Making trumpet mouthpiece rim blanks on a CNC lathe.

We’ll be closed on Monday, January 2nd, but will open up for business as usual on Tuesday, January 3rd.

In the meantime, here’s a photo of Bob’s first lathe which has been in continual use since Bob opened shop now going into our 43rd year.

Bob Reeves First Lathe with Trumpet Mouthpiece Blanks

Louis Armstrong and Zeke Zarchy photo signed by Zeke.

Well, we were doing some winter cleaning and came across the original photo that was used:

From L to R: Jimmy Salko, Don Fagerquist, Louis Armstrong, Zeke Zarchy, Manny Stevens

Apparently, Zeke had cropped out the rest of the trumpet section! On the left is Jimmy Salko who was a customer of Bob’s for years playing on his mouthpieces and getting valve alignments on all his trumpets. Next to him is Don Fagerquist, a fabulous trumpet player who Bob heard often around town.  In the middle is Louis Armstrong. While working for Purviance, Bob made Louis Armstrong’s last 6 trumpet mouthpieces. They were all Puviance 4*K4 mouthpieces or variations on them. Next to Louis is Zeke, who Bob knew for years and made several mouthpieces for and line up all his trumpets. Finally, on the far right is Manny Stevens. Manny was also a long-time customer of Bob’s, playing on Bob’s pieces and having alignments done whenever he picked up a new horn.

The Experimenting  Continued

Originally, I made six different sleeve sizes that allowed a player to adjust the gap within 1/16″. It quickly became obvious that players required further fine-tuning, so I divided the sizes into 1/2 and 1/4 sizes, allowing players to adjust the gap within 1/64″. Due to the limitations of the manual lathe I was using, I could not reliably adjust the gap in smaller increments. Frustrated by this limitation and wanting to make even smaller adjustments to the gap, I turned my attention from the mouthpiece to the trumpet receiver.

Early Advertisement for Bob's Adjustable Receiver

Adjustable Gap Receiver

In 1979, I invented the first adjustable gap receiver for the trumpet. The gap could be adjusted within .001” by using a precision threaded bit.  Over the next few years, I tested the gap extensively compiling several journals full of notes, observations, and most importantly, players’ perceptions.

I was surprised to discover that trumpet players can perceive a change in the gap as little as .006”! I also confirmed my belief that two different players playing on the same mouthpiece and same trumpet often will required a different gap.

I converted many trumpets with my adjustable gap receiver (The B.R.A.S.S., which stands for Bob Reeves Adjustable Sleeves System), but there were practicality issues with this system that made me reevaluate making gap adjustments using the mouthpiece. Thanks to advances in machining technology, adjusting the gap by using a converted mouthpiece and removable sleeves became feasible.

The Bob Reeves Sleeve System

The system as it exists today requires a mouthpiece to be converted for sleeves, which is much easier and more economical than replacing the receiver on a trumpet.

We can convert any trumpet mouthpiece to accept our sleeves, the process of which does not alter any other part of the mouthpiece — the backbore and overall length of the mouthpiece remain the same.

Our removable sleeves come in half sizes, ranging from #1 to #7. We also have quarter sizes available from time to time. The #1 sleeve has the largest shank size, which will produce the largest gap, while the #7 sleeve has the smallest shank size, producing the smallest gap.

Check back for Part III when we will discuss how you can find the optimal gap for your set up.

Click here to learn more about the Bob Reeves Sleeves System.

Click here to read Part I of this series

“I recently sent my Kanstul Trumpet in for a valve alignment. It came back just before my performance at my induction into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The change in the instrument was remarkable!

The overall sound was intonation was an incredible improvement. The center of the notes was easier to “think and play”. The octave slots were more pronounced. I love the new pads!

Overall I said WOW! Thanks so very much for your great care and expertise.

Pat Vidas
Producer / Composer
Capitol / Motown recording Artist”

Pat Vidas Playing His Recently Aligned Kanstul Trumpet

Thanks for the kind words Pat, and congratulations on your induction, what an achievement!

Have a happy and safe Independence Day!!

- Bob Reeves and staff.

Here is a video of Snooky that we came across that really shows his sensitive side:

The writing in the lower left is hard to make out in the scan but reads:

“Para mi amigo Carroll, [To my friend Carroll]

Thanks for the big improvement that your wonderful mouthpiece made in my playing.

Sinceramenta, [Sincerely,]
Rafael A. Méndez

Rafael Mendez signed photo to Carroll Purviance

Click on the photo to see a larger version.