Robert Rowe

Has anyone had experience with the Maurice Benterfa wooden mouthpieces? (They are distributed by Stomvi).

I am "experimenting" (again!) ... and have "discovered" a marvelous palette of very organic and "nasal" tones, with a French Horn mouthpiece combined with a rare adapter (plus, a turn around the shank with some special tape I found). I use this set-up on my Cousenon Monopole "C" Trumpet (has the looong Eb/D-type bell).

I thought the wooden mouthpieces would enable an even more mellow and sweet tone ... (which is amazing already with the above set-up).

Robert Rowe

Martin Williams

Ive never heard of a wooden trumpet mouthpiece; though I have tried one for sax.

I wouldnt really call it mellower, just different. I was still able to easily get a strong, bright, jazzy tone when I wanted one. I have also tried a wooden neck piece for my sax - again I noticed a bit more focus in my sound but It wasnt noticeably mellower or anything. Regardless of equipment, eventually I end up sounding like me(same goes for me on trumpet)

Try it, and let us know your reactions! If nothing else it will look totally cool. a frein of mine bough that mouthpiece from me, and the horn has a a sivler body, a gold wash bell, a copper neck, and a wooden mouthpiece - quite an intresting look!

Martin

cntrpt

If I am not mistaken, Don Green in the LA Phil. plays a wooden mouthpiece, or did. Maybe MrClean could chime in.

chameleon

I played on a Benterfa 14j for piccolo trumpet briefly. I really liked the thick, mellow sound. And the smooth wood texture felt very comfortable on my lips. I'm not playing pic right now and no longer have that mpc, but I have been experimenting with my own wooden mouthpieces. My creations are still a little crude. My main problem is getting the throat the right size to balance the cup and backbore. Maybe one of these days I'll come up with something that works well.

Vulgano Brother

I too bought a Benterfa 14j for picc, and it sounded great in my living room, but lacked the sizzle to cut through even a German string section. With a metal mouthpiece I get at least a "normal" sound, but the wooden mouthpiece lacked enough color for ensemble work.

Jimi Michiel

Watch out for termites!!!

Robert Rowe

Hello, Martin.

Being as you're into saxaphone(s), (aside from the wooden mouthpiece issue) ... do you have any idea how Stan Getz achieved that amazing nasal, "organic" tone on Tenor Sax?

A band-mate (sax-player) has never succeeded, or come close (of course, he's no Stan Getz, either).

I play guitar, also; and I was able to approximate a decent Charlie Byrd sound/styling for some of those Getz/Byrd collaborations on the Jobim sessions ("Desifinado", "Girl From Ipanema", "One Note Samba", etc.). Too bad we couldn't get some chick to look and sound like Astrud Gilberto.

Robt Rowe