Testimonials

Solo Cornet, Whitby Brass Band
High school music teacher

I have been a trumpet player since I was 10 years old. I began to play the cornet when I was 25 and no matter what equipment I used, I could not get a true cornet sound. If I tried something that came close, my endurance suffered. As soon as I tried the Sparx mouthpiece I knew I had found a match. I was able to sound like a proper cornet and it still felt comfortable on my face. There is no way I would use anything but a Sparx cornet mouthpiece again.

Diane Marlatt

Hi Ted, this is Ralph Caccese from Delaware. I spoke with you on the phone last week and ordered a #4 cornet mouthpiece. I just got it today and have been playing with it for the past hour. I just wanted to say this is one terrific mouthpiece! The best I’ve tried. I’m not a great player but I found it far better than the Wick RW3B and 4B I have been using. The rim is much more comfortable; it feels less sharp. The sound is incredible. When I first looked at the mpc I thought I would have trouble hitting high notes because the cup appeared so deep. I found just the opposite to be true. It’s easier for me to get up there, and when I do, it sounds much better than before; in fact in tune for a change. And the low register is thick, mellow and warm. I’m using a Getzen 3850 which I recently bought. It’s a great horn, but the mpc has made all the difference . Thanks.

Ralph Caccese

Solo Cornet, Farragut Brass Band (USA)

My recently-ordered Sparx #3 is more than a “keeper.” In fact, it has ended a life-long cornet mouthpiece safari for this 67 year old cornet player.You seem to have designed all the right things into the mouthpiece and it works equally well on both modern and vintage cornets. Additionally, no hint of tired chops yet, either in practice sessions at home or at gigs publicly. Many thanks for your enhancement of my playing life!

Kent Larabee

Little Rock, AR, USA

I took delivery of my Sparx 3 cornet mouthpiece this week, and I’m loving it! Much better than anything else I’ve tried, and no problems at all alternating between the Sparx 3 on cornet and my GR66M on trumpet.

Dan Case

Solo cornet – Utah Premiere Brass, USA

I recently ordered three Sparx mouth pieces from Ted himself – Cornet 4, 3 and 3B.
First I just tried all of them, without looking at the sizes. The first mouth piece I tried had a comfortable rim and played very solidly and smoothly. I was very happy with the more easily extended range, (and was sure this was the 3B) however; I was most surprised to hear the lowest F# just as pronounced as the mid range. There wasn’t any fuzz or airy sound anywhere from low F# or to high “e” above the staff…(actually was playing the sparx cornet 4!).

The next mouthpiece I played felt a bit wider, and I was stunned at how much more projection was produced. I played louder on this mouthpiece with the same amount of air as the previous mouthpiece. I thought, “Wow, this is the one!” The higher range was almost as easy as the first, but the sounded even better…(sparx cornet 3)

The final mouthpiece was shocking. I put it up to my lips and immediately realized that this was the more shallow of the cups. So I slurred down to the low F# to see if the tone was thinned or fuzzy like it is with my Bach 3C. It wasn’t! The note was full, round and resonated like the 2nd line “g”! I chromatically slurred up to high C and it was even easier than the other two, with a massive amount of overtones. The tone was a bit more brilliant and so I put my DW4-gp back in to compare tone color. The DW sound was the wide, warm sound I remembered, but it took much more muscle, and air for the higher range, and I noticed how much harder it is to articulate on the DW. Back to the Sparx 3B, my tonguing was crisp, but not overbearing. On the DW, double and triple tonguing used more articulating for something that sounded much softer.

Over all, the Sparx cornet 3B is my mouthpiece of choice, on the Besson Sovereign 928 and King Legend 2220 cornets. For solo cornet line music it showed to be much easier on my chops for the 2 1/2 hour Saturday morning rehearsal. The tone was full and dark from low to high and I didn’t feel like I was swaying my intonation like I sometimes do this early in the morning.

Great job Ted Sparks! I’m the fourth on my line to own and play a Sparx. We owe our sound to you!

Hollie Carr

Georgia Brass Band, USA

Ted, I received the mouthpieces and have put both through playing tests. The 4C is going to be great for solo cornet work, and the 4 will serve my back row cornet playing in the Georgia Brass Band well. Thanks for a great product!

Mike Daniel

Principal cornet – Benfield and Rockville Brass Bands
Solo cornet – Salvation Army Baltimore Brass Band
Lead trumpet – Bay Winds Community Band

I got into cornet playing and brass banding rather late in life, starting on a rented student model Bach cornet (with a stuck 3rd slide) and a Bach 5C mouthpiece (the size I was using on my Bb and C trumpets). I heard that deeper (darker) was better, and so moved to a Bach 5B. That was not the answer, so I moved on (after some struggling) to a Wick RW4, then an RW4B. This worked for a number of years (I tend to make do and not experiment… especially when it costs money!) until I replaced my Bach Strad cornet with a Yamaha 6335HS. The Wick just didn’t sound right. The 16E that came with the horn DID sound OK – but it was too big (and uncomfortable).

After much internet surfing, I decided to try a Sparx mouthpiece and settled on the Sparx 3. It was (to mix metaphors, I suppose) like wearing an old shoe – comfortable from the beginning and sounded great. I subsequently got a 3B (for a little extra sparkle or reach for solo work… and to add a little zest to some otherwise dull trios!) and that has also proven itself – well worth the price. And there is no problem moving between the two mouthpieces.

I just recently received my third Sparx mouthpiece – a 3C. Occasionally I have the “opportunity” to fill in on soprano cornet and (since I am sadly lacking in upward mobility) have developed a “crutch” set of three mouthpieces depending on whether I want to sound good, play high, or play even higher. Unfortunately none of the three mouthpieces (a Wick and two Schilkes) has very good intonation, especially in the upper register. I’m happy to say that the Sparx 3C sounds great and in tune on my Schilke soprano cornet right up to my (squeaky) limit! Unfortunately, that’s not quite high enough, so now I am eyeing a Sparx 4C (but don’t let my wife know)!

Walt Bodycomb

Solo Cornet, Guernsey Concert Brass Band, Channel Islands

Ted, I have recently purchased a Model 2 Cornet mouthpiece from your website and was amazed with two things – first, how quickly it came across the Big Pond and secondly, how easy and versatile it is to play.
I have, like many other brass players, been on a quest for more years than I would care to remember for the ideal mouthpiece. I have tried the usual suspects amongst the Wicks and the Bach’s and always had to compromise between tone and playability.

The first time I tried the Sparx # 2 I was surprised at the flexibility and stability of tone all the way across both extremes of the stave.

It is by far the best sounding and easiest to play mouthpiece I have come across in more than 20 years of brass playing.

Marcus Shaw

Soprano, Pemberton Old Wigan ( JJB ) Band, England

I’ve spent several years searching for that perfect combination of tone, range, endurance and comfort – all from a single mouthpiece. I’ve even doctored several well known models in order to produce something close to the ideal combination. Finally, at 47 years old and almost ready to retire from Sop, I’ve found one!!!!
I recently ordered a SPARX 4C and all of the above attributes have been satisfied. Unfortunately……It’s still full of wrong notes, so I really am going to retire soon.

Eddie Hil