How Much Do Monette Trumpets Cost?

If you are a professional trumpet player or someone that is aware of the best brands, you will know the name Monette. They are known in trumpet circles as being the most expensive trumpet you can buy. But how much do Monette Trumpets cost?

We’ll discuss that and have a look at some other matters about them. But first, for those who may not know – who are Monette Trumpets?

Contents

Who Are Monette Trumpets?

Trumpeter David Monette along with some help from Arthur Benade, an acoustician, set out to redesign the trumpet and its mouthpiece. He was unhappy with the products he could buy and wanted to improve the sound and how they played.

His first trumpet arrived in 1983, an attempt, as he puts it, “to create the perfect sound.” His first mouthpieces for trumpet came on the market in 1985. The priority was to create better mouthpieces to assist in creating a great sound.

He now makes mouthpieces for trombone, tuba, and for Bb, C, D, and Eb trumpets and also A, and B Piccolo trumpets. The manufacture of trumpets continues as well, which is what we are concerned with here.

Let’s Look At The Cost

So, let us consider how much it costs to buy a Monette trumpet. Then we will look at why.

Of the top trumpet brands, Yamaha and Schilke are the stand-out performers, in my opinion. If you were looking at the top of the range for these instruments, what might you pay? For a Xeno series Yamaha it’s about $3000. For a B-series Schilke, it’s about $3500.

One Giant Leap

Monette trumpets have a price range of between $10-20,000 though you could pay up to $50,000. If you weren’t sitting down before, you probably are now.

You can see then that the Monette trumpet is by far the most expensive you can get. They have developed a big reputation for their design and their quality, and feel that will justify the price tag.

Some professional players wouldn’t use anything else…

And you would probably have to be a working pro to afford one. They don’t get too many bad reviews, although, like everything else, they will occasionally.

When people pay this sort of money, they want perfection. With a Monette, they usually get it. To try and understand the vast gulf in the price of these instruments with others, let’s take a close look at them.

The Mouthpiece

As we have already mentioned, Monette made it a priority to design better mouthpieces. The mouthpieces have a special design that offers great intonation. This is achieved by making sure they all have a consistent timbre and resistance.

Each mouthpiece is given a center of constant pitch. This gives a very consistent sound with outstanding intonation. Monette considers that other mouthpieces are over-compressed. As a result, it can affect the sound, and players need to compensate with lip and mouth tension.

Tension Problems Eradicated

This tensioning problem is removed with these mouthpieces. That is one less thing for the player to concern themselves with. Therefore, they can concentrate on how well they are playing.

Are They Expensive?

The most recent mouthpiece design is called “Resonance.” There are different styles depending on your needs, but they are all made to order. And yes, they are not cheap.

For this latest mouthpiece, you might pay anything between $275 to $350. Although you can find the Monette Silver Series mouthpiece, a slightly cheaper version – Monette Silver Series Trumpet Mouthpiece – is available.

For comparison purposes, you can look at this Yamaha Trumpet Mouthpiece.

Are These Trumpets Expensive?

The answer to that is, of course, they are. Very expensive. A better question is probably, “Are they worth the money you have to pay?” Let’s consider that.

Two Reasons They Cost a Lot of Money

Firstly, because Monette trumpets are hand-made. Secondly, because they are not mass-produced, there aren’t that many around. Therefore, they are very desirable. You just can’t go online and buy one new from a retailer. They are not sold that way.

Let’s make a couple of observations about the buying process.

If You Want To Buy a Monette Trumpet

A standard Monette will cost you between $10-20,000; the top of the range is about $50,000.
It has to be ordered from Monette on their website, and the waiting list is about a year.
Each trumpet is custom-built for the customer and takes about 150 hours to build.

As I said, you just can’t go online and buy one new.

Buying a Used Monette Trumpet

Given the cost of buying new, buying a used Monette trumpet might be an option. Or at least it might be if there are any available. You won’t find too many around to buy.

An added complication is that these instruments are made for a specific player. Meaning, there are not too many trumpet players willing to sell them.

A Long Queue

Because Monette has built itself this reputation, there are usually a lot of people wanting to buy second-hand. This might be because they don’t want to wait a year. Or it might be that the price is out of their reach.

How Much?

It will depend on the model, which can vary in price, as we have seen. It will also depend on the instrument’s condition. But, likely, you will probably need to pay about $5,000.

As I say, this will depend on the model. Some prices can go up to $50,000 new, so you will need to do a bit of investigative homework if you see one. However, don’t delay too much. It is likely it won’t stay unsold for very long.

What Do They Offer Other Trumpets Don’t?

Monette trumpets have been built to solve problems that Dave Monette didn’t like in other trumpets that were available.

Too Bright?

One of these was that he considered the standard trumpet had a sound that was too bright. His trumpets are noted for a sound that has texture and is very layered, which many consider isn’t matched by other brands. The brightness has been finished somewhat to leave a warmer tone. To some pro-level players, it is a unique sound.

Pitch

One problem that can plague some, not all, trumpets is the pitch. The trumpet can cover a wide range, and some instruments do not maintain pitch over the full range. Monette had a look at this problem. After some experimentation with different designs, that problem has been alleviated.

The Build

Needless to say, these instruments are built by experienced craftsmen. They are also built to a very defined set of specifications. You may find them slightly heavier than a standard trumpet, and there can be variations in the overall size. What you will not find is shoddy workmanship. And at this price point, it would be a big surprise if you did.

If You Want To Sell Your Monette

You will have gathered by now that these trumpets are sought-after instruments. I doubt you will have a problem selling if it is in good condition. But it is unlikely to sell anywhere near what you probably paid for it.

The only negative is that if you bought it new, then it was made for you. Other trumpet players might see that as a negative. That will apply to all used Monette trumpets. But they still sell.

Because there is this long list of those waiting, some choose to buy used. You could probably get about half of its new price if you decide to sell it.