In addition to being a private violin teacher and having a degree in music from USC, Alecia started writing music-related articles and product reviews six years ago and has enjoyed this experience greatly. She likes to learn new instruments and write new compositions in her free time.
Marcus has a vast experience in digital audio and sound design. Thanks to his knowledge, he actively helps musicians with technical problems, improving their audio quality and promoting their tracks so that thousands of listeners can enjoy really good music.
Last updated: August 14, 2024
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Many jazz lovers, especially trumpet aficionados would say their first instrument was the Carol Brass trumpet. Today, several brands have come up. This makes our choice of the best pocket trumpet even harder. Nonetheless, we are not left without help. Out of the many types of trumpets, the pocket trumpet is becoming more popular. While the reasons may vary from person to person, the fact is, pocket trumpets are light. Perhaps, this explains well why young players and even professionals are now seeking to have the instrument.
To find the right trumpet you must look at many features. It is true that some of the trumpets in the market may have similar features. The pocket trumpets on our list have distinctive features such as stainless-steel pistons, valves, adjustable tuners, water keys, and fixed or adjustable slides. These important features are the reason why you playing a pocket trumpet is quite comfortable. They also distinguish pocket trumpets from traditional trumpets.
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Over the last several weeks, we have spent a great deal of our time and resources to compile this review. Before doing so, we spoke to a couple of manufacturers, professional trumpeters and other stakeholders in jazz music. To ensure you get a comprehensive review, there is a comparison table with a list of all the products. This is then followed by an in-depth look at each product. The buying guide at the end of the article will give you more details on what you need to consider when purchasing a pocket trumpet.
More features: 7C mouthpiece, stainless steel pistons, leadpipe of rose brass, bell of yellow brass, third slide ring is adjustable, includes case, 2 water keys
Imagine a professional trumpet that comes with a close to 50 days of return policy and an additional 60-month warranty.
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The item takes the number one position on our list of six best trumpets because one of its rings is adjustable, has a 5” bell, and an excellent black lacquer finish.
We love the stainless steel pistons, 7C mouthpiece, yellow brass bell, and a red rose leadpipe among other high-end features. Some of the renowned trumpeters we talked to shared why they love this piece of musical instrument. All agreed the availability of different colors of this instrument is a plus to the company.
Currently, Bach Prelude PT711 is available in red lacquer, black lacquer, and silver lacquer.
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We also loved the overall length and weight of this professional trumpet. The instrument measures 14” x 7” x 10”, with the longest tip measuring only 10 inches. Besides, it weighs only 5 lbs.
Some online sites we have visited indicate the bell size to be 3.7” while others give a much smaller or bigger figure. The truth is the item has a bell size of 5 inches.
You have 45 days to return the trumpet if you don’t like what has been delivered to you. However, when returning it, you must make sure there are no defects. The manufacturer further gives you a 5-year warranty, which will carter for any repairs, replacement of any missing parts and such like. The warranty is limited thus you need to read and understand fully what the terms and conditions say.
More features: gold brass bell, two water keys, stainless steel valves, adjustable tuning with the first and third rings, includes hard case and 3C mouthpiece
This product is one of the most highly respected among trumpeters. Several reasons make it likable among its competitors. For one, Stagg, the maker of this instrument has ensured the product has quality features that include stainless steel valves. These valves are labeled ‘close tolerance’ because of their quality.
The 4.724” large gold brass bell is another reason why you should trust this trumpet. Usually, a bell of this size ensures quality and loud sound projection.
To ensure comfort when blowing the trumpet, the instrument is fitted with finger hooks on both hands. When playing the instruments, you can hook your first as well as your third fingers. This happens when tuning to achieve the right note. It happens on your right or left hand.
The bottom caps have sufficient weight to ensure stability when holding the trumpet. In addition, Stagg WS Pocket Trumpet comes with 2 water keys.
To enhance its beauty and retain the elegance it deserves, the trumpet has a black nickel finish. Thanks to the 24K gold trim, the black nickel finish gives the trumpet a gorgeous look. Although small, the trumpet produces a sound that is similar to high-profile trumpets.
