A trumpet made of plastic? Really!?!
…yes!
There are plastic trumpets out there, believe it or not, and today we are going to make an in-depth Tromba trumpet review.
You can click here to see more Tromba images on Amazon
Plastic trumpets have been around for a few years now and new brands are popping up, but can these trumpets actually be used for playing on, or are they just fun “toys” for the trumpet players out there?
Well, let’s find out…
Note: If you are eager to get to the point, the final summary is at the bottom of the article.
The Specs
- Tuned in Bb (however there are Tromba C trumpets available)
- NOT plastic, but they use stainless steel pistons valves
- Easy to clean surfaces
- Possible to choose the color you like
Build quality
Plastic, a bit hard to grasp, but yes, all the slides are functioning and the tubing line up with the valves and all looks good. One thing to note though is that, although this is a trumpet made out of plastic, the valves are still made out of stainless steel…
…and that’s probably a good idea, since they need to be functioning properly if a trumpet is even going to be playable. So it’s metal surfaces against each other, when talking about inside tha valve casing.
Tromba Plastic Trumpet Review:
The Tromba Trumpet Sound
I highly recommend you take a look at this video to get a good idea on what the Tromba plastic trumpet sounds like…
The sound is actually not that bad for being a plastic trumpet. It’s softer and more “mellow” than most brass instruments and there is a place for this kind of trumpet sound as well.
Some people might think that since the trumpet is made out of plastic it would be impossible to play loud on this trumpet. Well, thats wrong! The Tromba plastic trumpet can be surprisingly loud. Really loud, actually. Also, it’s easy to play soft on it, so the dynamic range is very good indeed…
…Now, the projection of the sound (how well the sound carries out in a big room) will never be as good on a plastic trumpet as on a brass instrument…
…there is just no way getting around this, but professional trumpeters who need good projection, for example when playing in a big symphony orchestra, would never consider using a plastic trumpet anyway so there’s no need to talk more about that.
The same goes for “the core” of the sound. That clear and richness to the trumpet sound. It will never be the same on a plastic trumpet as on a metal / brass trumpet. This, however, is not a problem if using the trumpet as a beginner / amateur trumpet, in marching bands etc.
Valves
As already stated, the pistons are not made out of plastic, but stainless steel. This is to ensure good performance and, as far as I can tell, the valves function pretty well.
Again, I have mentioned this in many other reviews I made; when it comes to trumpets in this price range (under 200 dollars) the buyer has to be aware that buying such a cheap musical instruments can come with a few risks, and one of them is problematic valves…
…in other words, there seem to be differences between the trumpets (even within the same brand). Some of them come with very good valves, while some trumpets with, “sticky” valves, may also crop up here and there. Most of them, however, are doing just fine. For this amount of money, however, I am personally not afraid of taking “risks” like that.
NOTE: According to the Tromba plastic trumpet manufacturer, this plastic trumpet works best with the “Ultra Pure Valve Oil”. You can click here to find that valve oil on Amazon. They also say that that oil is easier on the plastic.
Balance
Well, here all plastic trumpets shine, really. They are just so incredible light and easy to hold. For a beginner this is a good thing since normal trumpets can indeed be quite heavy to hold. Also good for marching bands or situations where you have to move around in some way while playing.
One extra bonus is that the horn is so light, that it does not matter if you drop it, becasue that won’t dent or break the trumpet.
Looks And Esthetics
Alright I have to admit, the trumpet is adorable…
…in fact, it’s incredible fun!
It looks great, but I just wonder how you compare this to a real metal / brass trumpet when it comes to looks. It can’t be done. It’s a plastic trumpet…period.
Intonation
I am surprised at this because before I knew anything at all about plastic trumpets I would have thought that there is no way that the intonation can be anywhere near that on a brass trumpet…
…turns out I was wrong! The intonation is actually not bad. It’s not bad at all. Sure, it’s not great, but keep in mind that the trumpet is under 200 dollars after all, and the brass instruments in this price range do not have perfect intonation either. It feels a bit different, but that’s just a matter of getting used to…
…so, surprisingly, thumbs up in the intonation department!
Responsiveness
The Tromba plastic trumpet responds easily and that, on the other hand, did not surprise me. Lighter trumpets respond better in general and this is a super light trumpet.
The upper register also responds easily. This makes the trumpet excellent for an amateur looking for a new fun trumpet or a beginner wanting something easy to play.
Slotting
The slotting is different than on most brass trumpets. This is for sure because of the plastic and the light material. The slotting is there but it’s easier to “bend” notes, if you want to, and slide between registers. So the feel is more like a pop song / commersial, trumpet than a classical trumpet, if that makes sense.
