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davewerden

Dave Werden - Alliance Artist

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Many of you know I recently became (officially) an Alliance Artist. I was using an Alliance DC4 and now use the DC3, after many years of playing other mouthpiece from the Denis Wick brands.

It is an usually comfortable mouthpiece! I don't know if it is because of the rim width or contour alone, or if the cup and backbore contribute to comfort by the way the respond. Whatever the case, it surely feels great! I have to thank David Childs for putting me on that track, because I had become skeptical that I would find a non-Wick mouthpiece that I wanted to use. My love of David's playing and sound swayed me.

I have to share this clip from 4 Bars Rest, which deals with some recent moves by Alliance. As far as I can remember, they used a word that has not been used in reference to me before, but I am flattered. Besides that, I love creative word use!

Updated 04-23-2023 at 01:04 PM by davewerden

Categories
Euphonium-Tuba Blog , General Tuba-Euphonium Blog , Instruments and Equipment

Comments

  1. guidocorona's Avatar
    Hello David... "Hugely Respected" is praised well deserved... I would add Highly Influential to that!

    Amongst others, your live reviews did excite me about the amazing Alliance DC mouthpieces, and to that very DC3 in particular, which you have now migrated to

    Unfortunately, the proverbial fly in the ointment is that, meantime for the Alliance brand, Wick has driven the North American market up the classic creek without a paddle. Starting 2023, Wick has moved its distributorship from DANSR to St. Louis music (SLM), but has left Alliance out of SLM's purview. So, no David Childs mouthpieces available in the US anywhere.

    Meantime, UK Wick dealers like JP are barred from selling to US customers... And Wick does not respond to web/email inquiries. What to do?

    Fortunately last fall, I did manage to scrounge fine examples of DC3 (thanks Miketeachesclass), a rare DC2 (thanks Steven Vaughn), and even a new DC3 through Dillon from the dwindling residual stok of DANSR,... But now all seems to have dried up for everyone else... How can anyone follow your lead and source a new DC mouthpiece this side of the Pond? I know that at least one good friend of mine is asking this very question.

    Fascinating American pickle, isn't it

    Best, Guido
    Updated 04-23-2023 at 04:27 PM by davewerden (Took out extra line breaks)
  2. iMav's Avatar
    So, you can’t order them straight from DC’s website?

    http://www.davechilds.com/official-dc-shop/mouthpiece
  3. guidocorona's Avatar
    Hallo Larry... Fascinating, if I remember correctly, the davidchilds.com ecommerce facility was closed until days ago.

    I will now email sales@davechilds.com to find out if they are resuming sales to the USA.

    I'll be delighted if my venting above is unwarranted, and will amend my post accordingly!

    Saluti, G.
  4. davewerden's Avatar
    I don't have an answer just yet, except to say that Alliance is re-jiggering everything to solve the very problem you describe. They are simplifying their product line to focus on the "core competency" (to use a phrase from the business world). But just as important, their new U.S. distributor has a lot larger network of dealers. Last time I talked them, the thought was that things may start looking better by summer.
  5. davewerden's Avatar
    If David Childs' site is working and filling orders, that would be convenient AND would give David a cut of the sales money. Seems only fair, since I would not have tried the Alliance except for his encouragement.
  6. guidocorona's Avatar
    Hello David, it would be wonderful if things are finally moving on the Alliance front... I spoke to SLM several days ago, but they seem to indicate that Alliance is not part of the current distribution agreement.... Yet I hope that will change eventually.

    Meantime, prompted by Larry's post above, I emailed sales@davechilds.com... Hope their answer will bring good news.

    Best, Guido
  7. guidocorona's Avatar
    Just checked the Alliancebrass site once again... Their ecommerce facility is still restricted to UK only operations:

    Shipping | Alliance Brass (alliancebrassltd.com)

    Let's hope for davechilds.com.

    G.
  8. iMav's Avatar
    Thomann Music allows sales to the US of Alliance mouthpieces. But it looks like they are all on backorder.

    (Thomann doesn’t allow sales of Yamaha, Schilke, and few other brands to the US.)
  9. guidocorona's Avatar
    Hello Larry, last time I contacted Thomann several weeks ago they indicated they had ordered DC mouthpieces, but had no ETA.... But thank you for reminding me.... So I just emailed Thomann afresh about the issue.

    Thomann is usually pretty prompt at responding.

    Best, G.
  10. Prose's Avatar
    It's hard to tell from the davechilds.com website if the mouthpieces are in stock. Hopefully Guido will receive a response that will shed some light on the situation.
  11. guidocorona's Avatar
    Already heard back from Thomann.... They still have no news about Alliance mouthpieces availability.

    Meantime.... Still crickets from davechilds.com, Wick corporate, and Wick US.

    Best, G.
  12. Shinn's Avatar
    Any status updates on the availability of Alliance mouthpieces in the US?
  13. davewerden's Avatar
    I was on a conference call a month or two ago, and they said it was going more slowly than they had hoped but it IS moving along. They are getting the ducks in order, starting back at the factory with they way the batch the jobs. That's about all I know for now.