Testimonials

London Freelance Trumpet Player including London’s West End Shows and Royal National Theatre Company

Since swapping to the trumpet as a university undergraduate, and subsequently as a trumpet freelancer, it has been a struggle to play the cornet with anything approaching an authentic brass band sound because of the incompatibilities between standard trumpet mouthpieces and “correct” sounding cornet mouthpieces. I’ve been searching for a suitable mouthpiece for over 20 years! The Sparx 2 allows me to make the sound that I hear in my imagination without compromising my endurance. It feels so similar to a standard 1C trumpet rim that I can swap between instruments without any problems. Now I regularly run through half a dozen flashy cornet solos for a work-out. In fact, it’s hard to put it away. Well done Ted!

Andy Callard

Principal Trumpet, National Ballet of Canada Orchestra
Solo Cornet, Hannaford Street Silver Band

Like most people, I always thought that cornet mouthpieces could either have a deep, rich, authentic cornet sound, OR be comfortable and in tune. The Sparx mouthpiece, however, is both better-sounding AND easier to play than any cornet mouthpiece I have tried. It has the warmth to blend in a brass band, coupled with the breadth and presence needed to play in an orchestra. The sound, response, and intonation are remarkably consistent from top to bottom, and the rim is comfortable without compromising flexibility or articulation. This is a truly excellent mouthpiece, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to produce a “real” cornet sound.

Richard Sandals

Principal Cornet – Lancaster British Brass Band
Associate Professor of Music/Trumpet – Lebanon Valley College

Hi Ted, I just wanted to tell you how much I love my new Sparx 3B Soloist mouthpiece! It is exactly what I have been looking for in sound, range, comfort and feel.

Your mouthpiece has made my life easier in playing the demanding 1st chair parts in the Brass band and the other players in the section have noticed a difference in my sound!

John Copenhaver

B.Ed (Hons), ARCM, PGCE

Hi Ted, thanks for the mouthpiece it arrived shortly after speaking to you. I’ve used it for practise and band rehearsal and the results have far outreached my expectations.

Buying a mouthpiece just on reccomendation without trying it went against all that I have learned but this mouthpiece is the answer to the problems I have encountered going back to cornet playing after many years playing trumpet.

Intonation, range, tone, attack, response and flexibility have all improved. Triple tonguing is much cleaner and crisper. The temptation to overblow for the upper register has been removed and the comment of “who’s the trumpet player” from the other cornet players no longer applies.

Before considering a Sparx I tried Vincent Bach, Dennis Wick, Schilke, Yamaha and unusual makes such as a Jim Shepherd “Special” none of which produced the results I was after.

I feel very lucky to have found this mouthpiece. Why is there no major outlet in the U.K. for what is a quality product? I am so glad I took the chance and my gamble paid off!

Thanks for your help. All the best to everyone at Sparx Music.

John Harris

Soprano Cornet, Sunshine Brass Band
Adjunct Professor of Trumpet, University of Tampa & St. Petersburg College, Florida
Freelance Trumpeter, Tampa Bay

The Sparx 3C gives an unusually warm and focused soprano cornet sound in the classic British Brass Band tradition. Intonation is excellent, and attacks are very sure. A beautifully crafted and pleasing design make this among the best of elite professional mouthpieces.

Gary Compton

Bandmaster – North York Temple Band

Bandmaster James Williams of Enfield Citadel once told me, “The most elusive quality of the amateur brass band is blend”. Sparx mouthpieces help take us that one step closer. The North York Temple Band cornet section play exclusively on Sparx mouthpieces and it has helped tremendously in forging the section into a more intergral part of the bands overall sound. Our principal cornet player, Robert Venables, is also a champion of Sparx mouthpieces.

Glenn Barlow

Goteborg, Sweden

I must congratulate you for making such a fantastic mouthpiece – I have never played a better one! It has a very good resonance that I have never felt in any other cornet mouthpiece. I am a professional trumpet player working in a wind band in Sweden and I play quite a lot of cornet, both at work and in my church brass band.

David Glanneskog

University of Toronto, Faculty of Music

Very comfortable rim and a nice mellow sound, Bravo!

Jeffrey Reynolds

Solo cornet, The Laganvale Band – Belfast, Northern Ireland

I just want to tell you how pleased i am with the sparx 4 cornet mouthpiece I purchased from you a few months ago. Previously I was playing a Wick 4B and although I was not unhappy with it, I can assure you I will be sticking with the Sparx 4!! The control the sparx gives you is far superior to that of the wick add to this improved intonation and rich sound and I reckon you have a winner here!! (although you probably already know that !!).
I would not hesitate to recommend the sparx range of mouthpieces!!
Thanks Ted!!

Graham Smyth

Hannaford Street Silver Band

For the past several months I have been playing on the SPARX cornet mouthpiece. This mouthpiece gives me the breadth of sound and a complete range of tonal colors required for all my cornet work. The rim is very comfortable and allows me to switch from cornet to trumpet and natural trumpet daily as required by my diverse performance schedule. I can recommend this mouthpiece to all cornet players.

Andras Molnar