I bought a
Stomvi about half a year ago. I think they're a pretty newish company, I definitely hadn't heard of them, anyway.
I was looking for something basically a step up from the student trumpet I learned on, but not a crazy expensive pro horn. At any rate, I just went to the brass shop and played a bunch of stuff. The stomvi had as good a sound or better than some of the more expensive horns, and anything that actually did sound better was out of my price range at the time.
Having played it for a while and used it in recording for two albums, I can honestly say I love the tone, but it does have a greater tendency towards sticky valves than I'd like.
You should definitely consider looking at a few different mouthpieces. Finding one that you're better suited to can make a big difference, I think.
Basically I'd go to a shop and play some stuff, try a few mouthpieces, and find something in your price range that you like. A bunch of shops do second-hand sales as well, and a second-hand horn is definitely worth looking at as an option. Most horns are pretty robust so besides checking out the valves there aren't too many things that can go wrong.
Don't be too worried about spending a fair bit of dosh, either. Considering the thing will last you your whole life, it's probably better to get something you're happy with than getting stuck with a cheaper horn.
