What you need to know before buying a Trombone:

• F attachment; The standard trombone has two sections: the slide section and the bell section, with no extra pieces.  Adding an F attachment adds a valve into the bell section which lets the trombonist add that length to the trombone to make reaching long slide positions in less time possible.  Beginning students will usually start with a standard trombone (no attachment), and when they have advanced enough will move to a trombone with an F attachment.  Professionals use both regularly depending on the ensemble and style of music.

• Mouthpiece; All trombones will come with a mouthpiece from the manufacturer.  Most of these will be standard size mouthpieces, even if it is not printed on the mouthpiece.  If the trombonist wants a different size mouthpiece, they can be purchased separately.

• Cases; All trombones come with a case included as a protection for the instrument.

• Valve trombones; Valve trombones are an alternate for a regular trombone in some styles of music.  The valves are used instead of using the slide, but these instruments are not used in schools or normal school ensembles.  Valve trombones are pitched in Bb or C.  Part of the fun of playing trombone is getting a slide!

• Care & Maintenance; The trombone is the most fragile of all the brass instruments.  Any damage to the slide (inner or outer) will make it not work as well as it should.  There are many slide lubricants available to keep it moving fast and smooth.  Proper slide care is the biggest part of trombone maintenance.

• If buying for a beginning student
• Recommended Trombones for students who are “not-yet-personally-committed” to play for years:
• Stagg 77-TT Tenor Slide Trombone ($239.75)
  
• Roy Benson Standard Trombone Outfit ($259.00)
  
• Palatino 816-TB Student Trombone ($262.49)