Tom Crown Mute Co.
Tom Crown Mute Co. is a Chicago-area manufacturer, founded in 1968, that produces handcrafted brass instrument mutes for trumpet, trombone, and French horn players, selling worldwide through distributors and direct-to-consumer channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersSkokie, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tom Crown Mute Co. does
Tom Crown Mute Co. is a US-based manufacturer of brass instrument mutes, founded in 1968 and headquartered in the Chicago/Skokie, Illinois area. The company produces a focused catalog of mutes for trumpet, trombone, and French horn — including straight, cup, wah-wah, practice, piccolo trumpet, and the 2019-introduced Gemini Straight Mute — with cumulative sales exceeding 200,000 classic trumpet straight mutes since founding. Manufacturing relies on specialized metal-spinning craftsmanship, with master metal spinner Henry Nelson cited as a key technical resource, producing approximately 10,000–15,000 mutes per year.
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model: direct-to-consumer sales through the company website are paired with US wholesale distribution through Conn-Selmer, Harris Teller, and American Way, alongside international distributors serving global markets. The product is priced between $46.90 and $100.10 per mute, with replacement corks at $7.70–$9.10, implying a mid-premium positioning within the professional brass accessory market. The classic straight mute is the anchor SKU and brand-defining product.
The company is privately held, self-funded, and operates with 1–10 employees. It has no external investors, no funding rounds, and no disclosed M&A activity. Strategic activity has centered on incremental product launches (wah-wah, cup, piccolo, French horn, practice, Gemini) and a 2018–2019 relocation to a new Chicago factory to support production capacity. The customer base spans individual professional and amateur brass players, music students, and orchestral professionals, with the brand referenced across major symphony orchestras and brass pedagogy.
Tom Crown Mute Co. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tom Crown Mute Co.
- Legal name
- Tom Crown Mute Company
- Website
- https://tomcrownmutes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tom Crown Mute Co. is a Chicago-area manufacturer, founded in 1968, that produces handcrafted brass instrument mutes for trumpet, trombone, and French horn players, selling worldwide through distributors and direct-to-consumer channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tom Crown Mute Co. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Brass Instrument Mutes
- NAICS
- Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992)
- SIC
- Musical Instruments (3931)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Musical Instruments (Acoustic & Electric) (MPAIAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio Accessories & Consumables (Cables, Stands, Cases, Strings, Picks, Heads) (MPAIAJAF), Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)
Keywords
Where Tom Crown Mute Co. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Skokie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Tom Crown Mute Co. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Direct Mute Sales: One-time purchase of brass instrument mutes for trumpet, piccolo trumpet, trombone, bass trombone, and French horn. Products sold directly through company e-commerce website and through distribution partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gemini Straight Mute for Trumpet - $63.70 to $73.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Classic Straight Mute for Trumpet - $59.50 to $67.90 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trumpet Practice Mute - $53.90 to $59.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trumpet Cup Mutes - $64.40 to $77.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trumpet Wah Wah Mutes - $70.00 to $93.80 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tenor Trombone Mutes - $76.30 to $93.80 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bass Trombone Mutes - $81.20 to $95.90 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | French Horn Stopping Mutes - $46.90 to $100.10 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Piccolo Trumpet Mutes - $50.40 to $75.60 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Replacement Cork Kits - $7.70 to $9.10 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Tom Crown Mute Co. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tom Crown Mute Company designs and manufactures handcrafted brass instrument mutes for trumpet, piccolo trumpet, tenor trombone, bass trombone, and French horn. Products are produced in aluminum, brass, and copper variants using metal spinning, and are sold worldwide to professional, student, and amateur brass players via direct e-commerce and distributor networks.
Product overview
Tom Crown Mute Co. is a manufacturer of brass instrument mutes founded in 1968, producing a unified line of metal mutes for trumpet (including Bb/C trumpet, piccolo trumpet), trombone (tenor and bass), and French horn. The product line comprises straight mutes, cup mutes (fixed and adjustable), wah-wah (Harmon-style) mutes, practice mutes, and pixie mutes. Key products include the classic Classic Straight Mute (first product, 200,000+ sold), the newer Gemini Straight Mute (endorsed by major orchestras), and the Practice Mutes (for quiet home practice). Mutes are made from aluminum, brass, and copper in various combinations (all aluminum, brass bottom, copper bottom, all brass, all copper) to vary tone color. The company also sells replacement cork kits as an accessories line.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tom Crown Trumpet Model A Straight Mute All-aluminum, brass, or copper straight mute for trumpet with a classic orchestral design suitable for solo and section playing.
