IMHO: Positive: Because of the low price. & the novelty of the echo system (like a valve operated mute), & the remarkably good tone, I give it the 3 stars. Also it seems to be (at least) reasonably in tune.Also on the positive side is the fact that if while you are practicing, a burglar enters your home, you can incapacitate him by slugging him over the head with this heavy cornet -- or you could hold it over your heart to defect bullets. Maybe you could knock him out by throwing it at his head. You might strengthen your arms by using it as a dumbbell -- but I exaggerate!Negatives:- NO-TAPER LEAD PIPE, THUS WOBBLING MOUTHPIECE.The biggest problem with the cornet is that its lead pipe (where you insert the mouthpiece) has little or no taper as measured externally with calipers. ("Lead" means it leads into the cornet -- not that it is made of the metal lead!) But the supplied mouthpiece (no brand) has a taper (as you expect). So the manufacturing is defective. I don't know if there is such a thing as a mouthpiece stem that has no taper, which is what you would need to have a non-mobbling mouthpiece which can flop out easily. I told the seller about this, & the response was "sad," & he asked what can be done? I asked him to send me a mouthpiece that fits, but thus far I have got no further response back.I find that the Rudy Muck trumpet mouthpiece I have stays in the horn better than the mouthpiece supplied -- with wobble, but not as much as with the supplied mouthpiece. BTW, I own a few real cornet mouthpieces. The one I have on my desk in front of me is way too small for the lead pipe on this horn. So it may be that this cornet was made with an unusually large in diameter lead pipe.- FROZEN 2ND TUNING SLIDE TO 2ND VALVE.This is not a big problem. I decided not to fight to pull that little tuning slide loose because it is almost useless anyway. & it is better to have it frozen than easily slipping off & lost.- STIFF VALVESI cleaned the valves & oiled them, but it didn't seem to help the somewhat stiff action. There is a good chance that with use it the valves will slide more freely.-NOISY VALVE ACTIONValves return to up position with clicks/thumps.-THE 3 (regular) Valves are out of line; the middle valve is lower than the 1st & 3rd valves a bit (the finger pad on top of the middle valve is lower than the other two).Good or Bad?It seems to be on the heavy side for a cornet, but not intolerably heavy. Perhaps the heaviness makes it sound better?The valve operated echo chamber (mute system) appears to be a revival of an obsolete style of cornet. It is a convenience to me to be able to activate a mute with a valve, but the system does add to the weight, methinks more than regular mutes do. However, the echo chamber can be removed easily.After laying off trumpet for years, I decided to go back into playing a bit (trumpet & cornet). I bought this because it was cheap; so I could leave it lying around & exercise my lip with it, not worrying about tooting it if my mouth was not real clean, not worrying about damage by leaving it lying near my easy chair in front of the TV. During advertisements I can exercise my lip.