cmcdougall

Manny, i am eagerly awaiting my B-993 and i was just wondering, when i was in the shop i saw Dave "adjusting" a horn for Wynton Marsalis because he had dropped his Prana and needed one of his old 993's pronto, when Dave was doing this i was talking to Dean Willoughby and he made a comment, we can make the trumpet but it isn't a Monette 'till Dave plays it. What does he do to adjust the horns, and what makes them so much more delicate than my bach. I didnt really get around to asking these questions in the shop because i was so fired up about how well the horns played i had one to my mouth the whole time and couldn't do much talking. I just thought i would ask you because you have owned his horns since the beginning and understand the equipment much better than many people. Thanks
Collin

Manny Laureano

Dear Cmcdougall,

Dave has a set of tools which he keeps very close to the vest that he uses to adjust the horns and his use of them is one of those trade secrets that he has been smart not to disclose. The larger issue is that he does this stuff at all. Can you adjust a Bach? I suppose you can say people have been "adjusting" Bachs for years. This or that leadpipe, cut this slide, reverse this tuning slide, what have you. What Dave does is much more subtle and can take hours to get it so that it plays optimally.

Read what I wrote to Ray and it'll explain more of the concept that goes into building the horns, pre-adjustment.

I don't think my answer was all that helpful relative to what I think you really wanted to know but it's the only answer I can give. The real truth? I'm not sure what it is Dave does when he's adjusting his horns. I've just seen, heard, and played the results before and after adjustment.

ML

Veldkamp

I think you must not make a to big deal about adjustments. I'm working regularly with a instrumentmaker to improve his horns. They just have to have a lot of experience to translate the feeling and wishes of the player to the instrument.

For instance if you want a opener sound, you can adjust the mpc receiver so it has a bigger gap, or adjust the braces to different places in the tuning slide. There are a lot of small things you can do to a instrument. Every good instrumentmaker knows them. That's why not all great trumpetplayers aren't playing Monette, there are more great horns outhere..

Manny Laureano

Veldkamp,

I think your point has been made already, no? The question was what does Dave do to adjust HIS instruments, specifically. The way he adjusts them is completely different from what other manufacturers do.

Then the other question was "...can you do the same to a Bach?" I said "yes" to that also, you just get a different result.

ML

Veldkamp

I'm sorry if you felt offended, but this is an open forum and everyone can give his view of things. I'm just writing down my experiences, as I see things. If you don't like that I'll stop posting in your special forum.

It just seems to me that Monette players (and Zeus players) are more fanatical about their equipment. I'm love my Bachs, but I also love every other good horn outthere, including Monette.

Manny Laureano

Veldkamp,

Let's not get excited, okay?

Nobody, especially me, is getting offended. Obviously it's an open forum. If you make a statement or you feel someone is overstating something, fine, say what you want. However, you realize, I hope, that any statement that is challenging will probably be answered, no? Your post, in a way, came out of nowhere when you consider that I was answering his direct question and only referred to Bach because it was included in the original question.

I don't think Monette players are as "fanatical" as they are defensive. The same probably could be said for ZeuS players.

If you don't want to post here, that's a shame but it's your decision. Nobody's telling you to keep your mouth shut. I would suggest you reread what the gentleman wrote to me and how I answered him very directly and on-topic.

Have a good day,

ML

Veldkamp

You're probably right. I'll try to to stay cool next time...

blutch

The fine tuning adjustments that dave makes that we are discussing are not the same as adjusting the gap or moving a brace.

That's all done in the building of the horn. They have that part down cold.

Dave makes tiny little scrapes on the insides of slides and other tiny imperceptible things that only a few people have every seen close up.

MA

Heavens2kadonka

Yes, when you get down to it, how the sound is produced is the vibrations are translated through metal tubing into a speaker.

EVERY little scrape and mark inside of any of the tubes can affect how the vibrations travel, and therefore, how the sound is produced/percieved by the listener.

For one, the Monette's have a much softer bell. I wish I could hear an mp3 of someone dinging a Strad bell, then a Prana. In fact, I think that it is advised not to use a regular trumpet stand for the Monette, because it can warp the bell.

The more horns I play/test, the clunkier my 37 feels and plays. My take on the Strad, of course.

Van

Veldkamp

What is the result of these adjustments, that the horns plays better in common or that the horn plays better for you?