19 Best Trombone Reviews 2022 – Best Trombone Brands

Best Trombone & Best Trombone Brands

Best Trombone & Best Trombone Brands

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Trombones are simple brass instruments that lie between the tuba and the trumpet. In fact, they belong to the family of trumpets. The origin of the name confirms this. “Trombone” is an Italian word that means “large trumpet”. The trombone is very popular for two reasons. One, it is quite easy to learn and two, the musical instrument’s sound is suitable for so many genres of music. This is probably why a lot of people are eager to learn how to play it.

Related: Trombone Cases, Trombone Mouthpieces, Trombone Mutes

What are the Best Trombones to Buy?

There are three major types. The three major types of trombones are Tenor trombones, Alto trombones and Bass trombones.

Alto Trombones

This type of trombone is used mostly by orchestras and also about the best for soloing. Its pitch is higher than that of the tenor trombone. Alto Trombones are the least popular type of trombone.

Tenor Trombones

This is the most popular type of trombone. There are two major categories of tenor trombones – The ones with a small bore and the ones with a large bore. Small bore tenor trombones make use of small shank mouthpieces while large bore tenor trombones use large shank mouthpiece.

Bass Trombones

Bass trombones have a very large bore and they usually require more air. They are mostly used by skilled players. This category of trombones has a bore that is larger than the bore of tenor trombone.

19 Best Trombone Reviews and the Best Trombone Brands

In choosing your trombone, you have to consider the kind of music you intend to play, you need to consider your budget, you also need to consider how soon you will upgrade your trombone and most importantly, you have to consider your level of expertise. If you are a beginner, you can consider start with cheap trombones.

If you are a beginner, select a smaller bore horn in the range of .500 inch to .525 inch. This is because it requires less air. You can upgrade it when your skill level improves. Note that this is just an opinion and not a law.

1) Mendini MTB-L Tenor Slide Trombone

This is a great tenor slide trombone with a gold lacquer finish. It is a B flat trombone that offers great quality, great sound, and great notes. The trombone has a .500-inch medium bore accompanied with an 8-inch bell. For greater playability, Mendini MTB-L offers an even and balanced distribution of weight.

The accessories that come with the trombone are a pair of soft white gloves, a cleaning cloth, a pocketbook, a chromatic tuner and a durable sturdy hard case that fits firmly. The most important part of a trombone is the slide so it offers fantastic slide action that enhances seamless changes of note in virtually all registers. To cap it all up, the manufacturer offers a 1-year warranty for manufacturer’s defect.

While is suitable for students and beginners, this instrument is about the best trombone for jazz musicians. The idea of a small bore makes it a good choice for beginners. The bigger the mouthpiece the more the air it will require and beginners cannot handle the amount of air required by a big mouthpiece. Mendini MTB-L has a total weight of 11 pounds and a dimension of 36 by 15 by 10 inches.

After using it for a while, this trombone can be sold at a good price if you handle it with care and if all its accessories are complete. Any trombone that offers great slide action is worth its cost.

2) Yamaha YSL-882O Trombone

This model of trombone offers great sound and response that is nothing short of excellence. The Bb/F trombone was designed with the assistance and contribution of top trombone players. YSL-882O offers great performance with a .547-inch bore, a gold brass lead pipe and an 8-11/16-inch one-piece hand hammered bell. The outer slide is made of yellow brass. In addition, the trombone has a nickel silver inner slide.

YSL-882O has a lacquer finish, a great look, a total weight of 17 pounds and a dimension of 38 by 16 by 14.5. It comes in a yellow brass color. The narrow handslide has been mechanically linked to the valve. Some other features are a carry-case and a Peter Sullivan type of large shank mouth piece.

For proper care, it comes with both slide cream and the spray bottle. YSL-882O comes with a case that is compact and easy to carry only that you can store restricted materials in it. It may be a little difficult to be handled by beginners and players with intermediate skill level. However, YSL-882O is a fantastic musical instrument for highly skilled trombonists. Despite all these features, YSL-882O is relatively light. This trombone is a good value for money.

3) Bach 42BO Stradivarius Series

Bach 42BO Stradivarius Series F-Attachment Trombone

This is designed for a large symphonic sound projection with little or no distortion. Bach 42BO has a .547-inch bore that comes in an open wrap design. This design is to reduce its resistance to the player. It comes with a mouthpiece, a case for ease of carrying and a variety of bell options. These bells come in sterling silver, gold brass or yellow brass. The trombone has a lightweight slide.

