​Best Trumpet Mouthpiece Guide & Reviews (20​20)

Most trumpet players know just how important the mouthpiece is.

Even though this is the smallest part of this amazing instrument, its impact on the tone and play-ability is undeniable.

Today we are going to talk about what makes the best trumpet mouthpiece, and, of course, share with you some of the finest models we’ve come across.

Without any ado, let’s get straight to the reviews:

9 Best Trumpet Mouthpieces Reviews

#1 Bach Trumpet Mouthpiece 3C

Let’s start off with the Bach Trumpet 3C mouthpiece.

This is a beautiful and highly versatile piece that absolutely excels in virtually all aspects of performances, especially aesthetics.

It’s made from high-quality brass material and coated with an elegant silver finish;

​The Best Feature?

The best feature of the Bach’s 3C Trumpet mouthpiece is its medium-wide rim shape.

Although it doesn’t necessarily provide any drastic or obvious benefits to the player in terms of sound boons, it allows the player to have a greater dose of freedom due to its all-around design.

Its cup is medium in terms of depth, it is 16.3 millimeters in diameter, and it provides a huge tonal range because of it while imposing minimal restrictions on the player.

We recommend Bach’s 3C mouthpiece for advanced and experienced players due to several reasons.

First of all, it does not come quite cheap.

Even if we’re to completely forget about that, the benefits it provides are very subtle, and perhaps, too far from reach for players who don’t know how to utilize them.

Its design is very clean, which means that there are no obvious flaws to it.

In good hands, the Bach 3C Trumpet Mouthpiece can perform many a wonder.

#2 Glory Silver Plated Bb Trumpet Mouthpiece

Next up is Glory’s silver-plated trumpet mouthpiece.

One of the things that stand out the most about this particular model is the fact that it’s incredibly affordable, yet it still provides the usual benefits of a quality mouthpiece.

It’s a size 7c mouthpiece made from robust brass material and features a rather big throat exponent; this particular type of design is ideal for players of all skill levels due to numerous reasons; it’s very easy to use, it feels great, and it was obviously built to last.

The Glory’s Bb trumpet mouthpiece also features a silver-plated coating which is purely cosmetic in nature;

In case you don’t feel particularly comfortable with the 7c size, the brand also offers 3c and 5c variants for more experienced players.

This mouthpiece model is quite average in terms of performance and could even be considered as a great replacement piece.

It fares quite well in comparison to most picks on our list, especially in terms of price.

#3 Paititi Gold Plated Rich Tone​ Mouthpiece

​Paititi’s gold plated Bb 1C trumpet mouthpiece is the first model in our review that was made exclusively for trumpet veteran players.

It’s an ultra-small size 1c mouthpiece with a very slightly curved profile; the reason why it’s not so great for beginners is that it is a bit more difficult to control.

What makes this trumpet mouthpiece different than most similarly priced models is the fact that it was purposefully designed to provide a rich, full-spectrum palette of tones.

On the plus side, Paititi’s trumpet mouthpiece offers high volume and a very distinct, exquisite tone.

Furthermore, it’s very fashionable as it boasts a gold-plated finish.

It comes in a neat little package that could easily double for a trumpet mouthpiece pouch if you currently don’t own one.

This exact same model is also available in the silver-plated finish variant, as well as in all the traditional cup sizes, including 3c, 5c, and 7c.

#4 Schilke Standard Series Trumpet Mouthpiece

Here we are looking at Schilke’s 6A4a silver trumpet mouthpiece from the ‘Standard’ series.

At first glance, this particular model appears very unoriginal, almost like a carbon copy of any budget mouthpiece.

Looks can be deceiving, though.

The ‘Standard’ series of trumpet mouthpieces got the name due to its all-purpose suitability.

It will perform equally well in the hands of a beginner as it will when used by a seasoned professional.

It’s true that it packs a humble set of pretty typical features; it is made from tough, rigid plastic, and it’s the only downside is that it doesn’t provide any particular benefits in terms of tonal versatility and control.

On another hand, it does throw a massive volume boost to the pot, as well as the simplified maintenance process.

Moreover, this mouthpiece isn’t even that expensive.

Surely enough, there are hundreds and hundreds of more affordable pieces, but this one packs quite a bang for the buck.