The upper register of the trumpet
Again I’m surprised. The high notes come out easily, and they are not just weak and thin squeaks either, but full, strong, trumpet notes. A lot of people even find that they can play higher on the plastic trumpet than on their normal trumpet.
Playing in a cool pop / rock band? Well, this could be a super fun horn to bring to a gig…both when it comes to looks and screaming out some cool high notes.
Agility
Easy to play and move around with. Again , this ties in with the slotting and the lightweight. That said, it is “different” and takes some time getting used to.
General feel
Related to slotting and agility the general feel is good.
One thing I have to recommend though is, even though the trumpet comes with a plastic mouthpiece, I would recommend using a normal brass mouthpiece. It just feels better and sounds better that way.
Pricing
The price is shockingly low, you can click here to check the pricing and different buying options on Amazon.
Speaking of pricing, during this Tromba plastic trumpet review I have taken all the aspects in consideration and, as I have said in my previous reviews, I weigh that against how much we have to pay for the trumpet…
…which leads me to the final score:
Final Rating 8,3 / 10
I will give the Tromba plastic trumpet 8,3 starts out of ten. It is a decent and very fun horn.
Summary
Q: Is the Tromba plastic trumpet worth the money?
A: As long as you are not planning on using it as a professional classical player, I think so, yes.
- It is fun…VERY fun to hold, own and play
- It’s extremely light and you can even drop it without denting it
- It has a nice, warm and crisp sound.
- It’s pretty easy to play and all aspects of works
- It is perfect for traveling, the summer cabin, your vacations, outdoor playing in the cold, and just for sheer fun. Of course you can use it in “normal” setting as well.
Just remember that it takes a bit of time to get used to and, again, I recommend using a normal trumpet mouthpiece instead of the plastic one. Everything just works better that way, with this trumpet at least.
Thank you for reading this, Tromba trumpet review and if you have any experience with the Tromba plastic trumpet yourself, please feel free to leave YOUR thoughts about this trumpet in the comment section that you can find down under this article.
As always, keep practicing and remember to have fun while doing it 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions About the Tromba Plastic Trumpet?
Question: I know plastic is perhaps not the best material to make a musical instrument out of, but are there actually any advantages, in some aspects, over a normal trumpet.
Answer: Well, they are incredible light. This can be good if your arms tend to get tired easily with normal trumpets. Another thing is that they won’t break if you drop them, so I guess that’s an advantage as well. Personally I could see me using one on my vacations, both when traveling or spending time at my summer cabin…and in those situations I’d actually prefer to use this cheap plastic trumpet.
Question: Can I use this plastic trumpet for playing jazz?
Answer: Yes, the mellow sound would actually fit well. Go for it.
Question: Does it come with a mouthpiece?
Answer: Yes, it should! However, as I stated in my article I would recommend you use a normal brass mouthpiece, as it makes the horn perform, and sound, better. If you are a beginner I recommend a Bach 3 C, you can click here to find them on Amazon.
Question: Does it have a functioning third slide trigger?
Answer: Indeed it does and it seems to work really well. The first slide does not have a finger hook though so you have to use the third. This is what 95% of all trumpet players do anyway.
Question: Is the lead pipe made out of metal as well?
Answer: No just the mouthpiece receiver, or to put it another way, just the first few centimeters, where you insert the mouthpiece. After that it’s all plastic again. The receiver being metal helps with the resonance of the horn, so I think it’s a good thing fo the Tromba company to do.
Question: Does this trumpet come with a case or do the buyer have to by a separate case?
Answer: The trumpet comes with a case. If you want something more high quality,then check out my article, best trumpet gig bags and cases here.
Question: Will I be able to play higher notes on the plastic trumpet than I can play on my regular trumpet?
Answer: Hard to say. Trumpet high notes are learned by finding the right way to play (for you) in combination with lot’s of practice, and generally not through messing around with equipment. That said, sure, some gear can actually help us play a bit higher. A lot of people find the Tromba plastic trumpet easy to play in the upper register however, we are all different though so there are never any guarantees for that. So, maybe!
Question: Has anyone ever made a trumpet out of wood?
Answer: Not that I’m aware of, when it comes to “modern trumpets”. I’m sure someone has tried, but I do not know of anyone who are selling them 🙂 ….there are wooden mouthpieces though, which work just fine. I will probably make an article about that in the near future.
That’s it for this article. I’ll be back to update the questions later on…if I get lots of them in my mailbox.