Are Blessing Trumpets Any Good? (An Honest Review)

When you’re looking for a new trumpet, you might stumble across brands that aren’t as popular.

Blessing Brass claims that each of their trumpets is an investment in playability, reliability, durability, and sound.

Finding the right instrument is an important decision, so let’s discuss whether buying a Blessing Trumpet is right for you:

The Quality of Blessing Trumpets:

Blessing trumpets is a mediocre trumpet brand that is also priced as such. The brand produces two different trumpets that work well, but they are not as popular and widely used in schools and orchestras as the bigger brands. However, Blessing trumpets are known for their good tone and durability.

Currently, Blessing offers two models of trumpets: the BTR 1287 and the BTR 1460.

The BTR 1287 is their student model. Blessing Brass states that they are designed for durability and reliability. Their manufacturer claims that it is easy to play and provides a consistent, even sound.

For professional players, Blessing offers the BTR 1460. It was built for reliability, being well balanced, and having the ability to manipulate sound color.

Most people buy Blessing trumpets because they’re cheap.

Brand new student models start at around $1,000, but you can find them on Amazon for much less. Professional Blessing trumpets aren’t much higher, running around $1,400, but many people buy pre-owned models on eBay.

These pre-owned Blessing trumpets have a price range of $100-$500.

How Hard or Easy are Blessing Trumpets to Play?

Pros:

Blessing has a niche audience that loves its instruments.

For the professional models, some professional players say that they are free-blowing, making it easy to have a pro-level sound.

A Blessing trumpet will most likely not be on their list if you ask any professional trumpet player what their favorite horns are. Despite this, some swear that they are underrated.

A Woodwind and Brasswind article about the Blessing BTR 1580 mentions that it competes with popular professional trumpets but has a great value. The horn’s tone is incredible, and the slides and valves are effortless.

Many positive reviews mention that Blessing trumpets have the best sound considering their price value.

It would be not easy to find a better trumpet for the same price for how cheap these instruments run.

Most Blessing trumpets are free-blowing. The less resistance, the easier it is to create sound. Because of this, some students might find it easier to start with a Blessing.

Cons:

After reviewing various message boards, one negative aspect of Blessing trumpets is their cheap quality and construction.

Blessing trumpets have trouble staying in tune. Trumpet players mention that the tuning slide needs to be pulled out much farther than other trumpets.

Since they are so free-blowing, they tend to be very sharp, especially in the upper register.

For any musician, whether student or professional, being out of tune is a serious problem.

What Genres Are They Good For?

Blessing trumpets tend to have a very bright tone, which is generally more suited for jazz.

Since they are free-blowing and have loose slots, it’s easier to play in a jazz style than classical.

Clifford Brown was known to have played a Blessing and managed to have a great music career.

It’s important to note that because Brown was prominent in the 1950s. Since Blessing has changed its ownership multiple times since then, there could be a major difference in quality.

Some professional musicians love vintage Blessing horns. They recommend buying them because of their great value at low prices. There is a niche audience of professional players that consider them to be indispensable in their daily playing.

That being said, most Blessing trumpets are currently being used as entry-level instruments. They are considered a reasonably good instrument for beginners and are incredibly cheap.

Despite one specific group of musicians who loves them, they are not the best for playing various genres.

Although other brands might be more expensive, they are much more versatile than Blessing.

What Do The Reviews Say?

We checked the reviews at four different online retailers:

• Woodwind and Brasswind
• Amazon
• Guitar Center
• Musician’s Friend

The best-selling Blessing trumpet on Amazon has over 1,900 reviews. 77% of these reviews gave five-star ratings, with the most written responses containing “great value” and “good quality.”

Since Amazon offers a student Blessing trumpet for only $120, it makes sense that customers are choosing that option. Keep in mind that these reviews are from beginning trumpet players, so this trumpet will most likely not be ideal for long-term use.

Woodwind and Brasswind have three different options of Blessing trumpets, but not many reviews. On this retailer’s website, only the professional model has been reviewed. Although it was a glowing five-star review, the lack of more reviews is concerning.

It’s important to note that many retailers have limited reviews for these horns.

Guitar Center had no reviews for its Blessing trumpets. Other retailers had only a few reviews per model.

When buying a new instrument, it’s vital to see whether others have had a positive experience, but most people choose popular trumpet brands. The fact that trusted retailers do not have many reviews for their Blessing trumpets is troublesome.

Musician’s Friend had only two reviews for the BTR 1460, but both of these were positive. They mention that this model was responsive, had a great tone with a vibrant sound, and was reasonably priced.

You get what you pay for. The cheaper it is, the lower the quality.

It is worth mentioning that the negative reviews on Amazon mentioned sticking valves, airy sound, and cheap quality. For a trumpet that only costs $120, this is expected.

If you want to get a Blessing trumpet, your best option is to purchase a vintage model. Many professional trumpet players claim that these horns are underrated, underpriced, and overlooked.

Vintage Blessing models are of higher quality, and you can find very positive reviews like this one:

How Well Do Blessing Trumpets Hold Their Value?

Many vintage Blessing trumpets hold their value while being severely underpriced. The Blessing Artist model is affordable and retains a clear, consistent tone.

Since Blessing is an underrated brand, you can often find great vintage Blessing models who uphold their value and don’t break the bank.

That being said, the value of newer models is less sustainable. Cheap student models will often break easily, having mechanical issues like sticky slides.

Generally, newer Blessing trumpets aren’t the best investment.

Most trumpet players recommend other, more reputable brands that will last longer. They might cost more, but they will save you the cost of repairs or buying an entirely new instrument.

How Long is the Warranty on Blessing Trumpets?

Blessing, like other instrument manufacturers, has a five-year warranty for its products.

When buying from music retailers, you can add on an additional warranty. Guitar Center offers added warranty protection that goes beyond the manufacturer’s wear and tear coverage.

Amazon has a twelve-month product warranty for its instruments.

What Gear Do You Get with a Blessing Trumpet?

Student Models:

When ordering from a retailer like Woodwind and Brasswind, the trumpet will come in a plastic case with a mouthpiece.

The mouthpiece is a Blessing 7C model. This is the standard size for most players. The case is a Blessing C-1287TR and is made of thermoplastic.

Amazon provides additional supplies with its instruments. A student model will typically come with white gloves, a cleaning cloth, and valve oil.

Professional Models:

With the added cost of a professional model, you’ll usually receive a higher quality case.

Blessing offers a professional backpack case when you order an advanced model. This ensures more protection for your instrument.

Backpack cases are generally more convenient and durable.

Final Thoughts

Considering the mixed reviews on Blessing trumpets, they don’t seem to be the best option.

Although Blessing has a niche audience that swears by its quality, the overwhelming opinion is that there are better brands out there.

If you’re looking for a cheaper vintage trumpet or a secondary backup instrument, Blessing might be right for you.

Most don’t recommend Blessing as the best primary trumpet for either students or professionals.

Sources:

INSTRUMENTS | Blessingbrass.com

A Professional-Quality Trumpet at an Affordable Price | wwbw.com