Hope you all enjoyed this video! Stay on the lookout for these sleeper Yamahas from the 70s and early 80s… some that just need one or two small tweaks sometimes sell for as little as $500!!
When you review a trumpet you really go into depth and the listener gets a realistic idea of the trumpet’s sound and mechanics. Some people review a trumpet with their ego and you really don’t get a real feel of the instrument.Please keep putting out these awesome videos. They are very informative and enjoyable to watch. Thank you so much for your time and posting these amazing videos.
@@tomchojnowski9215 That truly means a great deal to me, Tom. Thank you for your kind words. I find it difficult at times to remain objective when I have very strong preferences and feelings about certain equipment, but I am glad you feel you are getting a realistic picture of the horn from my assessment of it. I certainly hope to put out many more reviews soon.
Great insight on these horns. You have confirmed a lot of what I believe about these horns. I have pointed my students to the 3 digit Yamaha for years because of the quality and affordability. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you TL! Glad we're on the same page! Having now tried several Yamaha 3-series and 6/7-series from the 70s, I am truly a big proponent! The 300 series was the subject of another of my recent Scholastic reviews.
Hi Sam. Loved your review. I am constantly looking for information on my horn, YTR-732, which my mom bought for me back in 1974 when I was learning how to play. I always knew the horn was dark and I was frustrated while playing high and projecting. In 1981, made the decision to modify the horn by moving the brace on the leadpipe/bell as far forward as I could get it. This changed my sound and helped with the projection. My range improved as well. Today, I've returned the brace back to its original location. I don't play much anymore, but I wanted that rich sound back, and I'm glad I did. I Love this horn and still plan to keep playing on it until I can't play anymore. Thank you for your review!
@@rbrown57rb Thanks for your insights, Ray! I’m surprised that the altered brace placement did that much for you, but it only further goes to show how much of an individualized apparatus the trumpet is. Anyhow, I do find the 732 to be relatively dark, but still a strong upper-register player.
Hey thanks for the video! I recently purchased a ytr-734 in perfect condition that I saw listed on reverb for just $500. It also came with a callet mouthpiece which is cool, but anyway I am very pleased with my purchase because it sounds and plays fantastic.
Man, I spent some of this summer considering picking up one of these used Yamaha 3 digit horns to use as a more commercial horn. I may still do that, if I find what seems like a great deal. I used to know a few people that played the YTR-739T (trigger) model back in the early 1990's, and they were great sounding horns.
@@sirdaniel1975 The 739T seems like a lot of fun. I like how horns with 1st triggers slot. The weight and solder point of the trigger seem to act as a harmonic balancer. If you are used to a particular style like the stock Strad (ML, medium bell), I do think a large bore might sizzle nicely as a commercial horn-granted, a tighter throat or backbore may be necessary. Let me know if you ever do try out a 739T and tell me what you think of it!
Yamaha's new commercial trumpet the YTR-6335RC is sub £2k. I bought one and can really recommend it. I previously had a Xeno and found it stuffy, the new commercial trumpet is really free blowing and responsive slots really well.
I know eBay is risky, but, based on this review, I just grabbed a 732 from Japan for less than 650 USD. It has some plating loss on the valves but otherwise only negligible wear. Pretty much a lucky find, and it's a pleasure to play. Thanks, Samuel. I think I've been subscribed since you were a toddler whose speaking voice was a startling basso profundo.
Thank you Kerry! Glad you think so as well. I think there are a lot of people who could benefit from trumpets built on Schilke-derived designs, even if they are not the predominant market favorite.
What i don't agree on is the sound difference between lacquered and silver plated trumpets. I did several blind testings with the very same model, one silver, one lacquered. The lacquered one always sounded brighter, more aggressive, subjectively louder, whereas the silver horn always was rounder in tone quality, smoother, even warmer or darker. Silver for me is the allrounder, lacquer finish is the more edgy variant, more for lead playing or commercial gigs.
For older horns at less than $1000 consider the Olds Special, Olds Recording, Getzen Eterna, and Conn 38B (Connstellation). All are great playing horns.
