Irving R. Bush Mouthpieces
Trumpet players throughout the world have realized the need for a precision-built, custom mouthpiece. Each Bush mouthpiece has been scientifically designed to produce an accurate qualitative trumpet tone. Every model was extensively tested for intonation, ease of response, flexibility and individual lip comfort. All mouthpieces are measured for exactness using state of the art equipment. Years of research and testing have resulted in brass mouthpieces of superb excellence.
The cup diameter is offered in several sizes, and the cup depths range from very deep to shallow. Corresponding cup diameters are identical and can be interchanged with different cup depths. Interchanging cup depths has proved advantageous for players who perform more than one type of music; also for players who perform on C, D, Eb, E, G and piccolo trumpets.
The S cup mouthpieces are designed to produce a big symphonic tone. The number 1 and number 2 cups are designed to produce a big tone with more brilliance. The 3D cup is designed as an all-purpose mouthpiece. The shallower cups ( 3) are noted for their brilliant tone quality without sacrificing the low register. There is a Bush Mouthpiece designed for every playing situation.
About Irving R. Bush
Irving Bush (1930–2009) has been associated with nearly every phase of the music profession. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he received his BA and MA degrees, cum laude, from California State University, Los Angeles. He has played with many name bands and orchestras including Dave Rose, Nelson Riddle and Harry James, and for three years was Nat "King" Cole's personal first trumpet player.
He has performed for many motion picture studios including 20th Century Fox, MGM, Columbia, Disney, Universal, Paramount and Warner Brothers Pictures. He has played on recordings with Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, George Shearing, Sarah Vaughan, Barbara Streisand and many others. In the symphonic area, he has recorded with the Columbia Broadcasting Symphony, Igor Stravinsky conducting and recordings by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra with Zubin Mehta, Carlo Giulini, Erik Leinsdorf, Michael Tilson Thomas, Andre Previn and Leonard Bernstein.
Mr. Bush has published numerous articles on trumpet related subjects and is author of "Artistic Trumpet Technique and Study." He also has been design and research consultant for several trumpet manufacturers. Mr. Bush served for many years on the faculty of the University of Southern California and California State University, Los Angeles.
“Irving had a subtle sense of humor which he shared mostly with his colleagues. The reverse side of his business card read: ‘There are two sides to a trumpeter’s personality—there is the one that lives only to lay waste to the woodwinds and strings, leaving them lying blue and lifeless along the swath of destruction that is a trumpeter’s fury; then there is the dark side.’”
Who’s Playing Bush
Pete Estabrook Jazz Studio Department, Santa Rosa College, Santa Rosa, California
Rob Roy McGregor LA Philharmonic (retired)
Boyd Hood LA Philharmonic (retired)
Glenn Fischthal San Francisco Symphony (retired)
Manny Laureano Minnesota Orchestra (retired)
Peter Masseurs Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam (retired)
John Berringer Jr. Freelance trumpet player, Orange County, California
Otavio Nestares Freelance player in big band jazz, commercial and orchestra, Brazil
Bob O’Donald TV, motion pictures, recording artist, Hanna Barbara Studios
Stan Watkins Trumpet player, band leader, singer-song writer
Tom Scott Band director, educator, freelance trumpet player
Paul Bogosian Freelance (Don Ellis, Tito Puente, Lionel Hampton, Ray Anthony), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
John MacFerran Wilds Formerly New Mexico Symphony and Mississippi Symphony, currently with the San Diego Symphony
Tony Ellis Freelance trumpet player, Orange County, California
Stephen Ruppenthal Composer, performer, Emerald Hills, California
“Michael, received the gold-plated Bush WX/S mouthpiece. Great Service! The gold-plating was, indeed, a superior job. Very satisfied on this end.
“You might be interested in my recent electro-acoustic trumpet/flugelhorn CD, Flamethrower, on Ravello records. the extended website is here, which includes scores, photos, more content, etc. — Best, Stephen Ruppenthal”
Bush Mouthpiece Pricing
Standard and Symphony model mouthpieces: MSRP $95.00
Powertone model mouthpieces: MSRP $110.00
Lettering and numbering system for Bush mouthpieces
M – Medium wide cup
W – Wide cup
WX – Very wide cup
WX-A, B, C – Bowl-shaped cup, symphonic cup
WXT – V-shape cup
P – Piccolo trumpet
F – Flugelhorn cup
S – Very deep cup
1 – Deep cup
2 – Medium deep cup
3D – Medium cup
3 – Shallow cup
4 – Very shallow cup
Trumpet Mouthpiece Models
We offer three different models of Bush trumpet mouthpieces: Standard, Symphony, and PowerTone.
The Symphony Model “S” Series features a flat rim, slight bite, and larger cup volume.
The PowerTone is available in all the Standard models, with same cup, rim, throat and backbore specifications. It features added mass for increased efficiency and increased inertia.
