Do you find yourself wondering what trumpet model a musician plays? Before you buy your next trumpet, consider what your favorite trumpeter plays so that you can test it out for yourself.
Here are some well-known trumpet players and the gear they use:
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1. Arturo Sandoval
Arturo Sandoval plays Van Laar Trumpets and is an artist for the company.
Specifically, he plays the OIRAM flugelhorn and has played it for years. Sandoval has also played a Bach trumpet with a Vernon 3C mouthpiece.
2. Chris Botti
You can find Chris Botti playing a Martin Committee handcrafted trumpet from 1939.
He pairs the trumpet with a Bach mouthpiece from the 1920s so that he can get a nice vintage sound.
3. Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis has played a Monette PRANA 3 Bb trumpet and a PRANA mouthpiece.
He started playing on the setup in the mid-2000s after trying a variety of models.
4. Wayne Bergeron
After designing it with the brand, Wayne Bergeron has played a Yamaha YTR-8335LAII.
He started with existing Yamaha trumpets and took the elements he liked to create his current model.
5. Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert plays a Chicago Benge trumpet as his main instrument, and he used it on multiple recordings.
For practicing and some performances, he’ll use a German Sonare.
6. Doc Severinsen
Another trumpeter to have collaborated on a model is Doc Severinsen.
He plays an S.E. Shires Doc Severinsen Destino III model, which has developed from prior generations of the horn.
7. Alison Balsom
Alison Balsom primarily plays on a Bach C trumpet, and it’s a Bob Malone-converted model.
She’s also a Schilke artist and has various models in the keys of C, Eb/D, Eb, G/F, and a Bb/A piccolo trumpet from the brand.
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8. Andrea Giuffredi
The Yamaha YTR-8335S is Andrea Giuffredi’s trumpet of choice.
He uses the instrument for orchestral performing and when playing pop music.
9. Allen Vizzutti
Allen Vizzutti is another trumpeter who plays a Yamaha, specifically the YTR-9335VS.
It’s also called the Allen Vizzutti Signature Artist Model, and he’s used it for a few years now.
10. Andrea Motis
It’s unclear what model Andrea Motis plays, but some speculate she plays a standard Bach trumpet.
She also appears to play on a Bach Megatone mouthpiece.
11. Bria Skonberg
Bria Skonberg plays a Bach Stradivarius 37 trumpet and uses a Bach 3C mouthpiece.
A Bach Conn-Selmer artist, she’s used the instrument on multiple recordings throughout her career.
12. Brandon Ridenour
Brandon Ridenour’s main trumpet isn’t clear, but outside sources claim he’s played Bach and Schilke models.
He’s played the trumpet for many years and has supposedly switched models multiple times.
13. Chuck Mangione
Chuck Mangione switched from the trumpet to the flugelhorn back in the 1970s.
However, finding what model of flugelhorn he plays doesn’t seem possible after quite a bit of research. You may be able to contact Mangione to ask him directly.
14. Cindy Bradley
Cindy Bradley is another flugelhorn player rather than a trumpeter.
The specific model she plays isn’t readily available online, and it looks like a custom instrument since it’s pink and has a heart-shaped bell.
15. Louis Dowdeswell
The trumpet and flugelhorn player Louis Dowdeswell plays on a Yamaha YTR-6335RC for his trumpet.
He uses a Yamaha Custom Z YFH-6310Z when he plays the flugelhorn.
16. Phil Driscoll
People have supposedly seen Phil Driscoll playing on a Monette trumpet and flumpet as well as a Schilke tuning bell.
However, he’s never explicitly stated the brand and model of his trumpet. So the observations people have made could be way off.
17. Miles Davis
During his career, Miles Davis played multiple Martin Committee trumpets.
Most of the trumpets he played were custom, which makes sense since he was a professional musician and needed the best possible gear.
18. Hakan Hardenberger
Hakan Hardenberger uses a Yamaha YTR-9445CHS as his C trumpet model.
He also plays other Yamaha trumpets as an artist for the musical instrument brand.
19. Keyon Harrold
As an artist for Adams Brass, Keyon Harrold plays an Adams A4 trumpet and an F1 flugelhorn.
He loves the sound and versatility of the brand and says it works well for classical, jazz, and other genres.
20. Marquis Hill
It’s unclear what trumpet model Marquis Hill plays on.
However, he’s an artist for Denis Wick mouthpieces and has played the Classic and American Classic models. Consider contacting Hill yourself to ask about his trumpet.
21. James Morrison
James Morrison plays on a Yamaha YTR-6335J11 as his main horn.
He also uses a Holton ST303 and has played on a Morrison Digital Trumpet as a MIDI instrument. Other gear he uses comes from Thomas.
22. Jeremy Pelt
According to outside sources, Jeremy Pelt plays on Harrelson equipment.
He’s also played on a Megatone mouthpiece and has used gear from brands such as Buescher and the Martin Committee.
23. Sean Jones
Sean Jones plays on a Yamaha Xeno trumpet and a Bach 1 1/2 C mouthpiece.
He says the reason he plays on them is because he likes how the gear sounds and feels for him.
That’s a great reminder to choose what works for you, even if the pros don’t use the same model.
24. Kermit Ruffins
It appears that Kermit Ruffins plays on Harrelson trumpets and mouthpieces.
While the company doesn’t state that, there’s a picture of Ruffins performing on the Harrelson website. I couldn’t find anything more specific on his setup.
25. Lee Loughnane
According to an interview, Lee Loughnane plays on a C.G. trumpet and mouthpiece.
C.G. is short for Claude Gordon, but it’s not the same as CG Selmer or CG Benge instruments.
26. Marcus Printup
In 2021, Marcus Printup started playing on a LOTUS Silver Flare trumpet.
It’s a relatively new model, and Printup managed to get a prototype to try out.
This probably happened because he’s a LOTUS artist.
27. Till Bronner
Till Bronner plays on a Martin Committee trumpet from 1952.
He’s also performed on a Yamaha Bobby Shew trumpet and Yamaha flugelhorns as well as a Bach 72 lightweight trumpet.
Final Thoughts
This list barely begins to cover trumpet players and their gear, and you can see that no two players have the same setup. So while it’s great to know what trumpeters play, don’t let that sway you.
It’s best to choose gear that works for you and your playing style.