Monette Mouthpieces

[circusboy]

They cost a fortune.

They're described and named in mystical Sanskrit.

Do they really take you to tuba Nirvana?

Enlighten me.

[tubacdk]

I used one for a short while on my CC.. it was interesting to start with but lost its appeal. then I used the 94F on my F. it was definitely an improvement from what I had been using before, then I tried the stainless G&W Baer F and it was even better. so I don't use monette anymore.

-ck

[Chuck(G)]

Do they really take you to tuba Nirvana?

I'm certain that Dave Monette thinks they're wonderful.

[tubacdk]

oh, and the only reason I tried it to begin with is because someone had one he wasn't using and wanted to trade it for a mpc I wasn't using. I wouldn't have even thought about it had I been required to fork down the cash involved. try one if you can, see what you think.

-ck

[TubaRay]

If what you're using works fine, why change?

Are any of us playing as well as we would like to? My answer would be "no."

Are any of us using a mouthpiece which produces near optimal results? Probably.

Since we are never certain that we are using "the" mouthpiece, the search continues.

Personally, in my time as a tuba player, I have made very few changes in mouthpieces. However, as I have learned more about mouthpieces, I have become aware that mouthpieces can help to achieve better results. If anyone doubts this, I have a couple of mouthpieces that will certainly challenge anyone in trying to produce their best possible results. Be assured that although I have a pretty good collection of mouthpieces, the truth is that I have used many of them on a regular basis. Through the years I have regularly used the following mouthpieces:

Bach 22(in high school)
Bach 18(most of college years + many years following)
Conn Helleberg(for another good many years)

I now use a Mike Finn 3H for large ensemble and the Conn Helleberg for small ensemble. At times during all these years, I have experimented with the Bach 24AW and PT-48. I am quite happy with my current choices. I have play tested a number of others at conferences, but have not changed to them. If I found a mouthpiece which I thought would produce dramatically improved results, I would buy it in a flash.

With all this said, I must state that I don't generally look to a mouthpiece to produce the results. I look to myself for that. I only hope to use a mouthpiece which allows me to produce the best results.

[octavelower]

I have a Monette 94.
Got it used so I didn't pay a fortune for it.

Like it a lot. Still use the Conn Helleburg from time to time. My wife, who has amazing ears, has listened to me over the years and our conclusion is that I sound like me on all my mouthpieces. The different mouthpieces I use just bring out or suppress elements that exist in MY sound. So, I use 3 different mouthpieces depending on what I do. The Monette is in my garage and I love the results in certain settings, and I don't always use it in the way Dave Monette intended but I like what it does for me. (I use it on my f tuba as much as my CC). I am always interested in other mouthpieces and if I find a cheaper one that does what the Monette does I will buy it. Another intertesting note is that all my mouthpieces have almost identical rims, when I switch, the biggest change is made in throat size, cup depth, and weight. I don't like making my lips adjust too much. Anyway, there is my opinion FWIW.

later,

CDRom

[tubafatness]

Thought I'd put my two cents in here. I always thought that it wasn't necessarily the mpc that dictates what sound you can get on a horn, but more the emphasis given by the whole instrument-playing apparatus, i.e, the lips, tongue, jaw, and lungs. I've used the same mouthpiece for the last 3 years, and I've had no problems. Although I may have fallen into the mindset that a different mpc will work, (yes, I did buy a PT-88 just to get a bigger sound,) I always fall back to the same one, which happens to be a Warburton AJ with mid-size shank. I've never had a problem with it, so why should I switch?
Aaron "Tubafatness" Hynds

[joebob]

Chester Schmitz and Matt Gaunt are the only bigtime pros I've seen using these, though I'm sure others do as well.

I've seen Steve Campbell (Minnesota Orchestra) and Randy Montgomery (Milwaukee Symphony) use Monette mouthpieces (both studied with Chester interestingly enough). I'm sure there are additional "bigtime pros" who use or have used monettes. The price of the mouthpiece is higher than most others, but obviously there are very successful tuba players who are williing to pay the price.

[iiipopes]

Yeah, and unlike most of the rest of us, they get to take it off their taxes as a tool of the trade expense!