Startone SSL-45 Bb-Tenor Trombone

I've been learning trombone with this instrument for half a year now, and I'm still amazed with the quality for this price. The package also includes a case, slide lubricant, the large needle to clean the tubing and even small white gloves.

The case is of good quality, really holds up well and with no signs of any damage even after half of year using it.

The lubricant is good and usable, but not the best, as slide-o-mix would be better. The needle is also not as convenient as a flexible cleaning cord.

The instrument itself sounds as good as in the demo recordings, the slide is quite noisy and has a very very slight resistance, though. For this price, however, I expected the noise to be louder (it still kind of is) and resistance much harder than it is. Overall, slide works very nice. The golden finish, where the hands are holding the instrument, are already showing wear, and it makes it look older than it is.

The only real problem is the mouthpiece, which should be replaced immediately, as I've shown it to several trombonists and they said it can't be a trombone mouthpiece, maybe from another brass instrument.

All in all, very good small shank trombone for its price, very good case and a bad mouthpiece.

I am a brass and woodwind instrument repairer based in Athlone,Ireland.I bought these trombones for a new school project which was to provide instruments to school children at a cheap rate so they could access a musical instrument.For beginner instruments they proved to be of good build quality with sturdy cases and strong enough for kids to put together and take apart easily.I visited the school almost a year later and the trombones are still going strong with no problems and are even being passed down to the next set of kids who are wanting to learn how to play a brass instrument!I would recommend these trombones to any beginner.