Montreux Bb Cornet, Gold (SCR701)

Great experience! Nice cornet!

Overall this is a good horn for the price. The metalwork (joints, etc.) is decent. The valves work very well, and the spring action is adequate -- this is where budget priced horns usually have problems. The slides all move nicely, though like most budget horns, the slide grease is thick and sticky. Just needs to be cleaned up to work well. The tone is good for a budget horn, and noticeably darker and rounder than a trumpet.The mouthpiece that comes with it is not very good. My guess, based on the stamp on the side, is that it is supposed to be a copy of a Dennis Wick 4, but whatever it is, the tone is a little bit harsh and wobbly. Amazon sells better quality DW4-clone student mouthpieces, or you can try a different size. A good student level mouthpiece costs about $15. Or try a higher end mouthpiece. Whatever you choose, you will almost certainly get better results with another mouthpiece. Keep in mind that cornet mouthpieces are not the same as trumpet mouthpieces.Minor complaints: The case I got is not as nice as the one pictured, but it's adequate. The lacquer finish seems like they missed a final polish; it had slightly cloudy areas on most of the horn. Or perhaps it was some residue from the factory. I rubbed it down carefully with a polishing cloth, which helped.