What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
- SamBTbrn
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:39 am
- Location: Netherlands
- Contact:
What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
Recently I had a Greg black mouthpiece custom made, which the guys at the shop must have been thinking.... But Why?
But for me it just worked incredibly well and sounds fantastic on the trombone I had it made for.
It was a 4g/5g rim/cup medium weight with a small shank.
What is the strangest mouthpiece you've had made that just worked or maybe failed horribly?
But for me it just worked incredibly well and sounds fantastic on the trombone I had it made for.
It was a 4g/5g rim/cup medium weight with a small shank.
What is the strangest mouthpiece you've had made that just worked or maybe failed horribly?
- muschem
- Posts: 269
- Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2021 10:16 am
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
The rim profile from the Griego GP6 (thin and super round) scaled down slightly to 27.7mm ID, and paired with cups from Hammond's 10-series for large tenor all the way down to alto. Definitely a strange combination, which works surprisingly well for me.
-
- Posts: 202
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:25 pm
- Location: NC
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
The size in my profile Greg Black thought was an interesting combo. Although once I've played the 29.5 mm, my face didn't want any other size. If the backbore was any smaller my embouchure would come out of the mouthpiece cause of back pressure.
Conn 112 H w/bored out rotors w/heavyweight caps, Sterling Silver Edward's B3 and Shires B3 leadpipe w/62H slide. Long Island Brass Comp Dimensions 29.5 inner rim .323 backbore solid silver lefreque
- Matt K
- Verified
- Posts: 4411
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:34 pm
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
I have an LB114/LB D/D3 that actually works really well. I bought it so I could keep my bass chops up on a small horn when I was living in an apartment and had to use a practice emute but if I'm doing a ton of bass stuff I'll pop that in no problem and do a gig on it.
-
- Posts: 3227
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:31 am
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
I find if it's strange, it really doesn't work that well. The "strangest" that actually worked for me was a Schilke 52e2. It's not all that strange. For smaller tenors, I use a DE 104C2, which might sound more like a plate than a bowl, but I've used it on alto and sub 500 bore tenor.
- Finetales
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 12:31 pm
- Location: Los Angeles
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
Honestly, my Warburton lead trombone mouthpiece is probably the strangest one I have when comparing to "normal" mouthpieces for that role. It has a 4G-sized rim, but a very shallow cup. I use it for most small bore work (not just lead), alto trombone, and bass trumpet, and it is very good at all of them.
-
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:57 am
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
I mean a 3g rim with a super shallow cup and small backbore… on an 88hcl. Recently used it as 2nd bone playing Mozart requiem and some jazz lead work. Sounded appropriate in both occasions.
- dukesboneman
- Posts: 757
- Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:40 pm
- Location: Sarasota, Florida
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
When I was coming up in the Musical world, a Very good Bass Trombonist in town had to double once and a while on tenor. He played a Conn 78H with a Bach 1 1/2 G rim and a 6 1/2AL cup.
Worked for him
Worked for him
-
- Posts: 4141
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:54 pm
- Location: California
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
Now Doug Elliott will do similar things for you, all within his coordinated mouthpiece system.dukesboneman wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 4:21 pm When I was coming up in the Musical world, a Very good Bass Trombonist in town had to double once and a while on tenor. He played a Conn 78H with a Bach 1 1/2 G rim and a 6 1/2AL cup.
Worked for him
Pick the Shank that matches the trombone,
the Cup that matches the trombone and the literature/style, and
the Rim that matches your embouchure.
It's a great idea, executed superbly.
- Matt K
- Verified
- Posts: 4411
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:34 pm
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
Indeed, that's pretty close to what I mentioned earlier, but a bit more extreme. 114LB = 1.14" rim diameter (vs. 1.5Gs 1.08") and a D cup is closer to Bach's C depth and it's 6.5AL depth. Mine works great.
-
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2018 6:57 am
- Location: Fredericksburg VA
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
I cut and glued up a couple Kelly plastic mouthpieces to make a 1 1/2g for my Olds R20. I used the shank of a small bore 5G (transparent green) and the rim and cup (pink and white swirl) of a large bore 1 1/2 G. Getting the throat diameters to match wound up making the mouthpiece a little long, so I jeweler-sawed off a couple millimeters from the rim. I only slightly rounded the cut rim, so it's very flat and sharp. If anybody is interested I'll upload a pic this evening.
