Bach 3c Trumpet Mouthpiece Review
3c Megatone vs. Normal 3c

In this Bach 3c trumpet mouthpiece review we are going to take a good look at the standard Bach 3c mouthpiece vs the Bach Megatone 3c mouthpiece…

…how they differ, and which one is best suitable for you.

Bach 3c Trumpet Mouthpiece Review
(The standard 3c)

Bach 3c Mouthpiece Specs

The standard 3c has the following specs.

• Medium large (C) cup
• Throat size: No. 27, 3.66mm (.144”)
• Clear, rich tone
• Good for all-around use
• 16.30 cup diameter
• Medium wide rim shape

About The Standard Bach 3c Mouthpiece

The Bach mouthpieces are made in Elkhart, Indiana, USA. The Bach company are one of the the most well-known and respected brass mouthpiece companies you can find, with decades of experience in designing, and manufacturing both brass instruments and mouthpieces.

The Bach 3 c has a fairly large-medium cup and is an excellent mouthpiece for all-around use. What many people don’t know, is that the Bach 3c has a cup that is slightly shallower than the rest of the Bach “C-cup” mouthpieces…

…and that is one of the reasons I personally love the 3C mouthpieces.

Most trumpets come with a Bach 7C when you buy them. It has been my experience, however, that the 3C is a better fit for most people. If I get a new student that has already been playing for a year or two, I always have them switch to the 3C, and I would say that 90% of them see an immediate improvement as a result.

Personally I have been using the 3c, or some other mouthpiece that come very close in cup size and depth,  for the most part of my trumpet playing journey. It is that good.

As I already mentioned, the Bach 3c has a somewhat shallower cup and this helps with articulation, air compression and endurance. Over time this will pay huge dividends in form of excelling faster and becoming a better trumpet player.

Where to usethe Bach 3c standard mouthpiece

You can use the Bach 3c mouthpiece as your classical mouthpiece, or when playing pop/rock. If you step on the gas, it is shallow enough to produce a “sizzling” sound, so you can even use it for playing the lead part in a big band, if you want to.

The 3c is truly an all-around mouthpiece.

Pros

• Clear rich sound
• Most people have better endurance using the 3c, than other Bach mouthpieces
• The rim size seems to be a good size for the majority of people
• Better articulation than other Bach mouthpieces
• Sharper attacks
• Great response
• It is very affordable

Cons

• You can’t really get the sharpest of sharp cutting lead trumpet sound from it.
• Likewise, you can’t really get the biggest and most robust low notes.

Bach 3c Megatone Trumpet Mouthpiece Review

Bach 3c Specs

The Bach 3c megatone has the following specifications..

• Medium large cup
• Throat size: No. 26, 3.73mm (.147”)
• Clear and full, rich tone
• Good for all-around use
• Great for endurance
• 16.30 cup diameter
• Medium wide rim shape

About The Bach 3c Megatone Mouthpiece

Symphonic and jazz trumpet players have always experimented with ways to create a darker sound by using various mouthpiece add-ons to add weight and mass to their trumpet mouthpiece…

…well, the Bach Mega Tone mouthpiece takes this to a whole new level as the whole top of the mouthpiece is now heavier and much more robust.

Where to use the Bach Megatone 3c Mouthpiece

Make no mistake, though, the Bach 3c megatone is far from just a classical trumpet mouthpiece. It is an all-around mouthpiece, and just like the with standard 3c, you can use this mouthpiece pretty much anywhere you want to.

The added mass makes the notes “lock in” more securely, and there are a lot of musical situations where that can be a big advantage. Most of them, actually. To put it simply, the megatone makes it a bit harder to miss the notes. Gotta love that 🙂

Pros

• A very focused sound
• Easy high register
• Even better endurance than the standard 3C
• A full, big and rich trumpet sound
• Secure notes
• Excellent slotting

Cons

• You can’t really get the sharpest of sharp cutting lead trumpet sound from it.
• It is a bit more expensive than the standard 3C.
• A bit more difficult to play super soft notes, than on the standard 3c.

Bach 3c Mouthpiece vs. Bach Megatone 3c Mouthpiece

Let’s take a deeper look at the differences between the two mouthpieces. The Bach 3c vs the Bach 3c megatone…

Sound

You have just got to love the sound of the Bach 3c megatone. It is so rich and “meaty” and full of…

…backbone. Don’t get me wrong, the standard 3c has also a very nice sound, but the megatone just gives the trumpet more of an “attitude”. And that is just the way, most of us trumpeters, like it.

No wonder the megatone is popular amongst classical trumpet players as it has such a core to the sound. On top of that, the secure slotting lowers anxiety levels.

