The Ft Series mouthpieces are new from Fultone Brass. A range of 6 mouthpieces (with many more developments in the pipeline!) aiming to bring efficiency and great intonation across a broad range of styles, to a wide range of trumpeters. Many top UK trumpet players have been involved in the development of this sleek range since 2016, and now they are available! Here is a rundown of the range:
Ft CLASSIC SERIES
As the numbering system suggests, this mouthpiece is aimed at players who are accustomed to equivalent rim/cup combos to the Bach 1.25C. However, all of these mouthpieces are custom designed, so these codes are purely a guide. It has a 17mm inner rim with a rounded contour, a medium depth cup, 3.65mm (equivalent to #27) throat and a custom Ft 4.0 backbore. The sound is rich and vibrant with good slotting and projection.
Equivalent to a Bach 1.5C, this has a very comfortable 16.9 inner diameter rim (less rounded) and the same throat and backbore combo as the 1.25CS. This gives a real feeling of security with excellent response across all registers.
A very comfortable 16.8 inner rim is balanced out by a deeper than standard cup, to give more depth of sound than you might find on a standard 3C mouthpiece. This is extremely versatile, working well in orchestral and chamber settings, and across smaller trumpets as well as B flat.
Ft COMMERCIAL SERIES
As the name suggests this is aimed at players crossing over styles. The 16.6 inner rim as matched with a shallower cup and the more commercial style Ft 4.2 backbore. Focus and flexibility are great with this model, allowing some brightness and zing in the upper register but still keeping a rich tonal core. This has been described as the “get out of jail” mouthpiece to keep in the bag!
This shares the same rim contour as the 3CS, with a 16.6 inner rim. There is a great open feel to this mouthpiece, while still maintaining brightness and sizzle! The shallow cup gives great flexibility too.
This is more for the specialist. This has the smallest cup volume of the range with a 16.3mm inner rim diameter. Stability and resonance in the upper register are superb with a really comfortable rim too.
One of the new developments that will be coming to us soon is the flugelhorn mouthpiece – below is a sneak preview with James Davison taking it through it’s paces:
With this range, Fultone Brass have genuinely added something different to the crowded mouthpiece market. Each mouthpiece has been carefully designed with a particular purpose in mind, which makes selection for the player so much simpler. Some people enjoy the process of ultra-customisation and poring over every last detail of specification in choosing a new piece. Many however do not! In the Ft Series, there are 6 models that all offer great benefits, and exceptional build quality – please do visit Fultone Brass for further information and I am sure that Neil will be able to offer you his expert advice.
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