Yamaha YTR 2330 Trumpet Review Intermediate / Student
Trumpet Experience
Are you looking for a good student / intermediate trumpet for your kid, or perhaps for yourself, and now you are wondering “is the Yamaha YTR 2330 worth the money?
If so, this is the article for you because this is going to be a detailed Yamaha YTR 2330 student trumpet review.
You can click here to check current pricing at Amazon. Note that sometimes there are also options to buy a used yte-2330 over at Amazon, so be sure to check out all the buying options over there.
Short about the trumpet
The Yamaha YTR-2330 standard trumpet is marketed and sold as a student trumpet or “intermediate” trumpet. Although the trumpet is perfect for students, it does not mean the horn is ONLY suitable for beginner students. The quality is so good that the YTR 2330 can be used by beginners, students or even by serious amateur trumpeters.
Let’s get to the details and look at all the aspects of the horn…
The Specs
- Bore size: 11.65 mm
- Brass bell: 122mm
- Bell with optimal material thickness
- Two-piece yellow brass bell
- High quality valves
- Adjustable third slide trigger ring
- Gold lacquered
- Easy playing
Yamaha YTR-2330 Student Trumpet Review
Build quality
Yamaha is known for the high quality trumpets they produce, and the YTR-2330 is no exception. If you have a bit of experience, this is also something you can tell pretty much right away. Some beginner trumpets have a kind of “toy feeling” about them, but not the Yamaha trumpets…
…non of them. The slides fit perfectly and you can feel the air compression inside the tubing when moving them. This is a sign of high quality. On the cheapest trumpets the air leaks a bit, and you won’t get the same air compression.
The water keys work well and all the soldering looks great.
So far so good! Let’s keep moving…
Valves
The Yamaha YTR 2330 standard trumpet, also called YTR 2330 student trumpet, has got phenomenal valves. They are fast, smooth and have just the right amount of resistance. So many beginner trumpet brands have problems with sticky valves, but I can not see any such tendencies here.
This is what separates a good reputation brands, like Yamaha from so many other newcomers out there. The valves are often the weakest point on beginner trumpets, but the 2330 valves are flawless. The 2330 gets a full score in this department.
Balance
The trumpet is well-balanced and is easy to hold. This is great because beginners have a tendency to get tired arms at first. Come to think of it, I guess this is good thing for all trumpet players, professional players as well.
Sound
The sound has a nice core to it and it’s warm and resonant. You can tell right away that this not one of the cheapest beginner trumpets, as most of those, lack this core to the sound. The Yamaha projects well and it has that true, authentic trumpet sound that we all want.
Start this video and listen to the Yamaha 2330 for a while
Intonation
The intonation is very good. The low register is spot on and so is the middle register. In the upper register, the fourth space “e” is a tiny bit flat, but this is the case for 90% of all trumpets out there, and that goes for professional trumpets as well. The “g” on top of the staff have a tendency to be too sharp on many beginner horns, but not on this one. It is exactly where it should be.
When you get above the high C, some of the notes tend to be a little flat, but not so much that it is a problem. The register above high C is still better than on 80% of all the other beginner trumpets out there. And very few amateurs or beginners are going to be playing above high C, anyway.
Responsiveness
Yes, yes yes! The response is very good indeed. The notes speak so easily and take almost no effort to produce. This is great for beginners or amateurs as it makes the trumpet so easy to play. You can play soft notes without the sound cutting off and if you want to play loud, all you have to do is step on the gas pedal…
…the Yamaha gets a full score here!
Slotting
All the notes are spot on and the slotting is very good. I like how the just snap, pop and “lock in” where they should.
Except for the fourth space “e” that you have to press up a bit, which makes the slotting on that partial a bit insecure. But again, it’s the same with 90% of trumpets, and this goes for professional trumpets as well. We just have to learn to compensate with the right amount of air pressure and tongue level.
High register
It’s easy to play. Yamaha has really put a lot of effort into making a trumpet that is to play in all registers. The “g” on top of the staff just roles out of the bell without me having to put in almost no energy. Full score in this department!
Agility
The Yamaha YTR-2330 is a very fun to play. Whether you play long tones or fast passages, it is like it wants to follow you. The flexibility is great and the notes just “pop” out of the horn, with you in the driving seat.
Resistance & General feel
The resistance to the blow is somewhere in the middle, between open and tight. This is what we want in a beginner trumpet, as it’s never a good idea to start out in the extremes, in any of the trumpet playing aspects.
Casing
For the most part, this trumpet comes with a hard case, which is very protective and nice looking. Depending on where you buy the trumpet it may also come in a softer “gig bag”.
Pricing
Compared to other intermediate trumpets of this high quality, the YTR-2330 is priced well. You will get a lot of trumpet for the money.
You can click here to check current pricing at Amazon
Final Score: 9.4 / 10
When adding all this up and looking at the price I have to give the Yamaha YTR-2330 student trumpet a score of 9.4 out of 10. This is one of the absolute best beginner trumpets on the market today.
Summary
A lot of very good amateur trumpet players play the YTR-2330, and rightfully so, because the quality is outstanding. If you decide to buy this horn for your kid, then rest assured, you are setting your kid up for success…
…why?
Better than other “beginner” trumpets
Well, you see most of the so called “beginner” trumpets cost around 200-300 dollars, and sure, one might find some decent trumpets in that price range. However, with the Yamaha 2330 we are taking one or even two steps up in quality.
The Yamaha is so much better than the cheapest beginner trumpets and it’s also easier to play. In fact, it is incredible easy to play…
…this is very important if we want to do everything in our power to make sure the young trumpeter keeps practicing and having fun. Nothing kills enthusiasm as a trumpet that is hardly playable.
Another nice thing about the Yamaha 2330, is that the standard is so good that, even if you or your kid keeps playing and progressing, it is going to be good enough for many years to come, all the way up to “semi pro” level.
Then after perhaps 9-13 years of playing it, if you or your kid want to really pursue a career as a professional trumpeter, an upgrade is recommended…
…on the other hand, if you or your kid decides to keep the trumpet playing at a hobby level, the Yamaha 2330 will serve you well for decades to come.
Summary of pros and cons
Pros
- Very easy to play
- Great slotting
- Warm and rich sound with a good “core”
- Fun to play
- Amazing trumpet for the price
Cons
- Fourth space “e” is a tiny bit flat
- Some players find the vale caps a bit tricky to screw (I didn’t find this to be the case myself)
- The trumpet won’t be enough if you make it all the way to a professional career and start working in a big symphony orchestra. By that time, you will have to upgrade.
Final Verdict
Is The Yamaha YTR-2330 Worth It?
Q: So is the Yamaha YTR-2330 trumpet worth it?
Answer: If you want a beginner trumpet or a good trumpet for a good amateur player then, yes, it’s definitely worth it!
Look:
You get so much trumpet quality for the price. You simply can not find a better beginner trumpet in this price range. Well, perhaps you can, but it will not be easy.
- The 2330 is so easy to play
- It has a great sound
- Unlike the cheapest brands, the Yamaha quality will ensure you got a trumpet that is good for decades to come.
Where Is The Best Place To Get The 2330?
You can click here to grab one from Amazon. Sometimes there are also options to buy a used 2330 over at the Amazon online store. This is great, so be sure to check out all the buying options while you are there.
What Others Are Saying About The Yamaha YTR-2330:
I actually played as a professional trumpeter, 30 years ago. I recently started playing again, just as a hobby and I absolutely love this trumpet. It is so easy to play and it has got that nice trumpet energy in the sound. -Trumpet 4ever-
We bought this trumpet for our grandson when he started playing 5 years ago. He loves it and is still playing. He is actually becoming really good! -Hans-
The first thing I want to say about this trumpet is that is so fun and easy to play. I find it hard to put down once I get going. It’s like we have some kind of magic “bond” between us. I highly recommend this trumpet for anyone who is playing on a hobby level or who is just starting out. With the 2330 you’ll get a good quality trumpet for a decent price. -Bob-
Thank you for reading my Yamaha ytr 2330 student trumpet review. Have you tried this horn? If so, what is your experience with the Yamaha YTR-2330 trumpet? As always, you are free to comment or send me an email.
F.A.Q.s About The YTR 2330
Question: Is this trumpet good enough for playing in marching band and in a big band?
Answer: Absolutely.
Question: Some beginner trumpets take a lot of effort to play and the endurance suffer. Will my endurance suffer if I chose the Yamaha?
Answer: It’s true that a lot of beginner trumpets can be taxing to play. this is not the case with the 2330 as it’s very easy to play. In fact, I think I would be able to play for a longer time on in than on my professional Bach Stradivarius trumpet.
Question: Can I tune it in C?
Answer: No, it’s a Bb trumpet. You can still play everything on it though, so don’t worry about that.
Question: What kind of trumpet brand do you use yourself?
Answer: At the time of writing this article, I have two main, professional Bb trumpets. A Bach Stradivarius and a Yamaha 8310z. I have always loved the Yamaha brand and I highly recommend it. My Eb-trumpet is a B&S trumpet and the piccolo I use is a Getzen Eterna. I have a few “back up horns” as well.
That’s it for now, I will update and answer more questions as I get more of them, and if I find the time.
Keep practicing!
-Robert Slotte-