- Tom Crown Trumpet Pixie Mute Compact aluminum pixie-style straight mute for trumpet designed for solo jazz playing, offering a brighter, edgier tone in a smaller form factor.
- Tom Crown Classic Straight Mute for Trumpet The original Tom Crown straight mute for trumpet, available in aluminum, brass, and copper, with more than 200,000 units sold since 1968.
- Tom Crown Trumpet Wah Wah Mutes Wah-wah mutes for trumpet, including hand-stopped and plunger-style variants for jazz and commercial playing.
- Tom Crown Fixed Cup Mute for Trumpet Fixed-position cup mute for trumpet providing a warmer, more covered tone than a straight mute.
- Tom Crown Adjustable Trumpet Cup Mute Adjustable cup mute for trumpet that lets players vary the cup position to produce straight-mute, cup-mute, and in-between tonal colors.
- Tom Crown Practice Mutes for Trumpet Practice mute for trumpet designed to significantly reduce volume for quiet practice while maintaining reasonable intonation and response.
- Tom Crown Piccolo Trumpet Straight Mutes Straight mutes for piccolo trumpet, available in aluminum, brass, and copper, with a smaller bore to fit the piccolo instrument.
- Tom Crown Piccolo Trumpet Cup Mute Cup mute for piccolo trumpet providing a warmer tonal alternative to the piccolo straight mute.
- Tom Crown Piccolo Trumpet Wah Wah Mute Wah-wah mute for piccolo trumpet, designed for jazz and commercial applications requiring hand-stopped tonal effects.
- Tom Crown Tenor Trombone Straight Mute Straight mute for tenor trombone, available in aluminum, brass, and copper, suitable for orchestral and solo repertoire.
- Tom Crown Tenor Trombone Pixie Straight Mute Compact aluminum pixie-style straight mute for tenor trombone, designed for jazz solo playing with a brighter, more focused tone.
- Tom Crown Fixed Cup Mute for Tenor Trombone Fixed-position cup mute for tenor trombone providing a warmer, covered tone than a straight mute.
- Tom Crown Adjustable Cup Mute for Tenor Trombone Adjustable cup mute for tenor trombone allowing the player to vary the cup position for tonal flexibility between straight and cup mute characters.
- Tom Crown Tenor Trombone Wah-Wah Mute Wah-wah mute for tenor trombone, including hand-stopped and plunger-style options for jazz and commercial applications.
- Tom Crown Practice Mute for Tenor Trombone Practice mute for tenor trombone designed to reduce volume for quiet practice while maintaining reasonable intonation.
- Tom Crown Bass Trombone Straight Mute Straight mute for bass trombone with a larger bore, available in aluminum, brass, and copper.
- Tom Crown Bass Trombone Wah-Wah Mute Wah-wah mute for bass trombone designed for jazz and commercial playing with hand-stopped tonal effects.
- Tom Crown Adjustable Cup Mute for Bass Trombone Adjustable cup mute for bass trombone, allowing the player to vary cup position for tonal flexibility.
- Tom Crown French Horn Stopping Mutes Stopping mutes for French horn in tulip and quick-flare variants, designed to fully close the bell for stopped horn effects in orchestral repertoire.
- Tom Crown Replacement Cork Kits Replacement cork kits for Tom Crown mutes, allowing customers to refresh the cork seal on their mutes for continued proper fit and performance.
- Tom Crown Gemini Trumpet Straight Mute Innovative trumpet straight mute that combines the playing characteristics of a straight mute and a cup mute in a single instrument, available in multiple finishes.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 200,000 classic trumpet straight mutes sold since 1968
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tom Crown Mute Co.
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tom Crown Mute Co. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Tom Crown Mute Co. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Conn-SelmercoreMajor US distributor of Tom Crown Mutes. Conn-Selmer is one of the leading distributors of musical instruments and accessories in the United States, providing wide retail distribution for Tom Crown products.