Trumpet Mouthpieces
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| WX-S | #27 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WX-S/C* | #25 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WX-1 | #27 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WX-2 | #27 | Medium deep | 43/64" |
| WX-3D | #27 | Medium | 43/64" |
| WX-A | #27 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WX-B | #27 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WX-C | #27 | Medium deep | 43/64" |
| W-S | #27 | Very deep | 42/64" |
| W-S/C* | #25 | Very deep | 42/64" |
| W-1 | #27 | Deep | 42/64" |
| W-2 | #27 | Medium deep | 42/64" |
| W-3D | #27 | Medium | 42/64" |
| W-3 | #27 | Shallow | 42/64" |
| W-4 | #27 | Very Shallow | 42/64" |
| M-2 | #27 | Medium deep | 41/64" |
| M-3D | #27 | Medium | 41/64" |
| M-3 | #27 | Shallow | 41/64" |
| M-4 | #27 | Very shallow | 41/64" |
*For C Trumpet
Symphony Series Trumpet Mouthpieces
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| WX-S/S | #27 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WX-S/C/S | #25 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WX-1/S | #27 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WX-2/S | #27 | Medium deep | 43/64" |
| WX-3D/S | #27 | Medium | 43/64" |
| WX-3/S | #27 | Shallow | 43/64" |
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| WX-A/S | #27 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WX-B/S | #27 | Medium deep | 43/64" |
| W-C/S | #27 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| W-S/S | #27 | Very deep | 42/64" |
| W-S/C/S | #25 | Very deep | 42/64" |
| W-1/S | #27 | Deep | 42/64" |
| W-2/S | #27 | Medium deep | 42/64" |
| W-3D/S | #27 | Medium | 42/64" |
| W-3/S | #27 | Shallow | 42/64" |
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| M-1/S | #27 | Deep | 41/64" |
| M-2/S | #27 | Medium deep | 41/64" |
| M-3D/S | #27 | Medium | 41/64" |
| M-3/S | #27 | Shallow | 41/64" |
| M-4/S | #27 | Very shallow | 41/64" |
WXT Series
V-shape Cups for Trumpet
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| WXT-B2 | #28 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WXT-B3 | #28 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WXT-4B4 | #28 | Medium deep | 43/64" |
| WXT-B5 | #28 | Medium shallow | 43/64" |
Cornet Mouthpieces
All trumpet mouthpiece models are available for cornet. Corresponding numbers have exactly the same rim and cup size.
Piccolo Trumpet Mouthpieces (Cornet Shank)
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| WX-1/P | #27 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WX-2/P | #27 | Medium deep | 43/64" |
| WX-3D/P | #27 | Medium | 43/64" |
| WX-A/P* | #27 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WX-B/P* | #27 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WX-C/P* | #27 | Medium deep | 43/64" |
| W-S/P | #27 | Very deep | 42/64" |
| W-1/P | #27 | Deep | 42/64" |
| W-2/P | #27 | Medium deep | 42/64" |
| W-3D/P | #27 | Medium | 42/64" |
| W-3/P | #27 | Shallow | 42/64" |
| M-2/P | #27 | Medium deep | 41/64" |
| M-3D/P | #27 | Medium | 41/64" |
| M-3/P | #27 | Shallow | 41/64" |
| M-4/P | #27 | Very shallow | 41/64" |
*Symphonic Cup Mouthpieces (WX-A/P WX-B/P, WX-C/P): these mouthpieces are similar to our WX series, except the cup is more bowl shaped and has more undercut. Larger throat sizes available as a special order.
New Piccolo Trumpet Mouthpieces
Smaller throat, slightly smaller backbores
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| WXP-2 | #28 | Deep | 43/64" |
| WP-2 | #28 | Medium | 42/64" |
| MP-2 | #28 | Shallow | 41/64" |
Flugelhorn Mouthpieces
| Model Number | Throat Size | Cup Depth | Cup Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| WX-F-Y | #19 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| WX-F-C | #19 | Very deep | 43/64" |
| W-F-Y | #19 | Deep | 42/64" |
| W-F-C | #19 | Deep | 42/64" |
| M-F-Y | #19 | Medium deep | 41/64" |
| M-F-C | #19 | Medium deep | 41/64" |
Inside Cup Diameter Cross Reference
| Cup | Inch | Millimeter |
|---|---|---|
| WX | 43/64” | 17mm |
| W | 42/64” | 16.75mm |
| M | 41/64” | 16.12mm |
Mouthpiece Comparison Chart
(Use as a starting point reference—slight differences may exist)
| Bush Model | Bach Model | Schilke Model |
|---|---|---|
| WX-S | 1C, 1-1/4C | 19 |
| WX-SC | N/A | N/A |
| WX-1 | 1-l/2C | 19C |
| WX-2 | 1D | 14B |
| WX-3D | 1E | 14A4A |
| WX-A | IC, 1-l/4C | 19D |
| WX-B | 1-l/2C | 19 |
| WX-C | 1D | 19B4 |
| W-S | 2C, 5C | 16C4 |
| W-SC | N/A | N/A |
| W-1 | 3C, 7C | 16C4 |
| W-2 | 7D | 16B |
| W-3D | 7E | 16A |
| W-3 | 7F | 13A |
| M-2 | 10-1/2C | 7C4 |
| M-3D | 10-1/2D | 7B4 |
| M-3 | 10-1/2E | 7A4 |
| M-4 | N/A | N/A |
Irving R. Bush Mouthpiece Brush – $5.00
Trumpet and Drum by Irving Bush
Recorded in 1976 to commemorate the Bicentennial of the United States, this album authentically revisits patriotically-themed tunes from the previous two hundred years.
Irving, performing on Bb trumpet, flugelhorn and piccolo trumpet, creates a "must have" recording of timeless artistic trumpet performance. Percussion section: Mitchell Peters, Walter Goodwin, Charles DeLancey and William Kraft.
CD – $20.00
Vinyl – $30.00
Irving R. Bush Mouthpiece Pouch
Plush interior holds three mouthpieces. Includes exclusive “mini mouthpiece” solid brass zipper pull.
$30.00