Harrelson 5MM Modular Mouthpiece

[Dr GO]

I have had amazing experiences with the Harrelson 5MM system. They are a bit pricey, but if you wait for a sale you can get a couple hundred dollars off the price. I have now two such modular mouth pieces (the first one came "for free" with the price of my trumpet purchase).

Let me try to put into my own words the creativity behind this mouthpiece. First and foremost, it is modular and comes in several pieces. There is a variety of rims. These screw onto a variety of cups. The rim and cup assemblies screw onto the front end of a body. Within the body you then insert a shaft connecting the cup to an additional backbore that that screws into the back end of the body at which point the entire assembly is then ready to insert onto the leadpipe. Finally there is a nut at the distal backbore end that locks the mouthpiece into a snug fit with the horn.

The first one I had ordered, I requested a Jettone studio B "vintage" copy. The Harrelson had the EXACT rim, cup combinations that PERFECTLY matched my original 1970's vintage Jettone Studio B. Then they provided a selection of shafts and backbores until I found the combination the best sounded with my Harrelson Summit. Just amazing, as the feel is EXACTLY like the original Jettone AND with using a wider shaft, I no longer bottom out my airflow after hours of playing on such a small cupped mouthpiece as I would do after hours of lead playing on the original Jettone. Just amazing!

For my second mouthpiece I asked Jason to copy my Kanstul G2 (the Miles Davis Heim copy). He actually scanned my original Kanstul G2 in case the modular components could not exactly duplicate the flat rim and deep V cup design of this mouthpiece. No need to do this as the modular components he used gave me the feel and performance characteristics of the original Kanstul G2.

This is just an amazing system where any player can customize a classic mouthpiece's feel and then enhance the performance by working with the modular back end components to actually optimize the air column resistance and vibration amplitude to best optimize to the leadpipe characteristics of any horn. So it is a bit pricey, but for the serious player, it is a game changer.

And oh yes, if you do purchase this system, do ask for the tool set that accompanies the pieces, as they really do make the changes to adjusting the components a lot easier. Here is a link to the Harrelson 5MM Mouthpiece site:

https://www.whyharrelson.com/store/p30/5MM_Mouthpiece_(19pc_%26_20pc_Kits).html

Me playing my Harrelson with the Kanstul 2G 5MM modular adaption:

[Dr GO]

I am hoping that Sheperds_Crook (Cyber_Shake on TM) doesn't mind; but I am posting an excellent video he made that shows the whole 5MM enchilada so to speak. This video starts from opening up the original shipment, that demonstrates all the accessories (storage box, tools and lubricant); then displays the pieces within the box; how Blaine varies the optional pieces with the body and the effect this has on the sound from his Adams Trumpet.

[Shepherds_Crook]

@Dr-GO I don’t mind ... love the 5MM. Since that first experience, as captured in the video, I have purchased more bodies and during last year’s Harrelson Garagd Sale I picked up a bunch of throats. One of them turned out to be significantly better for me than the Yamaha 14B GP or the duplicate that was 1 part of my original 5MM kit. I would have never known that a different throat would give me such a big gain in playing without the 5MM system. I’m sure I will try some other bodies, but this product seems to have ended my life-long mouthpiece safari! Time will tell ...

[N1684T]

Well, ended the safari till the next time anyway;)

[Tobylou8]

Very intriguing! Now I'll have to scour Craigslist.