- Harris TellercoreUS distributor of Tom Crown Mutes. Harris Teller supplies musical instrument retailers across the United States.
- American Way MarketingcoreUS distributor of Tom Crown Mutes. Provides marketing and distribution services for Tom Crown products in the American market.
- Nonaka BoekicoreJapanese distributor of Tom Crown Mutes. Nonaka Boeki visits the Tom Crown factory to see new mutes and represents the brand in Japan.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Tom Crown Mute Co. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Conn-Selmer: Largest US manufacturer and distributor of band and orchestral instruments (Bach, King, Selmer, etc.). Functions as both a major US distributor for Tom Crown mutes and a broad incumbent offering competing brass accessories within a wider portfolio.
- Bach (Vincent Bach): Iconic brass instrument brand under Conn-Selmer producing trumpets, trombones, and accessories. Broad incumbent offering brass accessories (including mutes) within a much larger instrument portfolio.
Direct peers
- Stomvi: Spanish brass instrument maker producing trumpets and accessories including mutes. Comparable as a European specialist targeting professional brass musicians with premium positioning similar to Tom Crown.
- Jo-Ral: US manufacturer of copper and aluminum brass mutes, including bubbler, wah-wah, and straight mute designs. Direct competitor in the premium orchestral mute category with overlapping product range.
- Denis Wick: Leading manufacturer of brass and woodwind mutes, mouthpieces, and accessories widely used by orchestral and brass band musicians. Direct competitor to Tom Crown in the premium brass mute category, particularly in European markets.
- Best Brass: Manufacturer of premium brass instrument mutes, particularly trumpet straight and cup mutes, marketed to professional orchestral trumpet players. Direct peer competing for the same premium orchestral customer as Tom Crown.
- Humes & Berg: Long-established US manufacturer of brass and woodwind mutes (Stonelined series) used by professional musicians. Closely comparable to Tom Crown as a direct mute manufacturer serving orchestral and jazz brass players.
Emerging players
- ProTec: Manufacturer of brass instrument accessories including practice mutes and specialized mute designs. Comparable as an emerging accessories player with partial overlap in the brass mute category.
- Warburton: US maker of premium brass mouthpieces and accessories, with selective overlap in trumpet/brass accessories. Comparable as a small specialty brass-accessory brand targeting professional musicians.
- Soundman Mutes: Boutique US maker of handmade brass instrument mutes focused on the jazz and commercial trumpet market. Comparable as a small, premium-priced mute specialist serving brass musicians.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tom Crown Mute Co. social profiles
Digital presenceTom Crown Mute Co. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tom Crown Mute Co. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Tom Crown Mute Co. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tom Crown Mute Co. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tom Crown Mute Co.
What does Tom Crown Mute Co. do?
Tom Crown Mute Company designs and manufactures handcrafted brass instrument mutes for trumpet, piccolo trumpet, tenor trombone, bass trombone, and French horn. Products are produced in aluminum, brass, and copper variants using metal spinning, and are sold worldwide to professional, student, and amateur brass players via direct e-commerce and distributor networks.
Is Tom Crown Mute Co. a public or private company?
Tom Crown Mute Co. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tom Crown Mute Co. founded?
Tom Crown Mute Co. was founded in 1968. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Tom Crown Mute Co. based?
Tom Crown Mute Co. is headquartered in Skokie, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tom Crown Mute Co. make money?
One revenue line is on record: direct Mute Sales.
Who are Tom Crown Mute Co.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Conn-Selmer and Bach (Vincent Bach). Direct peers are Stomvi, Jo-Ral, Denis Wick, Best Brass and Humes & Berg. Emerging players are ProTec, Warburton and Soundman Mutes.
Does Tom Crown Mute Co. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tom Crown Mute Co..
What industry is Tom Crown Mute Co. in?
Tom Crown Mute Co.'s product category is Brass Instrument Mutes. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAJAA, Musical Instruments (Acoustic & Electric), with a secondary code of MPAIAJAF, Audio Accessories & Consumables (Cables, Stands, Cases, Strings, Picks, Heads). Its NAICS code is 339992 and its SIC code is 3931.