Description
Legends Gustat 2: based on the legendary Gustat 2 trumpet mouthpiece played by Miles Davis. This mouthpiece has a rim that is medium sharp on the inside and outside edges, with a diameter of 0.640″. The cup is a V-bowl, similar in depth to Bach C. The throat is open, a #25, and the backbore is the Legends O (for a broad open sound).
Joseph Gustat (1888-1951) was one of Miles Davis’ trumpet teachers, and well known in his time as a trumpet virtuoso and teacher of many other great trumpet players. He was Principal Trumpet with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra from 1920-1936.
There are several mouthpieces associated with Miles Davis, including the Gustat #1, Gustat #2, Holton Heim 1, Holton Heim 2, and later, a Giardinelli model. The rims and cup shapes of all these models have fairly similar characteristics, although none of them are identical to each other. One distinct characteristic of the Gustav 2 is the shorter shank.
There is vague and sometimes conflicting information among online sources about which mouthpiece came first, and which model was used most by Miles Davis. Was it the Gustat 2, recommended to him by Joseph Gustat, or was it the Holton Heim 2, designed by Gustav Heim and produced by Holton? The details may be unclear, but when you’re playing that smoky, mellow trumpet jazz then … “So What”?
References:
- Miles Davis. Retrieved 6/5/25. https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/1067
- Trumpet Herald forum about Joseph Gustat. Retrieved 6/6/2025. https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=75732