#5 Yamaha YAC Bobby Shew Lead Trumpet Mouthpiece

Yamaha is easily one of the biggest names in the music business and industry, and it’s pretty safe to say that their popularity affords them a very special place in our review.

The YAC Shewlead signature Bobby Shew lead trumpet mouthpiece is one of the loudest models you could get for the money.

With a narrow backbore and a shallow cup depth, it’s a perfect tool for professionals and experienced players, especially for live performances.

It looks rather unique, and it sports an exquisite silver-plated finish.

Though it does look great, it’s more important to note that it performs even better.

It does cost quite a bit, but it’s worth every single cent.

This trumpet mouthpiece sports a 16.54-millimeter inner diameter, 3.56-millimeter wide throat, a narrow backbore, and shallow cup depth.

In terms of price, the Yamaha’s YAC Shewlead is slightly more expensive than average, but it offers a plethora of benefits to make up for it.

#6 Eastar Bb Trumpet Mouthpiece 3C 5C 7C (3 Pack)

Here we have Eastar’s bundle of three differently-sized trumpet mouthpieces.

They’re built with the exact same manufacturer’s specifications with the only exception being their cup size.

This bundle includes a 3c, 5c, and 7c cup size trumpet mouthpieces;

In terms of build quality, Eastar’s trumpet mouthpieces stand right in the golden middle; they’re not made from the top-shelf brass, but neither are they made from cheap plastic.

Instead, these mouthpieces sport fine copper construction which promises quite a lot in terms of performance and durability.

These mouthpieces are also layered with a silver-plated coating which makes them look great.

To top it all, this bundle is incredibly cheap.

We recommend for beginners and intermediate-level players; mainly because there are three different cup sizes in the bundle​.

​The beginners can get familiar with how each size performs while skilled players will get to benefit from expanding their sound and tone.

#7 Cecilio Trumpet Mouthpiece 3C Silver Plated

Cecilio’s 3C trumpet mouthpiece is a very simple and straightforward trumpet mouthpiece.

It comes at a very affordable price, its specs are quite plain, and it looks beautiful due to the silver-plated finish.

This is a cheap trumpet mouthpiece that is best used as a replacement; we recommend to beginners because it doesn’t offer any revolutionary or unique features that seasoned veterans and professionals need.

It sounds and performs superb for the cash, and it is pretty durable.

The main specs of Cecilio’s 3c mouthpiece are as follows; its overall length is 87.5 millimeters, its shank diameter is 9.8 millimeters, its shank length is 45 millimeters, the cup diameter is 17.5 millimeters, and its rim diameter is 27 millimeters.

Overall, it’s a smallish, yet very efficient trumpet mouthpiece.

In case you need a bigger piece, Cecilio also offers bigger variations of the same model with very similar specs (5c and 7c).

#8 Vikki Store Trumpet Mouthpiece 3C 5C 7C

Vikii Store has a huge and versatile catalog of premium-quality trumpet gear and accessories​.

​If you are looking for top-tier mouthpieces, you should check out some of their flagship models, such as the King KTP1 MPC1, the SunTrade copper mouthpiece, and many other models.

This brand isn’t a manufacturer; they resell trumpet accessories from other brands, such as Yamaha, East Rock, and such.

The Vikii Store Mouthpiece 3-pack bundle is comprised of three differently-sized mouthpieces, including a 3c, 5c, and a 7c mouthpiece.

All of these models feature a classic shape, they’re made from quality brass material, and they are all finished with a silver-plated coating.

To top it all, this bundle also contains a variety of very useful complementary features, such as the free storage box, and a cleaning cloth made from microfiber.

Even though it’s not the cheapest beginner mouthpiece bundle on the market, its value is enormous due to the fact that it’s laden with all the gratis goodies.

#​9 ​Yamaha YAC CRL11B4 Standard Series Mouthpiece

Let’s wrap it up with Yamaha’s YAC CRL 11b4 cornet mouthpiece.

This particular model belongs to the ‘Standard’ series and is a schoolbook example of how a high-quality mouthpiece should look (and perform).

It sports a 16.64-millimeter rim diameter, a semi-shallow cup, and a relatively long shank.

Furthermore, it’s manufactured from ultra-robust brass material and can easily withstand years of use.

