Trumpet Mouthpiece Showcase: Schilke (Chet) Baker * Made By Scott Laskey

In between practice sessions, I wanted to show you guys one of my current-fave Jazz mouthpieces. Yep... Baker... THAT Baker... Chet Baker. It is easier to attempt his style and sound on this particular piece than any other I’ve played, which goes to show you that the “Legendary” artist/soloists got about 1/3 (maybe more) of their characteristic sound from their unique equipment choices, which complimented the sounds in their heads the very best.
Definitely not a classical piece, nor a Lead or Commercial piece at all... a smoky, 50’s-60’s Fluffy-Jazz-Tone piece, this one is.
Scott Laskey’s handiwork is all over this piece, the “star” (*) cup design is literally one of his own original ideas for making deeper cups play nearly as easy as a cup that is a step or two shallower, without losing the tone of the deep cup.

[@ev_alex_]

found a nice Schilke mouthpiece in my schools band room closet, stuck in an old trumpet from many many years ago, we were able to get it free and it sounds so good

[@otmq]

Which model of Schilke was it?

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Fascinating stuff, Bryan! Looks really efficient and fun to play, if not a tad unconventional. Funny enough, my “Chet Baker” piece also has very little grip on the rim, a cup around a Bach 5-6 and between an A/B depth, but it’s on the other end of the efficiency spectrum. You say this piece feels easy to play for a deeper cup considering the other specs, whereas mine is harder to play than my 1-1/2A, despite being narrower in diameter and, realistically, a touch shallower. It’s a fluke Holton and Co. 7C, completely different from any other Holton piece I’ve seen, and I’ve never been able to find much info about it.

[@otmq]

Ooh, If you ever would like to trade/sell it, please let me know! I’m wondering what blank it was in, Holton had a variety of blanks, all of them rather unconventional.

[@JohnMichaelTrumpet]

Nice playing ala Chet! And good review!!

[@jazzforJamie]

Hi Great playing on that mp! Heard him live in 1995 in Sweden, to bad that evening he just scatsong that day haha! Am a great fan of him and have listen to Chets recordings since beginning of 1950th, My Funnys Valentine, Imagination and many others, also with Mulligan days with Chet. Play also trumpet trumpet on YTube. You sound like a Chet Baker copy in some bits here, nice! Johnny D Bergh

[@johnnyberglund841]

Sorry, year 1985 it was!

[@otmq]

Edit: got info from the Laskey company: Scott Laskey was dutifully employed at Schilke from 1975-1998, then he struck out on his own! This piece was likely made somewhere between 1975-1977, meaning it was likely among his first few hundred pieces he custom made for Schilke! This one is special. And of you hear a bit of “inefficiency” in my playing, I was trying to get that subtle nuanced Chet-puff-fluff effect. I think there were a few moments I came close!

[@chasefreak]

Scott was actually there as far back as 1973 working in the office while still taking trumpet lessons from Mr. Schilke...this custom piece for Chet was most likely made by Mr. Schilke around '73-ish when Chet was working on his comeback-Scott wasn't doing custom pieces until '77 (before Ren put Scott in charge, the first choice was Terry Warburton-Terry declined as he preferred Florida weather over Chicago's winters...can't blame him)

[@blow-by-blow-trumpet]

I just got hold of a Schilke 14B and now realize I've been playing the wrong mouthpiece (12B4) for 4 years! It's like my technique has improved over night. There may not be a right mouthpiece but there are certainly wrong ones. Nice playing btw.

[@otmq]

Thanks! I’m always seeking to acquire a better mousetrap!

[@BillSmith-rx9rm]

Hopefully you realize that Schilke numbering system is the opposite of Bach. A Schilke B cup is shallower than a C cup. It would be more like a Bach D cup.

[@Mike49if]

Very nice rendition, thanks.

[@sethphillips1]

Idk why but I was expecting mid playing, I really like your sound and playing:)

[@otmq]

Thanks, I was going for a chewy, Chetty sound! I utilize many different mouthpieces, this is just one of my stylistic modes!