Thanks to its features, we join Mark Buselli, Rick Holland, Sharmarr Allen, and other top trumpeters in hurling praises to the instrument. These and other accomplished trumpeters opine that the instrument has a perfect size, projects the desired sound, and is available in a nice black nickel brass finish.
The item has a 3C mouthpiece and comes with a hard case for carrying and storage.
With a leadpipe, 7C mouthpiece, and two water keys, Allora MXPT-5801-BK is our best trumpet for jazz. The all-time instrument has played an important role in the production of celebrated jazz music hits for many years.
For many professionals, the leadpipe is standard thus, you can expect the trumpet to produce a favorable sound projection. We love the material of the leadpipe. The yellow brass material makes the trumpet exceptionally beautiful.
Some trumpeters we spoke to said playing this instrument is not only fun but also easy. Among the many reasons, they gave for praising this trumpet; include quality sound and an eye-catching instrument. The trumpet is best suited for beginners, young trumpeters, and travelers.
Allora MXPT-5801-BK is also compact in size. Are you are wondering about space? This is the ideal instrument for you because it measures 13.2” x 10.2” x 6.8”. It weighs 4.1 pounds.
The other thing we loved about this trumpet is when it comes to muting. Thanks to its ingenious design, muting the trumpet is more convenient.
However, you are likely to experience a little more backpressure on a number of notes. The extra bends that are available on some parts of the tubing are some of the reasons why there is more backpressure. Nonetheless, the overall bodywork is conducive for the beginner and professional horn players.
We also loved how the valves work. The valves of this trumpet move smoothly, making actuation an enjoyable exercise. Besides, the stainless steel pistons are a feature to reckon with.
We really love this trumpet. For sure, if you are a parent, a coach or you know someone who needs to learn how to play a trumpet this is the ideal instrument. Apart from being a nicely built trumpet, Sky Band Approved is light and measures 12” x 5” x 8”.
The item has a truly seductive design, which lures many players to purchase it. The entire body is made of phosphorous copper, a rare material that is now the epitome of all jazz trumpets.
Thanks to the high-quality material, Sky Band Approved Pocket trumpet does not have seams on the body. This explains why breaking the trumpet is not an easy thing. In addition, the trumpet is dual tone, which means you are able to enjoy playing it by hitting different notes.
The package comes with additional amenities you will definitely love. Other accessories that accompany the trumpet include valve oil, one of the quality cleaning solutions, a piece of cleaning cloth, and a pair of gloves. All these would be useless without a proper and durable hard case for carrying. The case also plays an important role in storing the trumpet.
Professional players and those who have just started to learn how to play a trumpet will find this music instrument easy to use.
For smooth airflow, the trumpet is engineered ingeniously. Be sure to experience less turbulence when handling the instrument thanks its perfect round tubing. In addition, to the hard exterior, the casing has a stylish interior lining that assures your trumpet comfort.
What more would you want than having a pocket trumpet with 7C mouthpiece, cecilio 92-D tuner filled with high-quality chrome, and 0.46” bore? To many trumpet enthusiasts, an instrument with these and a few additional features is all they need.
Thankfully, Cecilio is giving just that. Mendini, is our budget pick not because it is the most affordable but when you look at the price and what the trumpet offers, you will agree it is the best for those in a tight budget.
The lead mouth pipe is made from phosphorus copper. As you know, phosphorus copper is one of the high-quality materials any trumpet can have. Besides, this material is only used to design expensive trumpets and other related instruments.
The item has a bell size of 3.75 inches. It is comfortable to play the horn thanks to inlay buttons labeled ‘faux, the mother of pearl’. In addition, the horn has smooth action valves. You will never complain when actuating these valves because they are extremely smooth.
Accompanying the trumpet, are soft piece of cloth to polish the horn, a gorgeous-looking bottle of oil that you can use to lubricate the valves, and casing with backpack straps that make it easier to carry the product. The item measures 12” x 10” x 6” and weighs 4.1 lbs. To carter for any defects that may occur, the manufacturer offers a 1-year warranty. This warranty is limited thus, you should read the terms and conditions to know the kinds of defects it covers.
