How do you take care of a mute?
Not much care is needed. Try not to drop it. If you drop a mute during a concert, try to not look guilty. The conductor might think it was someone else.
Is there a guarantee on Tom Crown Mutes.
There is no formal guarantee, but I will replace any defective mute free of charge, without argument.
What is the life span of a mute?
Given normal use, not run over by a car, a mute will last indefinitely.
What are the differences of tone color and response of aluminum, copper end and brass end mutes?
Different types of metal definitely affect the mute’s tone quality and response, much as different metals used in a bell affect a trumpet’s tone quality and response. It is very difficult to describe what these differences are, however. One person’s “dark” is another person’s “dead”; another person’s “bright” is someone else’s “tinny.” To me, the Tom Crown all-aluminum straight mute is bright, the brass-end mute less bright or somewhat dead, and the copper-end or the all- copper mute is dark.
What is the history of the mute
Look at the Powerpoint Presentation "Mutes From Monteverdi to Miles" under the Learn tab.