[@pebblebeach8517]

Yeah that sounds great …I’ve got an old Bach 6b I’ll pull out of my inventory. I don’t recall how it sounds it’s been a few years probably not as good as the CB you’re playing…Thx that was great 👍

[@IndianOutlaw1870]

Nice playing. Chet also played a 6C.

[@otmq]

I recently bought a Bach Mt. Vernon 6C… Exactly the same piece Chet used in the 1950’s and 1960’s…nice sound, but NOT an easy mouthpiece to play!! This Schilke Baker * is much better. I even have a Bach NY era 7 that plays easier, despite being deeper than the Mt. Vernon 6C… the Mt. Vernon 6C is not easy to play above high C at all! That exact inefficiency is what makes the piece give a player such a complex, rich tone.

[@paulgrimm]

That’s the sound in looking for

[@edstud1]

Good video!

[@shamslife9182]

Great stuff ! Maybe you are the reincarnation of Chet baker ? 🙉🙈🌞🍀😃

[@otmq]

Well, I’m much less successful in every way. I hope if his soul is part of mine, better success is in the cards!

[@paulgrimm6850]

Love my Getzen Eterna . Great Horns. You sound good. That’s the sound I want to play. Can I still buy this mouthpiece?

[@otmq]

Sorry Paul, this one’s not for sale! May have it fully scanned and reproduced, if I’m not broke soon.

[@Dilllie]

Great one!

[@columbusindianaphilharmoni8486]

You should send it to Dave Monette and let him make a copy of it. That’d be very interesting!

[@otmq]

I would, but there are other makers I like more than Monette. Also, I’m basically broke, 2 of my gigs were cancelled this week.

[@Aswaguespack]

@@otmq sorry to hear about your cancelled gigs. Unfortunately it’s something happening with regularity these days. I agree with you on the number of excellent mouthpiece guys out there producing fine mouthpieces.

[@otmq]

What is the second tune I played? Anybody know? I didn’t announce it!

[@otmq]

... it’s “My Romance”... because nobody answered in over 3 months...

[@bruhmomenthdr7575]

@@otmq bro answered his own question 💀💀💀

[@johnwhatsittoya6374]

Hawwhawwhaw 😅

[@TheXynos7]

J'aime beaucoup votre son Bryan Foote Brass Vocals Music, en effet proche de celui du grand Chet des années 1950 .SVP où peut-on acheter "the Schilke Baker Mouthpiece" . Merci d'avance de me répondre car je ne la trouve pas cette embouchure sur le site Scott Laskey

[@otmq]

This is a 1/1 custom Schilke mouthpiece. i may have it scanned fully and reproduced, but I’m currently living in poverty, need some money to do this.

[@hunghsinliang824]

very nice video thank you!

[@otmq]

Thank you!

[@paulocezar4999]

HI !!! GREAT SOUND, THANKS. BIG HUG, RIO DE JANEIRO BRASIL.

[@bernhard.design]

Is it easier to play a smaller mouth piece vs. a big one?

[@otmq]

Depends what you’re doing, and what EXACTLY you mean by “smaller” and “big”!!! Big compared to ___? (what?) What range(s) do you need to cover. What tones do you want? How loud are you going to play? How LONG do you need to perform? What sort of trumpet are you using? What is your playing mechanic-style? :D

[@otmq]

What size are your lips? How fit are you? How old are you? What style(s) of music do you play? What are your musical strengths and weaknesses?

[@bernhard.design]

@@otmq small lips, totally unfit, too old to be true. style: jazz, orchestra, film scores. weakness: don't read notes, play by hearing. cheers

[@otmq]

@@bernhard.design Without knowing too much about you, if you have small lips, a Bob Reeves 41 or 42 size would probably work great for ya. 41S or 42S, either with a 692S backbore.