@@richardmason7107 Fair options. I am still a Yamaha guy through and through. My experience with the horns you listed has been as such: Olds: rarely shows up for as low as some of these Yamahas and I really do not prefer the way they blow. Eterna: great playing horns but some of them sound like tearing sheet metal. The whole Eterna line seems to lean towards thinness and brightness. Hence why it seems the new Customs, Proteus, Deluxes, etc. have turned out to be hot sellers-Getzen playability with a nicer sound. Conn 38B: I’d love to find one for well under a grand, but they seem to straddle the $1,000 line a lot more closely than Yamahas do. Isn’t the 38B quite a specialized commercial horn, anyhow? I would think the 6B/8B/12B would be more well-rounded and come up for a little cheaper.
@@Kontrabass66 633?? I’ve never once heard of that model number being used aside from with the inclusion of a fourth digit like 6330 or 6335… Do you know if it’s of a similar vintage to the 732 in this video? The biggest giveaways will be things like the valve trim and pinky hook being a little different from more modern Yamahas.
I love my YTR 732! Beneath stands a 934ML, which seems to be similar to the 634, but with a different bell, yellow brass (and different, very light valves). It has a very bright, yet elegant tone quality. I bought the 732 unseen from Japan together with a 737, both under 700 $ (+ tax!) in good condition. Interestingly, the 737 was closer to the 732 than to the 934ml in playing and sound. Just not as sweet sound, so I kept the 732. The 4-digit models ending on 5 are very different beasts. I had the 6340 which was the successor of the 739. That was, unlike the 6345, very light and a very easy player. With a boring sound, not only in my opinion. Perfect beginner trumpet.
@@hauke3644 Glad we’re on the same page about the 732! It seems a lot of what you talk about in this comment touches on bell geometry above all. I believe the 9-series were never based on Schilke bells, whereas most 7-series besides the 739T were, so M/ML/step/straight bores notwithstanding, the 732 and 737 will play quite similarly to one another but differently from any 900 model. I believe a similar thing is the case for 4-digit models ending in 5. As far as I know, those are just about all based on Bach Stradivarius bell designs. I love the 6335H, for instance, but it certainly comes from Strad roots. What surprises me a little is that you say the 6340 is seemingly quite different from the 6345 when I would have thought both have Strad-designed bells.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass I could never compare the 6340 to a 6345 directly, so I am not sure about the bell. Apart from that I’d say it had the Schilke genes. It had a very open blow.
Mighr look into some of these. I need a backup horn to my schike hc-1. Just bought a yamaha yfh-635T flugelhorn that i really like, and its my first yamaha instrument. I also like schilkes a lot so maybe these will be up my alley
@@elliotmcconnell5449 You are one lucky duck if you managed to find a YFH-635!! That is my all-time favorite flugelhorn. I reviewed one on the channel a while back, but I only briefly got to play on it.
Samuel I have wanted to play most of the brass instruments myself I played trombone in middle school I'm going to retake lessons on the trombone I hope I can play that again and a trumpet I bought at thrift store a great price it's a Bundy so I was amazed could you post more on the trombone videos? And trumpet for beginners too?
@@RobertCardwell I’ll bet those are excellent horns! I sadly very rarely get to play a real Schilke, so climbing the Yamaha family tree is usually the best I can do.
Also thanks for posting the step up trombone videos I looked into getting the Bach 42 that's what I think my teacher had. I loved playing at our school concerts id like to start a local band here in my community if everything goes well and get people together to help kids too. Thanks for inspiring me again too!! ❤😊 Also can you play Hymns?
@@davidabrown92 Thanks for the comments, David. Glad I could help. As far as your requests, it’s not likely I can take them on as I am already bogged down by content plans for the next months. But I do play hymns on the channel. I have a “Hymns/Chorales” playlist on my channel with a few dozen hymn covers.
