The piccolo trumpet is an extremely demanding instrument, mastered by only a small number of musicians capable of controlling its intonation, precision, and stability.
It requires a perfectly controlled attack, a disciplined air column, and a centered approach that leaves no room for approximation. Few instruments demand such finesse of playing — and few musicians are truly able to draw out its full potential.
Our piccolo mouthpieces are designed to support this level of precision:
they offer immediate response, absolute stability in the upper register, and clear articulation, allowing the player to maintain control even in the most exposed passages.
Each model has been developed to provide a centered, precise and balanced sound, while preserving a comfortable playing feel that helps the musician sustain their performance.
Whether for a trumpet-shank piccolo or a cornet-shank piccolo, our mouthpieces are designed for those who wish to play a rare, demanding and deeply noble instrument.
Choosing your mouthpiece
Choosing a mouthpiece means finding the right balance between diameter, cup, throat, and mass.
To support musicians in this choice, we have gathered several simple reference points, each explained in a dedicated section.
You can therefore:
– explore the most popular models, to discover the sound signatures that work best among musicians;;
– choose your diameter, according to your natural comfort and your playing goals;
– choose your cup, to adjust your register, sound volume, and the sensation of density in the lips;
– choose your plating, according to your feeling in contact with the metal and the level of maintenance you prefer;
– consult the cup information, to understand depths from B to F and their impact on the register;
– consult the mass information, which influences stability, precision, and the way the mouthpiece responds;
– read our advice on how to play your mouthpiece, in order to obtain a free, regular, and comfortable vibration.
These elements will guide you toward the model that best matches your playing style, sound aesthetic, and way of shaping the vibration.
You can better understand your mouthpiece better understand your mouthpiece
The models
The name of the models refers directly to the inner diameter size: the 165 therefore corresponds to 16.5 mm
The 163 E – A stable mouthpiece, ideal for piccolo trumpet
The 165 D – Roundness in the upper register
The 167 E – Round, quick, and expressive.
The 167 D – An easy-to-play mouthpiece for players who master their instrument
The 171 D – A mouthpiece with an ultra-precise attack
Custom mouthpieces
DONAT is one of the very few workshops capable of offering true custom work. This demanding expertise is built on years of research, prototypes, and collaborations with musicians of all levels.
It is important to clarify that the DONAT workshop never makes copies: we do not reproduce mouthpieces from other brands, and we do not attempt to “imitate” external models. When a musician wishes to approach a particular sensation or aesthetic, the workshop guides them toward personalized work built exclusively from DONAT models.
Custom work is therefore not a blank starting point, nor the reconstruction of an existing model. It is a controlled variation, based on the acoustic stability of the catalogue. Starting from a specific model, we may adjust a rim, refine a cup depth, modify the cup–backbore combination, adapt a throat or a mass. These are subtle workshop gestures, precise adjustments that cannot be achieved through simple imitation.
To guarantee this balance, every custom project begins with a Premium Trial. The musician first chooses several catalogue models that approach their intention. These trials allow us to identify what works, what should be preserved, and what needs to be adjusted.
Only after this stage can the workshop create a custom model — work built on real playing sensations, not on an abstract idea or a requested copy.
The DONAT custom approach exists only because the workshop possesses:
– a large and coherent catalogue,
– a refined understanding of acoustic balances,
– rare craftsmanship and in-house manufacturing.
This is the rarity we wish to preserve: personalized work that remains faithful, respecting both the musician’s vibration and the DONAT sonic identity.