[TPIN] Cheap, cheap trumpet?

[Andy Del]

OK,  this oneloooks identical to a couple of trumpet our school got about 12
months ago. They were called Bach TR-700. These days they are called TR-500,
and sell for around this price in Oz. They are made at the Selmer factory in
China, which has been in operation just under a year.

In our experience:

1. The lacquer is extremely cheap and falls off with in weeks. Both horns
look like they have some sort of pox.
2. Valves are precarious. One kid just couldn't get them to work for him,
despite his cleaning, oiling, etc. I tried cleaning, an acid bath to remove
the black stuff, and a very fine lap (they are not all that tight) and they
are no better. Other kids have no issues. So the valves are poorly made.
3. Cases are useless and break / crack within a few weeks.

4. I hear the TR-500 model is inconsistent, with some being completely
unplayable, poor joints & alignment. Some play and others are so far out
that octaves are a semitone out, and other pitches just don't speak.

In short, junk. We've had to budget to replace them, yet have some Buescher
Aristocrats tha tare 35 years old still going strong...

Cheers

Andy


-----Original Message-----
From: tpin-bounces at tpin.okcu.edu [mailto:tpin-bounces at tpin.okcu.edu] On
Behalf Of Bob Romans
Sent: Saturday, 1 September 2007 8:59 AM
To: tpin at tpin.okcu.edu
Subject: [TPIN] Cheap, cheap trumpet?


Please tell me where this trumpet is made?
$229? Bet it ain't made in France or the US !
http://www.wwbw.com/Prelude-by-Conn-Selmer-TR701-Student-Bb-Trumpet-i268042.
music
Warm regards,
Bob Romans,
1617 Lakeshore Dr.,
Lodi, Calif. 95242
Ph 209-747-1148
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