| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Ed Kennedy
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 3187
|
 Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:30 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
The copper bubble is HEAVY. I like my aluminum. My favorite for cutting through a big band is the EMO.
Cups: The H&B is sort of standard but you have to sand the corks down. I have a Walt Johnson cup that I like a lot and I have my eye on the new adjustable cup made by the Soulto guy. I lost a Shastock cup which was terrific, had the real bebop sound. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
HERMOKIWI
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2008
Posts: 2581
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| zackh411 wrote: | | The best sounding cup I ever played was an adjustable cup copper mute. I don't remember the brand... but man... dat mute. |
I have the Dennis Wick adjustable cup mute I suggested but I also have an all copper adjustable cup mute by H & B that is absolutely awesome - best sounding cup mute ever. However, it weighs about half as much as the trumpet itself. It makes the all copper Jo Ral bubble mute seem lightweight. It's not the right cup for playing in the section but for combo where the whole tune is played with the cup, you don't have to blend with another trumpet and you want the richest possible sound it's great.
_________________
HERMOKIWI |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Geodude
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 May 2006
Posts: 588
Location: Chicago 'burbs
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 8:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for all of the input. I did notice that that Jo Ral bubbles were going to be quite a bit more $$ than the others but they seem to get consistently favorable reviews; the real Harmons maybe not so much. He may be able to mooch mutes from his teacher but I figure there are far worse things for me to be spending money on than my son's musical career. And I cannot really whine about cost -he's been very fortunate to have been gifted several very nice horns so I have a really minimal investment in his equipment.
Anybody know of a source of Walt Johnson Gatsby (solotone) mutes? When they were still being made, they were not a whole lot more $$ than the H & B and I like the idea of them being bombproof and sounding good... My local dealer has NOS Walt Johnson straight mutes but not the solotones or the Harmons.
Thanks again. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zaferis
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Posts: 2327
Location: Beavercreek, OH
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 5:08 am Post subject: |
|
|
| cheiden wrote: |
My only caveat here is that cup mutes typically have over sized corks that cause the mute to protrude too far making them sound more like wonky straight mutes. These should be filed down until the cup is fairly close to the bell.
I'd definitely advise sticking with the H&B for the cup and Solotone. I'm not so fond of the Harmon-brand harmon mute. I think it plays kinda' lousy. For that one I'd recommend trying a few and picking the one that plays and sound best. I like the JoRal Bubble in either copper or aluminum. The difference between these and the Harmon brand is not small. |
+1
The problem is that they are not cheap.. but go for the ones mentioned, they last for a very long time (if cared for) and a waste of money to try to replace with less expensive options.
mutes that a "working" trumpeter will want in his/her bag + my suggestions for each:
Straight - Denis Wick, or Jo-Ral, or Tom Crown
Cup - H&B Stoned-Lined
Harmon - Jo-Ral
Plunger - hardware store sink plunger
others that get called for less frequently:
Bucket - EZ-Bucket, or Soulo Mute
SoloTone - H&B Stoned-Lined
_________________
Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
VetPsychWars
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 7196
Location: Greenfield WI
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 7:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
Take a look at the H&B bubble mute... sounds better than the Jo-Ral in my horns (this is important, your horn affects how the mute sounds) and it costs less.
I have the H&B adjustable cup. It sounds great but it is indeed heavy.
Tom
_________________
1950 Buescher Lightweight 400 Trumpet
1949 Buescher 400 Trumpet
1939 Buescher 400 Cornet
GR65M, GR65 Cor #1 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RandyTX
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Posts: 5299
Location: Central Texas
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 7:33 am Post subject: |
|
|
| zaferis wrote: | | SoloTone - H&B Stoned-Lined |
Do you mean what they call the Clear Tone mute?
http://www.humesandberg.com/product_listing.php?category_id=1&scid=2&prod_category=9
The website has "Cleartone" but the label (on current production ones) says "Clear Tone".
BTW, You may want to look at these individually in person before buying them. Some have the center stem near the bell insertion end misaligned significantly. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zaferis
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Posts: 2327
Location: Beavercreek, OH
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 8:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
yes, Clear Tone = Solo Tone...
http://www.hickeys.com/products/032/sku032208.htm
_________________
Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kristiner
Veteran Member
Joined: 01 Oct 2012
Posts: 118
Location: California
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| VetPsychWars wrote: | | (this is important, your horn affects how the mute sounds) |
This IS important, and the fact is often overlooked in the "which mute is best" discussions. It's a player/mouthpiece/horn/mute combination, change anything in that chain and the balance of everything else is affected. So if you're shopping for mutes it's critical to see how they work with your own horn/mpc setup. It's not as easy as recommending a particular brand, though some may be consistently better than others. I've loved mutes like the Wick cup and Jo-Ral bubble in certain horns and hated them in others.
I know the OP is shopping for a student on a budget, but like others have said, a lot of expensive trial and error can be avoided by going to a store and auditioning these things.
_________________
Kris Tiner
Professor of Music, Director of Jazz Studies
Bakersfield College
http://kristiner.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cheiden
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004
Posts: 8914
Location: Orange County, CA
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Geodude wrote: | Thanks for all of the input. I did notice that that Jo Ral bubbles were going to be quite a bit more $$ than the others but they seem to get consistently favorable reviews; the real Harmons maybe not so much. He may be able to mooch mutes from his teacher but I figure there are far worse things for me to be spending money on than my son's musical career. And I cannot really whine about cost -he's been very fortunate to have been gifted several very nice horns so I have a really minimal investment in his equipment.
Anybody know of a source of Walt Johnson Gatsby (solotone) mutes? When they were still being made, they were not a whole lot more $$ than the H & B and I like the idea of them being bombproof and sounding good... My local dealer has NOS Walt Johnson straight mutes but not the solotones or the Harmons.
Thanks again. |
Check here for vintage mutes.
http://www.mutemeister.com/index.html
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zackh411
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 May 2011
Posts: 1886
Location: Saint Louis MO
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 6:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| HERMOKIWI wrote: | | zackh411 wrote: | | The best sounding cup I ever played was an adjustable cup copper mute. I don't remember the brand... but man... dat mute. |
I have the Dennis Wick adjustable cup mute I suggested but I also have an all copper adjustable cup mute by H & B that is absolutely awesome - best sounding cup mute ever. However, it weighs about half as much as the trumpet itself. It makes the all copper Jo Ral bubble mute seem lightweight. It's not the right cup for playing in the section but for combo where the whole tune is played with the cup, you don't have to blend with another trumpet and you want the richest possible sound it's great. |
I just looked it up and the H&B Copper is definitely the one my friend has.
_________________
~Zack
Lead Piece: Custom PickettBrass
Jazz Piece: Custom Curry TC
Legit Piece: Yamaha Shew Jazz (18 Drill) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
