Mendini Trumpet Review and Guide

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Lacey began her musical career playing the piano and writing original songs to sing with her friends at a 4th-grade “graduation” ceremony. She's actively participated in school, community, and church choirs throughout her life. Music is her passion and she loves sharing that passion with you!

Bottomline Up Front

I evaluated the Mendini trumpet based on its customer reviews, quality of craftsmanship, and playability. I recommend it for beginners and students, as Mendini makes good quality beginner instruments that will last a long time and help students learn the basics of playing a wind instrument.

Mendini Trumpet Review and Guide

This Mendini Trumpet Review and Guide would not be complete without going over how to pick a good trumpet.

Realistically it would help if you broke it down by what matters most to you. I recommend you consider your budget, skill level, and the durable quality of the trumpet you are considering.

You do not want a problematic trumpet, especially if you are a beginner or buying for a student. As soon as an instrument becomes physically challenging, players get discouraged and do not want to practice beyond what it should be.

You do not want a trumpet with such poor quality that it falls apart or gets dented as soon as you play it. Remember that the durability and quality should match the type of trumpet you get.

A student trumpet will simply have a lower level of durability and quality than an advanced instrument, but that does not mean it has to be cheaply made and of bad quality. You can find student models that are of good quality but are still affordable.

This ties directly into your budget. Brass instruments tend to be some of the more expensive instruments to play. When I was growing up, it was not something we could afford, so no one in my family learned how to play a brass instrument.

Now it is much easier to buy used instruments and to rent instruments. So if you can not afford the initial investment in a student model, you might consider renting the Mendini trumpet from a music school or buying it used.

Tip: If you buy a Mendini trumpet used, just make sure to set aside money to purchase a new mouthpiece. You can clean just about everything else, but you will want a different mouthpiece.

The Mendini By Cecilio Bb Trumpet

Mendini By Cecilio Bb Trumpet is a trumpet for beginners and students, children or adults. It comes with a lot of accessories to get you started. Let’s look at the good and the bad and then break some of these down into more detail.

Pros

Yellow brass finish
Good bore size for students
Medium small bell size, also good for students
Comes with a lot of accessories
Has a warm, rich tone
Good value for the money
Lightweight
Well balanced so it is easy to hold

Cons

You might notice an intonation problem on the E in the fourth space
The valves are not the highest quality
Lacquer finish breaks down over time

Who Should Use The Mendini By Cecilio Bb Trumpet?

Students and beginners should use the Mendini trumpet. Age does not matter. It works well for children or adults. I do not recommend it for advanced players or professionals.

Accessories

Firstly, I love their accessories. As a frugal mother and musician, I prefer to spend my money on accessories I absolutely need. If I buy my piano or cello, I will invest the money in something high quality because I have played those instruments since childhood.

But if I buy a new instrument for one of my children who may or may not stick with it long enough to learn how to play, I want a cheaper beginner model. I want something just good enough for them to practice without costing too much.

So I am a massive fan of Mendini for beginners because their trumpet kit comes with everything adults and kids alike need to get started. They give you a hard case.

This is a very big deal because most people do not think about investing in a case, and yet, children are most likely to drag their instrument on the ground, shove it in their backpack, or smack it against the wall.

So, the case is really something you should not be without. A hard case is even better because, as the name suggests, it provides a hard exterior with a padded interior to keep your instrument safe even when you drop the case or smack it against the car as your child dashes away to their rehearsal.

It also comes with oil, gloves, and a cleaning cloth. Taking care of instruments is what helps increase their longevity. My children have to take care of their instruments just like I do. The oil is definitely something for a beginner, but it serves its purpose. The valves get oiled and work more efficiently, and everybody is happy.

While this Mendini trumpet comes with many accessories, it lacks things like a stand or a trumpet mute. Thankfully, those are relatively inexpensive, so you can pick one up and add it to your collection without breaking the bank.

The Construction

This model has a yellow brass finish which is the most common, especially for beginner models. It produces a very rich tone. It has a hand-finished, one-piece bell. Again, the bell creates great sound and contributes to that bright tone. The body has a gold lacquer finish.

The bore size is 0.46 inches, precisely what you want as a beginner. The smaller size means a beginner does not have to breathe as much to get the same sound. There is a five-inch bell smaller than most, but it gives a sharper sound.