Bach 42BO features an open wrap F attachment section. The rotor section has an open wrap design. This model of trombone has larger and fewer bends in the tubing. This makes for less resistance when blowing. With the F attachment in use, the sound remains the same with or without engaging the trigger. Bach Stradivarius trombones are popular for the fullness of sound and projection. The lightweight slide of this trombone is very quick to respond and very resistant to corrosion.

Having a Bb/F and a fixed lead pipe are just some of the features of this trombone and many other trombones. Bach 42BO has a hand-hammered one-piece 8.5-inch bell and a standard handslide. Apart from the effective attachment wrap, there is a standard F attachment valve with a large shank mouthpiece.

4) Mendini MTB-31 Intermediate Slide Trombone

This Bb tenor trombone offers all you can ask for in a trombone. Mendini MTB-31 is for beginners and intermediate skill level players. It offers great sounds with its F trigger. The trombone produces a balanced tone with an 8½-inch bell that has a lacquered finish. Mendini MTB-31 is designed to have a large .547-inch bore to enhance both volume and projection.

The instrument’s mechanically linked F attachment is another feature worthy of mention. The nickel-plated slide offers a superfast response. In fact, the slide action is nothing short of excellent. This is because the slide features very accurate and fluent slide transitions. The instrument has a large shank 12C mouthpiece that makes a good instrument of experienced trombonists.

For durability and second-hand value, Mendini MTB-31 has a nickel-plated lead pipe, inner and out slides. It comes with 1-year limited warranty and a lot of accessories like the cleaning cloth, some white gloves, a chromatic tuner and a sturdy durable carry-case that fits the trombone firmly so that it won’t move while being conveyed in the case.

This trombone offers quality, great sound and most importantly, fantastic slide action. The instrument has a total weight of 13 pounds and a dimension of 42 by 17 by 15 inches. This is a great trombone but unfortunately, it can’t be shipped to locations outside the United States for now.

5) Yamaha YBL-822G Trombone

YBL-822G has a gold brass bell and a large shank mouthpiece, featuring a nickel silver inner slide and a yellow brass outer slide. All these features are for easy handling. Unlike the common type of rotor, YBL-822G features a pair of offset rotors.

YBL-822G comes with a mechanical linkage and a lacquer finish. The trombone is said to have been designed to meet the requirements of Boston Symphony virtuoso. Some of these requirements are an adjustable thumb paddle and the D slide assembly which makes water removal very easy.

Featuring a total weight of about 21.7 pounds and a product dimension of 16.1 by 38.6 by 17.5 inches, the clear and precise sound of YBL-822G resonates on so many notes. The trombone comes with a carry-case. The trombone has an extra bend for conversion from B flat to an F. Having a slide is very smooth and a pair of valves that work for hand in hand is a big plus.

Players find it very easy to get low notes with this trombone in addition to the production of a very good tone. Other features of YBL-822G are bore that is .563 inch and a 9-1/2 inch-diameter bell. What makes it amazing is the clear epoxy lacquer finish. The mouthpiece of YBL-822G is a Douglas Yeo replica mouthpiece.

6) Yamaha YSL354 Trombone

This trombone is known for being very durable, production of great sound and ease of play. It is said to be ideal for new musicians. YSL354 has an inner slide and a chrome-plated yellow brass. The slide offers a very quick response. The outer slide is of the same diameter throughout its length. This makes for smooth action, airtightness and it adds resonance to the sound.

The inner slide stockings offer great alignment and smooth slide action. YSL354 has a balancer that disposes of the weight of the trombone. Having well-rounded tubing results in more seamless air flow and less turbulence. Featuring a smooth bell makes for continuous even vibrations. The slide is locked in place so that it does not fall accidentally.

The even weight distribution of the trombone makes it easier to handle especially for beginners. There is a large silver bracing guard that protects the slide from getting damaged if the trombone is mistakenly dropped. This also reduces playing fatigue. The mouth pipes have a special acoustic design that gives precise intonation and a great deal of blowing control.

Despite all the features, YSL354 has a total weight of 10.8 pounds and a total dimension of 35 by 10.8 by 10.8 inches. YSL354 and all other Yamaha instruments are made in Japan so you can count on the quality. The popularity of the trombone is boosted by great sound and durability.

7) Bach TB711F Prelude Trombone

This trombone is a great musical instrument for several reasons. First of all, Bach TB711F produces great sound and projection with a .547-inch bore and an 8.5-inch bell. Bach TB711F has a chrome-plated nickel silver inner slide that can be moved up quite easily and has a wonderful carry-case that houses the instrument firmly to prevent it from moving while in the case.

