Bass leadpipe (MV50, MK50, 50B) comparison?

[pompatus]

I’m currently playing on an Edwards B2 yellow brass leadpipe in an Edwards B-Std .562 slide with a Bach custom 50AF3 bell in Bb/F/G. I’m looking to add a bit more focus and to tighten it up a bit, and it was suggested to check out the Brass Ark MV50 leadpipe.

How does the MV50 pipe from Brass Ark compare to MK Drawing’s MK50 leadpipe? How different are they from a standard 50B leadpipe?

[Burgerbob]

Give a new stock 50 leadpipe a shot. I used one for about a year in my 50 with Edwards dual bore slide. For me it had a better sound and overall blow than any of the brassark stuff. I had an NY for a while, it seemed just a little tight and I didn't like how it did volume. The MV is tighter than that.

I use a Shires 2 now in my Shires dual bore slide, it is a little better with this slide than the 50 leadpipe.

[GabrielRice]

I like the Brassark MV50 a lot better than the MK50 in my Shires B62 slide. They're both fairly tight but the MV50 has more flex to it, where the MK50 feels stiff.

[mrdeacon]

Give a new stock 50 leadpipe a shot. I used one for about a year in my 50 with Edwards dual bore slide. For me it had a better sound and overall blow than any of the brassark stuff. I had an NY for a while, it seemed just a little tight and I didn't like how it did volume. The MV is tighter than that.

I use a Shires 2 now in my Shires dual bore slide, it is a little better with this slide than the 50 leadpipe.

I never did get a chance to try the NY50 pipe you had but I have a friend who uses one in his TR180 and in that horn it plays super open. Makes the horn play amazing. Way better than with the stock pipe.

That same NY pipe my friend has played poorly when I tried it with my old Truebore setup. Didn't have the same focus as my MV50B pipe or the Schatz/Minick pipe I eventually settled on with the Shires.

Of course, a NY pipe might play differently in a horn with Thayers but that's my experience with the NY at least.

[mrdeacon]

I like the Brassark MV50 a lot better than the MK50 in my Shires B62 slide. They're both fairly tight but the MV50 has more flex to it, where the MK50 feels stiff.

Gabe, do you still use the MV50B pipes? I know I traded one with you about a year or two ago!

I have a friend who still uses that Schilke Bubert mouthpiece daily!

[GabrielRice]

I like the Brassark MV50 a lot better than the MK50 in my Shires B62 slide. They're both fairly tight but the MV50 has more flex to it, where the MK50 feels stiff.

Gabe, do you still use the MV50B pipes? I know I traded one with you about a year or two ago!

I have a friend who still uses that Schilke Bubert mouthpiece daily!

I'm not using those pipes right now...switched mouthpieces and went back to a Shires B2.