As a returning player, I spent FOREVER tasking eBay and Facebook marketplace for secondhand Sovereigns/Maestros in my price range..... it was never going to happen. So I started to look at more purse friendly options, and found a number of people praising this cornet.

You see, I was spoilt as a young teen - I rocked up to my local band room fed up there was no local windband for me to play clarinet with. I had no idea that they were a Championship section band or what that meant. After 2 weeks of free tuition, I was handed a Sovereign 928 and quickly contesting in a third cornet seat. I eventually moved to tenor horn, and joined another championship section band while I was away studying. I was never in a position, or had the need, to buy my own instrument. Then marriage, kids etc, and I’ve been out of Banding for coming up 15years and haven’t had an instrument to play.

I’m convinced banding kept me on the straight and narrow growing up (ish, what happens on the contest bus stays on the contest bus, right?!) I would love for my kids to be involved too. I’ve been tinkering with an old cheap battered cornet I found lurking in a pawn shop for £20. And I am definitely going to rejoin my old band in the summer, and once I’ve got my confidence back. And I’ll get my kids along to the starter group too. The band collapsed a few years back, reformed as a training band and have shot back up to 2nd section already.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this cornet, buying blind. Quite honestly considering the price I was prepared to be a little disappointed compared to my fond memories of my old sovereign cornet and maestro horn. But boy, it blows beautifully. Effortlessly! It’s a good weight and the valves are fast and smooooooth!! I can’t even find a blemish in the lacquer. I know the bore is narrower, if I feel I need a larger bore I won’t hesitate to come back for the 371.... or maybe a tenor horn if I can fight for my old seat back!!!

Thank you so much!
#makingmusicaccessible

I’ve had JP271SW in silver for 6 weeks now and I cannot praise this instrument enough. I was worried about buying it “blind” as I hadn’t heard of them before and I wasn’t able to try one first, but it has exceeded my expectations. When I decided to buy myself a new instrument I researched for weeks and JP cornets kept coming up on forums and I can see why. In my price range I shortlisted this and an Odyssey Premiere as I wanted to buy brand new. I heard bad things about the Odyssey and they never emailed me back when I contacted them twice for more info. John Packer replied to my questions within 24hrs and their reviews were all positive and they offer a 2 week money back offer which gave me the confidence to give them a try.
I play solo cornet in a 3rd section band and this easily matches my playing standard and that if cornets you could pay £1k+ for. I hated the 90’s sovereigns and moved to Yamaha and this cornet replaced my old Maestro. A fraction of the price but hardly a loss of quality. Other band members have played it and are equally astounded at the quality and playability of this instrument. I would advise giving it a clean first if you buy one as my valves had quite a bit of machine dirt on them causing 1st valve to stick occasionally, but once cleaned they are superb!!
I played my first concert on it today including a duet and a solo and it played extremely well. The bore is slightly smaller than I am used to so I have had to adapt slightly but if anything I think it has made me focus more on my tone and accuracy etc. which is never a bad thing! I would like to try the 371 large bore and I may consider swapping to one of these in the future. I have held off writing a review until I had really put it through its paces and now I have I really can’t fault it.
There will be plenty of bands out there playing on ageing instruments bought with lottery grants in the 90’s and replacing them will be expensive, to all of them I would recommend trying the JP range.
Don’t be put off by the price, in the industry I work in I know that price doesn’t always guarantee quality and vice versa. This has been well researched and designed, and backed by Smith-Watkins! By manufacturing these abroad we get to buy a good quality instrument with a good pedigree at a very good price.
Ordering was easy and delivery was quick and efficient. Huge thanks to John Packer!

I bought this cornet from John Packers about two to three years ago. Although classed as a student model, I have found this cornet to be a really good instrument. It has the Smith Watkins lead pipe and is very well built. The sound is very good, as is the intonation and is easy to play. Highly recommended.