Congratulations! Your oldest child just told you she wants to learn to play the trumpet and join the high school band! And now she needs an instrument.
Well, it’s well worth considering the Jean Paul USA TR-330 Standard Student Trumpet. It’s lightweight, it looks great, and its quality rivals a professional instrument in playability and tone. Best of all, it doesn’t cost a fortune – good to know in case she decides next year she’d rather play drums.
So let’s take a closer look at why the Jean Paul USA TR-330 trumpet might be your first choice for a student instrument.
(4.4 / 5)Contents
Quality Construction
The TR-330 trumpet is a B-flat instrument, which is the most common size for orchestra, band, and pop music. It’s put together with excellent quality materials and workmanship, so your student won’t outgrow it quickly and need to replace it for a more expensive model. It’s constructed from pure brass to produce a classic bright and warm tone, while ensuring long life.
The entire instrument, including the bell, main body, and the lead pipe (as in “leading edge”) connecting the mouthpiece to the main trumpet, is Yellow brass. This alloy contains about 60 – 70 percent copper. It’s relatively hard, and it produces a brighter tone with more harmonics.
By contrast, more expensive trumpets usually have a lead pipe made from Rose brass. The higher copper content (up to 85 percent) helps soften the tone. It’s also more resistant to corrosion from saliva than Yellow brass. So it’s important to keep the TR-330 dry, wiping the inside after playing.
The entire instrument is given a brilliant gold lacquer finish that can be quickly polished to a beautiful sheen. Lacquer is more fragile than the plated finish of higher-priced instruments, and it could develop signs of wear over time if not treated well.
The main tubing has a bore of .459 inches. This is relatively narrow, and it has two advantages for the student. First, the sound is somewhat more mellow and controlled, which is ideal for a student who is trying to produce clean notes that don’t “crack.” Second, the player doesn’t have to blow as hard.
In addition, the tube walls are also a bit thinner than in professional instruments. This helps reduce weight while making it easier to get a clean sound.
Playing In Tune
All modern brass instruments except trombones produce different chromatic notes with the use of valves. These are spring-loaded pistons that, when depressed, connect additional short lengths of tubing to increase the total length of the instrument, which lowers the pitch. Obviously, if the valves stick or don’t move effortlessly, the instrument will be hard to play and may sound out of tune.
Jean Paul USA trumpets come with perfectly aligned valves, which is not always the case with student instruments. TR-330 valves are made of stainless steel and nickel, and they have a smooth action. They should work reliably for a long time, provided the student maintains the instrument properly, keeping it clean and using valve oil from time to time.
A C-shaped tuning slide, just behind the bell, enables the player to fine-tune the overall pitch. The action of the slide is very smooth, so it won’t stick and make it harder to bring it into perfect tune quickly.
The included mouthpiece is size 7C. This is a beginner’s mouthpiece, a little smaller than a professional mouthpiece. Some students may prefer a larger size.
So How Well Does It Play?
The Jean Paul USA TR-330 is comfortably light for a student, just 2.2 pounds. So it feels comfortable in the hand but not too light. There’s a thumb saddle by the first valve and a third valve slide, which makes it easy to hold securely.
The narrow bore makes note production easier, and the valves work well. As noted earlier, a larger mouthpiece might be a better fit for some players. The tone is bright and resonant, and it’s easy to get good volume. Intonation is excellent. It sounds like a real trumpet!
What’s In The Box?
The TR-330 student trumpet includes several vital accessories. Foremost is a carrying case. It’s a soft case with a large side pocket. It’s quite robust, although not as good as a hard-shell case. It has padded straps, making it easy to carry to school, lessons, or concerts.
To keep the instrument in top condition, the TR-330 also includes valve oil, a cleaning cloth, and gloves for handling the trumpet when cleaning.
About Jean Paul USA
Where musical instruments are concerned, the reputation of the maker is paramount. Jean Paul USA is one of the leading manufacturers of quality band instruments for beginning and intermediate musicians. They make trumpets, trombones, saxophones, clarinets, and flutes.
Every Jean Paul USA instrument is bench tested at the factory, and then checked a second time at the corporate office in Florida by a skilled technician.
Jean Paul USA instruments are backed by a full one-year warranty on parts and labor. And the company has an excellent reputation for efficient customer service, as a quick internet search will reveal.
Options
Jean Paul USA also makes a nickel-plated version for a slightly higher price, model TR-330N. There is also a higher-end instrument, the TR-340, designed for intermediate and advanced players.
If you’re not sure if the TR-330 is the best option, then it’s also worth checking out our reviews of the Medini by Cecilio Gold Trumpet, the Yamaha YTR 2335 Trumpet, our Medini by Cecilio MTT L Trumpet review, our Yamaha YTR 2330 Standard Bb Trumpet review, and our Yamaha YTR8335RGS Pro Xeno Trumpet review.
Or for even more options, take a look at our Best Trumpet reviews and our Best Pocket Trumpets reviews.
Jean Paul USA TR-330 Standard Student Trumpet Pros & Cons
Pros
- Brilliant tone.
- Easy to play.
- Lightweight and comfortable.
- Excellent intonation.
Cons
- A hard-shell case would be better.
- The lacquer finish could chip if bumped.
- Yellow brass lead pipe is more prone to corrosion than Rose brass.
Conclusion
Unlike the guitar or piano, where a new player can start making beautiful sounds almost immediately, the trumpet is more challenging. Producing clean, steady notes take time and practice. A poor instrument can make that learning curve more difficult, which can discourage a new student.
That’s why the Jean Paul USA TR-330 Standard Student Trumpet is an excellent choice for the aspiring musician’s first instrument. Its bright tone, comfort, easy playability, and overall craftsmanship make learning an enjoyable and fun experience that will encourage a student to keep going.
Purchasing a Jean Paul USA instrument is always a safe bet. The company has an outstanding reputation for producing student wind instruments that offer excellent value. You really can’t go wrong!