The main benefit Yamaha’s 11b4 cornet mouthpiece could provide to you is versatility.

Although it doesn’t have any kind of exquisite features, it compensates for it with sheer versatility and a well-rounded design.

It feels great and boasts a huge level of playability; in terms of sturdiness, it’s built like a house of bricks; in terms of specs, it’s slightly smaller than average, but it’s incredibly easy to use.

Simply because of this, the YAC CRL11b4 cornet mouthpiece is perfect for players of all skill levels.

Furthermore, it has a distinctively long shank; this makes it a bit more suitable for lead trumpet players; however, it’s made from such a material that it should feel pretty great even in the hands of a backing trumpet player.

Speaking of suitability, the Yamaha’s YAC CRL11B4 is also suitable for use with piccolo trumpet types.

We recommend this trumpet mouthpiece to players at all skill levels as it boasts incredible value for the buck.

​Buyers Guide & ​Additional Information

The differences between various mouthpiece models are usually subtle, but amazingly impactful.

Knowing what to look for when searching for the best trumpet mouthpiece will allow you to get the best value for your money.

In this section, we’ll talk about what makes the best mouthpiece ‘the best’:

Build Quality and Material

The material from which the mouthpiece is built defines a good portion of its performance.

Some of the best models are typically made from quality brass while cheaper models are typically made from plastic.

There are, of course, luxurious models coated in silver (and some cases gold), but these coating layers do not actually affect the performance of a mouthpiece.

Mouthpiece Size and Design

While the material from which the mouthpiece is built affects the ‘feel’ and the color of the tone, the mouthpiece size affects a huge variety of things.

First of all, the length of the mouthpiece affects the volume levels you’ll be able to reach which, in turn, affect the pitch somewhat; the shape is also very important, as the throat exponent affects how focused (or spread) the tone becomes

Additionally, the sheer design of the mouthpiece affects how easy it is to play the trumpet.

Some players prefer to play with smaller mouthpieces while others are more accustomed to bigger ones.

If you’re a beginner, avoid both extremes and stick to middle-sized mouthpieces with an average shape factor (approximately 2-2.5).

Type of Playing Style

One of the main reasons why different types and kinds of trumpet mouthpieces are invented is because there are different trumpet roles and playing styles.

Lead trumpets usually delve a bit deeper into the technical realm while backing trumpet players typically focus on consistency and accuracy in their playing.

Lead trumpets will always welcome a volume boost provided by longer mouthpieces while backing trumpet players often enjoy the improved ‘feel’ of rounder, smaller ones.

Skill Level

Depending on how much time and effort you have invested in mastering the trumpet, you should pick a different type of a trumpet mouthpiece.

Generally speaking, professionals and experienced trumpet players have their own preferences and have their go-to pieces.

Beginners are sometimes inclined to experiment with different mouthpiece shapes and sizes, although we recommend sticking to the simplest, most basic models.

How To Remove a Stuck Trumpet Mouthpiece

As we play our instruments, we make mistakes, and getting the trumpet’s mouthpiece stuck is one of the most common ones.

In this section, we’ll thoroughly explain how mouthpieces can get stuck, how to unstuck them, and what to do with them afterward.

#Why does trumpet mouthpiec​e get stuck?

A trumpet’s mouthpiece will never get stuck on its own; it can get jammed quite easily if you knock your trumpet by accident, if something falls on top of it, or if you pat the top of your trumpet.

Basically, most of the causes of mouthpieces getting stuck relate to accidentals bumps and knocks.

#Tips to remove trumpet mouthpiece

You could try removing the stuck mouthpiece by hand, but that may or may not yield satisfactory results.

If it doesn’t come off immediately, try twisting it a bit before tugging it.

​If this method doesn’t work, you should lubricate the mouthpiece entry point with some cold water or penetrating oil.

Tap on the mouthpiece gently several times before pulling it out, and you should be fine.

#Things not to do with the stuck mouthpiece

Removing the trumpet’s mouthpiece isn’t too hard, but mistakes can be made quite easily.

First and foremost, you should never use any kind of pliers (or similar tools) to remove the mouthpiece that has been stuck.

Not only will you risk damaging and destroying the mouthpiece, but you also risk ruining your trumpet as well.