Loved your video. I found a 732 recently and pondering whether to get this vintage one (in great condition) or a newer 8335 xeno (05) but has significant lacquer loss. Same price. I'm a tenor sax jazz player who is about to begin experimenting with learning trumpet. What's your opinion?
@@ChrisDadd Thanks for your comment Chris. I’d personally more readily recommend the 732 in good condition over the Xeno with peeling lacquer. I think you’ll visually and aurally enjoy the 732 more. My taste is often to go older/nicer rather than newer/heavily used when possible. Furthermore, the Xeno is a nice player but pretty much a carbon copy of all the Bach Stradivarius type horns on the market, even if I personally prefer a Xeno over a Strad in most instances. The 732 is a really unique horn that is stellar easy to play and has an unusually versatile tonal profile.
Hello, I am an intermediate trumpet player, and I currently have a Yamaha 2335, I play mainly as a soloist and sometimes in arrangements for quintet or big band. The genres that I usually play the most are jazz bolero and Bossa Nova and I just found a Yamaha 634 at a good price in my country. I wanted to know if from your perspective it would be a worthwhile change or if I would feel almost the same as with the current Yamaha 2335 that I have. greetings and thanks in advance
@@juanpablomaldonado6273 Let me start by saying the Yamaha 2335 is a wonderful student model-perhaps one of the best. I myself started on one and used it as my “backup” for years after I got my 8310Z. That being said, any Yamaha beginning with the numbers 6-9 will feel like a significant step up. A few differences to note about the 634 versus your 2335: - Reverse leadpipe construction and no tuning slide brace: in my opinion these features induce a much more even blow and improved flexibility across the full range. - Red brass bell with 5” flare (as opposed to 2335’s yellow brass 4-7/8”): creates a warmer sound rich in low and midrange frequencies that are absent from most student models (even if the 2335 is better than most). More projection as well, which is good for solo work. - Lighter weight construction overall: student models are designed more for durability than sonic advantage, and professional trumpets are the other way around. You’ll find that the 634 has easier/quicker response, more consistent articulations, and an increased ease of playing softly compared to the 2335. Likely a good choice for quintet playing. I say go for it! Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Samuel, Keep it up I admire your work. I have a question do you know some cheap good quality C trumpets, I have to be honest I don't have lots of money right now due to the fact I first had to buy a good Bb trumpet just before my teacher told me that for classic music I need the C trumpet 💀 I admit I feel a bit let down right now about going to invest so much again for a trumpet while running my studies. Can't wait to hear from you. Thank you a lot.
@@et_m658 Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately, with higher-keyed trumpets such as C, D/Eb, and piccolo, “cheap” and “good quality” rarely go together in the same sentence. Even C trumpets but especially the higher ones are much more likely to have significant pitch/tone/projection issues if not built to the highest standards. You might try companies like Brasspire, Carolbrass, or Jupiter to see if you can find decently low prices. I’d hesitate to recommend any unaltered Chinese-made C trumpets, as I spent years fighting one trying to get it to play properly. Best of luck on your quest-I know it’s a challenging thing to have to spend so much just for another tool in the toolbox.
@@Westleytheminigolden I’m unfortunately not at the liberty to just review any instrument-I’m constrained to what I or my friends/colleagues personally own. If one finds its way to Spokane, WA I’ll definitely give it a go.
@@chebachaka If they are, I haven’t experienced any issue with them. I’ve also heard that there are techs who can lap Yamalloy in a way that it never causes problems going forward.
Hope you all enjoyed this video! Stay on the lookout for these sleeper Yamahas from the 70s and early 80s… some that just need one or two small tweaks sometimes sell for as little as $500!!
When you review a trumpet you really go into depth and the listener gets a realistic idea of the trumpet’s sound and mechanics. Some people review a trumpet with their ego and you really don’t get a real feel of the instrument.Please keep putting out these awesome videos. They are very informative and enjoyable to watch. Thank you so much for your time and posting these amazing videos.
@@tomchojnowski9215 That truly means a great deal to me, Tom. Thank you for your kind words. I find it difficult at times to remain objective when I have very strong preferences and feelings about certain equipment, but I am glad you feel you are getting a realistic picture of the horn from my assessment of it. I certainly hope to put out many more reviews soon.
