Kevin,

Thanks so much for such a great mute!  It arrived today and I spent most of my morning with it in the bell of my Paxman...  I don't even have the words to describe how great it sounds, responds, etc.  A truly impressive product!  Thanks again for the great communication, as well.

I'll be in touch about ordering a set for my section! 

-SGT Brian R. Adamski

Hi Kevin,

My name is Todd Williams; I'm a freelance horn player in Philadelphia.  In addition to playing modern horn, I also play period horns (natural horn = baroque and classical), so naturally I've always much preferred using my hand to stop the horn when playing modern rather than using a stop mute.  I prefer the sound (not to mention the historical continuity), plus I've never really been impressed with the sound of a chintzy piece of metal.  So when one of my friends in NYC showed me your mute I was skeptical at first -- until I heard it and ultimately played it for myself.  WOW!  I'm beyond impressed!  What a sound!  You really have a magnificent product on your hands, sir.  In fact, I'm so impressed that I'd like to order one for myself.  (believe it or not, this will be the first stop mute that I have ever bought!)

I just wanted to say, I think you make a fantastic mute, and I'm really looking forward to using it.  I'll be using it as principal horn of the Minnesota Opera as we perform and record in HD Wuthering Heights by Bernard Hermann (It has tons of stopped horn).  They are negotiating right now to have it distributed to movie theaters in the fall, so if you want your customers to hear the mute in action.  Thanks!

-Brian Vance

I got home Thursday night and the mute was waiting for me.  I couldn't try it right away as it was late and that left me chomping at the bit to try it Friday morning.  I took it to my lesson with Jim Thatcher.  He loved it.  I also took it to work.  I work at the “Horn Guys in L.A.” and showed it to my colleagues.  I a/b tested it against all the stop mutes we have in the shop and this was hands down the winner.  The mute is great and I can't wait to show it off and evangelize about your handiwork!

-Matthew Anderson

Kevin,

Plays really exceptionally - thanks so much - I know you are going to sell a lot of these (straight mutes).  Get ready.

-Robert Ward

Principal Horn San Francisco Symphony

Kevin,

I just unpacked the (straight) mute. It's terrific! It's great in the low range and high. It has a nice warm sound at soft dynamics. At ff it has a lot of bite to the sound without a loss of quality and it never backs up. Great job!

-Tom Witte

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Kevin,

The (straight) mute is fantastic ! Thank you, I will keep getting the word out when I can.

-Bryan Kennedy

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Wow Kevin your Woodstop® has just arrived and I've tried it - it surpasses all of my expectations! 

Thank you, can't wait to show it off now!

-Simon Twigge

UK

Kevin,

AWESOME! Beautiful sound. Clean, crisp response. Low register is outrageous! Thank you! :-)

-Alex Shuhan (about the straight mute)

It is very articulate. It sounds muted in all registers and dynamics. It allows for nuance. Easy to tune. Plays in tune. A  nice sound that I feel will project well. 

Thanks,

-Aaron Brask (about the Woodstop® Straight Mute)

Hello Kevin,

Congratulations on your excellent stop mute - beautiful workmanship, and stable, strong sound through all registers - bravo!

-William Purvis

Kevin,

Just want to let you know that the new stop mute is fantastic.

I've used it on "King and I" and "Das Rheingold," so two more disparate uses are hard to imagine, and it sounds great.

It also works very well with a Conn 8D and a Geyer...

-Nancy Schick

Hi Kevin,

I'm loving the Woodstop®. Beats the crap out of any metal stop mute I have ever owned. Everyone in the section has commented on how good it sounds. Great pitch, great sound, tremendous dynamic range, very responsive and it looks super cool!  Congratulations on a superior product!

-Stephen Proser

Utah Symphony

It arrived in good shape and it plays beautifully!

We haven't returned to work yet, but I'm confident it will stay in my case. My (other) mute is now in the closet, awaiting further orders.

Your mute is MUCH better in the high register I have found. It centers very well. Easy response over all registers and again, that "haunting tone" that I love. I can't wait for a muted passage!!

-Frank Portone

Principal Horn Charlotte Symphony

Kevin

Played the straight mute today in a Copland piece - it is a fantastic mute!

-Karl Pituch

Principal Horn Detroit Symphony

Hi Kevin -

Awesome straight mute!  Light years better than my old one (Hausett) which I used to think was pretty good.  I'm actually looking forward to and enjoying practicing the muted sections in the Ligeti Trio!  My accuracy, sound, flexibility, and ability to play soft are SO much better.  Thanks very much for this great addition to horn equipment!

-Adam Unsworth

Horn Professor University of Michigan, Solo Artist

Got it today! It's great!!!! We all tried it and decided its the best out there. Can't wait for my straight one...

Thank you!

-Haley Hoops (about the Woodstop®)

Second Horn Dallas Symphony

Hi Kevin,

I received my walnut straight mute on Wednesday in perfect condition. It's sort of been a light mute week (Elgar Alassio was the only piece on this week's program that called for mute.) I'm loving it so far. Beautiful warm sound, but the mute is very light and responsive. Great pitch. Very easy to play soft. Congratulations on another wonderful product!

-Stephen Proser

Utah Symphony

HI Kevin,

Yes, the mute arrived in fine condition and is beautiful. I'm using it on Mahler 5 this week, and on tour to

China and Japan in 2 weeks. It's great to have a matched set of your mutes. The straight mute is superior in every

way to all others, sound, intonation, clarity of attack in all registers.

There's a wide range of colors in the sound, making it useful for all repertoire.

My colleagues like it as well!

Nice job!

-Richard “Gus” Sebring

Boston Symphony Orchestra and Principal Boston Pops