I'm not a mouthpiece designer by any means and will probably go the Doug Elliot route if I keep playing a lot of trigger and pedal range stuff, but it was a fun (and cheap) experiment and works pretty well for my purposes.
I'm not a mouthpiece designer by any means and will probably go the Doug Elliot route if I keep playing a lot of trigger and pedal range stuff, but it was a fun (and cheap) experiment and works pretty well for my purposes.
- harrisonreed
- Posts: 5370
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:18 pm
- Location: Fort Riley, Kansas
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
If it works ... It's not all that strange, now is it? ![😆](//cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@latest/assets/svg/1f606.svg)
-
- Posts: 1189
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:20 am
- Location: Boston, MA, USA
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
I play pretty much everything with a Doug Elliott 114 rim (like a Schilke 60), so when I play large tenor I use an I cup, when I scale down bass or play euphonium I use a J cup, and when I play bass trumpet once every ten years or so I use an E cup with a small shank.
Gabe Rice
Faculty
Boston University School of Music
Kinhaven Music School Senior Session
Bass Trombonist
Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Faculty
Boston University School of Music
Kinhaven Music School Senior Session
Bass Trombonist
Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
-
- Posts: 1089
- Joined: Tue May 08, 2018 2:05 am
- Location: Los Angeles, California
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
I took a few years off after some chop issues and am coming back to playing. I use a Doug Elliott 114 rim for both tenor and bass. J cup for bass and a G cup for tenor. I’m waiting on an order with Doug for a LB C+ and LB F cup for tenor.
If I had the time and was playing full time I’d absolutely use different rims for tenor and bass but with my limited practice time it’s a lifesaver being able to switch back and forth and use the same rim.
If I had the time and was playing full time I’d absolutely use different rims for tenor and bass but with my limited practice time it’s a lifesaver being able to switch back and forth and use the same rim.
Rath R1, Rath R3, Rath R4, Rath R9, Minick Bass Trombone
-
- Posts: 331
- Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 4:56 pm
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
During the pandemic I had the luxury to have time to try out mouthpieces I would normally have not bothered to try as they were so out of my normal prefered sizes.
I tried and really liked the Black Premru. 2G sized and as I expected a bit too small overall for me but very fun to play and the rim was super comfortable. When I started to prepare for
auditions involving tenor trombone playing on top of bass playing, I had a GB tenor mouthpiece made with the RP rim. I knew this would not be al ong term solution but it helped me a lot with the transition as I gradually switched to more normal tenor sizes.
I tried and really liked the Black Premru. 2G sized and as I expected a bit too small overall for me but very fun to play and the rim was super comfortable. When I started to prepare for
auditions involving tenor trombone playing on top of bass playing, I had a GB tenor mouthpiece made with the RP rim. I knew this would not be al ong term solution but it helped me a lot with the transition as I gradually switched to more normal tenor sizes.
-
- Posts: 1612
- Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:43 am
- Location: Sweden
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
Strange to who? I've played a Benge 12C a lot for lead and that fit really well. I've played a Bach 15E on alto and that too works but I rather play a Bach 12E because it gives a little more room. Recently I switched between some basses I had on stands, a Holton TR180, Conn 71H, Holton TR183 and a Conn 73H. I thought I had the same mouthpiece-size on all, a Hammond 20BL. I have one with Morse taper and one with Remington taper, but it turned so out I had mixed things up and I played the Holtons with a Bach 2G. I did not notice this, and it worked really well with them. A Bach 2G is usually on the small side for me, but obviously it works well as long as I do not know it is a 2G.
/Tom
/Tom
-
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2024 1:13 pm
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
My newest addition to the stable (a Butler C12) came with an old Doug Elliot mouthpiece I believe to be a little funky. Now, I can’t figure out if it’s right for me as the verdict is still out but here are the specs.
Rim: LB112 (28.5mm)
Cup: BL (~Schilke 60)
Shank: L8s.490 (N/A)
I have been playing a Mercer & Barker Beast recently (great mouthpiece) so this is a slight decrease in rim size. But I can’t seem to find much info on the shank. It appears to be custom, as I can’t find any updated info on it but blows quite well. I know many people play on smaller mouthpieces but having started ok tuba I’ve always gravitated to larger pieces.
Any ideas on the mouthpiece and what the subscript “s.490” might mean on the shank??
Rim: LB112 (28.5mm)
Cup: BL (~Schilke 60)
Shank: L8s.490 (N/A)
I have been playing a Mercer & Barker Beast recently (great mouthpiece) so this is a slight decrease in rim size. But I can’t seem to find much info on the shank. It appears to be custom, as I can’t find any updated info on it but blows quite well. I know many people play on smaller mouthpieces but having started ok tuba I’ve always gravitated to larger pieces.
Any ideas on the mouthpiece and what the subscript “s.490” might mean on the shank??
- BGuttman
- Posts: 6558
- Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:19 am
- Location: Cow Hampshire
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
That is a full bass trombone mouthpiece. Isn't the C12 a tenor?
Bruce Guttman
Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra
"Almost Professional"
Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra
"Almost Professional"
- muschem
- Posts: 269
- Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2021 10:16 am
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
C12 is a bass, either with a single bore .562 slide or a dual bore .562/.578 (maybe the dual bore is a C13, but I've never seen it referred to that way).
C10 is a large bore tenor, with a single bore .547 slide
C9 is dual bore .525/.547
C8 is single bore .525
C6 and JJ are both .508
C5 and Lemondrop are .500
I've never seen or heard of a C7 or C11, but I'd imagine those might be dual bore slide options offered at some point in-between small/medium and large/bass bores, respectively.
- UATrombone
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2024 12:10 pm
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
AFAIK "S" means smaller outer taper of shank.drewcoraccio wrote: ↑Sat Dec 14, 2024 1:54 pm Any ideas on the mouthpiece and what the subscript “s.490” might mean on the shank??
I have C Alto S and C3S, both of them go deeper in the leadpipe than standard shanks (without S).
But, better explanation you could have from Doug.
He is a moderator here.
- Doug Elliott
- Posts: 3548
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:12 pm
- Location: Maryand
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
That's correct, s is for a smaller taper to go in farther and .490 is the end measurement for the large shank "s"
In 2004 I started stamping the year on my shanks, and I have made several design adjustments since then. I recommend 2023 and 2024 which are the same. And probably not the s taper.
And that cup would be LB L.
In 2004 I started stamping the year on my shanks, and I have made several design adjustments since then. I recommend 2023 and 2024 which are the same. And probably not the s taper.
And that cup would be LB L.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
- BrianJohnston
- Posts: 760
- Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:49 pm
- Location: North America
- Contact:
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
All of my mouthpieces are pretty standard, although Xtra wide rims work well for me, not very weird but less common.
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Lima Symphony Orchestra
Lima Symphony Orchestra
-
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2024 8:48 pm
- Location: Canada/Italy
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
My weirdest combo is an old Kosicup that is ancient that I sometimes use if I want a trumpety sound with my symphony horn. Its just fun.....
-
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Wed May 02, 2018 11:45 pm
- Location: Sweden
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
Perhaps not so strange,
but since a week or so I have been playing on a Kühnl & Hoyer 7.6 D
where the diameter of the opening is like a Bach 1 1/4G and
the depth like a Bach 1 1/2g,
a very comfortable and easy-to-play mouthpiece.
but since a week or so I have been playing on a Kühnl & Hoyer 7.6 D
where the diameter of the opening is like a Bach 1 1/4G and
the depth like a Bach 1 1/2g,
a very comfortable and easy-to-play mouthpiece.
Bach 42B corporation 1980
Getzen 3062AF + R
JP 231 Rath
Getzen 3062AF + R
JP 231 Rath
-
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2024 10:07 am
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
Ah yes... I had one with an old Blessing Scholastic. I remember it being great fun and surprisingly nice to play on.KingThings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:31 am My weirdest combo is an old Kosicup that is ancient that I sometimes use if I want a trumpety sound with my symphony horn. Its just fun.....
Since I moved back from playing trumpet I've been preferring smaller mouthpieces. I got a Montreux 12C copy inexpensively off Amazon which arrived today and I think it's pretty awesome for less than £20 shipped. It certainly looks and sounds the part.
Yamaha YSL-356G / Yamaha 45C2
Bach Stradivarius 42B / Denis Wick 4AL
Bach Stradivarius 42B / Denis Wick 4AL
-
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2024 8:48 pm
- Location: Canada/Italy
Re: What is the Strangest mouthpiece size combination that worked for you
I love having a bunch of mouthpieces. They can really turn one horn into many for cheap. Plus its fun to play around. I use a #2 with my symphony tenor, and an 11 or 12 with my jazz horns. I have 6 1/2 and my old Kosicup. Enjoy your Montreaux!