Great insight on these horns. You have confirmed a lot of what I believe about these horns. I have pointed my students to the 3 digit Yamaha for years because of the quality and affordability.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you TL! Glad we're on the same page! Having now tried several Yamaha 3-series and 6/7-series from the 70s, I am truly a big proponent! The 300 series was the subject of another of my recent Scholastic reviews.
Hi Sam. Loved your review. I am constantly looking for information on my horn, YTR-732, which my mom bought for me back in 1974 when I was learning how to play. I always knew the horn was dark and I was frustrated while playing high and projecting. In 1981, made the decision to modify the horn by moving the brace on the leadpipe/bell as far forward as I could get it. This changed my sound and helped with the projection. My range improved as well. Today, I've returned the brace back to its original location. I don't play much anymore, but I wanted that rich sound back, and I'm glad I did. I Love this horn and still plan to keep playing on it until I can't play anymore. Thank you for your review!
@@rbrown57rb Thanks for your insights, Ray! I’m surprised that the altered brace placement did that much for you, but it only further goes to show how much of an individualized apparatus the trumpet is. Anyhow, I do find the 732 to be relatively dark, but still a strong upper-register player.
Hey thanks for the video! I recently purchased a ytr-734 in perfect condition that I saw listed on reverb for just $500. It also came with a callet mouthpiece which is cool, but anyway I am very pleased with my purchase because it sounds and plays fantastic.
@@ethanrobertson8847 That is awesome!! Congrats on the new horn and mouthpiece and I’m glad the 734 is living up to your hopes at such a low price!
Man, I spent some of this summer considering picking up one of these used Yamaha 3 digit horns to use as a more commercial horn. I may still do that, if I find what seems like a great deal. I used to know a few people that played the YTR-739T (trigger) model back in the early 1990's, and they were great sounding horns.
@@sirdaniel1975 The 739T seems like a lot of fun. I like how horns with 1st triggers slot. The weight and solder point of the trigger seem to act as a harmonic balancer. If you are used to a particular style like the stock Strad (ML, medium bell), I do think a large bore might sizzle nicely as a commercial horn-granted, a tighter throat or backbore may be necessary. Let me know if you ever do try out a 739T and tell me what you think of it!
Yamaha's new commercial trumpet the YTR-6335RC is sub £2k. I bought one and can really recommend it. I previously had a Xeno and found it stuffy, the new commercial trumpet is really free blowing and responsive slots really well.
@@garyrobinson6247 Good to know-I’ll keep an eye out for the RC!
I know eBay is risky, but, based on this review, I just grabbed a 732 from Japan for less than 650 USD. It has some plating loss on the valves but otherwise only negligible wear. Pretty much a lucky find, and it's a pleasure to play. Thanks, Samuel. I think I've been subscribed since you were a toddler whose speaking voice was a startling basso profundo.
One time I read a list of alternatives to idioms. It included “feed two birds with one seed.”
Great video, Sam. I absolutely agree with you.
Thank you Kerry! Glad you think so as well. I think there are a lot of people who could benefit from trumpets built on Schilke-derived designs, even if they are not the predominant market favorite.
What i don't agree on is the sound difference between lacquered and silver plated trumpets. I did several blind testings with the very same model, one silver, one lacquered. The lacquered one always sounded brighter, more aggressive, subjectively louder, whereas the silver horn always was rounder in tone quality, smoother, even warmer or darker. Silver for me is the allrounder, lacquer finish is the more edgy variant, more for lead playing or commercial gigs.
For older horns at less than $1000 consider the Olds Special, Olds Recording, Getzen Eterna, and Conn 38B (Connstellation). All are great playing horns.
@@richardmason7107 Fair options. I am still a Yamaha guy through and through. My experience with the horns you listed has been as such:
Olds: rarely shows up for as low as some of these Yamahas and I really do not prefer the way they blow.
