BflatAnklan

Hey Manny,

Do you know what a P1 mouthpiece is? I assume it's a new weight category of the blank, but you know what they say when people assume...

As always, thank you!
M

mattdalton

I'll jump in and answer before Manny, but only because he is out for a few days. You are right about the P1 being a new style of blank. When I talked with one of the Monette stafff about it when I visited the shop in December I learned that it also has a different shank than the more common existing blanks (STC-1, LT, etc.) so it will only work with Monette instruments of a certain design. It wouldn't fit correctly in my Monette STC trumpet, so I didn't try it.

Jimi Michiel

When I was at the shop a year or so ago, they had so much stuff they didn't even have names for everything. They were bending mouthpieces, experimenting with bent leadpipes, different kinds of blanks (including what looked like the orinal stork-ish blanks), etc. (Charlie Schlueter was playing one of the new Pranas over the summer and when I asked him exactly what it was, his reply was something to the effect of "I dunno, Dave sent it to me and it plays great.")

It took them about three years since Prana instruments first came out to come up with new model numbers (and so far they only have B-flat up on the website, no C or odd-keyed instruments). Bottom line, they're doing a lot of crazy stuff and it's taking them a while to come up with names for everything (and even longer do get the info up on the website). I'm still not completely sure what "mid-shank" means.

-Jimi

BflatAnklan

Thanks Jimi & Matt!!!

I can't believe that it wouldn't fit into the pipe! Dave sure is a genious; I can't wait to get over to his shop and soak it all up for a few days. (I currently live in Kentucky so that day is further than I'd like to imagine.)

Is it weird that I have a Prana B4 slap? I've never heard of anyone else owning one and they are not listed on the website.

I love being a trumpet nerd...good night!

Jimi Michiel

M-

Dave has made different sized mouthpieces for a number of years. AJNA and SHAKTI mouthpieces were always to big to fit into "conventional" instruments (or even other Monette instruments).

Going out to Portland was one of the best trumpet experiences I've ever had. One of the things they'll probably show you is the computer program they use to run the new CNC lathe they got a year or two ago. There is an amazing amount of math end engineering that goes into the mouthpeices and they are now able to design with an incredible amount of accuracy. Dave showed me the difference between Slap and non-Slap cups and the difference was incredibly minute, just a few millimeters, but when I played those few millimeters on the computer screen made all the difference in the world.

As for the B4S, no, it's not weird that you play a mouthpeice that's not on the site. They're a custom mouthpiece and instrument company; they work with clients to find the best equipment and if what's best falls inbetween the cracks of their established nomenclature, then they'll go for it and give some kind of long, cryptic name (my favorite so far is my friend's "Monette Prana AP1-1 LD S5," all of which is stamped around a cornet shank piccolo blank).

Best,
Jimi

rowuk

Last time that I looked, Dave had 3 different sized trumpet shanks: the one for conventional and light Monette horns, the large Ajna/Shakti one and a new one for the instruments starting with the Prana 3. I am sure that Dave has a technical/musical reason for this and will ask him when I pick up my new horn in June.
Each shank size has several different "weight" mouthpieces available.

BflatAnklan

! Thanks everyone!

Manny Laureano

Hi, all...

Please call the shop but I'm almost positive that the P1 is a mouthpiece that is between the old STC2 and the STC1 in weight. My understanding is that it's the same one I took a prototype of to Europe, The point is that it should fit in the standard non-Ajna type receiver. I haven't heard this nomenclature from David personally but I remember he was looking for a name for that mothpiece and I'm pretty sure that's it. It should fit in your standard Monette horn.

Manny

Grav

Hi Matt,
Just came across your post and noticed you mentioned that you have a Monette Prana B4 Slap and didn't know if others did as well. Dave just made me one a few months ago. I played a Prana B4 for quite a while and wrote Dave about a Slap version. He took some time and sent me some designs over the Christmas holidays. I settled on the Prana B4 Slap that is .003 deeper in the cup-- it's all stamped on the the piece too. It did take the regular Prana to a better place for me. Hope you're enjoying yours as well.
Ciao--