Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post Reply
oopyirdyy
Posts: 0
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2024 4:15 pm

Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by oopyirdyy »

Does anybody happen to know what this cover is that Jimmy Cleveland is using in this photo? https://imgur.com/a/W5aHWLT
User avatar
Burgerbob
Posts: 5068
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:10 pm
Location: LA
Contact:

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Burgerbob »

Picture without link:

Image
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
User avatar
dukesboneman
Posts: 715
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:40 pm
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Contact:

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by dukesboneman »

I use something similar on my horn.
It mellows out the sound a bit seems to make everything smoother
Great for soloing
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 946
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ghmerrill »

Might be a Softone that he's taken a knife or scissors to. I have one for my bass, but if you put it completely over the bell (rather than hanging it), it's a practice mute.

https://www.amazon.com/Softone-Tenor-Tr ... 108&sr=8-7
Gary Merrill
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
M/K nickel MV50 leadpipe
DE LB K/K8/110 Lexan
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
User avatar
Doug Elliott
Posts: 3380
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:12 pm
Location: Maryand

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Doug Elliott »

That picture is from probably 30 years before Softones existed.
Looks totally homemade to me, probably made of felt, maybe a wool felt beret.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 946
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ghmerrill »

Doug Elliott wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 7:44 pm Looks totally homemade to me, probably made of felt, maybe a wool felt beret.
That makes sense. Probably where Softone got the idea. You can in fact wear the Softone as a hat, but you look like a demented Parisian artiste.
Gary Merrill
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
M/K nickel MV50 leadpipe
DE LB K/K8/110 Lexan
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
Posaunus
Posts: 3888
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:54 pm
Location: California

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Posaunus »

I have a blue beret that I use the same way - but it looks too cool to cut a bunch of holes in it. Works similarly to a Softone mute, but less muffled.
Enelson
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 11:39 pm
Location: Sweden

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Enelson »

There are lots of pictures of Curtis Fuller using the same kind of felt bell cover and at least one YouTube clip I can think of.

Image
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 946
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ghmerrill »

I think I have to try this beret idea. I used to have one around here for a long time, but either my wife or my daughter appropriated it at some point.

I'm really puzzled about what effect the beret has with that much space cut out of it (maybe it's really for the effect it has up close with the mic?). Last night, I tried a knit beret my wife has, and it was like there was nothing on the bell at all. :?

Also, I can see that recently there has been a sort of "beret inflation" (along with everything else). :shock: Still, worth ordering one from Amazon just in the interests of science.
Gary Merrill
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
M/K nickel MV50 leadpipe
DE LB K/K8/110 Lexan
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
CalgaryTbone
Posts: 1158
Joined: Thu May 10, 2018 1:39 pm

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by CalgaryTbone »

I'm pretty sure that's the same thing that a former trumpet colleague of mine used for a couple of the Gershwin solos in the orchestra rep. (American in Paris, etc.). That would imply that it was a product that was commercially available. As I remember, it sounded like a slightly more open bucket mute - sort of in between the open horn and a bucket.

Jim Scott
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 946
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ghmerrill »

I'm skeptical it's a commercial product -- unless it's a handmade commercial product. There's no uniformity of the hole shape and size, and some of the cutting is very ragged. It gives me confidence that I could produce that result with little effort. :)
Gary Merrill
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
M/K nickel MV50 leadpipe
DE LB K/K8/110 Lexan
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
AtomicClock
Posts: 337
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:01 pm
Location: USA

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by AtomicClock »

Somebody over at Trumpet Herald mentions:

https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/vie ... ?p=1242317
I don't know if they're still manufactured, but for a good while you could get the Don Goldie Felt Mute. It was powder blue in color, had a logo stamped on it, the holes (I think 5 or 6) were symmetrical. Just like this one it slipped over the bell rim & held in place by a piece of elastic sewn into the felt.

The felt was just thick enough to take a bit of edge off the sound, not quite as much as a bucket mute would. No resistance, no pitch change.
Here's a picture. Holes around the edge, but not in the center.
https://reverb.com/item/71653113-vintag ... uOVylbev70
User avatar
bitbckt
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 11:41 am
Location: Maine

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by bitbckt »

tomato has something similar in his mute lot in the classifieds section. Maybe he'd have something to say?
ngrinder
Posts: 252
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 7:30 pm
Location: New York City
Contact:

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ngrinder »

My softone looks like this. It allows freer access to the higher partials without back pressure while also cutting out some of the "errant" overtones that can interrupt smooth articulation. Gives better consistency and moderates volume as well.
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 946
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ghmerrill »

