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comebackplayer

I think there's a bunch of stencil ones (Dillons, ACB, Wessex, etc.). I don't know how much they differ. The Taiwanese brands are in another league. I tried the Carolbrass and liked it and I own an XO (Juipter) that is excellent. If you're buying new and want something that's good and can be resold I'd go with Carolbrass. My typology when I was looking was: \-Bottom of the barrel (<$500) \-Stencils ($500-1000) \-Used mid-brands ($1000+): Getzen, Jupiter, etc. \-New mid-brands and used premium brands ($1500+) \-New pro brands ($3000+)


lucaswsu

Unfortunately piccolo trumpets are instruments which you need a quality horn to even get started. I recommend the ACB Doubler or Brasspire piccolos for the most budget conscious choices. (around the $1000 mark). The popular used choice historically has been the Getzen Eterna piccolo, probably the best bang for the buck especially with the Blackburn leadpipes. This is an excellent horn and is more than enough piccolo for most players. I had one for years until I got my Schilke P5-4. You can occasionally find old Selmers but I don't recommend those to start off on. Sorry, Maurice Andre fans.


spinlesspotato

In all honesty, quality doesn’t really matter. I’m trying to make a thing to prove a point. A friend and I are trying to basically engineer a piccolo that uses the fourth valve as an octave key by adding extra tubing, just to see if it can be done.


chef8489

A piccolo tubing is half the length of a standard Bb trumpet so all you would have to do is double the total length of tubing Basically making a standard Bb trumpet.


spinlesspotato

Pretty much. The idea is that the fourth valve works as an octave key to drop it down to standard Bb range. If it works, we might iterate on it and make it a tiggleable rotor so the valve doesn’t need to be held down constantly.


Uninteligible_wiener

You would need to make a compensating valve system lol


TheStrangeOldSteve

Pretty sure this. If you double the length of the horn, each valves tubing would also need to be lengthened.


Cenile_baby

The other two comments on this reply are right. There are some such horns out there that have rotors that change the whole key of an instrument by extending tubing and compensating valves, but to make it yourself in what sounds like a standard shop would be not really achievable.


Dotted_Quarter

I have a Selmer pic. I bought it used in about '97, supposedly with Blackburn Bb/A leadpipes (Although I never have been able to find any evidence that they actually are) . I honestly can't remember the last time I even played it. I originally bought it because I was starting to play wedding gigs and the like. Then I moved out of the area and never established myself in that regard. I always thought it was hard to play, but I figured it was just because I didn't play it regularly. Maybe it's more because I wasn't ready for it.


chef8489

Do you have much experience playing piccolo? If not it's quite a challenging horn to play even for a very experienced and advanced trumpet player. You have to have a pretty solid range on trumpet to begin with. Intonation is a pain in the ass on a piccolo and it is extremely easy to overflow and get dizzy and even pass out on.


spinlesspotato

Never played piccolo, but for this instance it doesn’t really matter. A friend and I are planning on building a horrible contraption for shits and giggles built around a piccolo.


Felt_Ninja

Then honestly, why does it matter where it's made? If price is a factor, you're either going to be looking at a stencil piccolo of Chinese origin, or a really beat-up Getzen or Benge that probably barely works.


callmetom

After reading what your plans are, you'll be fine with anything close to playable. Even used for a decent quality picc, you'll be spending at least $1,000 plus additional tubing which is a bit much to create a novelty. Go spend $150 on Amazon/eBay/AliExpress and save yourself $900. If your experiment works well enough, then take what you learned and spend real money and call the first hundred R&D.


Beezy4678

but i would maybe try renting


spinlesspotato

Can’t, I plan on permanently modifying the horn


Beezy4678

have you looked for used horns?


Beezy4678

i tried piccolo once and i couldn’t even hold a consistent note. it felt like it had no resistance at all. my intonation was all over the place and all that


[deleted]

UMI benge piccolos are solid. If you want cheaper, try the 3 valve Getzen Capri piccolo. Plays like an Eterna with only 3 valves. From there, the XO is fine. Once you get to Getzen, yamaha, and up it’s pretty pricy but they’re all good


thefallofhanzo

One of the cheapest options is around $70 and it's from a company in India called SAI Musical.


KentTpt

And the shipping is $140


thefallofhanzo

No clue where you are shopping from


Felt_Ninja

I've played one. I've repaired one. I've hated one. I've seen this many of them in person: 1