Monette B6DS1: Uncommon piece, but worth exploring!

jaysonr

I just wanted to share about this mouthpiece. I've been on a journey over the past several months as I discovered that the 3C rim size fits me much better than the 1C type stuff I had been playing.

I've tried all sorts of 3C pieces, all in search of a "deeper 3C" as I find the Bach/Curry 3C just a bit too shallow for my natural sound.

I had gotten very, very close a couple of times, and I was very much set on a Greg Black 3CD, but I was still curious about trying a Monette again. It was one of the scenarios where I knew I'd not be content until my curiosity was satiated.

I got in contact with the shop, and I was lucky to get a new old-stock STC-1 Prana B6DS1 at a slight discount.

This piece is great. I had appreciated many of the "Monette concepts" in the past, but I was always on stuff that was simply too big when I was trying them.

With this piece, the rim fits me, it's a very comfortable contour (honestly feels a bit more like a scaled-down 1C than a 3C to me, which is a very good thing) and a good cup. I'd say the cup is similar to a 1C cup in shape, if not a tad deeper. On their new mouthpiece chart(*) they list the "Relative Depth" as a "7" which is right in line with the B11S5 and B15MS12 which were my two previous "best" sizes.

This mouthpiece has worked well from the very beginning. Two weeks after I got it, I put it into the thick of it. My church had an opportunity to perform at the NC State Fair, so in one week I had two 2-hour rehearsals on back-to-back nights, followed by the performance on Sunday (I posted a video of the performance in the 'Video' Forum if you are interested). I know a lot of folks say Prana mouthpieces are more tiring on non-Monette horns, but what I have found since having this mouthpiece is that I have more endurance than I've ever had. I think it's a matter of getting the right fit.

I know those are famous last words for a trumpeter, but I do know my playing has considerably improved in several areas (most noticeably range, endurance, and intonation) since switching to this piece.

I simply wanted to share as I know it's not a common piece many would have heard of. I often seen posts here searching for a "deeper 3C" and I think this is an option for those interested in a mouthpiece that size.

Best,
Jayson

*Here is the new Monette mouthpiece chart which is much more helpful than what they had recently. I think BJ helped them put this together: https://www.monette.net/comparison-chart
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Isaiah 40:8
3 John 2

chef8489 · Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:07 pm Post subject:

Isnt this close to a bach 3b? I currently play on a 3b and quite like the feeling of a 3b over the 3c. Back in my hay day I played on a 1.5b. some reason I seem to prefer the b cup over the c cup. I have been looking at the Monette mouthpieces for a while and originally was looking at the b4s3 but since recently decided the 3b was a better fit for my comeback, the B6ds1 looks more appealing.

jaysonr · Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:42 pm Post subject:

chef8489 · Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 3:54 pm Post subject:

jaysonr · Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:45 am Post subject:

nzhangtrpt · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:32 am Post subject:

Hi,

I just got a resonance b6ds1 prana. The sound is darker but sounded more diffused (not concentrated) than my another prana that has a depth of 5. Do you feel the same thing? I could be just me not blowing full, though.

-n

jaysonr · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 12:24 pm Post subject:

nzhangtrpt · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:28 pm Post subject:

Very well said. I figured that my mouthpiece gap was too big. I sounded a lot better after shortening the gap.

I might want to move on to a b6s1 for more brilliance and presence in my sound. The b6ds1 indeed sounds full and rich, yet I feel like I am not strong enough for it yet. My sound is kind of dull to my ear, but it still could be me not playing correctly.

thanks for posting. -n