Eterna: great playing horns but some of them sound like tearing sheet metal. The whole Eterna line seems to lean towards thinness and brightness. Hence why it seems the new Customs, Proteus, Deluxes, etc. have turned out to be hot sellers-Getzen playability with a nicer sound.
Conn 38B: I’d love to find one for well under a grand, but they seem to straddle the $1,000 line a lot more closely than Yamahas do. Isn’t the 38B quite a specialized commercial horn, anyhow? I would think the 6B/8B/12B would be more well-rounded and come up for a little cheaper.
I find your reviews very thorough... great job👍👍 19:19
Thank you Richard!
I also love the old Yamahas. I played a 632 and a 634, now I got a very fine 633 and can´t find any info about this sweet horn..
@@Kontrabass66 633?? I’ve never once heard of that model number being used aside from with the inclusion of a fourth digit like 6330 or 6335… Do you know if it’s of a similar vintage to the 732 in this video? The biggest giveaways will be things like the valve trim and pinky hook being a little different from more modern Yamahas.
I love my YTR 732! Beneath stands a 934ML, which seems to be similar to the 634, but with a different bell, yellow brass (and different, very light valves). It has a very bright, yet elegant tone quality. I bought the 732 unseen from Japan together with a 737, both under 700 $ (+ tax!) in good condition. Interestingly, the 737 was closer to the 732 than to the 934ml in playing and sound. Just not as sweet sound, so I kept the 732.
The 4-digit models ending on 5 are very different beasts. I had the 6340 which was the successor of the 739. That was, unlike the 6345, very light and a very easy player. With a boring sound, not only in my opinion. Perfect beginner trumpet.
@@hauke3644 Glad we’re on the same page about the 732! It seems a lot of what you talk about in this comment touches on bell geometry above all. I believe the 9-series were never based on Schilke bells, whereas most 7-series besides the 739T were, so M/ML/step/straight bores notwithstanding, the 732 and 737 will play quite similarly to one another but differently from any 900 model. I believe a similar thing is the case for 4-digit models ending in 5. As far as I know, those are just about all based on Bach Stradivarius bell designs. I love the 6335H, for instance, but it certainly comes from Strad roots. What surprises me a little is that you say the 6340 is seemingly quite different from the 6345 when I would have thought both have Strad-designed bells.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass I could never compare the 6340 to a 6345 directly, so I am not sure about the bell. Apart from that I’d say it had the Schilke genes. It had a very open blow.
Mighr look into some of these. I need a backup horn to my schike hc-1.
Just bought a yamaha yfh-635T flugelhorn that i really like, and its my first yamaha instrument. I also like schilkes a lot so maybe these will be up my alley
@@elliotmcconnell5449 You are one lucky duck if you managed to find a YFH-635!! That is my all-time favorite flugelhorn. I reviewed one on the channel a while back, but I only briefly got to play on it.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass I know! Horntrader had it for a good deal. It plays amazing!
Samuel I have wanted to play most of the brass instruments myself I played trombone in middle school I'm going to retake lessons on the trombone I hope I can play that again and a trumpet I bought at thrift store a great price it's a Bundy so I was amazed could you post more on the trombone videos? And trumpet for beginners too?
Yep, a Schilke is pretty cool 😎. Seriously though, the Yamahas are excellent.
(eta B5 & C1)
@@RobertCardwell I’ll bet those are excellent horns! I sadly very rarely get to play a real Schilke, so climbing the Yamaha family tree is usually the best I can do.
Also thanks for posting the step up trombone videos I looked into getting the Bach 42 that's what I think my teacher had. I loved playing at our school concerts id like to start a local band here in my community if everything goes well and get people together to help kids too. Thanks for inspiring me again too!! ❤😊 Also can you play Hymns?
