Greg Black Bass Trombone Throats & Backbores

[bassclef]

I have been playing a 1 7/16G since they first came out a couple years ago. These have a .295" throat and the #2 backbore.

I have recently been trying the 1 3/8G. The moderate increase in cup diameter from the 1 7/16 has been a significant improvement for me, and not just in the low register, unexpectedly. However, I am struggling a bit with adjusting to the blowing characteristics of the stock 1 3/8G which has a .302 throat and the #0 backbore. It feels way tighter than the 1 7/16G. That caught me off guard looking at the specs on paper.

In the secondhand market, I happened upon a 1 3/8G with a .295 throat and the #1 backbore. This version feels drastically more open than either of the two aforementioned pieces. There's little to no resistance in comparison and for me it's very unforgiving in terms of focus and stability. Its like when you get to 2nd partial E, whatever was there for you to blow against is magically gone, and that sensation increases as you descend to low B. However, some of it comes back when you get to pedal Bb and stays as you descend. Weird.

I have committed to practicing and performing only on this modified 1 3/8G for about 6 weeks now to see if I can acclimate to it, and I have to some degree, but it still doesn't feel comfortable as I need it to. I say that in a way which feels like it might never, at least with the amount of practice time which I can afford to devote to achieving and maintaining absolute baseline playing functions before practicing anything else. I have several things coming up where I may switch back to the 1 7/16 because I can't afford any degree of this uncertainty or instability on those particular jobs.

This has me a bit confused on what to try next. I would not have expected the difference in the 7/16 and the 3/8, having the same throat diameter but different backbores to feel so very different. Does the shape/size of the bottom of the cups account for this difference? Or, is the #2 backbore actually "tighter" than the #1?

So, essentially what I am looking for is a 1 3/8G which is slightly more open than the stock version, or one that provides more focus/resistance than the .295/#1 so that I don't have to do it all myself and assume the risks which come with that on days when things aren't happening 100% perfectly.

Perhaps the next step would be informed by my understanding of the difference between the #1 and #2 backbores, but some variations I am considering to achieve what I describe immediately above are:

1 3/8G .307/#0 (like on the next size up, the 1 5/16)
1 3/8G .295/#2 (provided that the #2 is not inherently more open than the #1)
1 3/8G .281/#1 or #2

Anyone with experience able to provide any insight or guidance? I know there are a couple guys here who have worked with Greg during the development stages of some of the current offerings. Thanks in advance for your time if you'd care to offer your thoughts here.

I am 100% planning to reach out to the Greg Black shop about this, but I thought I'd see if I can arm myself with more info from others who perhaps have more experience here than I do.

[musicofnote]

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[Burgerbob]

Left field suggestion: Markey 85 or 87. Very even blow in all registers, super easy to play, nice color to the sound.

[musicofnote]

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[Burgerbob]

That's probably right, I've only played the 85 on the small end

[musicofnote]

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[harrisonreed]

The Hecht Audition model is extremely deep and has a .312" throat. It's huge.

[musicofnote]

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[harrisonreed]

I think, because it is so deep, the ID is going to feel wider because of the alpha angle. You can measure the width of a valley between two steep hills vs a valley between two cliffs at the same spot below the highest point and find they are the same width, but if you hang your legs off the cliff, that valley will seem wider than if you sit on the side of the steep hill.

[musicofnote]

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[harrisonreed]

Aye yi yi. It's a theory man. If the mouthpiece is deeper, generally it will stay wider as it goes down into the cup. Thus feeling wider. I have played the Hecht. It's humongous.

I was trying to give ideas as to why it feels so big, but nevermind.

[musicofnote]

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[bassclef]

[RustBeltBass]

Hope that cleared things up for you, OP !!!

[bassclef]

Hope that cleared things up for you, OP !!!

Haha! I got excited when I returned to find 10+ responses...just forgot where I was for a second I guess