, but no artist models, unfortunately!

We currently have a ton of new and open box trumpets in stock! Save with an open box instrument that plays just like brand new, with one year of shop coverage and a generous return policy to find just the right fit. We have some fantastic prices on some great playing horns! See our link below, and use the code TRUMPETBOARDS15 to get an extra 15% off. Please feel free to share with friends and students! I go through all these trumpets personally, so if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask!
https://www.brassandwinds.com/collections/open-box-trumpets

As a tech that works for a retailer and goes through hundreds of horns per year, here’s my thoughts:
Bach 190s aren’t really better than the 180s, they’re just different. The 37s and 43s are still wildly inconsistent and you just have to pick one you like. The only difference is in specific models - the Artisan, LR19043B Mariachi, and Commercial models tend to be much more consistent, and will play much closer to another horn of the same model.
The Yamaha artist series are very consistent when new. When used, there may be a difference, especially between generations 1 or 2, or if they have had any damage. Yamahas always feel different after damage and repair.
Take a look at our inventory - I go through everything and can answer any questions you might have. We also have a very generous return policy.
www.brassandwinds.com

I second a lot of what has been said here, but would also add that iReal pro is much better for backing tracks than the others mentioned. You can download a huge library of tracks, and use them in any key you want, unlike Abersolds, which sometimes do standards in weird keys. You can also play them in any style, so when you learn more and want to get creative the options are open. It’s also easy to create tracks to go along with books of licks or scales.
Another thing I would highly recommend is finding a big band to play in if you can. One of the things that really changes between jazz and classical are articulations and cutoffs. Spend some time in a section following a decent lead player and you will get better at both. Check out Craig Fraederich’s books - the theory book sets things up pretty simply for jazz beginners and has playing exercises to go along with the written activities. He also has some free stuff on his website that is excellent.
Biggest thing, listen constantly!! Also, listen to more than just trumpet players

Here’s our most current Yamaha TOP poster, if that helps. Betting it’s not Mike you’ve been seeing, as he just recently rejoined TOP.

@_mark_ Not offended, just trying to explain why most of us do not give out repair info. One of the first things we tend to learn in this field is how much we don’t know, and how much time and money it takes to get a solid start in this field. It’s not cheaper and easier to DIY due to the learning curve and cost of tooling and supplies. My toolbox for school, which only includes the bare minimum needed to learn, was $3k. I’ve easily added that to tooling in my home shop, which is still very limited. It’s pretty hard to save money on repairs if you can’t afford the tooling needed to do a clean job, as well as the skills to use it. You’ll either end up spending more money in the end because you invested in the tools and supplies, or because you messed something up that will cost more than you would have spent on the original repair bill. Since you state your income is limited, you might save more money just by taking it to your local tech.
As far as other players caring whether you took lessons or not, no one really cares how you learned if you play well. The reason to invest in lessons is to learn something new from someone who does it better than you. Those of us who make money playing and teaching don’t care if you want to play for fun, and don’t judge you for the level you play at. The judgement comes if you’re getting paid to sit beside us and can’t do the job, simple as that. You should never feel bad about playing for the love of it, so enjoy! No judgement here, but no one is obligated to give anyone free lessons. Doesn’t mean it never happens, though, and there is a lot of free info out there that anyone can take advantage of if they can understand how to apply it.

Technicians tend to keep our info to ourselves because we’ve seen what happens when DIYers work on stuff, and it’s almost never good. It can be hard to guide a good apprentice right in front of you, and even harder to guide anonymous folks on the internet. There’s a reason we go to school and/or apprentice with good techs - it’s a hard trade to learn! Not only do we not want to lose any possible sources of income, but we also want to save you from breaking more than you fix and having a higher repair bill in the end. We also don’t want to be blamed for giving you just enough info to be a danger to your equipment, and then be blamed for it. The same goes for pro players/teachers, although it applies more to lost income. There are many players doing some kind of YouTube free lessons, but you don’t end up with the full benefit of the lesson without feedback from the teacher. Sometimes it’s just enough info to be dangerous as well, depending on the student and the lesson.
I’ve been getting paid to play for 35 years, and as a tech for 3.5 years. Neither pays enough that I live any sort of glamorous life, though having the benefit of a pension from my career in Navy bands has made my repair career a possibility. During COVID, both pro musicians and techs have suffered, many to the point of needing to change careers. Many have not only lost income, but also gigs that would advance their careers. I definitely lost two gigs due to Covid that would have helped me quite a bit! Many techs that lost business have also had to deal with the possibility of being exposed to Covid through customer horns - not an easy living, for sure. Since I work on horns before they go up for sale, I try to send as much business to local techs as I can. If you don’t use them, they may not be there to help when you need them!

Part of the deal with felts and corks is knowing the sizes you need. Since we techs keep an assortment and measure what is needed with the proper tools as we go, no one is going to be able to tell you what you’ll need to order ahead of time. Also, if you’re doing this yourself you’ll need to have the tools to measure upstroke as well as downstroke if you don’t want it to play stuffy.

The A4 is a great horn, but it’s also pretty heavy, and not super nimble in the upper register especially for a part time player. The A4LT is a bit easier that way in all regards, but the new A1 would probably be a good bet as well. Yesterday we got in the new version of the Yamaha LA model which has some significant changes with the heavier valve block and heavy bronze caps. Much more stability than the previous model. If you like Bach, you might like the 43B - great commercial sound but can still blend in a section. Things to consider! Another thing to consider is a mouthpiece match for the horn. No reason you can’t have an all-around, a lead, and a super dark flugel cheater for solos!

Try this, from Conn-Selmer: https://www.conn-selmer.com/en-us/resources/serial-numbers/king-instrument-serial-numbers