Choosing the Right Horn

In writing these blogs, I have noticed that I tend to more High-Effort purchases than other Low-Effort purchases. I am not entirely sure why this is, but in examining my behavior as a consumer I tend to make expensive purchases after saving money for some time; just an interesting side note. Anyways, almost a year ago I bought a new trumpet…cost was $1,100, which was really a steal. It was originally purchased for $1,800 and was really in mint condition. It had been in a case for most of its life. When I began looking for a new horn, I had a few factors influencing my exposure. My mother, for one, because she is a professional trumpet player – she plays with the Lafayette Symphony and Terre Haute Symphony Orchestras and also with the Indianapolis Brass Choir. She is well known and respected in numerous circles in the trumpet field. She has only played on one type of trumpet her entire life, and sort of pushed me in the direction of Bach Stradivarius’, originally. Another thing affecting my exposure to different brands was time restraints and location. I don’t have time to drive up to Chicago trumpet manufacturing plants and stores in Bloomington, Indianapolis, etc. Not with 23 credit hours, a fiancé, a dog, and now 3 jobs. It was just was not possible. I managed to try a few horns in Muncie, Indiana but ended up buying a horn that another trumpet player here in Anderson was trying to sell. Not that it matters to many people, but it a Schilke S22 large bore B-flat horn. I actually have an exact copy of it in C, as well, which is ultimately the reason I purchased the B-flat that I did. I don’t think I can call it brand loyalty, or even habituation, but I know that it was a good quality instrument from manufacturers that I trusted.