Minick: Large Shank Tenor Mouthpiece

[Miketbn95]

Just curious if anyone had sizing info on Minick's series of large shank tenor mouthpieces Did he have a series like bass trombone or was it on a more custom basis? Thanks!

[jonathanharker]

These were the main Minick trombone mouthpieces you can find, with their approximate "average" measurements from the Horn Guys site; they can vary a fair bit, especially if you'd ask him to spin you a special one on a good day:

Minick 1, 25.5 mm (1.004”) ID, 6.75 mm (0.266”) throat, "medium deep"; pretty much a 5G with slightly smaller throat.
Minick V, 27.4 mm (1.079”) ID, 7.10 mm (0.280”) throat, "medium deep" in a 40 mm (1.57”) OD blank; a Mt. Vernon Bach 1½G with a more funnel-like cup profile.
Minick L, 28.1 mm (1.106”) ID, 7.37 mm (0.290”) throat, "deep" (funnel-ish) cup. There was a lot of variation though. Ferguson's Jeff Reynolds is a copy of Jeff's favourite Minick L, with a 28.5 mm (1.122”) diameter. 40 mm (1.57”) OD blank.
Minick LS, 29.0 mm (1.142”) ID, 7.62 mm (0.300”) throat, "very deep" funnel-ish cup, 41 mm (1.61”) OD blank. A very efficient, snappy Schilke 60 with more mass.

There were probably others, but I don't have figures, and there are a few custom oddballs around too.

The best thing about Minicks is that he made sure to use larger blanks for the larger bass trombone mouthpieces, so they have a standard-width rim. I (many?) find the narrow rims on e.g. Bach 1G, Schilke 59-60 too fatiguing; they were pretty much too cheap or lazy and used the same 38.5 mm blank for all sizes of their trombone mouthpieces.

Anyway, Steve Ferguson at Horn Guys makes modern CNC replicas of these Minick models. I own the JR and LS, which I've used for 20 years, they are superb. Well they work for my face anyway. YMMV etc.

[dukesboneman]

A friend of mine had the Original Minick 5-ish mouthpiece that he got from Larry Minick himself.
I loved the way it played , but he wouldn`t sell it. (neither would I)
I had Ken Titmus at ktcustommouthpieces make an exact copy for me.
Really comfy 5 sized rim , open backbore and a slightly shallower cup than a Bach 5 but very well balanceand it plays great.
the 1st picture is the Minick 2nd picture is my copy

[Bach5G]

Ever compare it with one of Steve Ferguson’s Minick copies?

[dukesboneman]

No. But it plays like NO other 5-ish sized mouthpiece