Claude Gnocchi

Well, OK, I admit it - I'm a "closet Monetter!" After owning most all mouthpieces other mouthpieces available (more than 200!) in the span of my 40 + years of playing, I finally settled on a Monette mouthpiece for my Bflat trumpets.....I had actually tried and owned 3 or 4 Monette pieces in years past, but just never stuck with them...now, I have been playing ONLY my Monette piece for the past year. Here is the interesting rub, though - I am playing a Monette C1115 (?) on my bflats...and I LOVE IT!!!! I will NEVER switch again, so, thanks Dave!!! (so much for NOT playing a C piece in a bflat..).

Question though - I have not seen a Monette Flugelhorn mouthpiece....is there such a thing?

rowuk

Claude,
yes there is. The official designation is FL after the mouthpiece size (ie. B2FL). There are several different flugel shanks, so you shoould talk to Dean at Monette to make sure that you get the right one. There is no SLAP version of the flugel mouthpieces.

I also have experimented with C mouthpieces in Bb horns and vice versa. I find the right way around more centered and secure. It is just a bit less work, but when on stage every % counts. Good Luck!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Sterling

I have a B6 fl flugel mouthpiece which is wonderful. I also recently purchased a PRANA B6 FLR6 Classic Cornet mouthpiece which is fun to play on my Bach 184L cornet. I've also purchased a PRANA B6 SLAP to replace my B6 trumpet mouthpiece. Wow! What a difference. I thought a 17 throat would be impossible for me to play on. It is quite comfortable and the articulation is scarily precise. I find that the B6 works quite well on the F side of my Yamaha F/G but not so well on my A piccolos.

Claude Gnocchi

Guys: Thanks for the replies. I will look for a Monette FL piece for my French-German Flugelhorn. I guess the next step is actually buying a Monette trumpet.....!

Jimi Michiel

Monettes are more expensive, but in the long run you save money because once you find something you like, you keep it! I haven't changed mouthpiece sizes since my senior year of high school. I've recently begun switching over to the "slap" version of my mouthpiece, but how many trumpeters out there have gone 8 years without even thinking about trying a new mouthpiece?

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Sterling

I've said this before in other columns (forgive me). I've played a Bach 3C since 1972. I tried a Monette B6 at the ITG conference last June and haven't looked back. I don't know how they do it, but it works for me. My wife, who is a French Horn player tried my B6FL flugelhorn mouthpiece and was amazed. I have a 11 year old son who has been playing trumpet for two years and he sound pretty darn good on my B6 as well. (He's not getting it yet!) The PRANA and SLAP versions are really different. For me they seem to project easier and articulate with more precision.

Veldkamp

I don't know how many but I know a lot of profs who didn't change their mpc for over 20 years since I know them and they are not playing Monettes. I also play a Reeves mpc since the 90ties.

There are lot's of great mpc's out there.

I even know some great players who are playing plastic mpcs. Bobby Shew played a Kelly mpcs the last time I saw him.

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omelet

It seems that the reason people try out new mouthpieces so often is that it's a relatively cheap way to change your setup, not necessarily that they find their current mouthpiece inadequate. And if you spend something like 5 times as much, you are less likely to subsequently switch. I'm not saying the quality of Monette plays no part at all, btw.

rowuk

People change mouthpices when they think that they have something to gain. A pro weighs the perceived changes very carefully before making any switch. There is too much at risk if you don't get it right.
There is no "magic" in a Monette mouthpiece. Daves "creations" are subject to the laws of physics like everybody else. He does use a different set of calculations though and that changes the basic intonation and sound character. For those of us that get along with his philosophy, it is great. For those that don't, there are enough other good choices out there.

There is no reason to have an attitude about Monette products, they work for a good cross section of players and maintain their resale value. If it doesn't work for you, that doesn't mean that you aren't worthy. It just means that you are sufficiently used to something else. Congratulations!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Schwab

For or against?

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Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York