AR Resonance Mouthpieces

[Shepherds_Crook]

Hi TBers,

Unlike anyone else on this board, I have been on a number of mouthpiece safaris over the years ;-D. That ended a while back when I tried the Harrelson 5MM system. But as I get older and my teeth have shifted together a bit, I was having some playing issues that made me decide to try to a smaller diameter mouthpiece with a wider rim to see if it improved my playing comfort. Coming from the 3C family of MPs, I tried a Bach 7CW and 7DW and found that the 7DW worked really well for me. At that time, Harrelson didn't have the 7W rim in stock (they do now) and I saw a new model introduced by Tony at AR Resonance on Instagram that caught my attention. A local friend had been very pleased with his AR Resonance mouthpieces, so I decided to reach out to see if they could make something similar in spec to the 7DW.

Their website: https://www.arresonance.com/mouthpieces

Dama con Arpa Ritorta model. Material = bronze with gold plating.

Email response, back and forth discussion of my needs and wants, overall customer service, fairly short build time and the quality of what I received combined for a totally fabulous experience. I would highly recommend to any/all players. Best of all = I love how it feels on my chops and how it plays = #epico!

FWIW: I had played an AR mouthpiece at the 2015 ITG but was not wanting to pay the asking price at that time. I know some may think the same. My wife ultimately is responsible for helping 'get over' the price barrier, encouraging me to spend the money on 'what I love to do'. So, whether student, pro, high caliber amateur, hobbyist, daily player, come-back player, or other ... I encourage you to check out this brand. I just ordered another for my flugel and can't wait to receive it.

[Richard III]

@shepherds_crook

So it looks like it is gold plated. That goes for:

271.23 United States Dollar

I'm trying to wrap my head around spending that much money for a mouthpiece.

[tjveloce]

Monette mouthpieces are gold plated, and while I was a skeptic before I became a customer, I’m now sold. The way they feel on your chops is, in my view, worth it, along with they way they work for me. They’re about $400 for the Prana model if memory serves and I use one in my flugelhorn and one in my trumpet.

-tj

@richard-iii

[Shepherds_Crook]

Hi @richard-iii, I felt that way in the past. Most of us get to decide what to spend our time and money on. Monette and other mp’s are in that ballpark too. After playing it, I consider it money well spent. Thankful I have the ability and option to do so.

Added: tj was replying at the same time … glad to see the price comparison.

[Dale Proctor]

I like gold plated mouthpieces, too, and have a few, but the price of gold has gotten a little out of hand. I can think of better ways to spend my money...

[GeorgeB]

@dale-proctor

Even though I used a Bach gold rimmed mp in my younger playing days, I am now finding age has made me a wet player and though I own and love my Denis Wick 5X gold mouthpiece, the lips seem to stick. I have to use a little Vaseline and am not so cool with that. So no, I am not a gold mp fan.

[Dr GO]

@shepherds_crook said in AR Resonance Mouthpieces:

Hi TBers,

...But as I get older and my teeth have shifted together a bit,..

Nah, It's not age but chattering the teeth from living through all those cold Cincinnati Winters!

[Dr GO]

@georgeb said in AR Resonance Mouthpieces:

@dale-proctor

..I am now finding age has made me a wet player...

Me too GeorgeB, but my solution was wearing Depends.

[Dr GO]

@tjveloce said in AR Resonance Mouthpieces:

Monette mouthpieces are gold plated, and while I was a skeptic before I became a customer, I’m now sold.

My Harrelson 5 mm is gold plated. 5 mm and Gold, the best of both worlds!

[Shepherds_Crook]

@dr-go Nah, It's not age but chattering the teeth from living through all those cold Cincinnati Winters!

= that is the truth!

[Shepherds_Crook]

In case you didn't know ... AR Resonance does offer silver-plated. I just opted for the gold finish. I was trying to discuss this brand ... not just a gold finish vs silver or plastic.

Additionally: Tony at AR Resonance states this about the material used to make the mp: 'Nickel silver has a much faster response and sounds pretty bright and precise. Bronze has a very full and resonant sound and fast response but not as fast as nickel silver. Brass sounds like ... brass :)'

[administrator]

Is this Adam Rapa's line of equipment?

[Shepherds_Crook]

@administrator Adam’s brand = Lotus.

[Shepherds_Crook]

Enjoyed the trumpet MP so much I got one for my flugelhorn too. I really like the comfort of the AR rim design.

[Kehaulani]

I bought one. Excellent craftsmanship. Good mpc, but for me, there was no value added over my usual Reeves and Purviances. I don't use it.

[GeorgeB]

They sure are purty...

[administrator]

@georgeb said in AR Resonance Mouthpieces:

They sure are purty...

That's word-for-word what I was thinking! I love the design. So....these are NOT related to Adam Rapa in anyway, correct?

[Shepherds_Crook]

@administrator not related.

[barliman2001]

@administrator They are related in that Adam Rapa had a hand in some of the designs and is endorsing them. That may not be in their favour - I just don't like Adam Rapa (for personal reasons: I was once entered in one of his master classes, and he ended it one day short, before I was even due to attend... did not get a single cent back because of a clause in the contract saying that if the master class needed to be shortened for artistic reasons, that was the risk of the participant. I do understand why his wife of the time, singer Elisabeth Vik, divorced him shortly afterwards).

[administrator]

@barliman2001 said in AR Resonance Mouthpieces:

@administrator They are related in that Adam Rapa had a hand in some of the designs and is endorsing them. That may not be in their favour - I just don't like Adam Rapa (for personal reasons: I was once entered in one of his master classes, and he ended it one day short, before I was even due to attend... did not get a single cent back because of a clause in the contract saying that if the master class needed to be shortened for artistic reasons, that was the risk of the participant. I do understand why his wife of the time, singer Elisabeth Vik, divorced him shortly afterwards).

What does being shortened for "artistic reasons" mean? Like, he got a last minute gig that paid better?