The megatone is also popular amongst pop / rock and high note players who want that “attitude” to the sound. You know, that “don’t you mess with me, attitude”

Please watch this video where this young man demonstrates the difference in sound, between the Standard Bach 3c and the Megatone 3c. Now, he is not a professional trumpeter, but you can still clearly hear the difference between the mouthpieces. 

Slotting

The slotting is more secure on the bach 3c megatone than on the standard 3c. In 90% of playing situations this is to be preferred. However, there are situations where a more “lose” slotting is better…

…for example if you do a lot of glissandos, sliding between the notes, like  some jazz soloists like to do. Of course, it is possible to slide and do glissandos with the megatone as well, but because it centers the notes better, it becomes a bit more difficult.

The excellent slotting and centering of the notes, making it harder to miss and split notes, makes me personally choose the megatone over the standard 3c, without hesitation!

General Feel

Just like I said above, the centering of the notes on the megatone 3c, makes my anxiety levels drop. I’m just not as afraid splitting or missing notes, with the megatone. This makes everything easier and as a result my playing is so much better, when using the megatone.

Of course, I also own a standard 3c, and I like that one as well, but when I have a gig I really want to nail, the megatone is my mouthpiece of choice. Except, if it is a gig where I have to play a lot of extremely soft passages. Then I choose the standard 3c over the megatone.

Endurance

No matter if you choose the standard 3c or the megatone 3c you will probably notice an increase in endurance compared to other trumpet mouthpieces. This is because of the slightly shallower cup, making it easier to articulate and play in a more efficient manner.

The cup also helps with air compression and the result is that your embouchure muscles do not have to work as hard…thus increasing your endurance…

…however, the megatone will most likely give you even more endurance than the standard 3c. This is precicely because the focused tone and centering of the notes. You feel that you can just “lean into the notes” trusting that they will be there…

…this makes you play in a much more relaxed way, and of course that makes your endurance better and your sound even more resonant and open.

High register

Because the throat on the megatone is one size bigger than on the standard 3c, it is possible to put a bit more air through the megatone. Depending on what kind of chop setting you are using, and in what way you approach upper register playing, the megatone may, or may not, improve your range.

Personally I find that I can play a little bit higher on the megatone than on the standard 3c, but it is not a big difference. However, the power and the quality of the high notes are MUCH better on the mgeatone.

Responsiveness

The standard 3c responds a bit better than the megatone 3c. This is because it is lighter. In general lighter trumpets and mouthpieces respond easier. The differences are not that big, though, and when playing normal stuff, it is not even noticeable. For me it only becomes noticeable if I have to articulate extremely soft notes, in the low register…

…from low C and down.

Loud / Soft Notes

Let’s make this one short and sweet.

For loud playing the megatone wins, hands down! For soft playing they are equal, however, for extremely soft playing, the standard mouthpiece wins.

Price

The mouthpieces are priced well compared to other brands. Especially when considering the very high quality of the Bach 3c mouthpieces. The prices do tend to vary a bit though…

Standard 3c –>Click here to check current pricing at Amazon

Megatone 3c –>Click here to check current pricing at Amazon

Summing up The difference

The megatatone:

• More “meat” to the sound
• More “oompf”
• More backbone
• A bit easier high notes
• A tiny bit darker
• Bigger sound
• Better endurance
• More secure slotting
• Harder to split or miss notes
• Has a bit bigger throat size. The standard 3c has a 3.66mm (.144”) throat and the megatone 3c has a 3.73mm (.147”). It is just one step bigger though, so it’s not that big of a difference.

The Standard 3c:

• A bit better response
• Easiery to play extremely soft notes
• A tiny bit brighter sound
• Costs less money

Ok , so the time has come to select the overall winner between the two…

…and it is…

The Overall Winner: Bach 3c Megatone!

“They are both phenomenal all-around mouthpieces, but if you have the money, go for the Megatone!”

Bach 3c Trumpet Mouthpiece Review Final Words

And when putting all the aspects together, the Bach 3c megatone is the overall winner. There are many trumpet players that would agree with this. You can for example, click here to read other real user reviews on Amazon.

Bottom line, whether you choose the standard 3c or the megatone 3c you are getting a very high quality, all-around, mouthpice that will serve you well for decades to come.

I sincerely believe that every trumpet player should own a Bach 3c mouthpiece…

…this is of course unless you belong in the minority group of trumpeters, that have to use very small mouthpieces or very big mouthpieces. You simply can not go wrong with the Bach 3c mouthpieces, and personally, both the standard 3c and the megatone 3c will always be amongst my very favorite trumpet mouthpieces.

Thanks for reading this Bach 3c mouthpiece review. I hope you found it informative, and as always, keep practicing and remember to have fun while doing it!

-Robert Slotte-