The short answer
You can try a daCarbo in three ways. At a dealer: Thomann in Germany lists daCarbo trumpets and a flugelhorn, and Fleming Musical Instruments in Houston lists daCarbo trombones and Unica trumpets. In person with Andi Keller, the maker, at a trade show or by appointment in Lachen, Switzerland. Or at home: order after a free call with Andi, and you have 30 days to send it back from the day it arrives.
Why trying matters more than reading
Every maker says its horn plays easier. You've heard it before, and you're right to doubt it. A horn is personal. What works for one player above the staff can feel wrong to the next. One daCarbo owner wrote on a trumpet forum that he loved his, then found he had to work harder than he wanted above the staff: "Great horn, but didn't quite fit me."
That's why the test matters more than the brochure, whichever horn you're looking at.
How to test a horn properly (any horn)
These tips come from players who test horns before they buy, and they work for a daCarbo or anything else:
- Use your own mouthpiece. Changing the mouthpiece and the horn at the same time tells you nothing.
- Play your own music, not just scales. Take the page that's hardest for you at the end of a gig or service.
- Test tired, not fresh. Most horns feel great in the first ten minutes. Play the hard page again after an hour, when your chops are where they are in the last set.
- Same room, same day, one after the other. Switch back and forth with your own horn.
- Record both, and let someone listen blind. Your section, your teacher or your partner. Don't tell them which is which.
- Pay attention to soft entries. Whether a quiet note starts when you ask for it tells you more than how loud a horn gets.
What to watch for on a daCarbo
Do the two-finger check first. Rest two fingers on the bell during a long note, on your own horn and on the daCarbo. On a brass bell you'll feel a buzz. That buzz is your bell vibrating along with the note, energy you put in that never becomes sound. A carbon bell barely vibrates.
That also means you feel less vibration in your hands. Some players need a few days to get used to that. TrumpetScout, an independent tester, felt nothing special on the first day. After a few days, his soft entries and high notes were more reliable. So if you can, give it more than an afternoon.
On a trombone, also try fast passages. The carbon outer slide is lighter than a brass slide. It moves more smoothly, and quick slide changes take less effort.
Option 1: at a dealer
- Thomann (Germany, ships across Europe) lists daCarbo trumpets (Unica, Toni Maier) and a flugelhorn. No trombones.
- Fleming Musical Instruments & Repair (Houston, USA) lists daCarbo trombones and Unica trumpets.
Stock changes, so check with the dealer before you travel.
Option 2: with Andi in person
Andi Keller assembles and tests every daCarbo instrument himself in Lachen, Switzerland. There's no walk-in shop, but you can try the instruments with him by appointment. He also brings all the models to trade shows.
Option 3: at home, with 30 days
For most players, the nearest daCarbo is far away. So this is how most people buy one:
- You book 30 minutes with Andi. You play a little for Andi and tell him about yourself.
- Andi recommends an instrument. He also says straight out if none of them suits you.
- If you order, the price includes tax, customs duty and shipping. Nothing is added when it arrives.
- You have 30 days to send it back from the day it arrives. You pay the return shipping, and custom builds aren't included. Ask Andi on the call what the return would cost from your country, so there are no surprises.
That gives you time for the real test: your own band, your own room, your own last set. Trumpets and trombones start at €2,990, the flugelhorn has its own price on the site.
All instruments and prices: dacarbo.ch