Stagg – TR245 Bb Pocket Trumpet Review
So, my dear readers, are Stagg trumpets good? Or more accurately, are Stagg pocket trumpets good?
I’m here with another post for you and today’s article is the Stagg WS – TR 245 pocket trumpet review.
Here we go…
Short about the Stagg pocket trumpet
The trumpet is pretty popular amongst amateur trumpet players, beginner trumpeters and comeback trumpet players. It’s not a professional trumpet. It is an intermediate/student/beginner, trumpet.
The Stagg horn has also gotten very good feedback from all kinds of users around the world. You can click here to read other real user reviews on Amazon.
The Specs
- The trumpet is tuned in Bb
- Stainless Steel Pistons
- Clear-Lacquered Body
- Includes a protective case
Aesthetics / Looks
The Stagg pocket trumpet is absolutely gorgeous and the quality of the finish is great. Perfectly applied. The trumpet gets a full score in this department!
General quality of the build
- The soldering looks OK
- The slides function really well
- The valves align up with the tubing really well
- The valves are perfect
- The spit valves are tight and does not leak
- The horn look stunning with the lacquer applied perfectly
Yeah, I can not find any flaws or any problems with the build quality. So far so good.
Let’s get into a bit more detail though…
The Stagg Valves
Ah yes, stainless steel pistons. This is just so nice and something that most cheap trumpets do NOT have. This is also why most cheap trumpets often come with problematic valves. Not the Stagg though, because the stainless steel piston valves that the Stagg has, pretty much guarantees smooth valve action for years and years to come…
…very good!
One thing though, you might want to stretch out the valve springs to get a bit more “oomph” to the valves with more resistance and faster action. Don’t worry, it’s very easy to do. Just remove the valves and stretch the valve springs a bit with using only your fingers.
The stainless steel pistons are another reason why the Stagg pocket trumpet is a couple of steps above other beginner trumpets in quality and personally, I would not invest in a trumpet that has problematic valves because lord knows trumpet playing is difficult enough as it is 😉
Balance of the horn
The balance and the feel when holding the trumpet is very good. It’s easy to hold and by keeping the hands closer to your body, you have greater control and your arms won’t get tired as quickly. This is especially good for kids, who hare just starting out on their trumpet journey.
How does it sound?
The sound is great and surprisingly big. Many people around the web, on trumpet forums, also report the same. The sound is full, rich and even though this trumpet is a beginner / intermediate horn, it has a distinct core to the sound…just like more expensive trumpets have. A big…BIG, thumbs up in the sound department!
The intonation
The intonation is great for the price and much better than on, for example, the Mendini pocket trumpet. The low register is not too flat which was the case with the Mendini (find the Mendini pocket trumpet review here)
Also the open notes, C,G,C,E,G…are all where they should be. Yes, this makes the trumpet so much more enjoyable to play compared to the cheaper pocket trumpets. Well, this is still a cheap trumpet, but it’s not a hundred dollar trumpet. (click here to check current pricing at Amazon)
Responsiveness of the trumpet
Yes, again, very good for the price. This trumpet is easy to play both softly and at louder volumes. When a trumpet responds well it means that it’s easy to play soft, easier to get clean and good attacks (beginning of the notes) and that the trumpet does not require a lot of “energy input” in order to play.
This is perfect for beginner trumpeters that has not yet developed a strong embouchure. In fact, almost every trumpeter, at any levels, like to have a well responding trumpet.
How is the Stagg trumpet’s slotting
The slotting is better than on the Mendini, and this makes it more enjoyable to play as the notes “lock in” better. The notes are more secure here and one can “trust” that they will come out the right way. A good thing for all trumpeters, and phenomenal thing for insecure trumpeters.
High register
They high register is also good on this trumpet. Ok, I would not use it for lead trumpet playing in a Latin big band, but then again, I wouldn’t use any pocket trumpet for that. The higher notes also speak well and comes out easily. Perfect for beginners / intermediate students.
Agility of the horn
The horn is solid and when moving around the register, the notes are all there. It’s easy to play fast melodies and rapid passages with this trumpet. In fact I could even see myself performing some pretty demanding piece on this little beauty.
General feel when playing the Stagg
It’s incredible fun to play the Stagg WS – TR245 pocket trumpet. It feels so good to hold it, the sound is big and “musty” and the notes respond easily. I honestly don’t really know what more we could want here.
