Adams A1 Brass 050 Selected V2

This is a great all-round horn for playing in a variety of settings. It's easy to play in all the registers, valves are fast and very smooth and the horn looks great!

The trumpet sounds great in all registers and does not close up when playing above high C, it stays in tune and its easy to get a resonant sound when playing in any register. The horn is also very mouthpiece sensitive, so if your playing a ballad/ in a small jazz group or orchestra you can go with a deeper cup, if you need to light up the horn you can use a smaller mouthpiece and light up the horn. I personally play on the Lotus mouthpieces, so your milage may vary depending on the mouthpiece brand you use.

The A1 V2 naturally plays on a slightly bright side, my natural sound is darker so it works out, if you're naturally a bright player this horn may not fit you depending on the musical setting.

The sound is great in front of the horn, but I have found it harder to hear myself when playing it compared to other trumpets I've tried. It plays very efficiently so you can spend less energy filling a room with sound, going from a Carol Brass horn to the Adams A1 V2 there is noticeable difference in my endurance.

The valve block is excellent, albeit after an initial break-in period, it took about a month of practice and playing with a good cleaning, once the valves are broken in, its easy to play, the shorter distances on the valve travel means its easy to play fast passages whilst still being able to play with ornamentation like half-valving.

The horn looks great with the satin-lacquer finish, the styling is reminiscent of the Monette design but at a more affordable price, the water key is easy to use and I prefer the Saturn style key over the traditional lever or Amado style keys, they are more tolerant of fluid accumulating before having to empty the keys too. The finish is of a high quality and the build quality is unmatched! I couldn't see any imperfections with the construction or the finish which is a testament the build quality of the Adams trumpets.

Overall, this is an excellent horn and highly recommended for anyone looking for an all-round trumpet to play jazz/ commercial/ classical as it really responds differently depending on the mouthpiece you use. The unique look may not be for everyone, some sections and bands may necessitate a more traditional looking horn.