Jet Tone Aluminum mouthpieces

[jchiang9]

I've recently acquired a Jet Tone Aluminum 7C. Was wondering if anybody has more info on these and possible value of it. I've got the original box for it too if that makes any difference.

Does anybody know what other sizes were made? How'd they play if you've had one?

Isn't my cup of tea to play on and it doesn't help that I don't play on a 7c to begin with. But it certainly is interesting. Very light mouthpiece!

[heinzgries]

perhabs this helps
https://www.trombonechat.com/viewtopic.php?t=1559

[Doug Elliott]

Here's a little history:
https://www.brasshistory.net/Jet-Tone%20History.pdf

Bill Ratzenberger made Jet-Tones from the late 1950's until his death in 1983. They were silverplated brass.
After that came the aluminum ones. I was somewhat aware of them because that was about the same time I started making mouthpieces. Aluminum was a very bad idea.

I have a few of the originals in my collection.

[bigbandbone]

Didn't Jetone also experiment with other metals? I have a vague recollection of a friend playing on a really light Jetone, but definitely not Aluminum. Maybe Magnisium?

[ithinknot]

Maybe Magnisium?

It won't have been magnesium. There are cheeses with greater surface hardness, and it burns in water vapour.

[dukesboneman]

I have one of the aluminum Jet Tone 7C`s
There was a very brief period in the mid 1980`s that they made a 7C and a 6 1/2AL in Aluminum.
I believe they were aimed at the Drum Corp market (i could be wrong)
I think it plays kind of dull compared to a brass mouthpiece.
I did have ,in the early 1970`s a Jet Tone Al Hirt Model trumpet mouthpiece in a gold-ish color made of aluminum.
That mouthpiece got me thru methods class in Under Grad.
I talked with (if memory serves me) Legends of Brass and they said they could do an exact copy
with the original Jet Tone outer shape for around $250
Not sure if I want to spend that amount . I always liked the Jet Tone Look.

[jchiang9]

Here's a little history:
https://www.brasshistory.net/Jet-Tone%20History.pdf

Bill Ratzenberger made Jet-Tones from the late 1950's until his death in 1983. They were silverplated brass.
After that came the aluminum ones. I was somewhat aware of them because that was about the same time I started making mouthpieces. Aluminum was a very bad idea.

I have a few of the originals in my collection.

Very interesting, thanks for that! Would you care to elaborate on why the aluminum was a bad idea? Did it have to do with the machining of it?

[Doug Elliott]

Notice you don't see anybody using them

[dershem]

Yo don't see people using them because they're not made any more. I have a few aluminum Jet-Tones (anodized - some were goldish, some blue-ish) that were great for playing outdoors or for doubling when you wanted something that warmed up very quickly. Alas, the aluminum reacted badly for people with acid metabilosms.