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Thread: ISO used mouthpieces

  1. ISO used mouthpieces

    The consensus on this board seems to be that finding the "right" mouthpiece (or "a" right MP) requires using one for a good while before comparing it to another, rather than deciding based on a quick trial in the music store. That seems pretty costly if buying new, so I was wondering if any of you have suggestions for finding used MP's for sale.

    Specifically, I'd like to try the Wick 4AL and the Schilke 51D to start, but I know I may end up with neither.

    eBay and Google aren't giving me any obvious winners, so I was hoping you all know something I don't.

    Unre*ahem*lated, it must be nice to play trumpet.
    Wessex Dolce

    "Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things -- trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones." - Puddleglum in "The Silver Chair"

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by lzajmom View Post

    Unre*ahem*lated, it must be nice to play trumpet.
    Nah. Those guys are complete mouthpiece junkies.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Hidden Valley, AZ
    Posts
    1,031
    I'd be glad to loan you a large shank Wick SM3.5...

    Just PM me if you're interested.

    Dennis

  4. #4
    I have a used Schilke 51D or a lexan Kelly 51D that I'd be willing to sell. Feel free to PM me if you're interested!

  5. djwpe, at those prices, they can afford to be!

    highpitch and Fishlips, I'll PM you both!
    Wessex Dolce

    "Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things -- trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones." - Puddleglum in "The Silver Chair"

  6. When in various years I was on mouthpiece safari, I studied specs. I read reviews, including forum comments. If possible, I purchased used so if a mouthpiece didn't work out I could flip it. Bottom line: even after a person engages in extensive research to narrow down the choices, we all end up with a few extra mouthpieces on our shelves. It is the nature of the beast, since we can't try every mouthpiece, even at brass conferences.

    The best I can recommend is to keep personal notes of how various mouthpieces work for a person. For example, on my Wessex bell front (inspired by the classic bell front American designs, including King, Conn, Reynolds, Olds, Martin, etc.) I noted I really liked the diameter and overall tone of a Bach 6 1/2 AL, but the low register could get grainy. So after research, I found the Wick Ultra 6 baritone mouthpiece had the same rim diameter, same small shank, essentially the same throat and backbore, but with a deeper cup. Bingo!

    Years ago I did the same thing with tuba mouthpieces, with a lot more money invested over time, although most of it recouped with selling the mouthpieces that didn't work. I found I preferred a 1.28 rim, moderately curved. But the Wick 1 took too much air with its large throat. I liked the tone of a Bach 18 for sousaphone outdoors, but it was only a 1.26. So I finally found three mouthpieces that worked: a Kelly 18 for temperature extremes; Jim New when still at Kanstul made me a custom Kanstul 18 with the 1.28 rim, but the .323 throat instead of the Bach larger stock throat on an 18; and for my Miraphone tuba with the Besson bell, a "blokepiece" (see TubeNet) Imperial with a 32.6mm (1.285) lexan rim and a modified extender spacer to get the proper cup depth for me: not too deep, not too shallow.

    So yes, if a person gets a great mouthpiece first time out, it is about like getting the ball through the hoop at a county fair midway game of chance. There is always going to be some experimentation and safari necessary.

    And I haven't touched on what happens when we all age and our physiology changes, both in breath support and embouchure, necessitating going through all that again, like I did with my trumpet mouthpiece. I lost endurance with my mid-'70's Bach 3C I got in high school (mumble) decades ago, and after several tries, finally settling on the same Bach 3C rim, cup and throat, but with the slightly tighter #76 backbore instead of the stock #10 backbore to help manage my breath support.

    I have found most of my mouthpieces on the various forums, transacting between members as we all trade around our mouthpieces.
    Last edited by iiipopes; 03-19-2019 at 07:21 AM.

  7. I'll be at NABBA in a couple of weeks, which always has vendors selling a huge variety of mouthpieces to try. I'll inevitably purchase a couple, but I've tried out so many throughout my life that I know the kind of feel and sound I'm looking for. Even though a quick trial at NABBA won't be the end-all of how a mouthpiece will work out over a period of time, it's definitely better than buying one online without having the opportunity to try first.
    James Kircoff
    Genesee Wind Symphony - principal euphonium (Adams E3 Custom .60mm yellow brass bell w/ K&G 3.5)
    Capital City Brass Band (2019 NABBA 2nd section champions) - 1st baritone (Besson BE956 w/ Denis Wick 6BY)

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