Sure, it’s not a professional trumpet, so you can definitely find better pocket trumpets out there, but bare in mind that this horn costs less than 300 bucks. Professional trumpets most often costs more than 2000 dollars.
The casing that is included
The trumpet comes in a felt lined hard case. Protective and nice. A pretty normal case and really not much more to add here. Thumbs up!
Pricing
In my opinion, and many others as well, the Stagg Bb WS- TR 245 pocket trumpet is wort MORE than its price. At least at the time of writing this article. You can click here to check current pricing at Amazon.
It is a trumpet in the cheaper end of the price range, but it plays like a trumpet in the middle of the price range. This is why I say that the trumpet is worth more than what you pay for it.
I’m not sure about how consistent the quality of the trumpet is, in other words, if they have a quality standard that they need every trumpet to go through, but from what I read they are pretty consistent…
…and for a price like this, gotta love that!
Total rating: 9,1 / 10
Ok, time for the final rating and I will rate this trumpet at 9,1 out of 10. I have taken all aspects in consideration and put those in contrast with the pricing of the trumpet and a 9,1 seems like a fair scoring for the Stagg.
As a comparison you might find it interesting to know that I rated the Mendini pocket trumpet at 8,1 out of 10. That too is a good horn but the Stagg is a step up in quality for sure.
Final words about the trumpet
The Stagg pocket trumpet is a step, or two, up in quality from the 100 dollar pocket trumpets out there. If you are an amateur, a comeback trumpet player or if you have a son or daughter who are about to embark on a trumpet journey, this is a really good horn for you.
It’s not too expensive, yet it is not so cheap that the quality makes the player suffer. This is important as choosing a trumpet that is just too difficult to play, might make the beginner kid give u0p and quit altogether. In my opinion the Stagg pocket trumpet is the perfect beginner horn!
I hope you found this post informative and if some of my readers have tried this trumpet, please share your experience with the Stagg WS – TR 245 Bb pocket trumpet, in the comment section down below. That would make this Stagg pocket trumpet review even more informative for the readers.
Thank you for reading, and as always, keep practicing and remember to have fun while doing it!
-Robert Slotte-
FAQ’s About This trumpet
Question: Are pocket trumpets suitable for a beginner to start with or should we choose a normal trumpet?
Answer: Pocket trumpets are perfect for beginner students. They are easier to hold and many kind find standard, big, trumpets pretty heavy to hold. We use the exact same embouchure and trumpet playing techniques when playing a pocket trumpet so there is no risk that the student develops a improper form because of the pocket trumpet.
Question: Does it take less air to play than big trumpets?
Answer: No, not really. It’s pretty much the same although different horns vary a bit between each other. This is true for the bigger trumpets as well. Every brand and model feels a bit different to play.
Question: I played the trumpet in my twenties, but my career forced me to quit and I forgot about all things trumpet for more than 30 years. Now, as a retired man, I want to get back into it. Would the Stagg pocket trumpet be a good choice for someone like me?
Answer: Yes! in fact, it would be perfect for you. It’s an intermediate horn, easy to play with a great sound. Go for it!
Question: Can I play like Maynard Ferguson with this trumpet?
Answer: Hm…well…with the highest amount of respect, I’m sure you are good and all, but, NO ONE can play like Maynard Ferguson. He was called “The Boss” for a reason 🙂
Question: Can I use my Yamaha cornet mouthpiece on the Stagg?
Answer: No, you will need a regular trumpet mouthpiece. It comes with a mouthpiece so don’t worry about that. You might also want to try different trumpet mouthpieces in the future to find what works best for you.
Question: My friend also has a pocket trumpet. I don’t remember the brand, but it’s not Stagg. Could I play along with him with this trumpet? I mean are the tuning the same on all pocket trumpets?
Answer: 99,9% of all pocket trumpets are tuned in Bb, so I would say that there is minimal chance of one in one thousand that you won’t be able to. The standard tuning of pocket trumpets is Bb. There are a few C-trumpets out there, but, again, they are very rare. Your friend most likely has a Bb pocket trumpet 🙂
Question: Does the Stagg company make other musical instruments as well?
Answer: Yes, it’s a pretty big company making different musical instruments. Not just trumpets. They also make flutes, guitars, saxophones, percussion instruments etc.
Thanks for reading, I will be back to update the FAQ’s questions in a few months if I see a need for it.
Over and out!
