Denis Wick Trumpet and Brass Mouthpieces — The Complete Brand Guide

Denis Wick is the dominant brass mouthpiece brand in the United Kingdom and one of the most respected manufacturers globally. If you play in a British brass band, you almost certainly play on a Denis Wick mouthpiece. If you play cornet or flugelhorn anywhere in the world, Denis Wick is the first brand you encounter.

In the American market Denis Wick is less dominant than Bach but increasingly common — particularly among orchestral players and anyone with a connection to the UK brass tradition. This guide covers the complete Denis Wick trumpet and brass mouthpiece line, how their numbering system works, and how they compare to Bach, Schilke, and Yamaha.

Denis Wick's History and Philosophy

Denis Wick was a principal trombone player with the London Symphony Orchestra for 28 years. He began making mouthpieces in the 1960s from his knowledge as a performer — the same foundation that Vincent Bach brought to his work decades earlier.

Wick's design philosophy prioritized warmth, blend, and ensemble playing — the values of the orchestral and brass band tradition he came from. This aesthetic is embedded in the mouthpiece designs: Denis Wick mouthpieces tend toward a slightly warmer, rounder tone concept than Bach's American designs at equivalent sizes.

Denis Wick mouthpieces are manufactured in the UK. The company produces mouthpieces for the full range of brass instruments — trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, tenor horn, baritone, euphonium, trombone, and tuba. The Heritage series is their premium line, the standard series covers most players.

The Denis Wick Numbering System

Denis Wick uses a straightforward numbering system with a consistent direction: lower number = larger diameter. This is the same direction as Bach.

Numbers run from 1 (largest) to 6 or higher (smallest) in their standard trumpet line. Letters are used to indicate cup depth variations, though Denis Wick uses fewer explicit depth variants in their standard catalog than Bach.

The DW cup depth system uses letters similarly to Bach — B for deep, C for standard, E for shallow — but Denis Wick publishes fewer explicit depth variants in their standard line. Most standard Denis Wick models use a C-equivalent cup depth unless specified otherwise.

The Standard Denis Wick Trumpet Line

Denis Wick 1
Rim: ~17.00mm | Cup: Standard
Large orchestral. Similar territory to Bach 1C. For players with larger lips or who want maximum resonance. Requires well-developed embouchure.

Denis Wick 1.5
Rim: ~16.92mm | Cup: Standard
Between Bach 1 and 1.5 territory. For orchestral players who find the DW 2 slightly small but the DW 1 too large.

Denis Wick 2
Rim: ~16.84mm | Cup: Standard
The orchestral standard in Denis Wick's line. Equivalent territory to Bach 1.5C. The go-to for orchestral trumpet players who prefer Denis Wick's warmer tone concept.

Denis Wick 3
Rim: ~16.76mm | Cup: Standard
Medium-large rim, standard cup. The all-around workhorse — Denis Wick's equivalent of the Bach 3C. Good for jazz, concert band, and general playing.

Denis Wick 4
Rim: ~16.20mm | Cup: Standard
Medium-small rim, standard cup. The Denis Wick equivalent of the Bach 7C. Also their most common cornet and flugelhorn starting size. Widely used across contexts.

Denis Wick 4E
Rim: ~16.20mm | Cup: Shallow
Lead configuration. Medium-small rim with shallow cup. Less common than the Schilke 14A4a in lead contexts but a valid option for players who prefer the Denis Wick rim feel.

Denis Wick 5
Rim: ~15.90mm | Cup: Standard
Small rim, standard cup. High register specialist. Used by some lead players and high-note specialists.

The Heritage Series

The Denis Wick Heritage series is their premium line, introduced to provide tighter manufacturing tolerances and refined tone characteristics for serious players.

Heritage mouthpieces are machined to closer specs than the standard line and have a different plating process. Players who have used both report the Heritage as more consistent piece-to-piece and slightly more refined in tone character.

The Heritage line uses the same numbering system as the standard line. Heritage models are marked with an "H" prefix or distinction in the product name. Price is approximately 30–50% higher than the standard line.

For serious students and professionals who have determined that Denis Wick is the right brand for their playing, the Heritage upgrade is worth considering. For players still exploring whether Denis Wick suits them, the standard series gives an accurate impression of the brand's tone character at lower cost.

Denis Wick Cornet Mouthpieces

Denis Wick dominates the cornet mouthpiece market more completely than any other instrument category. In UK brass bands, Denis Wick cornet mouthpieces are essentially the standard — other brands exist but Denis Wick is what most players use and what most directors specify.

The cornet line uses the same numbering logic as the trumpet line with FL designations where needed:

See the Cornet Mouthpiece Guide for the full cornet coverage.

Denis Wick Flugelhorn Mouthpieces

Denis Wick is equally dominant in the flugelhorn mouthpiece market. The 2FL and 4FL are two of the most widely used flugelhorn mouthpieces globally.

The FL designation indicates flugelhorn-specific shank and cup geometry. See the Flugelhorn Mouthpiece Guide for the full doubling setup approach.

How Denis Wick Compares to Bach

The most common comparison question. Here's the honest breakdown:

Tone character

Denis Wick mouthpieces tend toward a slightly warmer, rounder tone than comparable Bach models. The difference is subtle but real — players who switch from Bach to Denis Wick at the same size often describe the Denis Wick as slightly warmer and slightly more mellow. This reflects the brass band and orchestral tradition Denis Wick comes from.

Whether this is better or worse depends entirely on your context. For British brass band playing or warm orchestral work, the Denis Wick tone character is ideal. For bright commercial work or American-style jazz, Bach or Schilke may suit better.

Manufacturing consistency

Denis Wick standard models are comparable to Bach in manufacturing consistency — good but with some variation between pieces. The Heritage series improves on this significantly, approaching Schilke-level consistency.

Availability

In the UK: Denis Wick is everywhere. In the US: available at better-stocked music retailers and online. Not as ubiquitous as Bach for walk-in purchases but readily available by order.

Price

Standard Denis Wick is comparable to Bach — approximately $35–$55 for standard trumpet models. Heritage models run $60–$90.

Denis Wick vs. Bach Equivalency Table

For precise mm-based comparison, use the Cross-Brand Comparator.

Who Should Consider Denis Wick

Brass band players: Denis Wick is the standard. If you play in a brass band, start here.

Orchestral players who want a warmer tone concept: The Denis Wick tone character suits players who prioritize warmth and blend. If your orchestral context rewards a rounder, less bright tone, Denis Wick is worth exploring.

Cornet and flugelhorn players anywhere: Denis Wick's dominance in these instrument categories is well-earned. For cornet and flugelhorn, Denis Wick is the natural starting point regardless of geography.

Players with a UK or European background: If your musical training was in the UK brass tradition, Denis Wick is the familiar standard and a natural choice.

What to Do Next

Find Denis Wick equivalents for your current mouthpiece:
→ Cross-Brand Comparator

Read about cornet mouthpieces:
→ Cornet Mouthpiece Guide

Read about flugelhorn mouthpieces:
→ Flugelhorn Mouthpiece Guide

Compare to Bach:
→ Vincent Bach Brand Guide

Related articles: Cross-Brand Comparison Guide · Bach Brand Guide · Cornet Mouthpiece Guide · Flugelhorn Mouthpiece Guide