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September,
2004
Maynard
has used Monette mouthpieces exclusively since 1992. Now "The
Boss" finally has a matching Monette instrument: Our new
"MF PRANA!"
Maynard came
up to our Portland shop in mid-September to pick up his new instrument,
and then used it in public for the first time during the recent
four-day Stratospheric Maynard Ferguson Tribute hosted by Ken
Poston and the Los Angeles Jazz Institute, Sept. 30 - Oct. 3.
This was the start of a new tour for the band, and we are happy
to report that since then Maynard is having a great time on tour
with his new trumpet!
Maynard's
fall 2004 tour itinerary includes concerts in Minnesota, Missouri,
Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
New York and Washington D.C. To hear Maynard on his new trumpet,
click here for a tour itinerary: http://maynard.ferguson.net/concert.html
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Please
note that in addition to using his new Monette instrument, Maynard
also uses instruments made by the Steinway Corporation - the new
owners of Holton/LeBlanc.
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Finally
- A Lightweight, High-note Monette!
Maynard's
lead player Patrick Hession took delivery of the prototype Monette
PRANA XLT Bb trumpet in June
2004. This is the first, truly lightweight Bb lead trumpet we
have ever made. Patrick finds that the horn immediately gives
him all the advantages Monette trumpets are famous for; a bigger,
livelier sound, improved intonation and especially with this new,
lightweight instrument, much easier "slotting" in the
extreme upper register!
Soon after
Patrick started using his new Monette on tour, Maynard - who immediately
noticed the improvements in Patrick's sound on the new horn -
started joking on-stage during the gig, "Why is Patrick playing
MY HORN?"
Dave Monette
flew out to Chicago in July 2004 to hear how Patrick was doing
with the new instrument. That night, "The Boss" tried
Patrick's horn on the gig for a tune so Dave could hear how it
worked for him. Dave liked how he sounded, but thought something
a bit wider in sound shape, slightly brighter in tone color, even
more free in response and even easier to hear in the monitors
would be fun for Maynard to try. The difference between a section
lead player's instrument and a soloist's instrument (for the strongest
soloist on earth!) was not lost on Dave Monette.
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Patrick
Hession demostrates his new PRANA XLT trumpet in our shop last
August.
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Upon returning
to the Monette shop in Portland, Dave asked the shop crew what
serial number would be the next available number. The next valve
casing would be stamped #1928. We immediately called Linda in
Maynard's office to check on Maynard's year of birth, which she
confirmed was 1928! That was proof enough - it was finally time
to build "The Boss" his Monette trumpet. Dave had us
expedite construction, and about a month and a half later the
prototype horn was ready to play in raw brass. After many hours
of play-testing and adjustment (and swollen chops), it was finally
ready for gold plating, final assembly and delivery to "The
Boss."
Maynard scheduled
a trip to Portland to pick up the new axe in early September.
We asked Patrick Hession to come in a few days in advance of MF's
arrival to help with the final play-testing and adjustment. Patrick
and Dave work well together, and Patrick did a fantastic job with
the tedious but strenuous job of play-testing mostly high notes
for two solid days!
"The
Boss" arrived at our shop and immediately liked how the horn
played. After two wonderful days of hearing MF play-test the horn
here in our shop, it was time for him to take it home and get
ready for the next tour - which started out with the "Stratospheric"
MF tribute in L.A.
Thanks to
Maynard for inspiring and using our MF PRANA!
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The
Boss and Dave "work" back in the shop.
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What’s
Different About a Monette Trumpet?
Players who
know Maynard's playing but who are not familiar themselves with
Monette instruments may have some questions about our limited
production and "labor-intensive" approach to design,
fabrication and assembly of instruments. Here is a quick summary
of what makes us different from the companies that mass-produce
instruments:
- Each Monette
trumpet is truly custom-designed and hand-built, one at a time,
for each individual client we work with. We personally get to
know each player we work with, and we make them their own, unique
Monette instrument.
- We have
nine full-time employees, and we make about six instruments
a month. Although we rushed Maynard his instrument as a special
courtesy, we have a one-year waiting list for delivery, as we
have for the last 20 years.
- Our instruments
are extremely labor-intensive to build, which is why the price
is higher than production-line instruments made by other companies.
Production-line instruments may take 5-10 man/hours to build.
Monette trumpets average over 125 man/hours to build. Our decorated,
presentation instruments take up to 1,000 man/hours to build
(we usually work on them for about a year!).
- Our instruments
vary in weight from 2 pounds to 7 pounds, depending on whom
we are making the specific instrument for and the kind of music
they will be playing.
- Monette
instruments are designed to be played with Monette mouthpieces
only, as conventional mouthpieces will destroy the playing characteristics
Monette instruments are known for.
- For more
information about how we build our instruments, we invite you
to come visit the shop in person for a tour of our operation.
You can also visit our WEB site and download our "Customer
Profile Questionnaire" so we can learn more about
you and make suggestions about what type of Monette instrument
we might be able to build for you.
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Dave
Monette, Patrick Hession and The Boss.
The
Monette shop thoroughy enjoyed The Boss' visit.
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