ZO Next Generation Plastic Trumpet

ZO Next Generation Plastic Trumpet

Purchased this as a strings player attempting to broaden my musical horizons. Impressed with the metal valves and warm sound, although one of the plastic components around the springs of the valves did get stuck and it took me ages to figure out I needed to carefully press it back into place to get the valve to depress after cleaning it. Gave me a good scare!

Apart from that frustrating hiccup now resolved, everything is working smoothly and I’m really enjoying teaching myself some basic tunes. I highly recommend getting a brass mouthpiece as the plastic one that comes with the trumpet is trash according to my trumpeter dad 😂 Much easier to play and a much nicer sound with a metal mouthpiece!

"Cheap" instruments are often harder to play than their pricier counterparts, so are terrible for learners, but the ZO ABS trumpet is actually a decent option. It requires a bit more work to get a steady note than a real brass instrument, but in a "this will encourage me to learn more control" kind of way, rather than a "this is too difficult and I'm going to give up" kind of way. As ABS instruments go, it's pretty darn good. I bought it because I can leave it lying around the house to encourage me to practice more often (rather than out-of-sight-out-of-mind), and so far it has been entirely successful in that regard. I want to get the euphonium, now. And maybe also the flugelhorn.