The outer slide is also made of nickel silver although it is of yellow brass construction. Apart from the carry-case, another piece of accessory that comes with a trombone is the 12C mouthpiece. Bach TB711F offers the feature of a step-up instrument. Bach TB711F weighs just 4 pounds so it is very light and easy to carry around. Being light makes it easy for any player to be able to play it for a long time.

The dimension is 40 by 7 by 12 inches. The trombone has an F attachment. Bach TB711F offers fantastic playability. The trombone is easy to use and quite simple to maintain. It is a tenor trombone that offers wonderful tones. Its slide action is very nice. While a beginner can make use of it, Bach TB711F is best for players with intermediate skill level.

8) D’Luca 750N 750 Series

This trombone comes with a professional lightweight canvas case and a full set of the cleaning kit. The cleaning kit that comes with the trombone includes slide oil, instruction manual, spit corks, tuning slide grease, mouthpiece brush, trombone snake, and polishing cloth.

D’Luca 750N is a tenor trombone with a beautiful nickel-plated finish. The trombone meets and exceeds the standard of several music schools. D’Luca 750N provides great intonation and great comfort and most importantly, mechanical reliability.

The trombone has 7.99-inch gold brass body bell and a .50-inch bore. It produces great sound with these features. Each of these models of trombone has been subjected to quality control test in Los Angeles distribution center and all of them have met the United States quality standard.

The Bb trombone comes with 1-year limited manufacturer warranty. D’Luca 750N is great for beginners and players with intermediate skill level. A .5-inch bore gives the right amount of resistance required for the production of a powerful tone that the trombone is known for. Its fast and seamless slide action enhances smooth changes of note in all registers.

Whether it is in a studio or a marching band or anywhere else, this great trombone will always deliver. D’Luca 750N is very versatile. In fact, the sound and projection will surprise you. It gives great value for money and most importantly, you will find the trombone very durable as long as you follow the use and care instructions.

9) PBone 1B Jiggs Plastic Trombone

This lightweight Bb trombone is about the lightest trombone around. It is just about 1.8 pounds. PBone 1B comes with a fabric carry-bag that is very durable and stylish. It also comes with a matching mouthpiece and a blue durable ABS plastic. This is what makes it very unique.

This ergonomic design offers great playability. The trombone has smooth action glass-fiber lockable slide that can be raised up easily for note change. PBone 1B is suitable for several notes and several genres of music so its versatility is confirmed. This great trombone has earned recognition from famous trombonists as well as students, beginners, and teachers.

The musical instrument has been designed by a set of famous British musicians. The 8-inch bell is said to be virtually indestructible due to its great strength and toughness. Its glass-fiber slide offers smooth action and wonderful playability.

This trombone is said to be highly resistant to dents and scratches. This means that hardly depreciates in value. This also makes it a good trombone for beginners. They can handle it without the fear of mistakenly damaging it. Having much less weight than the average weight of trombones makes it suitable for players that may have problems with heavier trombones.

10) Conn 88H Symphony Series

This trombone comes with an 8.5-inch rose brass bell and a lacquer finish. This makes it beautiful and attractive. For outstanding clarity and projection and higher pitch, there is an F-attachment accompanied by a standard rotor. Having a 0.547-inch bore gives an outstanding performance. This product is made in the United States with the weight of 18.2 pounds and a dimension of 39 by 16 by 12.8 inches.

To be able to carry it around, there is a wood shell case. A rose brass outer slide and a Conn5G large shank mouthpiece are some important features worthy of being mentioned. This should be a good choice for you if what you need is an orchestra trombone. Conn 88H offers a great performance and a more responsive horn than previous models. The trombone comes without any shipping cost to any location within the United States of America

Some other features are Bb/F key and a lead pipe made of yellow brass. While the bell material for this trombone is rose brass, there are other models with yellow brass and sterling silver bell materials. Conn 88H’s handslide is made of rose brass material. This review will not be complete with stating that there is an F attachment wrap in addition to an F attachment valve. For easy handling, there is an adjustable thumb lever.

What will first attract you to this trombone is the beautiful and attractive lacquer finish. This trombone offers America’s most popular trombone setting. This includes a .500-inch bore and an 8-inch bell which gives a very nice and powerful sound. Its accessories include a hard carry-case, a pair of gloves and a bottle of slide oil.

Kaizer is very simple to use as it was designed for students. For easy handling, the trombone was designed to have a perfect weight distribution. This also provides a balance and eliminates fatigue. Kaizer’s low resistance tuning slide has been coated with a special substance that gives a very smooth and fast response. This coating also gives maximum control of intonation.

Instead of the hallmark 30-day return policy, the trombone offers a 45-day-free trial after which you can still return it if you are not satisfied with it and you will get a full refund. Here is the bomb! The product is covered with a lifetime warranty! Can you beat that? In other words, if this trombone ever fails and the failure is caused by any manufacturing defect, you will get a free replacement of the faulty part.

