<p>I recently started a thread about our travails with my son’s first rental trumpet. I got a lot of great advice, and even learned about a great rental place in our town. About a week ago we picked up a brand new trumpet and my son’s rudimentary skills took a large leap forward. </p>
<p>After all my instructions to my son about treating the trumpet carefully, this morning I dropped the trumpet on the kitchen floor (tile) and a section of the horn part bent completely back! Am I the only person who has ever done this???</p>
<p>Completely back?? Which part?
It’s common for horns to get dented. They can usually get the dents out, just like with a car.
I’m trying to think what part of a trumpet could get bent completely back.</p>
<p>Dents and dings on horns are common. Sounds like you did more than ding it, though. But a good brass repairman can probably get it out. You might call the store where you rent from, and ask if they have a preferred repairman. Or, if you’d rather leave the store out of it completely, call your S’s trumpet teacher, and ask for who he uses. We have a very good brass repairman in Atlanta who has cleaned and “smoothed” my S’s various horns as needed.</p>
<p>It’s the opening at the end (where the awful sounds my son makes come out). About 60 degrees of the metal circle are kind of folded back. I was shocked when I saw it. Sounds like I managed to cause a freak injury to the thing.</p>
<p>I will call the store this afternoon. Thanks!</p>
<p>NYMomof2,
Can’t remember whether the damaged trumpet was purchased or rented. In any case, did you pay for any sort of service plan? They may well have on site repairs. One of my S’s plays the trombone and a classmate was carrying a music stand and smacked it into my S’s trombone, denting it. Our local music store (where trombone was purchased) was able to remove the dent. Of course, what happened to you sounds worse. May I ask what brand/model of trumpet this is?</p>
<p>The trumpet is a Jupiter, rented from a local music store. I can’t remember the model number, and it is with my son at his music program at the moment. It is still playable.</p>
<p>I think I may have checked the insurance box on the contract. It was only a week ago and I can’t remember! I’m virtually certain I would have done so, anticipating that my son might lose the thing.</p>
<p>I’m sure I checked whatever boxes were there, being risk-averse. If I were more organized I’d be able to put my hands on the copy I must have been given.</p>
<p>I would definitely go back to the store for repair guidance.</p>
<p>repair should not be a big deal - especially sonically</p>
<p>S2 had a older drummer try to hurdle his horn (which was set in it stand on stage) just before his first Jazz “gig” (really more of a recital at a Sports Bar where the parents and friends could eat and drink), kicking the trumpet off the stage and on to the tile floor. (He then carefully reset back in its stand as if no one had noticed or was watching.) Trumpet was dented and unplayable as the valves were stuck. (Thankfully the trumpeter in the older band lent my son his trumpet for his gig.) Repair took about a half hour and cost $50.</p>
<p>played the trumpet in 5th grade and one morning when he was waiting on the school bus he had placed the trumpet on the ground next to his bookbag and was horsing around with some of his friends. The bus pulled up and backed up as it always did and backed right over his trumpet…insurance covered it but he was so horrified that he was going to be in huge trouble that he refused to get a new one and he gave it up…good thing cause he was awful at it. ha!</p>
<p>NYMom - repair shouldn’t be a problem…it’s just shocking to see the thing in that condition I’m sure! </p>
<p>I remember putting a nasty dent in my flute (yes it is possible if you try very, very hard…lol). Many of the flute players in our band were also twirlers and we had a very bad habit of standing around chatting while ‘twirling’ our flutes…which led to a very bad flute accident involving multiple flutes. I just remember standing there stunned at the sight of all that bent metal. </p>
<p>But, after some metal ‘magic’ and the replacement of a couple of trill keys…all was as a good as new. :)</p>
<p>ldmom, it is shocking! And now I will have “I broke the trumpet” going through my mind to that tune!</p>
<p>Thanks for the encouragement, weenie. I feel like the clumsiest person on earth. My son is not Wynton Marsalis. I’ve been wondering lately whether he ever produced the kinds of sounds my son makes.</p>
<p>“I’ve been wondering lately whether he ever produced the kinds of sounds my son makes.”</p>
<p>LOL. Probably when he was 6 months old or something. Hey, my kid has played trumpet for 14 years and occasionally it still sounds, well, odd!!! (And we have had the bell wrap incident too - fortunately it wasn’t me who dropped it though, but of course I did get to pay for the repair.)</p>
<p>Did your son roll his eyes when he found out? Make any comments out loud or under his breath about how you anticipated that he would be the one…etc? I have girls. Had I ever dropped the bassoon or the oboe, I can just imagine the “look” I would have gotten!!! I feel for yah.</p>
<p>Ok. I have to ask: NYMom, what was the trumpet doing in the kitchen?</p>
<p>If it wasn’t being played, it should have been back in its case. </p>
<p>I hope son hadn’t left it there. </p>
<p>I’m not trying to sound harsh here, but the basic care, handling and proper storage of an instrument should be part of the initial learning process when learning an instrument. </p>
<p>It will save many headaches and dollars down the road.</p>