From: david@roth-music.com (David A. Roth)
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote,rec.music.makers
Subject: Re: Wynton's horn
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 02:57:02 EST
Organization: DAVID A. ROTH MUSIC
Reply-To: david@roth-music.com (David A. Roth)
Distribution: usa
X-Mailer: uAccess - Macintosh Release: 1.5v4


In article <1992Jul23.140218.107@b11.b11.ingr.com> (rec.music.bluenote), goodloe@birdland.ingr.com (Tony Goodloe) writes:
> 
> >...and I am very curious about the
> >trumpet he was playing...old looking, nice sound and
> >all of that, but i've never seen one like that....
> >
> >Anyone have any info on what kind it was?
> >
> 
> It is made by a company in Chicago, Monette. They are, IMHO, the finest
> trumpets made. They have two spokesmen, one jazz, Wynton, and one
> legit, the principal of the BSO. Wynton's horn is their top of the
> line, the Raja II. It runs about $14,000. I have had the pleasure of
> playing some of their lesser models in their shop, around $5,000. I am
> going to get one some day. They are fabulous. Notice on some of
> Wynton's older albums and you will see that he is playing earlier
> models of Monettes. They can always be recognized by their flat finish.
> Dave Monette feels that the stress induced when a horn is buffed
> affects the sound adversely. They put the horns together with no jigs.
> All custom made. They actually will adjust it for the individual
> player! The horn is not under any stress while being assembled. Notice
> also, that the mouthpiece is integral with the horn. The goal is to
> come very close to a solid piece of brass. The bracing is incredibly
> stout. I guess a Raja would weigh about 5+ pounds, versus a regular
> horn at about 1-2 pounds. Mass is the key to a dark, focused sound. You
> touched a soft spot with a Monette. Money can't buy love, but it can
> buy a Monette, and that's the next best thing!
> 

The real question is: Did Wynton sound better with this horn than he
did before?  Unless you could hear him play in a A/B blind fold test
it's hard to say.

Also, since the horns seem to be built to the player or at the very
least you need to be able to find one that matches your mouthpiece in it to
try out...it would be hard pressed to compare one trumpet with another.
This would be a great way to sell horns though.  You can't
try one out to compare unless you have it built for you.  Sort of
like buying shoes after wearing them for a week. :-)

For a long time it was (and still is) to sell different mouthpieces to trumpet
players.  However, the most you can charge even for a custom is less
than $200.  What better way to make money than sell a $1k-$2k trumpet
for $5k-$14k by having it custom built.  Most trumpets look exactly
the same to the general audience so anything to make yourself look
different and be higher priced the better you are for getting attention
to yourself.

No matter what trumpet you play you are going to sound like you. 
Same goes for the electronic equipment.  If it doesn't sound
like music on a piano it won't on a million dollar studio.  If
you don't have a song in your heart while playing a student model
trumpet it won't help you to play a $14k trumpet.

I've heard very old recordings of cornet/trumpet players doing amazing
things on instruments that many would find junky to play today and
they still sounded good.

David
 
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote