This is Nakamura from Kubokan!
Before I knew it, there are only three days left in January—one-twelfth of the year has already passed. (So sad.)
I’m working hard every day to bring you lots of excitement this year as well.
With that in mind, here’s the first exciting announcement of the year.
We’ve started carrying HUBER MUSIC mutes!
“Fuba… Huber? What’s that?”
That’s probably what most of you are thinking.
We first discovered HUBER MUSIC just two months ago, in November 2023.
A certain professional player, who had just returned from a trip abroad, introduced me to this mute, saying, “There’s a great mute…”
When I saw this mute, which can take on various tones depending on how it’s combined,
＿人人人人人人人人＿
＞ I want this! ＜
￣Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y^Y￣
Convinced that I should introduce it to many musicians in Japan (or so I thought?), I immediately contacted the manufacturer. Things moved along smoothly, leading to this collaboration.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, this company uses 3D printers to produce a wide variety of mutes, including Cup, Straight, Wah-Wah, Pixie, and Solo Tone.
What’s interesting is that each one is based on “old, classic mutes that are no longer available.”
They’re reissuing vintage sounds—such as those of Shastock, Ray Robinson, and the Newston Line from the Chicago era—in a more user-friendly form, incorporating Huber Music’s unique interpretation.
● Straight
“Plastic” offers soft tonal contours and a spacious sound. It’s ideal for situations where a subdued, warm tone is desired.
“Stainless Steel” produces a unique, gritty sound that can even feel slightly harsh. It has a dark, heavy character that becomes powerful when blown into—a quality not found in other mutes.
“Aluminum” offers well-defined contours and a focused sound. While many players find this the most familiar option, it also delivers a slightly softer nuance.
●Cups
The sound varies depending on the combination of the two body types and three cup types, each of which is sold separately.
・Body
“Type A” features a large inlet hole and a long straight section. Inspired by Shastock’s cup mutes, it produces a bright, open cup sound.
“Type B” is a proprietary Huber design. It features a small inlet hole and a longer taper to create a larger internal volume, emphasizing the soft, characteristic cup sound. It produces a familiar cup sound.
・Cup
“Bowl” was designed based on the sound of the now-discontinued Shastock cup mute.
The “Felt Line” was designed based on the sound of Ray Robinson’s now-discontinued cup mute.
The “Scallop” was designed based on the sound of the traditional, old Chicago-era New Stone Line cup mute.
...Has this piqued your interest a little?
You can check out the sounds of various mutes here, but the sound variations for the cup and straight mutes—which I’m most eager to introduce—are still to come. I’ll have them ready as soon as possible...
You can try them out in-store starting today.
You can also shop online here.
Please be sure to try out the various Huber Music mutes that can give you exactly the tone you’re looking for—whether it’s a little more like this, or maybe a bit more open...
Nakamura