Additionally, you should never use too much force, regardless of how deep the mouthpiece is stuck for similar reasons.

#What to do when the mouthpiece is unstuck?

Once you’ve pulled the mouthpiece out, you should make sure to sanitize it properly.

Running it under cold water could do the trick, but you should make sure to gently dry it with a clean towel afterward.

You should never touch the mouthpiece with dirty hands, obviously.

#How to prevent it from getting stuck again?

There’s not much you can do aside from being a bit more careful, or at least that’s what most people think.

The best way to prevent the trumpet mouthpiece from ever getting stuck again is to store it inside a mouthpiece pouch.

How To Sterilize Trumpet Mouthpiece

The human mouth is a nesting ground for all sorts of bacteria (not all of which are harmful), which is all the more reason why you need to sterilize your mouthpiece regularly.

This maintenance process is split into daily maintenance and monthly maintenance:

Daily mouthpiece sterilization

Daily maintenance should be performed even if you haven’t played your instrument on that particular day.

Dust particles can even reach through a secure mouthpiece pouch, especially if we haven’t been using our trumpet for quite a while.

Obviously, you should clean and sterilize the mouthpiece whenever you are finished playing.

All you’ll need is an instrument brush (specialized mouthpiece brushes exist, but any kind of instrument brush would do the trick), some clean water, and a clean cloth rag.

Spray the water on your trumpet mouthpiece and gently scrub it with the brush. Afterward, use the cleaning cloth to dry it up.

Monthly mouthpiece sterilization

Monthly mouthpiece sterilization is a bit more complex, but its aim is to completely remove any and all residue that was stuck on the mouthpiece.

You could miss a spot or two during the regular maintenance and never notice it.

This time around you are going to need an alcohol-based sterilizer.

Water can remove a good chunk of germs and bacteria, but even so, some will still remain.

Alcohol (in its undiluted form) is one of the most efficient germ-removing tools.

It’s imperative that you thoroughly clean the mouthpiece with water after applying any kind of alcohol-based solution.

What Is A Trumpet Mouthpiece Pouch?

A mouthpiece pouch is one of the most convenient trumpet accessories you could possibly have.

Basically, there are numerous models made by different brands which, obviously, look and perform differently; their main purpose is the same, though – trumpet mouthpiece pouches aim to preserve your mouthpiece.

In essence, there are only a few ‘safe’ places where you could store your trumpet mouthpiece; you could leave it inside the trumpet, which is not recommended; or you could put it in a pouch where it is guaranteed to be safe against the ‘invasion’ of dust, germs, and bacteria.

Mouthpiece pouches typically feature a very sturdy (often reinforced) exterior that makes them highly durable.

The interior, on the other hand, is very plushy and gentle, which means that the mouthpiece won’t get damaged even in the slightest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a trumpet mouthpiece booster do?

Basically, mouthpiece boosters are used to add some extra weight to them.

This additional weight increases the stability of the mouthpiece and substantially enhances the tone projection in turn.

Which trumpet mouthpiece is best for beginners?

We would recommend Paititi’s trumpet mouthpiece.

This model is very affordable and it boasts quality features that are usually found in more expensive models.

It’s also very easy to use, adjust, and customize to cater to your own play style.

Can you use a trumpet mouthpiece on a flugelhorn?

You could, but you really shouldn’t.

If you use a trumpet mouthpiece on a flugelhorn, you will change the instrument’s fundamental pitch, bringing it way down low.

​What trumpet mouthpiece is best for high notes?

If you’re a lead trumpet player who generally spends most of the time on high notes, we would recommend Yamaha's 11b4 mouthpiece.

It was specifically built to project the upper register better while complementing the other aspects of the sound-stage with a well-rounded, versatile performance.

​Final Words

Even though a trumpet mouthpiece is one of its smallest parts, it’s undoubtedly one of its most crucial elements.

Picking the right one will heavily influence your playing style, sound, and ultimately, your drive to continue mastering the instrument.

Instead of picking the ‘best’ mouthpiece, we encourage you to try out as many as possible; each model brings different kinds of benefits to the table while also putting a certain dose of limitations on the player.

​Experiment with different models and evolve your trumpet playing skills by checking out our reviews of the best trumpet mouthpiece models you can find on the market in the sections above.

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