Help Desk

Choosing the best mouthpiece for an orchestra trumpet player is about matching the equipment to the player’s sound goals, endurance, and the repertoire. Start by thinking about tone and your...

Our site includes a great Wishlist feature that lets you tag your favorite items.  Tag items in product listings and product pages by clicking the small heart. When you save...

Cliff and Bunny Blackburn founded Blackburn Trumpets in 1972 while residing in Louisville, Kentucky.  As a member of the Louisville Orchestra, Cliff utilized rehearsals as a laboratory for the development...

The 'shank' of a trumpet mouthpiece is critical to good mechanical connection between the mouthpiece and the instrument, affecting how the instrument feels and plays. Two significant factors affect how...

When choosing a flugelhorn mouthpiece, it can be very confusing to find which flugel shank style and size to order. Below is a description of each type of flugelhorn shank...

If you already have a mouthpiece, but would like to modify or adjust it, here are your options Open throat: We can accurately bore mouthpiece throats to various sizes larger...

Given Blackburn's long history, we often are asked about the history of a particular serial number.  Although we don't know the full history of every instrument, we are happy to...

Yes, we absolutely encourage your bringing someone with you who is familiar with your sound and playing style.  This helps in evaluating changes in mouthpieces and instruments in your quest...

Yes, talk to us! Again, please talk to us! Do not be afraid to approach any company employee during major conferences. We’re there for you! We strongly encourage conference attendees...

Yes, please bring both your current instrument and mouthpiece that you are playing on so that we can listen and understand better where you're coming from and share in your...

We adhere to our Blackburn build wait list and are currently 8 to 9 months delivery time on any new instrument orders. To get your name put on the wait...

Some mouthpiece orders are available from our vast inventory and can ship the same or next day. However, there are so many variations that require custom programming and manufacturing and...

Have you searched for the perfect pickup microphone for your trumpet or trombone? As many options as there are, there is also the Piezo Barrel. It requires additional installation on...

Do you have the perfect mouthpiece that you've been using forever? Instead of looking for a new mouthpiece or having it duplicated, you can have it re-plated in either silver...

This is a common question we are asked: Do we repair other brands of trumpets or instruments. Right now, we do not repair other brands of trumpets or other instruments....

In the beginning of Pickett Brass in 2003, we manufactured trim kits solely. These consisted of 3 buttons, stems, top caps, and bottom caps for trumpet value sections. They offered...

You should absolutely give Blackburn instruments a try in person. We bring most Blackburn instruments to the various tradeshows that we attending including: ITG: International Trumpet Guild conferences Midwest Clinic...

Originating from Louisville, Kentucky, then to Decatur, Tennessee, and now the bourbon capital of the world, Lexington, Kentucky, the location and look of Blackburn Trumpets have changed over the years,...

Most players notice improved slotting, articulation, intonation, and overall playability improvements when switching to Blackburn leadpipes. The P1C will feel slightly more open than most stock piccolo leadpipes, but the...

In additional to trumpet leadpipes, Blackburn also designs and manufactures custom tuning slides. Tuning slides are characterized by not only their bore size much like instruments are described, but also...

As with testing a mouthpiece, you want to test and evaluate how a new leadpipe sounds and feels before committing to installing it on your instrument! In order to test...

Cliff Blackburn developed many replacement leadpipes for various brands of piccolo trumpets. Several options are available for most trumpets. P1C: This leadpipe greatly improves the intonation and response of instruments...

Over the years, Cliff Blackburn developed a number of trumpet leadpipes for Yamaha Bb and C trumpets. These that we offer today are the result of years of testing and...

Over the years, Cliff Blackburn developed a number of trumpet leadpipes for Bach Bb and C trumpets. These that we offer today are the result of years of testing and...

Our Blackburn leadpipe models don't directly compare to Bach leadpipes, but the closest option to most Bach 25 leadpipes would be our Blackburn #19 leadpipe.The Bach 7 leadpipe would be...

Sometimes you have the perfect mouthpiece already and your playing is doing quite well. So there is no reason to search for a new or different mouthpiece. BUT you may...

Selecting the right French horn mouthpiece is crucial for achieving the best sound and comfort while playing. Here are some key factors to consider: 1. Rim Shape and Diameter Rim...

No - due to differences in the outer blank and threading profiles, our small bore rims will only fit the corresponding small bore underpart. A large bore cup will need...

Pickett trombone mouthpieces follow a similar sizing system to other brands, such as Bach, where the smaller number represents a larger mouthpiece size. With 1 being the largest option and...

Pickett Flugelhorn mouthpieces are available in 3 different depths. FL: Our standard flugel cup offering a medium volume, V shaped cup, with a #22 throat FLM: Our medium flugel cup,...

In addition to offering cornet backbores that couple with a number of the Pickett mouthpiece tops, we also offer 1 piece cornet mouthpiece models, include the most popular British Cornet...

American traditional and British cornet playing are two distinct styles of playing the cornet, with some notable differences. American traditional cornet playing tends to focus on a brighter sound with...

Our standard trumpet tops can be coupled with our cornet series backbores to create the best cornet mouthpiece for you and your instrument.   The cornet series spans four models:...

This is at the discretion of your private teacher, but a mouthpiece that assists with efficiency and projection is helpful in jazz and marching band settings. Ultimately you need to...

During the design and manufacturing of the Pickett Brass trimsets that started in 2003, Peter developed his manufacturing tooling and processes for mouthpieces with the machines that he had at...

When fitting a new mouthpiece with a player, we always start with the rim size of the mouthpiece.  If a mouthpiece rim size doesn't feel comfortable or impresses on an...

In addition to being an amazing performing mouthpiece, the Pickett Brass acrylic mouthpiece tops bring quite a splash of color to the gig.  This material has been an amazing addition...

We have a number of different backbores to offer players to more comfortably match the desired resistant and sound. In our experience, players find their way to our #2 or...

Yes, in addition to other factors.  The mouthpiece rim is often referred to with these three measurements: the OD (outer-diameter) the high point the ID (inner-diameter).  The alteration of any...

Ultimately the student should follow the teachings and advice from their private lesson teacher as they see this student on a weekly basis.  We typically recommend high school students to...

Absolutely!  This is not just with mouthpieces.  Anytime you make a change with your equipment or body, an adjustment period is needed, which your embouchure is no different. The honeymoon...

When beginning to learn the piccolo trumpet you need to start with a moderately sized mouthpiece.  The 5D, or 7D would be very a popular middle of the road options...

The Pickett PS1 trumpet backbore is a design based on the Blackburn short piccolo shank mouthpieces and have a trumpet size shank. The PS stands for "piccolo short shank". The...

Often, people ask what a "Mouthpiece Fitting" actually is. Fitting refers to finding a cup and rim size that is comfortable and results in the sound and feel you're looking...

The backbore of a trumpet or cornet mouthpiece is the section of a mouthpiece extending from the throat to the exit venturi at the end leading into the leadpipe. It...

To schedule a shop visit, click here and choose whether you would like to just schedule a phone call or if you'd like to schedule an actual visit.  We maintain our schedule...

We all want to know when we're going to get our new Pickett trumpet, trombone, french horn, flugelhorn, or tuba mouthpiece or Blackburn instrument, so we understand! For mouthpieces that...

Commercial music is the inclusion of virtually any style of music from pop, rock, funk, blues, and others. The typical commercial backbore tends to lean on the efficient side, but...

If you receive an incorrect item, or if your product has a defect, such as poor fit or finish, please contact us immediately so we can correct your order. Requests...

It's hard to wait for perfect mouthpiece after you place your order! Our new website published on January 7, 2026, will let you see much more information on orders placed...