Are you a beginner in playing the horn? All you need is Eastar ETR-330N. Many horn enthusiasts have described this item as the best trumpet for starters. We also agree with those who say so.
The trumpet has among other outstanding qualities, an excellent sound, powerful vibration, which is key to modern jazz music, and deep yet penetrating sound projection. The golden lacquer finish gives the body a beautiful appearance, which is necessary if you use the horn in concerts.
Still on the appearance, the product has a unique dazzling clean look that shines, making the color attract the audience and giving back a perfect reflection.
Eastar ETR-330N has a 3.98-inch bell and a 0.457-inch bore. Together with this, the inlaid mother of pearl white faux buttons makes the product one of the best in the market. You can clean all the internal pipes using ultrasonic waves and oil them regularly.
Forget about stucking of valves. Eastar ETR-330N is designed with patent valves that ensure there is no corrosion or awkward jams when playing.
When you open the package, you will find white gloves, trumpet cleaning suit, the item itself, a 7C mouthpiece, valve oil, and a hard storage case.
The item comes with a 1-year warranty that covers factory defects. The trumpet keys are flexible and the welding joint will not disappoint you by coming off. This item measures 11.6” x 9.5” x 6.7” and weighs 4.13 pounds. It has a clear lacquer finish.
The small size, lightweight, and ergonomic design make it easy to carry the trumpet around.
What are our favorite features?
Nice finish
Perfect project of sound
Easy to carry
Easy to clean
Comfortable to handle
What could be better?
Very basic especially to professionals
Some complaints on playing double F
Things to Consider
After going through what each item offers, you are now eager to know what you need to consider when buying a trumpet. This buying guide will make it simpler for you in coming up with the decision of which pocket trumpet you will buy.
Be the judge – is pocket trumpet worth it?
Yes, it matters a lot. The keyword here is ‘pocket.’ You simply do not need any trumpet. You need a trumpet that is lightweight, which translates to great portability without compromising the quality of sound. This is important whether you are a beginner, a professional horn player or you want to play it from home, or you are using it to perform concerts.
Does the brand matter?
Oh, yes! The brand is important. Some names have come and gone while others remain afloat. Brands that are the talk of the town do not come easy. Trumpet manufacturers whose names continue to reign the minds of many trumpet enthusiasts do not come cheap. For a company to dominate the market, experts of the company have worked hard behind the curtains. Usually, it takes time to build a brand and nobody is going to praise a brand if he/she is not getting the value. The important thing is top brands ensure their products have state of the art features, look great, and give the customers the real value for their money. Besides, the company offers excellent customer service. Bach is one of the top brans that offers a variety of pocket trumpets. It focuses on building quality products that offer excellent value. Carol Brass and Mendini logo are other noteworthy brands that also offer pocket trumpets with great sounds.
Choose the perfect pocket trumpet by the following features
Before you finally decide to buy a pocket trumpet, make sure you know the trumpet’s features. It is sad that many people, especially those that are starting to play a trumpet, look at one or two things mostly the cost and appearance of the instrument. The truth is many important factors lie underneath. Here are a few important features you need to look at before you spend your hard-earned dollar:
Materials lead to durability
A material used to design a trumpet is the foremost thing to look for. One of the biggest reasons why material is important is durability. If you are concerned about the durability-how long your pocket trumpet will last, then you start by analyzing the type of material used to make the trumpet. Granted, we rely on the information given by the manufacturer. Nonetheless, most manufacturers are honest when it comes to the material used to design an item. Black nickel for instance, used to make CAROL BRASS CPT-3000-GLS-Bb-BG is one of the high-quality materials. Other good materials include stainless steel and phosphorous copper. The latter is found on cutting-edge professional trumpets.
Musician’s level
When you started playing a trumpet is also important. For professionals, they already know what they are looking for. They may be replacing or upgrading their current trumpets. For beginners, you need start low. We do not mean to intimidate you but things such as weight, the complexity of playing the instrument are factors to look at before you decide. Sky Band Approved is our recommendation for beginners. The trumpet is light, comes with robust bodywork, and has no seams, which means even if it slides and falls from your hands, it won’t break easily.
