why all the monette haters?!?!?!

Big Dave88 · Veteran Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 479

i've been doing alot of reading on the forums about monette recently, mostly because i have been on a mp safari for a very long time, and i have yet to try a monette. i have been at least a bit displeased in a very intangible way with every mouthpiece brand i can get a hold of for my main axes, my Bb and C horns, so im hoping monette mouthpieces will be the end to this arduous journey.

more to the point -

in virtually, if not every thread about monette this or that, there is always some dismissal, if not outright subtle hatred of the line of instruments and mouthpieces, on every trumpet-relate forum out there. these haters seem not to stick with the usual objective criteria used to subjectively appraise mouthpieces/horns.

it seems to be more than that, and it more than mildly irks me.

a few reasons,

the most important one being that, ultimately, ideally, and hopefully, money should be the last thing, or dare i say irrelevant, to what an artist chooses to play. their equipment, whatever it may be, they choose because they like it, and it allows them to give themselves as close to exactly what they envision their musical goals to be.

having said that, there is no accounting for taste.
everybody is different.

but to bring in ad homnimens such as the equivalent of 'bad', or 'stupid' or 'waste', ad nauseum, is frankly, kinda childish. if you dont like them, if they didnt work for you, leave it at that.

furthermore, i believe mr monette had an idea, conceived his idea, figured out his idea, created, fantastically marketed, and ultimately accomplished his idea - his idea being what HE thought his equipment should do, and sound like.

i think he is very devoted to his work, knows his schtick, and charges whatever he wants because he has that much work put into his creation -
and, even more than that, for many many players, monettes DO what they are purported to do.

i have yet to try either a horn or mouthpiece of his. i hope very much that his mouthpieces work for me in a way which i have not found in a piece yet [edit: and if it doesnt, ill leave it at that, and MOVE ON], but i doubt i ill ever own one of his horns, because i dont necessarily completely subscribe to his sound concepts. (EDIT:although, perhaps someday, a light model of his. that days is a ways off however. who knows.)

yet, although i have no experience with what he has to offer, the point of this thread is to point out the small-mindedness of this subculture of trumpet players that seem to constantly pick away at monette [edit: or, i suppose any horn brand, for that matter....].

it more than mildly irks me.

i would hope that as musicians we could all be more open mined than what i seem to be reading - although i realize it (hopefully?) is a very vocal minority.

i wager i will not contribute anymore to this thread.(edit: yeah... never mind about that.)

so, as forest gump would say,

thats all i have to say about that.
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LittleRusty · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 12:12 pm Post subject:

I think a better question is why are Monette lovers so religious in their love and so consistent in their attacks on anyone who even implies Monttes aren't god's gift to the trumpet world.

I simply cannot understand the vitriolic attacks from the Monette faithful.

James B. Quick · Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:20 pm Post subject:

Well, why don't you call Monette up and tell him what you are playing for a mthpce and ask what their equivalent size is? Then you will find out...

jbq

butxifxnot · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 2353

...I don't recall monette haters. Like, ever. Mostly people just say they wouldn't pay 300 for a mpc. And monette mpcs cost that much, sooo....

It's just another brand. People will like and people would rather spend their money elsewhere.
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RandyTX · Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:34 am Post subject:

I think the larger issue here really is why do you need other (mostly) random people on the internet to validate or reinforce your opinions?

You've made your mind up it seems, despite having zero experience with the product of your own, which seems quite interesting. Yet you dismiss out of hand any contrary opinions from people that do. That part seems somewhat irrational.

If you want to play or try out a Monette, do so. If you like it, great, tell us about it. If you don't like it, that's ok to, tell us about that as well.

See? It's really pretty simple.
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kehaulani · Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:56 am Post subject:

Randy - LOL! Your reaction is too simple and clear.

Sounds to me that the OP is really having the dialogue with, and trying to convince, himself. We are merely spectators.
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mbradd · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 3:19 am Post subject:

Hey BigDave,

I hear ya. There's a lot of Monette hating on this site, as is a lot of Bach Strad hating. And praise for both. I think it's safe to say that those are the two most revered and reviled instrument makes out there.

I myself like the Monette sound and concept, although I have never owned their horns or mouthpieces. I would like to try some of their mouthpieces, but haven't really been in a situation where they're readily available. I have played one of their first Chicago made horns. My trumpet teacher had one and I loved playing on it. But that was back when they were basically suped-up Bach's.

Anyways, forget what anyone else has to say. If you can find them, try them out and if it works, go for it. And if they don't work for you, keep looking. One of the great things about living in this time is that there is nearly an endless supply of fantastic instruments and equipment out there. There are definitely many horns/mpcs that will work for you. Just gotta find them.
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Big Dave88 · Veteran Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 479

dang... told myself i wast gunna add to this thread...

randy and kehaulani, i suppose you can think whatever you want about me, and i cant stop you. its unfortunate though, that you completely missed the point of what i said. you cant argue with ignorance i suppose.

