Peter Gane Trumpet Mutes

[dstpt]

Peter Gane Trumpet Bucket Mute

I recently bought a Peter Gane bucket mute through Gerry Birch Music Services…

http://www.gerrybirch.co.uk/mutes.htm
...click on: "'click here' for pricelist." This will take you to:

http://www.peterganemutes.com/pricelist/#trumpet

...and the prices are noticeably lower than thomann.de, btw. The latter has to charge a retail fee to make money off of the deal. I nearly bought from them, not noticing at first the other options in my google search.

Here are some interesting facts I picked up. Gerry Birch Music Services is the company that now owns/makes/distributes Peter Gane Mutes. When I emailed them, I ended up communicating with “Tom,” so I asked him the following questions:

"What is your last name?
Who is Peter Gane?
What is your affiliation to Peter Gane?
Do you make all of the mutes under his name?
How did this come to be?"

His reply:

"Tom Pascoe is the name. Peter Gane is a British trombonist who decided in 1973 that there were not enough good quality fibre mutes readily available so teamed up with his neighbour, a boat builder, to develop this line of mutes. The neighbour in question was responsible for production until about 12 years ago [2006] when he unfortunately passed away. Gerry Birch then took the chance of buying the business and has successfully built it up untill just over a year ago when he happily parted with the company as part of his retirement plan.

"All the mutes are made under his name and he receives royalties. I had personally never met him untill we met to discuss the royalties when I was looking to take over the business. It was somewhat chance how I ended up doing this. Left university with a degree in tuba and was very much like 'well now what do I do' having been told by everyone up to that point, go to uni you will walk out into a good job. Oh how I was lied to. Basically ended up doing a course where part of it was doing some work experience and on a whim I decided to ask Gerry as I thought brass repair was pretty interesting. Actually had no idea he made the mutes at the time. He ended up giving me a job out of it and was fairly upfront from the start that he was heading towards retirement and would be looking to sell on the mutes business at some point. He taught me how to make the mutes as well as some brass repair on the side and after a couple of years I took over the business. Works very well for me as it allows me to pay the bills whilst allowing me the freedom to follow any musical ventures that come up."

So the story boiled down: In 1973 Peter Gane (LSO trombonist) teamed up with his neighbor boat builder to make fiber mutes for brass instruments. In 2006 Gerry Birch (instrument repair specialist) bought the Peter Gane mute line. In late 2016, Tom Pascoe (tubist/instrument repair tech) bought the business from Gerry Birch when the latter retired. Thus, Tom is the one that now makes these mutes.

If you have issues with any of the Peter Gane mutes, you could either write Tom and inquire what to do or get your money back from thomann.de, if you purchased from them. I would still inquire of Tom Pascoe. He does stay busy but will eventually answer your questions. He certainly did not owe me a reply to my questions. I actually ordered two of the bucket mutes and sold one to a former student last week. I wanted a bucket that inserted into the bell to avoid etching the rim of my two newly-acquired used gold-plated horns. The sound is close enough to a traditional bucket sound that it will work for me in the pit playing shows. From Internet pictures, it seems that the design is very close to the Walt Johnson bucket mute, which is no longer being made. It is very sturdy. I thought the three metal braces were going to be kind of wobbly, but they are extremely strong and practically immovable by hand. The fit in the bell feels very secure.

Cost for the two buckets was under $180 USD total, including shipping. He only charged me $10 for the two mutes to be shipped, btw, which is the normal fee to the US for just one bucket mute. If you were purchasing just one, then I guess the total would be close to $95 with shipping. You might consider going in with some friends and getting a few at a time to save a little on shipping. Tom told me it would take him two weeks to make them. Timeframe was under there weeks for him to build and me to receive the two mutes. He also told me that there are no dealers of these mutes in the USA.

[Brassnose]

Shoutout to Peter Gane mutes. After years and years of soso mutes I just got my first mute from Peter Gane, the regular fiber straight with the wooden bottom. This thing is great! It sounds like a straight, but being made from fiber and wood it sounds much nicer, warmer, and is so light I barely notice it. Love it (and thinking about Gane bucket and cup mutes ).
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[jazzjezz]

If you like the straight mute you will love the bucket.

[Brassnose]

I know - my teacher let me test the Peter Gane and the Humes & Berg buckets and while the H&B sounded great it was almost unplayable as far as intonation goes. I currently have no need for a cup or bucket but I'm sure I'll find a use
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[RandyTX]

I have to agree. Well worth the effort to get one in the US from the UK. That bucket mute is so easy to use, none of that clipping or slipping onto the bell with other designs and it sounds great too.
_________________
"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."

[Brassnose]

Alright, Europe is easier, you just order from Thomann or another semi-local store or (until the Brexit hit) even from within the EU.

Those of you who use the Gane bucket: do you put additional foam/wool/stuffing stuff into the bucket or use it as is?
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[dstpt]

[Brassnose]

Thanks. My teacher also says he only uses the Gane bucket, so I may have to go for one. Good thing Christmas is not too far away
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier