The Last Muse Brace

I'm currently machining the very last production run of Muse MMXX leadpipe and bell bracing on our Hurco VM20 CNC milling machine. And we just finished the very last machined Muse leadpipe on our twin spindle lathes. After Sunday, these three machines will be moved out of the shop as they were sold in June. And this will mark the end of an era of immense innovation with 100 Muse MMXX trumpets built and played daily by great musicians around the world.

You may be wondering why we would sell our CNC machinery since it really does perform half the work for us. Well, we are keeping the most capable lathe, which is more advanced than the others. It will be put into daily production beginning in September. But the other three machines, which have helped us build well over a thousand trumpets and over 10,000 mouthpieces are actually holding us back.
Technology has evolved considerably since 2004, the year two of our workhorse lathes were built. Our goal is to purchase a new CNC 5-axis mill/turn system in 2025 that will feature full automation (part loading and unloading), collision avoidance, adaptive tool monitoring and compensation, and in-process sensor technology to maintain the highest production quality possible. In short, this new machine will outperform all of our current machines with the ability to produce higher precision components nearly every hour of every day including weekends when we're out having fun.

This week wraps up a very long production run of every CNC machined component for every new trumpet we will release in the coming year. We've spent the last 10 months designing and making the upcoming Rumors LS and Dreams LS, Summit G4, and Muse 25 models. And yes, every one of these instruments incorporates new topology optimization design technology, CNC machining, and laser sintering in a variety of brass, steel, nylon, aluminum, and titanium. We are literally on the edge of the future!

I honestly never imagined I would be sharing everything I've just written. Remember, I began building trumpets on a picnic table while studying trumpet performance and physics back in the early 90's. Having reinvested millions of dollars into improving the efficiency, design, and production of brass instruments, it is humbling to think we've come this far.
I sincerely thank each and every one of you for believing in my vision to create an elevated musical experience while blowing into a metal tube. You are the reason trumpet design is moving in the direction of previously unattainable efficiency and resonance gains. And you have taken the time to embrace a new understanding of what is possible on our instrument.

Jason