THANK YOU mbradd, for getting me. at least somebody did!!
and your right, there are alot of haters out there for all types of horns, huh...

ok... i hopefully im done...
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dmb · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:44 am Post subject:

Wow! The shift key does work on your keyboard.
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kehaulani · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:16 am Post subject:

fraserhutch · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:00 pm Post subject:

Haven't you heard? The term hater has been redefined to mean anyone who doesn't agree with you,.

LittleRusty · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:07 pm Post subject:

fraserhutch · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:46 pm Post subject:

Seems to me most of the debate around Harrelson is not the quality of the horn as much as the business practices.
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Crazy Finn · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:24 pm Post subject:

I don't think that Monette is that unique in being criticized.

Strong personalities and unique horns tend to polarize people. Monette qualifies on both counts.

But, lots of horns are criticized here all the time...

Other "news" from recent and typical TH threads.

Bachs are shoddily built. They also have poor intonation and are stuffy.
Yamahas all sound bland. They have no character to the sound.
Taylor Customs are too heavy to use in convention situations.
Wild Things don't play in tune.
Martin Committees are overrated.
Getzen doesn't make "real" cornets.
Jupiter and Carol can't possibly make good instruments since they're Asian.
China and Taiwan are the same thing.
Schilkes don't carry. They sound tinny. A Bach or a Bundy would play better.
Monettes don't sound like trumpets. Anyone playing them would sound better on (fill in the blank).

Nothing new here.
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Howie J · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:38 pm Post subject:

I'm really screwed...

I play on a "shoddily built" horn that may be stuffy with an overpriced mouthpiece that may or may not be God's gift to the trumpet world..

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mbradd · Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:35 am Post subject:

RandyTX · Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 5:34 am Post subject:

Big Dave88 · Veteran Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 479

randy, if you read what i wrote, i said what you are suggesting.
can i not dote on a craftsman, and reject his ideas, because they do not work for me? can i not be hopeful of a product, but ultimately still open minded? can i not have an opinion on the craftsman, and not yet the craft?

that more or less typifies what im trying to get at here.
why can a company's craft be not simply appraised on personal preference/objective criteria, rather than on some sort of personal vendetta. i can dote on mr monette because its not his fault his concept dont/wouldnt work for me - if the product works for me, awesome, and if it doesnt, no hard feelings to mr monette - i can still dote on him, but pass over his equipment and concept because they dont work for me. i sound like a broken record.

that goes for 'any' company.

why can a company not be simply left alone, why can a company not simply be moved passed, if the concepts dont work for that particular player? more often than not, im sure they do just move on - but it seems, at least to me, that against a few makers, there is this cult following of 'haters'. haters being those who -
"seem not to stick with the usual objective criteria used to subjectively appraise mouthpieces/horns. "

i believe i defined what i thought 'haters' to be in this instance in what i wrote already as well... i(t is common practice in philosophical debate to more or less have ones own definitions for a particular envisioned instance. whether or not you receive this philosophical debate, is well, your call!)

those are the haters im talking about. views about concepts and subscribers/nonsuscibers to those concepts, arguing about the CONCEPTS have nothing to do with it. its when they make it personal - when they go beyond that objective criteria. i believe i wrote this as well...

as an aside...
i feel as if this is rather pointless, in hind sight. you think you are right, and i think you are missing/arguing around the point still. i think you are ignorant to what im trying to say, and you think i am ignorant for what im trying to say!

perhaps i am misunderstand/misinterpreting things, but if i am, i cant really help it. alot can be misinterpreted over words on a computer screen. yay impasses and ambiguity. even if we cant seem to find common ground, i do apologize for calling you and keh ignorant. that was childish of me. i dont want to burn bridges here.
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RandyTX · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:15 am Post subject:

Let's cut to the chase then, I think we're getting somewhere ...

Big Dave88 · Veteran Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 479

ok. i actually think we are saying the same things... just in different ways....

because most of what you just said i completely agree with, its just that our definition of 'bad' are slightly different.

heh, and 'dote' is the best word i could come up with. perhaps compliment/ detached reverence to some degree is a better fit.

back to definitions, with rearguards to -

"I think that's pretty much what happens here, and what you are objecting to. People on this forum (or most any other forum) post their opinions. Unfortunately, they're not always the opinions you or I want to hear. All I can say to that is, too bad. If you want real answers, you have to be able to deal with dissenting opinions. "

the dissenting opinions definition is what we don't agree on. a dissenting opinion to me is what goes beyond a "realistic version(appraisal) of the strengths and liabilities of a product." and i think you misunderstand/think that i see a "dissenting opinion" as one that is completely opposed to the product, in any way - which i am not. i am opposed to the astroturfurs, as you put it, i just see more than the average bear i suppose. it goes back to the whole 'alot can be misinterpreted on the computer screen' thing.

so, in all honestly, i think we are pretty much saying the same thing.
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