To enjoy this, you have to hold on to your proof of purchase for as long as you are still making use of it. The trombone is great for orchestra musicians.

12) Rugeri B Flat Trombone

This B-Flat trombone comes with a hard shell velvet-lined carry-case and a seamless slide with which it produces great sound. For the combination of beauty and style, Rugeri comes in the high gloss polished finish and a standard mouthpiece. Rugeri has a total weight of 7.2 pounds and a dimension is 38.8 by 14 by 12 inches.

This trombone is good for beginners and the player will eventually have to change it when his or her skill level improves. Rugeri is a tenor trombone and it produces fairly good sound. Overall, the trombone is okay.

13) Glory GTD-2 B Flat Brass Trombone

This alto trombone has a gold lacquer finish and comes with a deluxe durable hard case and care kit. This is a standard trombone for beginners. This is why a lot of music teachers recommend it. Other great attractive features of this trombone are a flawless beautiful lacquer finish, production of beautiful sound and ease of play.

Glory GTD-2 weighs a total of 8.2 pounds and has a dimension of 37 by 10.1 by 9.5 inches. Glory GTD-2 comes with a 12C mouthpiece. Glory GTD-2 is simple to use and it produces great sound. Most importantly, it can be used to practice a wide variety of notes.

Apart from the simplicity of use, the trombone offers durability. The color is alto trombone. You also have to bear in mind that, when you become a skilled trombonist, you will have to upgrade this B trombone because Glory GTD-2 is not meant for skilled trombonists.

What a lot of students like about Glory GTD-2 are the attractive finish and the wonderful sound production. The sound produced by this musical instrument is loud and can be heard clearly a distance away. The trombone offers good value for money.

14) King 2B Legend Series

This b-flat trombone’s bell is made of yellow brass and the trombone itself has a lacquer finish for nothing but aesthetics. This series comes with a mouthpiece and a case for carrying it around. What made the trombone popular are the great performance, fast action, and great reputation.

Despite the simplicity of design, the instrument produces very large and rich timbre for a wide variety of music genres. The beauty and style of the instrument collectively showcase impeccable craftsmanship. The simple design makes it a good choice for a beginner. Apart from that, it is quite durable.

King 2B Legend’s total weight is 16.1 pounds. This is fairly light and it will be easier to carry around. The dimension of the instrument is said to be 38.8 by 16 by 12.5 inches. It comes with the dual bore for fantastic projection and clear upper range coupled with a bell.

The tapered design allows for a quick response and fast slide action. Although this particular trombone has a yellow brass bell, this model comes with a variety of bell materials and finishes. Apart from the yellow brass bell material, you can also get gold brass bell or even sterling silver bell to mention just a few.

15) King Legend 4B Series Trombone

This beautiful model of trombone comes in yellow brass coupled with lacquer finish. The instrument comes with a small 6-1/2AL mouthpiece, a beautiful rose brass bell, and a nickel-silver outer slide. Crowning it all with a lacquer finish makes this instrument simply fantastic. For ease of conveyance, it comes with a 7551L wood shell case.

With a large bore, this trombone offers consistent tones making the performance great. This trombone is worth the cost. Having a total weight of exactly 21 pounds and a total dimension of 39 by 16 by 13 inches makes the size a plus. King Legend 4B has a large .547 inch bore and 85/8-inch rose brass bell.

Having an F-attachment makes King Legend 4B almost indispensable for players who intend to make a profession out of playing trombones. However, the small shank mouthpiece that comes with it may not work for all trombones. The rose brass bell creates stunning projection and gives a fantastic mellow tone that adds spice to any music. Despite having a simple design, King Legend 4B is very loud and you can hear the sound a long distance away.

King Legend 4B series trombone comes in different colors and bell colors. This makes it a good choice for beginners. Currently, King Legend 4B comes with no shipping cost to anywhere within the United States of America.

16) Bach 36BO Stradivarius Series

This Bb/F trombone comes with an 8-inch yellow brass bell that gives the horn the appropriate amount of projection. The bell has a beautiful lacquered finish. Great performance and durability are the hallmarks of this model of trombone. It comes with a .525-inch bore and a fixed lead pipe. The standard handslide of Bach 36BO is made of lightweight material.

The trombone has a Nickel Silver F attachment wrap and a standard F attachment valve. It comes with a carry-case made of the Zippered wood shell case and a Bach 7C small shank mouthpiece. There is also a traditional F rotor mechanism.

