Hawk Trumpet Review
The WD-T313 Silver Plated
Bb Hawk Trumpet
Is Hawk a good trumpet brand? Are Hawk trumpets good?
Well, if this is something you are asking yourself you are on the right page, because this time it is time for a Hawk trumpet review…
Here we go…
Short about the trumpet
The Hawk trumpet WD-T313 is another student trumpet with a decent price here. It’s not the cheapest of all beginner trumpets, but it is definitely in the less expensive price range. (You can click here to check pricing on Amazon)
It is a normal B-flat trumpet, which is we want when staring out on our trumpet journey. The trumpet is suitable for intermediates too.
Note: The numbers, as in the WD-T313, vary depending on the colour of the trumpet, and if you happen to see som other number, like for example T314 or T312 then you should know that what you read in this review, also aplies to those trumpets/numbers.
The Hawk trumpet is available in the following colours.
- Black
- Blue
- Gold
- Silver
- Green
- Nickel
- Purple
- Red
- White
No shortage of options there. Let’s take a look at the specs, and after that, we’ll dive in to the quality, to figure out if the Hawk trumpet is a good brand or not…
If you are in a hurry here’s a very brief summary of the Hawk trumpet review
- The Hawk trumpet is very easy to play and is perfect for beginners / intermediates for that reason.
- The sound is bright and might be too bright for those who want to play smooth jazz ballads. However, most beginner trumpet players do not start with jazz and the sound is certainly good enough for beginner students or intermediate players.
- The valves work pretty well, but like other trumpets,on the cheaper side, there are some bad ones out there. If you happen to get one of those, just send it back.
- The build quality is good and the trumpets looks gorgeous. Just choose what color you want from the many options.
You can check out the colors and options by clicking on this link (over at Amazon)
Ok, and for those of you who want a little more details, grab a cup of coffee and continue reading below, becasue now we are getting down to the nitty-gritty, detailed stuff…
The Specs
- It comes with a medium hard and very protective case
- Comes with a mouthpiece
- Brass material
- The trumpet is a Bb trumpet
- The size for the bore is 11.66mm
- The bell diameter is 123 mm
Build quality
The build quality of the Hawk trumpet is above what one would expect for a trumpet under 200 dollars. All the slides work like they should and I can’t find anything work at first inspection.
Valves
Oh yeah, the valves work better than on most cheap trumpets I have to say. However, there are some people reporting that they have had a bit of issue with the first valve being somewhat sticky.
I will have to point this out again and again, but, when ever buying a trumpet that costs LESS than, say 700 bucks you are always taking a small “gamble” when it comes to the valves….
…and being that the Hawk trumpet costs less than 200 dollars, this is also the case here. That said, I think that the valves on most of the Hawk trumpets are very good for being a beginner / intermediate trumpet. There might be some bad ones out there, but again, this is a risk we have to take when dealing with cheaper horns.
Bonus tips: I recommend using La Tromba valve oil, as I have had much success with that brand when it comes to sticky valves during my 35 years of playing the trumpet. You can click here to grab La Tromba from Amazon.
Balance and hold
The trumpet is well-balanced with the valve casing a bit closer to the mouthpiece end than on some other trumpets. This is good because it allows for the trumpeter to hold his hands closer to his body, which in turn helps with control. Good stuff!
Sound
It’s not a dark sounding horn, so if you are looking for a smooth jazz trumpet, forget it. The sound is pleasant and bright so if one had to put it in a category, which I don’t really like to do, but anyway, it is more of a “pop, marching band, or even some classical music setting” sound.
In general I like trumpets with a bright sound better, so I have no problems with the Hawk here. It gets a pretty high score in this department, from me.
Intonation
The fourth space “e” is a bit flat, like one so many other horns, but it’s not so much that it becomes a problem. The low register, under low c, is a tiny bit sharp. In general, though, the intonation is surprisingly good. Considering the price, the Hawk trumpet definitely has a decent intonation.
Looks
Responsiveness
I would say that the response is pretty average. It’s not bad and it’s not great. A normal responding trumpet. Thumbs up!
Slotting
The slotting is good except for the fourth space “e” which makes it a bit easy to miss it. This, however, is a matter of getting used to as every trumpet feels a bit different so it’s far from being a problem big enough to prevent you from investing in it. The slots are all there and, just like they should on a decent trumpet, the notes “pop in” and find their place.
High register
This high register is pretty easy. It’s even possible to play screaming lead trumpet with it. However, the trumpet does not have the same “core” as the professional trumpets, so my guess would be, you still won’t find many professional lead trumpeters using the Hawk…
…but hey, again, professional trumpets costs 3000 dollars, give or take, while the Hawk trumpet is yours for under 200$
The high C comes out very easily though, and this is great for beginners / intermediate players.
Agility
Scales, melodies, lip slurs and other, more demanding stuff, all works great. It’s actually quite impressing. The Hawk trumpet holds up…
…let’s continue…
General feel
The Hawk trumpet is very fun to play and, as I wrote in the “high note” section, the upper register comes out easily, but so does the middle register. This is indeed another factor that would make me be totally OK with recommending the Hawk trumpet to a beginner.
Lord knows, trumpet playing is hard enough so putting a beginner on a trumpet that takes a lot of effort to play, is not a good idea. As the Hawk trumpet is easy to play, that won’t be a problem here. Big thumbs up in this department.
Casing
When ordering the Hawk Bb trumpet WD T-313 you a good looking and practical case comes with the trumpet. I don’t see any back straps though, but it’s of course possible to get those later, if need be.
Pricing
Well, what can you say? A dinner for two at a restaurant, could potentially cost you more than investing in the Haw trumpet. Quite astonishing really, when thinking about it. You can click here to check the current price on Amazon, since it always fluctuates a bit.
Summary
So are the Hawk trumpets good, and worth the price?
Well, they are definitely worth the price and if you are an intermediate, beginner or amateur trumpet player, and you are in the market for a trumpet in the cheaper end of the price range, then the Hawk trumpets are definitely worth trying out.
If, on the other hand, you are about to start studying in a serious music school, with the intention of becoming a pro trumpeter, then I would recommend you to save some more money and buy something in the 1000 dollar range instead.
If ordering the Hawk trumpet from Amazon, you got a 30 day, 100% full money back guarantee, so there is really no way to lose.
Final Rating 8,5 / 10
Ok there you have it. The Hawk trumpet gets a rating of 8,5 / 10 not bad…
…not bad at all!
I hope you found this Hawk Bb trumpet review informative and while you are here, why not take a look around and read my other trumpet reviews as well. You can find them under the “review” menu button at the top of my website.
Oh, and one more thing. Have you tried this trumpet? If so, what is your experience with the Hawk trumpet? Feel free to leave a few lines, down in the comment section.