My 14 yo freshman daughter is in her third year of band. We went the rental way to get her started in 7th grade  and now it's time for an upgrade of owned instrument.

What do Lady Steel and I get her that will be an improvement that will carry her to college. She's in Band, Marching Band, and in the Jazz Band.

I absolutely know nothing about Brass Instruments.

Thanks....

What make/model exactly is she playing?  If she has a reasonable student trumpet then new equipment isn't going to make that much of a difference at this point, it's far more important she should practice every day without fail.

If you really want to buy the trumpet then an intermediate Bb trumpet from Yamaha, Getzen, Schilke or Bach would be my suggestion.  Whatever you do don't buy on eBay, there's a lot of junk and you'll get burned unless you know exactly what you're looking for and looking at.

Here are some (no connection to WWBW other than as a customer)

https://www.wwbw.com/search?typeAheadSuggestion=true&typeAheadRedirect=true&isTypeAheadSearch=true&Ns=r&Ntt=intermediate+Bb+trumpets#pageName=search&Ntt=intermediate%20Bb%20trumpets&N=0+71985+72742+74539&Nao=0&recsPerPage=20&profileCountryCode=US&profileCurrencyCode=USD

ETA Schilke too

Thanks for the information.. you've given me a solid base to research.

I'm going to go a different direction.

If your daughter is serious about music, and you think she will also play the trumpet in college, then I say go ahead and buy a professional Bb trumpet.  Seems like every kid in high school has one these days, and it will last a lifetime.   A Bach Stradivarius (most common pro trumpet) or the Yamaha Xeno series, seem to be the accepted  "standard sound" for a trumpet being used in a symphony orchestra, and will also serve her fine in the marching band and jazz band.  They are expensive, but they will have some resale value, if you take care of them.  It's quite common to see them on Craigslist, as kids graduate from high school, or just give up the trumpet.  But as mentioned, you will need to inspect it closely for damage, and wear and tear.

There are other options out there, and it is a big jump in money.  But if she is serious about music, she will likely end up with a pro trumpet, anyway.  I would also suggest contacting her music/band teacher, and asking for their opinion.

Skip 'intermediate' models. Not enough better than a student model to be worthwhile, or to keep up with the progress that will come with lessons and regular practice over the next four years.

Go to a dealer and play them. Don't buy Chinese. Try several, different makes, different features. Is she taking private lessons now? Talk to the teacher. If no clear winner emerges, take another trip, maybe even to a different dealer with other options. If one model emerges as a favorite, check Craigslist to see if there's a used copy locally.

Yes, agree 100%

Have her try a Vincent Bach Stradivarius (many sub-models), Yamaha's professional line (about 10 models under the Xeno name), and any other trumpet that
she likes how they play.  Also Schilke and Getzen.

These are the brands I see most working pros play.

OK then.

We don't know what she's playing now, or if she'll major in trumpet in college, or if she'll just play for fun in college, or play at all, and if she does major in college what type of music she'll play (jazz, classical), or in what type of groups, or the OP's budget, so it's a bit hard to give solid advice.

An intermediate could be fine (depending on exact make/model) if she's not super serious about playing.  Definitely do NOT buy Chinese, they are all unplayable garbage.  The three makes I gave are all solid.  If she is super serious then look for a Yamaha Xeno, they are hard to beat for the money (mine is the YTR-8335), if you can find a used one in excellent condition I'd say get that.

More information = better advice

The previous recommendations are good - find a used Bach Stradivarius 37 or 43 - or Yamaha Xeno professional trumpet.

Their used prices are in line with the prices for a new intermediate horn from the better manufacturers.

Thank you friends..

I agree with most of the advice above, and strongly encourage you to look at the Bach Stradivarius.  I got mine about 20 years ago, and still use it regularly.  I didnt go to school for music, that's not a requirement to have a nice instrument.

If that is too much to spend, I dont mind the King Silver Flair as more of an intermediate option, but the pro level instruments are noticeably better to a good player.  Most intermediate instruments aren't enough of a step up for the money, in my opinion.  I have never played a Yamaha pro level horn, but I hear good things.  The Bach is the standard around here, but some college programs will have their preferences too, so you might want to ask around there as well if that is a future possibility.

I had a Yamaha B flat trumpet that served me for years, from grade 6  to college and it was great. I cannot for the life of me remember what my piccolo trumpet or flugelhorn were though

According to a buddy who works in a large music store, Bach Strads have a reputation based on the great ones.  The problem is, when the horns hit the music store, the trumpet players on staff check them out and reserve the great ones for pro players/steady customers.  The 20-30% that are substandard get sold to people who aren’t advanced enough to tell the difference.  Bach’s quality control is nowhere near as consistant as Yamaha.
The Xeno horns are the best if your budget can handle them or the YTR-6345G.
The best buy out there by far is the Kanstul 700.  Kanstul is incapable of making a student model horn, no matter what the description says.  
My advice:  Call The Horn Guys - https://www.hornguys.com/ - and tell them what your situation is.  They’ll treat you right.  Don’t be afraid to buy a used horn from them.