I played trombone in high school and wanted to pick it back up as a hobby. Marching, Jazz, Pep, and Concert. I just needed a starter trombone for some scales and simple songs so I could evaluate whether I should invest in a full instrument again. This is perfect for that, and I think it's actually great for anyone who wants to learn trombone at home - not just kids! I'm not sure I ever really need the brass anymore, until I want to get a trigger trombone again - and even then, a competitor makes a trigger version of the pBone!
Pros:
It's a real trombone. So many people try to talk down the pBone as though it's a toy, but this is a true plastic trombone. It sets up and handles almost identical to a real trombone. A professional could play this just like a regular brass trombone. Someone who goes to rough gigs, like ska bands, may want to consider a pBone so they don't have to lug brass around.
Full-featured. Has everything from a real mouthpiece port if you want to use brass mouthpieces, to a spit valve, to a slide lock. The only feature this trombone is missing is that the point between the bell and slide if friction-fit, which I'll cover below. But for the most part, again, this is a real trombone.
Lightweight. I wish I could go back in time and give one of these to myself when I was marching. It's so light and easy to handle, it's great.
Attractive colors. I got the purple one, and it's a gorgeous deep color. It's high-quality plastic.
Great sound. Sure a brass trombone will "ring" better than plastic, but unless you're playing Beethoven in a quiet concert hall, you probably won't notice. For practicing or playing in a small club, this trombone will suit anyone. The sound is absolutely fine for tuning and improving form.
Damage resistant. I know it sounds silly to say that plastic resists damage better than brass, but consider what happens if you ever do really whack the slide so it starts to stick or becomes unusable. With brass, you could be in a situation where you need to go into a repair shop and pay a specialist to gently heat and bend the metal into shape. That could be expensive, or even require new brass at great expense. With the pBone, either the plastic will bounce, or if it cracks and you buy another one. Buying a new pBone is likely still cheaper than repairing a trombone. Heck - buy two! You could go through quite a few pBones before adding up to the price of one brass trombone.
Cons:
Small hands warning. The major downside is that the major joint between the slide and the bell is friction-fit. This means you're using your thumb around the bell's cross bar to hold the instrument together. This is the natural position used to hold a trombone, but anyone with especially small hands or a weak thumb could have trouble holding the two together. If you have trouble wrapping your thumb around the cross member when holding a trombone, you'll need to consider some other way to help reinforce this joint. They really should fix this and just make a tab to fix the bell at a specific angle. I'd rather have the trombone fixed at 90 degrees, than have to baby it. I'm sure you could use something simple like a rubber band to assist a small child if their hands are truly too small for the hold. You could easily glue this joint permanently if you intend to keep the trombone on a stand anyway, although you'll lose the ability to store it in a gig bag.
Out of the box the pBone slide really is scratchy and a bit slow. This is fine for anyone new to the instrument, as it's quite tricky to maintain a brass slide for a newcomer anyway. I'd say the slide feels no worse than my first trombone did before I learned to maintain the slide. The manufacturer says the slide will wear in with just spit and time. I'll probably add a dab of cream to assist the process, but for practicing scales and simple songs this is perfectly fine as-is.
Neutral:
The slide has a lock and a pinky lug so during play you should wrap your little finger around the lug to hold the slide in place. I'm used to the older style where the slide's first cross bar is higher so you held the cross bar with your little finger. Adjusting to the lug is weird but I'll learn.
Overall:
I love my pBone so much I don't really need a brass trombone anymore. The pBone is plenty for practice, basement jams, and even gigs. The only reason you'd ever need to upgrade is if you need special features (trigger), or if you play concert halls. Parents of children who may someday compete in concert should still consider the pBone. Not only is it better for learning (lighter, inexpensive if you change instruments) but a child should be more comfortable playing without worry that they'll damage an expensive instrument.
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Product Description
pBone Instruments are designed with kids in mind! With lightweight, colorful, high-quality wind and brass instruments, kids can discover the joy of music in seconds! pBone Instruments aid brain development, sensory and fine motor skills, build confidence and encourage self-expression.
Play with Ease
Experience the joy of effortless playing with pBone! Its lightweight design enhances your child's technique and posture. Crafted from durable plastic, this low-maintenance trombone is robust, ensuring a dependable and fun musical journey!
Great Value
Unlock exceptional value with the pBone, priced at a fraction of beginner brass trombones. It includes a carry bag, two plastic mouthpieces, and access to online learning resources. Everything your child needs for a budget-friendly musical journey!
Expand Your Musical Horizon with pInstrument
 pBone |  pBuzz |  pBone Mini |  pCornet |  pTrumpet |  hyTech | |
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Customer Reviews
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Price
| $199.00 | $29.95 | $129.00 | $139.00 | $169.00 | — |
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Weight
| 1.8 lbs | .5 lbs | 1.5 lbs | 1.1 lbs | 1.1 lbs | 1.4 lbs |
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Mouthpiece
| 6.5AL, 11C | Custom | Custom | 2B, 4B | 3C, 5C | Brass 7C |
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Case
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
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Key
| Bb | C | Eb | Bb | Bb | Bb |
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Colors
| Multiple | Red | Red, Blue | Red, Blue | Multiple | Black, Gold, Silver |
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Ages
| 8+ Years | 3 to 7 Years | 6 to 8 Years | 6 to 8 Years | 8+ Years | 8+ Years |
As a 2019 Queens Award-winning manufacturer, Warwick Music Group also pride ourselves on our safe products! We are REACH Safety Compliant, certifying that we meet the health and safety standards during production. Also, pBone is made with market leading technology for protection against microbes.
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| Price | $199.00 | $199.99 | $194.99 | $69.99 | $259.65 | $14.99 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 7 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 7 | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 7 | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 7 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| For beginners | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Light weight | ||||||
| Sold By | GlobalEcom | BestWay INC. | Mix Wholesale | PAMPET US | Brook Mays | Glory Music |
| instrument key | B Flat | B Flat | B Flat | B Flat | F | B Flat |
| material | Plastic | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Brass | Nickel, Brass | Plastic | Abs,Plastic,Brass,Carbon Fiber | silver plated |
| style | Instrument Only | Student | Mouthpiece | — | Modern | Modern |
| weight | 3 pounds | — | 3.09 pounds | — | 5 pounds | — |
Reviews with images
It's fun...but then it cracked.
I received this pBone as a gift. It sounds good and it has been fun to learn on it. However, after about four months of light use (I babied it) including practices at home, a handful of rehearsals, and a gig, I discovered a stress crack where the two pieces join. I wrote to Conn-Selmer, the US distributors, and was told that it was a 30 day warranty and that I should try to use superglue to mend it. I'll attempt the "fix," but I cannot say that I'm happy with the product cracking like that after so little use.Caveat emptor.
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Alfredo Amado
Bueno por el precio
Reviewed in Mexico on February 12, 2023Color: RedVerified Purchase
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Mycket lätt, med mycket ljud
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Raffaele
Buon prodotto ad un prezzo contenuto
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Super pour débuter
Reviewed in France on April 11, 2022Color: RedVerified Purchase