My Softone doesn't have any holes like that!! Or did you create those yourself? I've been thinking about that, but have decided it's probably better to keep the Softone as is (for possible use as a bucket mute) and hack up a beret instead.
Gary Merrill
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
M/K nickel MV50 leadpipe
DE LB K/K8/110 Lexan
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
Posaunus
Posts: 3888
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:54 pm
Location: California

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Posaunus »

ghmerrill wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 3:32 pm My Softone doesn't have any holes like that!! Or did you create those yourself? I've been thinking about that, but have decided it's probably better to keep the Softone as is (for possible use as a bucket mute) and hack up a beret instead.
:good:
Crazy4Tbone86
Posts: 1444
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:52 am

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Crazy4Tbone86 »

My Softone Mute plays badly out of tune. I'm wondering it cutting some holes in it will improve the intonation.

Then again. Jimmy Cleveland's and Curtis Fuller's mutes look like Charlie Brown's Halloween costume in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." If I cut holes in mine, will I end up saying...."I got a rock."

Brian D. Hinkley - Player, Teacher, Technician and Trombone Enthusiast
ngrinder
Posts: 252
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 7:30 pm
Location: New York City
Contact:

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ngrinder »

ghmerrill wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 3:32 pm My Softone doesn't have any holes like that!! Or did you create those yourself? I've been thinking about that, but have decided it's probably better to keep the Softone as is (for possible use as a bucket mute) and hack up a beret instead.
I cut it myself. Buy two, mess with one, check out the difference in the upper register.
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 946
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ghmerrill »

ngrinder wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:19 pm
ghmerrill wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 3:32 pm My Softone doesn't have any holes like that!! Or did you create those yourself? I've been thinking about that, but have decided it's probably better to keep the Softone as is (for possible use as a bucket mute) and hack up a beret instead.
I cut it myself. Buy two, mess with one, check out the difference in the upper register.
My thinking:
  • Cost of Softone = ~ $60
  • Cost of cheap beret = < $10 (or ~ $0 if found at secondhand store)
  • Experimentation cost differential to achieve approximately same learning result >= $50
Plus I'm also thinking that the beret may have other advantages and produce what I'm looking for more closely.

Initial project plan: Drive to town and see if they have any berets at Goodwill store. On the other hand, it's true that I'm not using the Softone for anything. :?
Gary Merrill
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
M/K nickel MV50 leadpipe
DE LB K/K8/110 Lexan
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
Posaunus
Posts: 3888
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:54 pm
Location: California

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Posaunus »

I'm ready to blow some blues. :cool:

Blue felt beret (very inexpensive).
Blue plunger (inexpensive).
Olds R15 Recording with 8" Re-O-Loy red brass bell (priceless).
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
EriKon
Posts: 298
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2022 7:03 am
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by EriKon »

I love how Doug's mouthpiece design matches with the braces of the slide!
Posaunus
Posts: 3888
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:54 pm
Location: California

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Posaunus »

EriKon wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2024 3:20 pm I love how Doug's mouthpiece design matches with the braces of the slide!
It not only looks great, it plays beautifully (in my opinion) on this wonderful trombone.
D3(Olds) Shank (2022*) / ST D* Cup / ST 99 Rim (though I'd also like to try an ST 100 - anyone have one to sell?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Horndon
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2023 12:13 pm

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Horndon »

Search Amazon for "cloth bowl covers." They're cheap enough to get a several to experiment with different cutout patterns.
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 946
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by ghmerrill »

I cut holes in my Softone, and it sounds great. But it's pretty much of a pain to put on and get off -- especially in a hurry.
Gary Merrill
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
M/K nickel MV50 leadpipe
DE LB K/K8/110 Lexan
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
gregwaits
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 10:41 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by gregwaits »

oopyirdyy wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 4:22 pm Does anybody happen to know what this cover is that Jimmy Cleveland is using in this photo? https://imgur.com/a/W5aHWLT
If I’m not mistaken, that’s just a woolen beret that he modified by cutting holes. I have one I did the same with.
Posaunus
Posts: 3888
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:54 pm
Location: California

Re: Odd bell cover/mute used by Jimmy Cleveland

Post by Posaunus »

As well as an authentic (but rather expensive) Softone mute, I also have successfully muted with an inexpensive woolen beret (thank you eBay), which doubles as a (slightly) less geeky hat if you are caught in the rain (or get invited to a French soirée). No holes required to get a nice muted sound.
Post Reply

Return to “Accessories”