Antoine Courtois TOMA Bb Quarter Tone Trumpet – Lacquer (ACTOMA-1-0)

There are very few trumpets in the world that genuinely open up new musical territory. The T.O.M.A. is one of them.

Designed by Adrien Jaminet and made by Antoine Courtois — one of France's most respected brass manufacturers — the T.O.M.A. (Trumpets of Michel-Ange) was created in collaboration with Ibrahim Maalouf, the Paris-born Lebanese trumpeter whose music spans jazz, classical and the rich microtonal traditions of the Middle East. The concept of the quarter-tone trumpet was originally imagined by Ibrahim's father, Nassim Maalouf, over half a century ago. This is the modern version — a "2.0" instrument that makes microtonal playing accessible and natural without asking you to abandon everything you already know about playing trumpet.

If you play Western music, it plays and feels like a standard Bb trumpet. If you want to explore beyond it, the fourth valve is right there waiting.

What Makes It Different?

Most trumpets have three valves. The T.O.M.A. has four, and that fourth piston is the key to everything. It lowers the pitch by a quarter tone, which unlocks the microtonal intervals that sit between the notes of a standard Western scale — the intervals that are fundamental to maqam music from the Middle East, classical Indian music, African traditions, Eastern European folk music, and much of the contemporary and jazz world that draws on those roots.

The concept behind the instrument is that it retains the familiar landmarks of a standard Bb trumpet while making microtonal playing accessible and natural. You don't need to learn a completely new technique or embouchure adjustment to play in tune in these traditions — the valve does the work for you. Woodbrass

Built the Way a Courtois Should Be

The bell is handmade in yellow brass at 123mm diameter, paired with a standard rose brass leadpipe — a combination that gives the instrument a warm, full-bodied tone with real clarity and focus. The four top-sprung Monel pistons are responsive and reliable, and the instrument comes with two water keys. This is a handmade instrument built on decades of French brass-making tradition, and it plays like one. VirtuosityGear4Music

Who Is It For?

The T.O.M.A. is primarily aimed at intermediate to advanced trumpeters who want to expand their musical language. If you play jazz and want to explore Arabic maqams, Persian radif, or Indian scales. If you're a classically trained player curious about contemporary music that uses microtones. If you're a world music specialist who has been working around the limitations of a standard trumpet for years. Or if you simply want an instrument that gives you more options than the one you're currently playing. Woodbrass

It's also worth noting that as a straight Bb trumpet, it's a genuinely excellent instrument in its own right — the quarter-tone valve is an addition, not a compromise.

Key Features

• Bb quarter-tone trumpet — 4 top-sprung Monel pistons, 4th valve lowers pitch by a quarter tone
• Handmade one-piece yellow brass bell — 123mm diameter
• Standard rose brass leadpipe for warm, clear tone
• Medium-large bore — 11.68mm
• Clear lacquer finish
• Designed by Adrien Jaminet, made by Antoine Courtois
• Created in collaboration with Ibrahim Maalouf
• Suitable for classical, jazz, contemporary and world music traditions
• Includes gig bag case
• No mouthpiece included

Specifications

What's Included

• T.O.M.A. Bb Quarter Tone Trumpet (lacquer)
• Gig bag case

A Note on Mouthpieces

This trumpet is supplied without a mouthpiece. If you need one, any standard Bb trumpet mouthpiece will fit — just get in touch and we can help you choose one that suits your playing style and setup.