[@otmq]

@@bernhard.design Without hearing you or having a lesson- Bob Reeves 42 or 41 S cup, 692S backbore. If you’re used to a Bach, Yamaha, Or Schilke medium cup, the Bob Reeves S cup will feel really good, it’s shallower, but really not that shallow.

[@miniaturascolecionaveis]

Video interessante,quanto custa um bocal desse? Um grande abraço de Tomé Açu no Pará Brasil.

[@otmq]

At the moment, this piece is not for sale. I may have it scanned and marketed by some company… first I need money

[@BRENTH11100]

Could that be used with a mellophone ?

[@otmq]

It’s honestly a bit shallow for a mellophone, but if agility, brightness, and range was a necessity, it could be used on mello. If you want to send me a private message, I own a gold-plated custom Rudy Muck V-cup that would be the ULTIMATE trumpet-shanked Mello piece, for sale!

[@jppirr1031]

Is it available to buy anywhere ??

[@TheXynos7]

I really like your sound Bryan Foote Brass Vocals Music, indeed close to that of the great Chet of the 1950s . Please where can I buy "the Schilke Baker Mouthpiece". Thank you in advance to answer me because I do not find this mouth on the site Scott Laskey. All the best

[@otmq]

This mouthpiece is a 1/1 custom, as far as I know. Until I get it scanned amd reproduced by a mouthpiece maker, mine is likely the only one in existence.

[@SmeeUncleJoe]

@@otmq Loan it to Mark Curry.

[@otmq]

@@SmeeUncleJoe I’m having Mark make me a custom variant of the lead Piece Jim Manley uses, which has a Maynard-Style rim.

[@SmeeUncleJoe]

@@otmq Sorry. I know this sounds like trumpet heresy, but I'm not a big fan of Maynard. I was hoping you'd say Mark was making you this Baker MPC.

[@otmq]

@@SmeeUncleJoe I just think Jim’s rim is the comfiest I’ve ever used. I think examining Maynard’s work, particularly of the 1950’s-mid 60’s proves that he was without a doubt one of the most excellent musicians (not simply the best high note specialist) ever. I listen to a lot more Chet than Maynard, of course.

[@silvioribeirodossantos6858]

Toco com um Schilke 8E2. Muito legal!

[@otmq]

Nice, medium-narrow ID, deep cup, good for a smoky dark tone. I can’t play anything that narrow, narrowest I can go in Schilke terms is a 13 or maybe 12. Biggest I can go is a 15. Anything narrower than 12, or wider than 15 is not good for my face.

[@user-ed4jb3in8p]

Мундштук выглядит убедительно.!

[@alessandro-my9ur]

Where did you find it?

[@otmq]

It was given to me by an elderly trumpeter in Chicago IL. I appraised his trumpet and gear, and also played the horn for him, pointing out several things good and bad about it. I inspired the man, and he allowed me to have 2 mutes and 1 mouthpiece from his small collection. I elected to take a “Tommy Dorsey” plunger mute, a 1940’s H+B Mica-mute, and this Schilke Baker mouthpiece.

[@jfmusicbox3477]

What would you say the closest production mouthpiece would be? Do you still have it?

[@otmq]

I still have it. It is unlike anything else I’ve seen. Perhaps a Warburton 4MV…

[@jfmusicbox3477]

@@otmq would you ever consider getting it scanned or copied by Stork or Jim New?

[@otmq]

@@jfmusicbox3477 If I had the time and money, sure.

[@otmq]

@@jfmusicbox3477 I would, if it were convenient. Right now, I’m living and working aboard “Icon Of The Seas”- Royal Caribbean’s flagship.

[@silvioribeirodossantos6858]

Valeu

[@otmq]

Sorry, not currently for sale! If I can get the money, I may have it fully scanned and have a maker sell it! That takes money!

[@silvioribeirodossantos6858]

Desculpe-me! "valeu" é uma expressão brasileira para "gostei".

[@silvioribeirodossantos6858]

@@otmq Excuse me! "valeu" is a Brazilian expression for "I liked".