Trumpet
King 601
Price: 273 EUR – 273 EUR
Price history
Cheapest seen
Most expensive seen
Availability: 0/10 (Very rare)
A US-made student Bb trumpet carrying the King name - historically reserved for the brand's professional instruments while cheaper Cleveland and American Standard lines handled the budget segment, a distinction the modern King student line has since erased. Built around King's signature dual-bore tuning slide, a rose brass leadpipe, and Monel pistons, it's widely regarded by teachers and long-term owners as one of the stronger choices in its price class, with some players finding it plays almost like King's step-up Silver Flair model.
About the King 601
The 601's defining technical feature is its dual-bore main tuning slide, which pairs two slightly different bore diameters (0.459 and 0.462 inches) on the same slide - a King design signature intended to smooth the transition of airflow through that section of the horn rather than forcing it through a single uniform bore. That sits alongside a rose brass leadpipe, a seamless 4-7/8-inch bell, and Monel piston valves, with a thumb saddle on the first valve slide for quick intonation tweaks mid-performance. The whole package ships in clear lacquer with a King 7C mouthpiece and a 7500C molded case.
Where to buy
-
Reverb 273 EUR Best price View details
No platform selected – pick at least one above.
Some links below are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Source: https://reverb.com/item/91330539-1983-king-model-601-brass-trumpet-parts-repair
Sound character of the King 601
Available sources consistently describe the tone as beautiful with good overall character, without going into more specific detail on brightness or warmth - a gap deliberately left open here rather than guessed at. The rose brass leadpipe follows the same general pattern seen on other rose-brass-leadpipe trumpets in this project, typically associated with a warmer underlying tone than yellow brass alternatives.
What owners of the King 601 say
Sentiment runs consistently positive and leans toward genuine enthusiasm rather than mere adequacy - players describe it as a great trumpet with beautiful sound, lightweight and genuinely fun to play rather than just functional. Teachers place it among the best student horns available, and at least one junior high band teacher recommends it as a viable step-up instrument rather than something to be quickly outgrown. The decades-long ownership story mentioned above reinforces that reputation: this isn't a horn that owners typically feel pressure to replace early.
Playability & handling of the King 601
Teachers and experienced players consistently rank the 601 among the stronger student trumpets on the market, citing superb intonation with quick response as a key strength. One telling comparison describes it as a step up from its own predecessor, the King 600, feeling almost like King's pricier intermediate Silver Flair model rather than a typical entry-level horn. Durability gets real-world backing too: one owner reported playing the same 1979 example for decades across all kinds of weather conditions while still getting a great tone out of it - a strong signal that this isn't a horn students need to replace quickly.
Recommended accessories & strings for the King 601
The included King 7C mouthpiece is a solid, widely used starting point for beginners. As with any Monel-valved trumpet, regular valve oiling keeps the pistons moving freely, and given how often this model gets singled out as a viable step-up-adjacent horn, players outgrowing it may find a mouthpiece upgrade delays the need for a full instrument change longer than it would on a more basic student trumpet.
Technical data for the King 601
| Type | Student Bb trumpet, 3-valve piston |
|---|---|
| Bore | Dual bore main tuning slide, .459 in. / .462 in. |
| Bell | 4-7/8 in., seamless brass |
| Leadpipe | Rose brass |
| Valves | Monel pistons |
| Controls | 1st valve slide thumb saddle for intonation adjustment |
| Finish | Clear lacquer |
| Included accessories | King 7C mouthpiece, 7500C molded case |
Price history for the King 601
Cheapest seen: 273 EUR · Most expensive seen: 273 EUR
Cheapest seen
Most expensive seen
The history of the King 601
The King brand name carries a historical irony that applies directly to this model: for much of the company's early history, "King" was reserved exclusively for the H. N. White Company's professional-grade instruments, while the budget and school-market horns were sold under the separate Cleveland and American Standard names. Today's King student line, including the 601, represents the eventual collapse of that distinction - the once-exclusive professional name now also fronts the brand's entry-level instruments, a shift that happened gradually across the ownership changes that eventually folded King into Conn-Selmer.
About King as a manufacturer
The H. N. White Company was founded in Cleveland in 1893 by Henderson White, an engraver and instrument repairman whose trombone design for local player Thomas King - after whom the brand was later named - became the firm's first hit model once prominent trombonist Al Pinard adopted it. The company acquired the Cleveland Musical Instrument Company in 1925, and after Henderson White's death in 1940, his widow Edna White took over as president under the motto "quality second to none." The company was sold to the Seeburg Corporation in 1965 and renamed King Instruments, before Steinway Musical Instruments acquired it via United Musical Instruments in 2000 and merged it with The Selmer Company to form Conn-Selmer in 2003, which continues to manufacture King-branded instruments today.
Notable players & recordings featuring the King 601
No verified, model-specific signature-player association was found for this student trumpet.
Related guides
- Silver-Plate vs. Lacquer Finish: Durability, Care and Tone Perception View details
- Trumpet vs. Cornet vs. Flugelhorn: How They Differ View details
- Testing Valve Compression: Simple Checks Before You Buy View details