@@davidabrown92 Thanks for the comments, David. Glad I could help. As far as your requests, it’s not likely I can take them on as I am already bogged down by content plans for the next months. But I do play hymns on the channel. I have a “Hymns/Chorales” playlist on my channel with a few dozen hymn covers.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass ok yes whenever ❤️
Loved your video. I found a 732 recently and pondering whether to get this vintage one (in great condition) or a newer 8335 xeno (05) but has significant lacquer loss. Same price. I'm a tenor sax jazz player who is about to begin experimenting with learning trumpet. What's your opinion?
@@ChrisDadd Thanks for your comment Chris. I’d personally more readily recommend the 732 in good condition over the Xeno with peeling lacquer. I think you’ll visually and aurally enjoy the 732 more. My taste is often to go older/nicer rather than newer/heavily used when possible. Furthermore, the Xeno is a nice player but pretty much a carbon copy of all the Bach Stradivarius type horns on the market, even if I personally prefer a Xeno over a Strad in most instances. The 732 is a really unique horn that is stellar easy to play and has an unusually versatile tonal profile.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. That's v useful advice
Hello, I am an intermediate trumpet player, and I currently have a Yamaha 2335, I play mainly as a soloist and sometimes in arrangements for quintet or big band. The genres that I usually play the most are jazz bolero and Bossa Nova and I just found a Yamaha 634 at a good price in my country. I wanted to know if from your perspective it would be a worthwhile change or if I would feel almost the same as with the current Yamaha 2335 that I have. greetings and thanks in advance
@@juanpablomaldonado6273 Let me start by saying the Yamaha 2335 is a wonderful student model-perhaps one of the best. I myself started on one and used it as my “backup” for years after I got my 8310Z. That being said, any Yamaha beginning with the numbers 6-9 will feel like a significant step up. A few differences to note about the 634 versus your 2335:
- Reverse leadpipe construction and no tuning slide brace: in my opinion these features induce a much more even blow and improved flexibility across the full range.
- Red brass bell with 5” flare (as opposed to 2335’s yellow brass 4-7/8”): creates a warmer sound rich in low and midrange frequencies that are absent from most student models (even if the 2335 is better than most). More projection as well, which is good for solo work.
- Lighter weight construction overall: student models are designed more for durability than sonic advantage, and professional trumpets are the other way around. You’ll find that the 634 has easier/quicker response, more consistent articulations, and an increased ease of playing softly compared to the 2335. Likely a good choice for quintet playing.
I say go for it! Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Samuel,
Keep it up I admire your work.
I have a question do you know some cheap good quality C trumpets, I have to be honest I don't have lots of money right now due to the fact I first had to buy a good Bb trumpet just before my teacher told me that for classic music I need the C trumpet 💀 I admit I feel a bit let down right now about going to invest so much again for a trumpet while running my studies.
Can't wait to hear from you.
Thank you a lot.
@@et_m658 Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately, with higher-keyed trumpets such as C, D/Eb, and piccolo, “cheap” and “good quality” rarely go together in the same sentence. Even C trumpets but especially the higher ones are much more likely to have significant pitch/tone/projection issues if not built to the highest standards. You might try companies like Brasspire, Carolbrass, or Jupiter to see if you can find decently low prices. I’d hesitate to recommend any unaltered Chinese-made C trumpets, as I spent years fighting one trying to get it to play properly. Best of luck on your quest-I know it’s a challenging thing to have to spend so much just for another tool in the toolbox.
Great video Samuel 😁👍👍
@@peternaryd_operasinger Thanks for watching!
@@SamuelPlaysBrass You're so welcome
@@SamuelPlaysBrass You're so welcome
Can you review the YTR-5335GSIIAL? I might get it for high school.
@@Westleytheminigolden I’m unfortunately not at the liberty to just review any instrument-I’m constrained to what I or my friends/colleagues personally own. If one finds its way to Spokane, WA I’ll definitely give it a go.
Oh well, now expect price hikes for these models :))
@@zuraforreg3088 shoot, you’re right 😬
Yamalloy valves?
@@chebachaka If they are, I haven’t experienced any issue with them. I’ve also heard that there are techs who can lap Yamalloy in a way that it never causes problems going forward.
"Bake 2 pies with 1 onion"
That sure is an interesting one!