Monette Mouthpiece FAQs

Q. Why are Monette mouthpieces more expensive than most other brands?

A. Our acoustic innovation called constant pitch center requires that each mouthpiece be individually play-tested and adjusted on the correct key of instrument both before plating and before delivery. The extreme quality control involved is labor intensive and therefore expensive. Monette mouthpieces are also gold plated, rather than silver plated, which is also more expensive.

Q. My upper register is flat when I try a Monette mouthpiece. Why is this?

A. Monette mouthpieces offer dramatically improved intonation, as long as the player stops adjusting in registers that no longer require adjustment! Please refer to the Acclimation Tips and Body Use and Resonance sections of this guide for more information.

Q. Can I use a Monette Bb trumpet mouthpiece on C trumpet?

A. We strongly discourage this. Using a Monette Bb trumpet mouthpiece on C trumpet will make your sound dark and cloudy because it will play "low on the pitch." The response and intonation will suffer, and you will also notice the octaves will be compressed. Conversely, using a C trumpet mouthpiece on Bb trumpet is also not recommended. It will make your sound bright and thin, placing you "high on the pitch" in most registers, and also make the octaves "wide."

Q. How do Monette mouthpieces work on non-Monette trumpets?

A. They usually work great, as demonstrated by the ever-increasing number of players using them on all brands of instruments. The exact performance when used on any individual instrument will be determined by the pitch center of that instrument.

Q. There seems to be more "gap" with a Monette mouthpiece, and it is shorter than my old mouthpiece. Is that OK?

A. Monette mouthpieces are different from conventional mouthpieces in many ways, including the shank size and the length. This is part of what makes them an improvement over the mouthpieces many players have grown accustomed to using. Monette mouthpieces are an improvement on most every brand of instrument we know, including brands that supposedly require little or no "gap" when using conventional mouthpieces.

Q. Why are Monette mouthpieces gold plated?

A. We finish our mouthpieces in gold because gold is softer and more comfortable on the lips, it holds moisture better, and it protects the mouthpiece better than silver.

Q. What special care do Monette mouthpieces require?

A. Monette mouthpieces are much more delicate than conventional mouthpieces. The temper of the brass is optimized to enhance the playing characteristics of the mouthpieces, and as a result they will dent much more easily than conventional mouthpieces. In addition, the shank end is extremely delicate, and any dent or out-of-round-ness will destroy the true pitch center that makes our mouthpieces unique. We strongly recommend that our mouthpieces be kept in a mouthpiece case when not in the instrument, and that they never be set down on the rims.

Q. What is the throat size of Monette mouthpieces?

A. The throat size varies from model to model and from key to key in order to optimize each individual design. The throats are large compared with those of conventional mouthpieces, which helps every performance aspect of our constant-pitch-center designs.

Q. Can I alter my Monette mouthpiece?

A. Any alteration, including opening the throat, will destroy the playing characteristics of our mouthpieces. If you feel you need custom mouthpiece work, please contact our shop directly.