Larry Gianni

Hi all,

The realization that a certain line of mouthpieces seems to work best with certain brands trumpets actually, before the advent of national dealers and internet sales, was a recognized conclusion.

Before the proliferation of so many mouthpiece makers, in stores and thru the internet, giving everyone many choices from a now crowded field was, in the recent past, fairly limited to parts of the country so you only had certain choices that you could make.

For the players in the legitimate field, Bach mouthpieces and Bach trumpets were the hands down “tools of choice “for many decades. Schilke made some strides into the legitimate mouthpiece/ trumpet field, but Bach was the dominate player and probably still is. But what about Stork, Giadinelli , Black, etc.

For commercial players, the choices seemed much more numerous and varying. Because of the different demands and choices jazz/commercial players make and have, it’s only reasonable that their equipment also be more numerous and diverse.

Question: If a trumpet manufacturer also manufactures mouthpieces is that always the best combination to eventually settle on?

Do you play a Schilke piece with a Schilke trumpet? Does that seem to work the best?

I have one conclusion that does seem to be a very good match for a certain mouthpiece brand and a certain trumpet line, but first a little history lesson:

On the east coast in the 60’s and 70’s , Bob Giardinelli made great strides helping commercials players have a choice in a mouthpiece to use that played and performed much better than that old “ Bach “. Plus, Bob Giardinelli and trumpet player Joe Shepley pioneered the concept of the screw rim mouthpiece and actually patented the first "rim, cup, and backbore - 3 piece design” type of mouthpiece set-up. Also, I have to mention Bill Ratzenberger and the orgianl " Jet Tone " line ( They were originaly in Conn. ) that revolutionized the use of the convex cup design , comfortable rim and skelitalized outer mouthpiece design ( which used and held less energy to vibrate) helped commercial players again have a greater choice.

Out here on the West Coast the ‘tools of choice “in the commercial world were, and I believe still are, Calicchio trumpets and Reeves mouthpieces.

I have been told many times over the years that after long “ safari’s “ , the player really does find that this combo seems to bring out the best in their playing and sound.

One reason for this is that both makers had there facilities in Hollywood, Calif for over 30 years , just blocks from each other, the musicians union and CBS , 20th century Fox and Paramount studio’s.

At one time, everyone in LA’s commercial trumpet field either owned a Calicchio at one time or was in Bob’s shop for mouthpieces. Was that the sound that eventually was dubbed “ The West Coast Sound “ and if a player playing a Calicchio in the roaring recording days of Southern California , after countless trials and alterations, found a Reeves combo that seemed to work, couldn’t that easily be copied and used by others?

Here are 2 examples (and there are many more)

Chuck Findley : Bought his one and only Calicchio in 1968 and eventually settled on a Bob Reeves mouthpiece consisting of a 43 rim, es/s cup ( right between a es and s cup ) and a 69 backbore ( named 69 because that was the year it was invented ) in early ’69.
The Bob Reeves line came about by using what worked best for the Hollywood players and eventually settling on a production line rim, cup, backbore, that was previously a custom cut.

Johnny Audino:

The now Reeves 43n rim, es cup and 2 backbore are the same one used by Johhny Audino, when he settled on a Purviuance mouthpiece (made by Bob Reeves when he worked for Don Purviance) with these, then custom features. Purveyance put the model out as the 6*3 when he started to have a line of standard mouthpieces.

These are just 2 examples out of many that seem to suggest a certain mouthpiece line works better with a certain brand of trumpets.

At a certain time, all the custom Schilke mouthpieces were that some are now standard were fro players that played Schilke trumpets. Bill Chase, Mike Vax, Forrest Buchtell, Jon Faddis (Schilke mouthpiece combinations), Lyn Biviano, Joe Mosello, etc.

Why do Monette players say a Monette mouthpiece works better than another brand on there Monette?

I’m just giving the tip of the iceberg as far as this theory goes, but I’ve witnesses the Reeves/ Calicchio combo win out countless times. The “ Who’s Who “ of commercial players on the West Coast ( and around the country ) have known this for a long time, but now, with both of these companies now using dealers more and more, instead of the “ walk-in “ clientele of the past, it has somewhat been lost in the shuffle.

Let me hear what you think on the subject especially if you found one line working best with a certain trumpet.
Plus, how about mouthpiece makers with out a line of trumpets what do they work best in?
Which ones in your experience seem to make a certain brand of trumpet play to it utmost no matter which mouthpiece in the same line you use.

Larry