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Thread: Former or current NEO players--what mouthpiece?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Indianapolis area
    Posts
    1,003

    Former or current NEO players--what mouthpiece?

    Hi, all...
    I now own a Yamaha Neo...it so far seems rather sensitive to mouthpiece selection.
    I'm wondering what you currently use or previously used.
    I'm trying three: A Giddings EXL (likely too small for me or Neo), an Elliott EUPH J, J9, N104, and a Wick 4AL.
    I didn't like the Yamaha piece that came with it.
    Opinions?
    Jim
    Jim Williams N9EJR (love 10 meter CW)
    Formerly Principal Euphonium in a whole
    bunch of groups, now just a schlub.
    Shires Q41, Yamaha 321, 621 Baritone
    Wick 4AL, Wessex 4Y, or whatever I grab.
    Conn 50H trombone, Blue P-bone
    www.soundcloud.com/jweuph

  2. #2
    I can't help with mouthpiece choice but I'm thinking of getting a Neo, any feedback you can provide on how you are finding it will be appreciated.

  3. #3
    Hi Jim, I've been playing a Neo for a while now. For me, the Alliance E2 (the mouthpiece which ships, or did anyway, with the Prestige) has been a great match.

    John

  4. The Giddings & Webster Kadja is the perfect match for me. I´ve benn playing the Neo for nearly two years now. The first couple of month I used a SM4X, which works fine too. But I prefer a darker and more sonourous sound.
    **********************************
    Sterling Virtuoso / Giddings Kadja
    Yamaha 642 II / Giddings Kadja
    Yamaha YBH 831S / Giddings Kadja S
    Yamaha Flügelhorn 631GS / DW2FL

  5. Hi Jim,

    I would think that either the DE Euph-J9-N104 or Wick 4AL would work for you quite nicely. Those two mouthpieces are very similar. It depends a bit on the sound you want to hear. My "go to's" are the 4AL (for over 30 years) but I am also using almost the same DE on my Adams E3 as yours. I find that my Adams plays more like a NEO than like my Sterling and I have been using it recently for wind symphony where the other two euphers play Yamaha.I know several performers who get a nice sound out of the NEO with a 51D, but I suspect that rim size is too small for you. The Yamaha 53HL (comes with the 842S Custom) is a larger mouthpiece similar to a Wick 4 or 3 series. I had one until recently but felt my sound was a bit rough with it vs. a Wick.

    I use the standard Doug Elliott wide Euph 104 rim instead of the narrow N104 since it feels more like my modern 4AL's. A 38 year old 4AL in my inventory feels like the N104 with a narrower and sharper rim.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  6. 4AL did not work for me. Conceptually I feel the 4AL provides feedback from mouthpiece and the horn as one unit, so where you control the horn feels like somewhere towards the bell or even beyond the bell.

    The Neo felt like it wanted to respond with what is happening inside a mouthpiece. The point of control is inside the mouthpiece. So there is a mismatch in feel and the 4AL won't give you the feedback you need to work this horn effectively.

    I also tried a DE 103 J Cup and if I had my time again I would go for an H or I cup. Try something shallower that would provide more feedback/control at the mouthpiece.

    This horn doesn't need a deep mouthpiece to make a beautiful sound. In fact going too deep I feel is counter-productive and a source of frustration. If you can organise a trial get something with a 4G rim with a 5G cup.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Indianapolis area
    Posts
    1,003
    Thanks for the opinions, everyone! I played a concert today with the Indianapolis Brass Choir using the Elliott setup. As of this writing, I am still a member of the group. People actually liked it.

  8. #8
    Hehe. That’s good to know!
    Clayton M.
    Musician for Fun
    Euphonium Newbie - XO 1270S
    Trumpet Novice - XO 1602RS

  9. #9
    6 1/2 al
    Sean Kissane
    Low Brass Specialist, Paige's Music
    Principal Euphonium, Indianapolis Brass Choir
    Principal Euphonium, Crossroads Brass Band

  10. How do you find the Wick 4AL? That's my go-to mouthpiece and it played very well on the Neo in my testing.
    Yamaha Neo 642TSII
    Denis Wick SM4 Ultra X

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