Woodmutes Testimonials

Principal Trumpet - Memphis Symphony Orchestra

"This is the real deal...not only are they beautiful, but the intonation is excellent through all registers, and it still sounds like a mute is supposed to sound."

Internationally-acclaimed trumpet soloist

"Excellent mute in all ranges.  Functions well with tight cup AND a thing of beauty!  Win, win, win!"

Frelance composer, arranger, and educator in Metro Detroit area. Creator and curator of the online educational series "Office Hours with Kris Johnson." Former trumpeter and arranger with the Count Basie Orchestra.

"Clary Woodmutes are superbly-crafted mutes with a gorgeous and unique design.  Each unit feels wonderful to the touch with a beautiful, resonant, and free-flowing tone.  They bring a much-needed timbre to my music that is a necessity for all of my future projects!"

"I asked John Snell from Bob Reeves to test out and purchase for me one of your cup mutes at TMEA. I received it today and am totally blown away. Bar none the best cup mute I’ve ever Owned. Hopefully I can spread the word in So. Cal. Thank you for this lovely product."

[on the Kramer Cup] "It's such an awesome mute!  Great sound, feel, great to play, and absolutely beautiful craftsmanship!  Big fan!!"

"That cup mute is blowing my mind. It’s exactly the sound I’ve been after, and I’ve gone through just about every other cup I could find - new and vintage. And the craftsmanship is stunning. Great idea on the foam/cork combination, works perfectly on my XL bell. I am really excited about your mutes and will likely be back for more!"

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"Vince DiMartino was spot on.  Love the sound and quality of your mutes.  Thank you gentlemen.  Fabulous."

Freelance Trumpet - Salt Lake City, Utah

"I'm absolutely loving your solo-tone mute. It's by far and away the best one I've owned. Everyone I've showed it to and let play it is absolutely blown away by the sound, pitch and response."

“I like these mutes. They have an interesting and special sound. I haven’t tried any other mute quite like it, and they look spectacular!”

“Tom, I received my mutes and wanted to let you know they are spot on. The build quality exceeds my expectations by quite a bit and the intonation is outrageously good, especially the practice mute, WOW. Thanks, man, kudos to you for your exceptional work and great product!"

Trumpet Professor - The University of Memphis; Principal Trumpet - Orpheum Theater

"Beautiful Sound...Perfect Pitch...Exquisite Craftsmanship...Tom’s Mutes are as beautiful to the ear as they are to the eye!!"

Principal Trumpet - Houston Symphony

"Tom, yes it’s great. Was just using it on the end of the Enesco Legend......perfect!"

"I recently purchased two Clary mutes. The Kramer adjustable cup mute allows the performer to achieve everything from a traditional cup sound to a warm, generous tone that blends easily with strings and woodwinds. I like the flat rim. The Nicholson straight mute gives a unique sound that can blend well, yet not get lost in the section. These are GREAT mutes!"

"Clary Woodmutes are not only stunning to look at, they’re beautiful to play. They’re even, easy and colorful across all registers. The practice mute is a must have for any road musician, and the Bobby K Cup is go to for all styles of music. These are some of the best mutes on the market and without a doubt the best wooden mutes ever made!”

Assistant Professor of Trumpet & Jazz at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

"We got our Clary Woodmutes down here in South Texas today and they sound amazing. Pitch is spot on and a clear sound through all registers. And they look good, too! Everyone needs to check these out."

Wow!  Fantastic!  The practice mute is the best one I've ever played!

"I love my Clary wood cup mute! These mutes have a wide range of colour and sound great in all registers. They look beautiful and sound even better! Thanks Tom!"

I just got the mute and took it straight to rehearsal, and y’all... this mute is so good! I’m posting a video very soon! The quality is amazing and fits so well in the mariachi! Thank you so much, @woodmutes!! 🙌🏼🎺

Great mutes!   The practice mute is truly special . . . best one ever!  You've got to try one!

I bought one each of Tom Clary’s Straight and Cup Woodmutes because I liked how they sounded and how easy it was to play in all registers with them. Last night I played in a 20s/30s swing band that called for a whole lot of cup and straight mute and used Tom’s mutes. Not only did they sound great and feel great, many people came up and asked to see those cool-looking wooden mutes which I proudly showed off to them. These mutes are a huge hit with me and I will definitely be playing them and urging others to play them. Thanks so much, Tom, for cooking up such a great product! You da man!!!!!!!!!!!! — Rich Willey

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Rich also said "that gig went great . . . naturally, I had to play without a mic, and after three sets (probably 75% muted) my chops still felt great at the end, which is rarely the case and I give your mutes most of the credit for making that happen. They are very responsive and don't seem to affect the blowing resistance or my endurance like my old mutes do, so I am a 100% satisfied customer!"

Trumpet - Memphis Symphony Orchestra; former Associate Principal - Montreal Symphony Orchestra

"Clary Woodmutes have a lively tone color and even feel.  They are also beautifully hand crafted.  This is a high-quality straight mute."

Memphis, TN - Freelance Trumpet player; former Navy musician and bandmaster

"As a trumpet player, Tom Clary knows the qualities of a good mute: excellent intonation, even response, and a wide palette of sounds.  You'll find all these in Clary mutes.  They are well-crafted, attractive, and a joy to play.  I consider my Clary straight mute a valuable asset and am especially impressed by its sound and response at low volume levels. Thanks, Tom!"
 

Freelance Perfomer and Teacher - Memphis, TN

"I absolutely love my Clary Mutes! Both the straight and cup have become mainstays in my mute bag! The straight mute sounds wonderful and plays even throughout all registers with the perforce amount of buzz for a straight, and the cup gives me my ideal cup mute sound for everything! I’ve used both mutes in Wind Ensembles, brass quintets, big bands, and solo recital repertoire. They constantly deliver exactly what I need in every playing situation. Tom is a top notch craftsman and musician and it really is a pleasure to work with him and play his mutes!"

"This Woodmutes cup mute impressed me and I get nothing but great comments on the sound.  I look for excuses to play cup mute now."  Josh plays a Del Quadro Grizzly Trumpet and ACB Mouthpieces.

"I received my Clary wooden practice mute. It’s fantastic. Highly recommend it. The video Tom recorded is spot on. Intonation is great, the low register is easy to get to and it has the least resistance out of any other practice mute I’ve tried. Thank you Tom."

Bloomington, IN - Freelance Musician - Former member of the Chris Pérez Project - Founder of Mariachi Perla Del Medio Oeste at Indiana University

"When I first played these mutes, I couldn't believe how well the sound resonated and how free-blowing they were!   These are the kind of mutes I want to be using at every performance!"