Having a total weight of 24 pounds and a dimension of 16 by 13 by 40 inches makes it light and compact. It is made in the United States of America. This product is said to be very versatile with great sounds to many music styles. Being fantastic for classical music coupled with wonderful sounds to jazz music is the reason for the high demand of this trombone.

The slide is very fast and easy to operate. A lot of pro players and intermediate-skill-level players also use this model of trombone. The most amazing features of this trombone are its fullness of sound and projection.

17) D’Luca 710N Series

This Bb valve trombone will give you great intonation and comfort. D’Luca 710N will also provide mechanical reliability. The trombone comes in an irresistible nickel-plated finish. With a 7.48-inch bell and .50-inch bore, the trombone offers outstanding projection, fantastic tone response and general great performance.

The trombone has stainless steel pistons with which it offers seamless and quick action, wonderful agility and a totally encouraging playability. D’Luca 710N has also passed the strict quality control test in the United States.

The trombone will always deliver. Whether it is a street performance, a stage performance or in the studio, you can count on this trombone. Even if it is in a concert, you won’t be disappointed. The instrument comes with a lightweight canvas case.

For durability and utmost performance, the trombone comes with a use and care instructions manual that is a part of a full set of the cleaning kit. Other items in the kit are Spit corks, tuning slide grease, mouthpiece brush, trombone snake and polishing cloth and slide oil. The trombone also comes with a swab and a pair of gloves.

To underscore a high level of confidence in the quality, D’Luca 710N comes with a 1-year limited manufacturer warranty. This should give players and buyers additional peace of mind. Most importantly, this trombone will keep delivering satisfaction as long as you take proper care of it.

18) Shanhai Ammoon Tenor Trombone

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This is a B flat trombone with an irresistible brass gold lacquer finish. Shanhai Ammoon is a tenor trombone with a high-grade quality and a fantastic intonation. The trombone is one of the best trombones for trombone playing lessons. So, Shanhai Ammoon is the best for students and teachers. The trombone comes with a cupronickel piston and a cupronickel mouthpiece. It comes with a few accessories like a pair of gloves, a cleaning stick, and a hard shell case.

The diameter of the bell is 208mm and the weight of the trombone is 8.4pounds while its dimension is 36.6 by 7.9 by 7.9. Although this is a new brand of trombones, it is already making waves. This product will be shipped to you free if you are a resident of the United States.

The musical instrument is quite easy to use and very durable. Shanhai Ammoon is a new brand so the manufacturers gave it a very high quality to make the name for themselves. The slides move up easily and they don’t leak. Once you raise them, they remain up. They don’t go down. In other words, they offer great playability.

Another good quality is that they have a good second-hand value. If the user takes good care of it, he should still be able to sell it at a good price. Overall, Shanhai Ammoon trombone is a good value for money any day any time.

19) 201 Metal Trombone Kazoo

This is not a trombone but a kazoo. So it does not have all the basic features of a trombone with an exception of both bell and slide. The kazoo is made in the United States. Unlike a trombone, you play it by humming a tune into its plastic mouthpiece.

This 11-inch musical instrument is made of metal. Although the bell and slide are active, they don’t change the sound produced by the kazoo. The kazoo is more like a toy trombone for kids that are 3 or above. The kazoo weighs 5.6 ounces and it has a total dimension of 12.7 by 3.8 by 3.4 inches

Apart from being a toy, the kazoo can be used to ignite your kid’s interest in playing trombones. However, he or she has to play it when you are around so you can regulate the sound level. You don’t want your kid to constitute a nuisance in your neighborhood.

Finding the Best Trombone from the Best Trombones Brands

As a beginner, it is normal to try to cut cost. No matter how you try to cut cost, it is not a very good idea to rent a trombone. If you play it very often or if you play it at least twice a week, the cost of purchase may be less than a year’s rental fee.

When you purchase a new professional trombone and you take proper care of it, you might still be able to sell it for a good price when you intend to upgrade it. Some trombone suppliers may even accept it accompanied with some cash for a higher version. That means you can trade it in for an upgrade.

Rented instruments are usually used. So, there may be nicks, scratches, and dents and all these may affect the performance of the trombone. Another fact to consider is that if the trombone gets scratched or damaged in your possession, you’ll be charged for it.

When you want to buy a trombone and cannot afford a new one, it is better to buy a used trombone instead of renting one. Buying used trombones has its challenges too. There may be hidden defects and the seller will likely feign ignorance of the defect if you discover it. So, it is better to seek the help of an expert in the purchase of a used trombone. He will help you assess it before you pay. However, it is important to state categorically that you are better off with a brand new trombone. Apart from the fact that all its parts will be in perfect condition, it usually comes with some warranty.