Hello and Which Trumpet!
Hey guys!
Been using the tabs on the site but only recently delved into the forums so thought i would join and say hi!
I have been playing for about two Years (this month!) and have a Yamaha YTR1335 trumpet which has served me well but i have been thinking about picking up an intermediate level trumpet at the end of the year (might treat myself for xmas 
). I was looking at a budget of around £700 - £800 and was after a little advice.
Obviously the price of a Trumpet will reflect the quality but will it make a difference to tone/sound or is this more down to the player or mouth piece.
Is it worth getting a new trumpet at the level of playing i am at (just been learning Reel Big Fish - Sell Out, so hopefully that will give a small idea of my level/range) or should i keep practicing and learning for a bit longer.
Any recommendations of a trumpet that would be good for Ska stuff but also a different range of styles. One of my favourite bands are The Cat Empire so do enjoy playing latin, funky, jazz styles. I have seen a few Yamaha ones in that price range but would be interested in other makes. Would be interested to know what you guys are playing on.
Any advice much appreciated!
i play a king silver flair, and i absolutely adore it. It has a bell that is pure silver and has an awesome tone. also i have the first valve trigger to tune. now granted it is a concert horn, however when paired with a Bob reeves two part mouth piece, it sounds like a horn that would get kicked out of an ensemble(in a good way). i agree with what has been said about mass produced horns. there is just no character in the tone.
Honestly, if you've got the money to spend on a new horn, and you think it's the right move, then more power to you. As far as wanting to continue using Yamaha instruments, I'm not a big fan of overly mass produced instruments that are made to all sound the same. Sure, even the higher end horn companies mass produce their horns, but they aren't all going to sound the same. Each horn will be unique and have its own feel to it.
Anyway, if you're looking to spend that much, you could probably pick up a Bach Stradavarious. That's what both me and my dad play. And I love the thing. It has a good feel to it and it sounds great. Granted, his is gold plated so it has more of a unique mellow sound, but they're both outstanding horns. As far as the metal you should have for your horn, silver will give you that edgy, powerful sound you're looking for. Anyway, if you like, you can look at what Schilke, Conn, King, and Getson are making, because there's people who swear by those horns as well.
The other thing to look at is what mouthpiece you're using. I only use Schilke mouthpieces when I play, so I can't give you a larger picture view of that, but I can say that a Schilke mouthpiece just feels nicer on the lips than some of the boxier ones made by Bach. I play on a 14A4A, which is a shallower cup and it's great for high-range stuff and sharp, powerful tones. I also have a 16 for when I need better tone quality and a richer sound.
So, it's all personal preference stuff in the end, but that's what I like.