gdong

If you currently, or have ever owned any monette mouthpieces, I think it would be of benefit for everyone to share the following:

What the Mouthpiece progression was for you and what are your opinions on your monette mouthpieces; before and after, why you like/dislike them, how they compare to other pieces you have used. And lastly, have you found certain horns to respond well or not so well to the mouthpieces!

For me it goes like this:

Olds 3, Bach 7C, Bach 3C, curry 5 C/DE, curry 1.5 C/DE, Yamaha shewLead/Jazz, Monette B4/B6L, Monette Prana B2S3/B2LDS1

When i switched, it was mainly to keep me from buying a new mouthpiece every month, and I ended up really liking the open feel and secure rim of the B4. I went through my embouchure switch on this mouthpiece and then switched to the Prana line that really fattened up the sound and let me play better in tune without having to compensate for the instrument as much. Now, i've outgrown the B4/B6L and the B2 series have really allowed me to fatten up my sound in all registers. I have especially noticed that i can really dig in above G (above high C) where i was a little on the lazer side before.

My Bach Strad 37 didn't really like the monettes very well, it was a very compact feeling horn, sold that thing in HS and got the Kanstul 1600WB, that thing loved the monettes. The AustinWinds stage40LT really loves them too, the leadpipe is more "monette" style and i highly recommend it to monette players!

Sterling

I played a Bach 3C for at least 35 years. Bought a Monette B6 at last year's ITG conference and loved it. My primary horn is a sterling bell Bach 43 and it works very well with that horn. Since last June I have purchased a B6 Prana, B6 Prana Slap, B4S Prana Flumpet, B6 Flumpet(Flugelhorn), an A6 Piccolo Trumpet, and a B6 Prana B6 R1 Flumpet(Vintage Cornet style). I must have needed a change in my approach to trumpet playing or just a good kick in the butt. Whatever it was, the Monette mouthpieces helped my direction. I'm still getting used to the Prana B6 and the Slap. They are both really nice, but require more thinking on my part to use. I really have to remember not to overblow, let my whole body influence my playing. Each mouthpiece seems to work in all of my horns from modern Bflats to vintage. Go figure

Adam-PL

I always wanted to tell my story in this kind of topic. So here goes:

Bach 7C - used for 1,5 year
- it was a borrowed mouthpiece so I needed to buy something for me

Bach 1C - used for 4,5 years
- my first mouthpiece ever bought. Was used but was great (I wish I still had it) one of a kind

Stomvi 3CW - used for 0,5year
- thought that "smaller" will make me play higher... Wrong!

Bach Megatone - used for 3C 0,5 year
- thought that a Bach 3C will make me play even higher... Wrong Again!

Bach Megatone 1 1/2C goldplated - used for 1year
- Decided that the small size mpc's are not for me

Monette B2,C2,E2,B2LD,AP2,BP2 used for 3 years
- I bought one and loved it, so I bought the rest for my set. They helped me to evolve but after 2,5 years I thought about a different rim shape I could use.

Laskey 80C, 80MD, 80MC - used for 0,5 year
- I found my rim shape and wanted to buy more mouthpieces in this size, but after a while of searching and waiting I went to a different brand.

GR 67CT, 67BT, 67C**, 66P-M, 67FL, 67 #3cup, - used for over a 0,5 year
- Very nice sounding mouthpieces but could not get all mouthpieces with the same rim

Finally after few words with a kind friend over here I went back to Monette.
This time 1-2 series with the new Slap cup – non Prana.
for 1,5 year I'm a happy owner of:
STC-2 B12S3, STC-2 B12LDS, STC-2 C12S3, STC-2 E12S3, FLG12, AP12LD Slap, BP12LD Slap,
I'm waiting for the LT B12LD Slap with #19 throat.
Yet to come a STC-3 B12FL, and BP4LD Slap with #19 or #20 throat.

What can I say, I'm not the best player in my "village", but there is a lot of people that play the same brand, It's just easier to play with them.
the Monette gear shows how much I need to work on my body/mind/relaxation/effectives etc. The harder I try to play the more I need to understand that it's not the good way to do it. The more relaxed I'm the better the sound is and so on and on...

The Monettes vs my Schilkes are a nice match (for me), heavy mouthpieces with a light horns gives my work an optimum, an all-around. Better intonation on each horn just makes my life easier.

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Schilke: S32LB, S22CLB, E3L, P7-4
Yamaha: 8335G
Slide trumpet: Jupiter (just for fun)
Monette 1-2 series all slap

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Vulgano Brother

My first Monette mouthpieces were a B 1 and a C 123, back in the day when they were silver plated. They still work. I bought an STC E2 for my Eb, which works great on my rotary C. My AP2 collects dust. Anyone wanna buy it?

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www.letsbuildhope.org

rowuk

Orchestra and solo: Bach 1 1/4C, Schilke 18, Monette B2, Monette B2D, Monette B2D Prana Slap

Picc: Bach 10 1/2E, Monette AP5/BP5

Lead: Bach 10 1/2E, Schilke 14A4A, Monette BL, Monette BL4, Monette B6S/B2LD

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Danbassin

I started out, as so many students do, with a Bach 7C, as trumpet began to be something important to me I went to a 5C, then quickly thereafter a 3C, at this time I had my first piccolo [schilke] and used a Bach 3D cornet mpc on that. I had been fascinated with Monette's story and the approach to his equipment and, after my first few years of serious orchestral playing - at this time on a Bach 1B, I bought my first Monette mpc - a B1-2. My first concert using that mpc was an orchestral gig, when playing principal on Tchaik 5. As I didn't have a Monette C trumpet mpc at that point, I played most of the concert on my C with the Bach 1B, but picked up my Bb with the B1-2 for the coda. I quickly found the cash (and pestered my parents for the remainder) for a C1-2.
After a year and-a-half or so on the 1-2, I felt that its very flat rim with its sharp curve into the cup restricting, and then moved to the 1-1 series.
My first Prana mpc was actually for lead playing - an LT B4LD. I then got a B1-1 Prana, for use on my Bach Bb, and very much enjoyed the more lively, open sound availble with Prana technology, and felt spurred on to play more open and efficiently, as that equipment demands. My STC-4 C trumpet was at the shop for adjustments, and, had my first Prana mpcs for my only Monette horn made there. At that point, I was totally won over - Prana for me and no looking back.
As I was unsure about the whole 'slap' thing, I had them make me an STC-3 weight Prana C1-1 (the Prana version of what I'd been playing) and an STC-2 weight C1-1S1. It took me a little while to understand the 'slap' design, but, at this point, I'm on board - 'Slap' and Prana mpcs all the way for me!
Current set-up Prana LTJ with either Prana B1-1S1/81/17, or B1-1LDS1/81/21 (both STC-1 weight). P-1 C with a mid-shank C1-1S1/81[.390]/13, and, occasionally C1-1S5/81/15. Also piccolo, Eb, and cornet prana mpcs - this equipment allows me to think about the music alone, and encourages me to play as openly and efficiently as possible.

Best,

-db

Claude Gnocchi

Got a Monette B8 about 2 weeks ago and I'm really loving it! I have had Monettes before but they were a bit larger than I normally use, so I didn't stick with them. The B8 is just right for me.....lso now, Im looking at a "pre-owned" Monette Chicago bflat trumpet.....anyone play one? recommended?

gdong

I played one of the original chigago Bb monettes in Japan over the summer. It was a very nice horn, but is nowhere near the stuff they are making now. I would say as far as conventional equipment is concerned, it is among the best you can get, but if you are a Prana user and are looking for a trumpet of that calibur I would not go for a chicago monette. I actually really enjoy my austinwinds stage40lt, it plays very similarly to the LTJ monette horn (if you have a monette mouthpiece be sure to get the standard lead pipe as the heavy one will not fit your mouthpiece).

Schwab

Bach 7C-3C-1 1/2C-Monette B12-Bach 1 1/2C-6C-NY Bach 10 1/2C-Curry 8.5

Didn't like the Monettes. Do like the Currys.

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Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York

trumpetnick

Bach 7C, Bach 3C, Bach 1 1/2C, Bach Gold 1 1/2C Backbore 87, DW MM 1.5 C, BreslMair G1, waiting for a custom Breslmair to come...kind of a franken piece

Piccolo: Schilke 11 AX, Monette AP 2L

While the piccolo monette works excellent for me, the "big" trumpet mouthpieces I tried did not catch my ear....Maybe I just did not get across the right one...

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Spada Bach B flat 72, leadpipe 2L/DWMM1.5C
Spada Bach C 256, leadpipe 2LQ/DWMM1.5C
1956 Olds Ambassador Cornet
Spada Custom Piccolo

If you don't know where you are going, you 'll end up someplace else