10 Best Trombones 2024 in the US

If you are a great lover of jazz music and/or brass instruments, then you should definitely consider purchasing a trombone. It was endorsed largely in the middle ages for dance bands and assumed a contratenor position in these groups. It was included in some of Beethoven's works such as Symphony no. 5 in C minor, Symphony no. 6 in F major and Symphony no. 9.  Nowadays you can find the trombone in symphony orchestras, marching bands, concert bands, military bands, brass bands and brass choirs. This a widely varied instrument that can be diverse in both genres and sound. So take a serious look at the trombone and see the beauty and importance of this brass instrument.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a trombone. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of trombone,

• See useful tips about that type of trombone,

• Select the right brand of trombone,

• Find the additional products you might need for your trombone.

Types of Trombones:

• Tenor Trombones:

  • This horn has no tubing in the main section.

  • It has an F-Rotor which allows for the instrument to lengthen and change from a B♭ to F as it has extra tubing in the main loop.

• Bass Trombones:

  • This horn has a larger bell than that of a tenor trombone but has the same length.

  • It is a larger version of the F-Rotor trombone as it has a second rotor which adds even more length than the tenor trombone.

• Valve Trombones:

  • This horn comes in many sizes although the tenor version is the most popular.

  • The valves allow the trombonist to play with more accuracy and faster tempos than that of a slide trombone.

• Alto Trombones:

  • This horn is mostly used for solo parts and found mainly in orchestral settings.

  • It has a higher pitch than the tenor trombone but the tenor trombone can play most of the alto trombones range.

• Soprano Trombones:

  • This horn is less common today and looks a lot like the slide trumpet.

  • Most of its parts in older pieces have been handed over to wood instruments or the trumpet.

• Marching Trombones:

  • This horn has the look of a cornet.

  • It was designed in such a way that it was easier to carry whilst still producing the traditional trombone sound.

Tips for Consumers:

• Types of Bells:

  • Yellow Brass

• • Gold Brass

• • Red Brass

• • Sterling Silver

• • Large Bells:

    • Typically used for orchestral music.

  • Small Bells:

    • Typically used for jazz music.

• Aesthetic things to look out for:

  • Lacquer finishes:

    • Most common of the finishes.

• • Plated Finishes:

    • Considered to be the best finish as it doesn’t create a dampening effect on the vibration.

• • Plastic Trombones:

    • A newer innovation that makes it lighter to carry and more affordable.

    • Easier to care for and is similar in sound to the bass trombone.

• Bore Knowledge:

  • Large Bore:

    • These horns tend to have a darker and larger sound than those with smaller bores.

  • Small Bore:

    • These horns tend to sound brighter and more upbeat than those with larger bores.

• • Dual Bore Attachments:

    • These means that the slide within the trombone is small on one side and big on the other.

    • They are better for more advanced musicians.

• Parts of the trombone:

  • Tuning Slide (1)

  • Counterweight (2)

  • Mouthpiece (3)

  • Slide Lock Ring (4)

  • Bell (5)

  • Knob/Bumper (6)

  • Water Key (7)

  • Main Slide (8)

  • Second Slide Brace (9)

  • First Slide Brace (10)

  • Bell Lock Nut (11)

• What trombone should you buy?:

  • Beginners:

    • Beginners should look for a horn that only has one rotor, a smaller bell, and a smaller bore

  • Professionals:

    • Professionals should look for a trombone that matches the type of music that they want to play.

    • Professionals are able to play the trombone that has more than one rotor, that has a bigger bell and bore.

Items that Can be Used with this Product:

• Trombone Case:

  • This a special case designed to make it easier for you to transport your trombone without it getting damaged.

• Trombone Polishing Cloth:

  • This a cloth you can use to keep your trombone clean and shiny with no fingerprint marks or smudges.

• Mouthpiece Brush:

  • This a brush one uses when they wash their trombone to ensure that all the tubing gets properly cleaned and helps make your trombone perform the best.

• Slide Grease:

  • This is the grease that you put on the slide of your trombone to make sure it moves smoothly and doesn't catch.

• Slide Oil:

  • This is the oil that you drip on the slide, more often used than slide grease and helps makes sure none of the tubing or slide gets caught.

• Trombone Mute:

  • This is an accessory for the trombone that helps when playing certain music by muting the sound to create certain rhythms.

• Trombone Stand:

  • Simply a place to put your trombone other than a case when it is not being used.

• Trombone Mouthpiece Pouch:

  • This is a pouch to place your mouthpiece in once you have disassembled your trombone.

Different Brands of Product:

• Bach:

  • Established in 1918 by Vincent Bach, this business was started by a musician with a love for brass instruments and thus provided good quality for other instrumentalists. The company was bought by The Selmer company in 1961. They are currently located in Elkhart, Indiana.

• Yamaha:

  • Founded in 1887 Yamaha produces a wide array of instruments for consumers globally. With the humble beginnings of designing an organ, they now manufacture and produce drums, pianos, horns, guitars and so on. Their headquarters are located in Hamamatsu Shizuoka, Japan.

• King:

  • Founded by Henderson White, with the help of Thomas King, a musician, the business began by making trombones and eventually grew to other horns. They are well known for high-quality instruments with attention to sound. They are currently located in Elkhart, Indiana.