Mouthpiece
The bigger the mouthpiece, the best the low sound you will achieve. However, how many players will be comfortable with a 10-inch mouthpiece? The bottom line is, you need to find a pocket trumpet that has a sizable mouthpiece. In our view, if possible, measure your lips to see if you will be comfortable with a 3C, 7C, or 9C mouthpiece. Where measuring your lips is not possible, you can still start low as you go up with the number of inches a mouthpiece has.
Bore and bell sizes
The size of the bell and the accompanying stock are crucial. In essence, the type of sound and the expected projection are based on the size of the bell. Bigger and heavy bells tend to give a low vibrating sound whereas thin and light bells give a high-pitched sound. Based on what you want and where you want to play your trumpet, you can consider the correct bell measurement. It is also important to know that the material used to make the bell is key. For instance, a bell of the same size but made from different materials can produce different sounds. Bach Prelude PT711 has a 5” bell size thus you can expect a nice vibrating sound.
Valves
What would a trumpet look like if it had no valves? We doubt if it would be called a trumpet. The valves create the distinction between a trumpet and a traditional flute. What is more, the material used and valve placement are key. CAROL BRASS CPT-3000-GLS-Bb-BG is our editor’s choice for many reasons. The pocket trumpet comes with stainless steel valves that slide with ease.
Sound
A trumpet without the right sound is a waste of money. To know the kind of sound you expect, you need to look at various things such as mouthpiece size, the length and size of a bell, the material used to make the bell, number of slides, as well as the placement of valves. While the type and quality of sound is personal or group preference, we found out that Allora MXPT-5801-BK is the choice of many accomplished trumpeters. The item has a 3.66” bell size, stainless steel pistons, and two water keys among other exceptional features.
Accessories
Everybody needs a bonus. It feels good when you spend your money to buy an item and when you receive it, you find out it has other accessories accompanying it. That is happening to most items on our list. What many horn lovers want is a pocket trumpet. However, it doesn’t hurt when you receive a hard casing, bottle of oil for the valves, a pair of gloves, and a cleaning suit. Eastar ETR-330N, our choice for beginners has these and additional stuff.
Weight
You are not going to be comfortable if you are forced to carry a large trumpet for several hours. Mendini MPT-N is among the lightest pocket trumpets you can buy.
Warranty
A warranty is a great way to attract and reassure clients. You will be at peace when you know a company will repair or handle any factory defects, if any. The unfortunate part is many companies give limited warranties. However, the Bach Prelude PT711 excels in this with a 5-year warranty.
Money sound
How much do you have for the pocket trumpet? Looking at each trumpet, all you need is to compare their features and your budget. As you continue to figure this, we suggest the Mendini MPT-N. This instrument is affordable and has cool features that are not available in some high-end pocket trumpets.
Yes. They are all trumpets and have the same features. The main difference between them is their size. Standard trumpets are usually large with bigger bells and mouthpieces thus weigh a lot more. Pocket trumpets on the other hand are lighter.
Absolutely! You can enjoy playing jazz music using a pocket trumpet just as you could on any other trumpet. This is irrespective of where you are playing it from.
Our Verdict
It is not easy to pick the perfect trumpet especially when you are bombarded with several products that have almost similar features. As difficult as this was, we still had to pick our top three choices. At first place is the Bach Prelude PT711. Although it is slightly heavy, the item is worth your dime. It has stainless steel pistons, rose brass lead-pipe, and an adjustable third ring slide to mention a few.
Secondly, we have the CAROL BRASS CPT-3000-GLS-Bb-BG. Among other features, the trumpet has a 3C mouthpiece, an adjustable tuner, and two water keys, rare on many pocket trumpets.
Finally, we have the Allora MXPT-5801-BK. A compact pocket trumpet that will not give you problems when muting, comes with smooth valve actuation and has an elegant black nickel finish.
With this information in mind, choosing the best pocket trumpet is a breeze. Pick one and start creating smooth jazz tunes today.