Sound

When you judge the sound, an instrument makes, that is a pretty personal assessment. What you might think sounds good versus what your neighbor thinks sounds good to be completely different. However, most people, myself included, agree that the sound produced by the Mendini trumpet is very good.

When you consider the fact that it is a student instrument meant for beginners, it has an exceptionally bright sound and a good voice. You do not have to work very hard to get that nice sound.

You do not have to work hard is a big selling point for my students and me. Beginners who have to work extremely hard and build up endurance very fast will get discouraged. Usually, they quit their instrument. But the Mendini instrument makes it very easy to play as soon as you start and easy to build up your tolerance and your lip strength. This is a big part of why I highly recommend it for students.

Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are pretty good. Seventy-five percent of buyers gave this trumpet five stars on Amazon, while another fifteen percent gave it four stars. As one person noted, they have been a trumpet player for a decade and found that the design and durability of cheaper beginner models have improved significantly over the years.

I concur. I have instruments in the back of one closet that I purchased nine years ago for myself as a beginner instrument. The quality is significantly worse compared to the quality of the beginner and student models I have purchased for my children in the last few years. In fact, I tried to get them to use my beginner model from nine years ago, and they scoffed (rightly so).

Those who were not as happy had issues with the valves. I said the valves were not as high quality as I expected and did not play as well. This is a pretty common complaint across all Mendini brass instruments.

Customers have lodged the same complaints against the Mendini French horn and the Mendini trombone. However, that is why the oil is so important. When you use the oil properly, the valve issue resolves itself.

Again, this is a beginner model, so the valves are not supposed to be outstanding, and they will make a little bit of noise when you press them because they have springs. However, they do a great job for a beginner instrument.

FAQs

Question: Is Mendini a Good Brand?

Answer: Mendini is a highly reputable brand. They have been around for decades, supplying good quality beginner instruments. Their brand is owned by Cecilio, and both focus exclusively on providing durable instruments that people of all income levels can afford.
They specialize, too, in giving accessories that students need all in one kit. This means you can order a Mendini trumpet and immediately start playing.

Question: Is a Trumpet a Good Instrument for a Beginner?

Answer: The trumpet is a very good brass instrument for a beginner. Many music teachers recommend it as the starting point because learning to play the trumpet will make it easier to transition to other instruments like the French horn,pocket trumpet , and so on.

Question: How do I Pick the Best Trumpet?

Answer: The “best” trumpet will work for your situation. If you are a beginner, then the best is something like Mendini, something that is reliable, inexpensive, and does everything you need when you start out. If you are an intermediate, then the best is something that helps you make the most of your advanced breathing techniques and style.

Question: What is the Difference Between a Student Trumpet and a Professional Trumpet?

Answer: The difference has to do with the craftsmanship and quality. For example, professional trumpets are designed for specific needs, like particular music. Jazz musicians might, for example, invest in a professional trumpet which helps them reach higher notes with more precision or project more efficiently for solo performances.
Beginner trumpets are designed to be versatile and work for all purposes. They work for all types of music and all types of musical groups. They are not as specialized in their design, but that is why they are less expensive.

Question: Should I get a Bb or C Trumpet?

Answer: The Bb or B flat trumpet is most common, and it is best for popular music and jazz music. You should pick a Bb trumpet if you do not want to be heard over the other instruments in your group, outshining them. The C trumpet is better for orchestras, which means it is better for advanced players or professional musicians.

Question: Are Silver Trumpets Better than Brass?

Answer: The material can make a slight difference. Silver is very good for your top notes and gives you more of a range when you play. But brass is often preferred because of its color and more mellow tone. Yellow brass is most common for beginners. Gold or rose brass produces softer sounds and a more casual tone but tends to be more expensive.

Question: How Much Should I Spend on a Trumpet?

Answer: The cost is based on your skill. Beginner trumpets like Mendini will range between a few hundred dollars and about one thousand dollars. Intermediate trumpets, sometimes called “step-up trumpets,” cost between one thousand dollars and two thousand dollars. Professional level trumpets for advanced players and advanced students cost around two thousand five hundred dollars and more.

Bottomline

Overall, this Mendini Trumpet Review and Guide have evaluated the Mendini trumpet to determine whether it is a good trumpet and who should use it. I recommend this trumpet to beginners and students who need their first instrument. It is not something an advanced performer should play, but younger students or first-timers will love how easily they can practice with it.

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