ISO used mouthpieces

[lzajmom]

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.

[djwpe]

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

Nah. Those guys are complete mouthpiece junkies.

[highpitch]

I'd be glad to loan you a large shank Wick SM3.5...

Just PM me if you're interested.

Dennis

[Fishlips]

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!

[lzajmom]

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

highpitch and Fishlips, I'll PM you both!

[iiipopes]

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.

[jkircoff]

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.