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Thread: How to: Custom mouthpiece for Connstellation Euphonium 24-I and 25-I

  1. #1

    Post How to: Custom mouthpiece for Connstellation Euphonium 24-I and 25-I

    I finally snagged a Conn 5 mouthpiece and dissected it right quick. I see why no one liked it. It's awful.

    The Conn 5 Experience

    Rim shape = Flat as heck
    Cup diameter ~ 25.3mm
    Cup shape = Parabolic V-cup
    Cup depth ~ Around the same as Bach 5G or JK Euphonium B-cup.
    Throat ~ 5.8mm. I can't measure it directly, but it's below 6mm. Seriously.
    Backbore is tiny. ~9.1mm at the opening. Garbage.
    Total length = 84mm

    THE SHANK!!!

    11.8mm @ 1:20

    No proprietary taper. Nothing special. It took 50+ years for someone to measure a standard taper 11.8mm shank. Good job, Earth. It's similar to but not really compatible with "Euro shank". Besson medium shank is approximately 11.7mm @ 1:19, so the difference is a little over 2mm of insertion depth and a slightly mismatching taper.

    Any reputable mouthpiece guy can make you a Euphonium mouthpiece with an 11.8mm shank. You could specify that you want a small tenor shank backbore, but uhh...why? Here's your chance to beat me to having the first ever custom mouthpiece made for a Connstellation Euphonium. I'm waiting until I've got the Artist era Baritone shank reverse engineered since I don't own a 24-I. Yet.
    Hobbyist. Collector. Oval rotary guy. Unpaid shill for Josef Klier mouthpieces.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    San Antonio, Texas
    Posts
    8
    Sorry to resurrect this post, but has anyone gone the route of custom mouthpieces for the 24/25-
    I based on this information? I've been looking into this as well recently. I'd really like to avoid a receiver swap if possible.

  3. #3
    I have successfully had made and tested:
    JK Exclusive EU 12B 11.8
    JK Exclusive 1B 8.0 11.8 - giga throat Tenor Tuba mouthpiece what for barking
    10.8mm to 11.8mm adapter - I have both the 25I and 5I adapters and they are awful, so I had Josef Klier make a good one

    KELLY's medium shank also fits the Connstellation leadpipe well enough, so I consider the KELLY 5G a decent option. I haven't tested Willson or Schilke medium shank. I find anything with much more cup depth than a 5G to become unpleasant on the 5I, but I won't outright say not to try it. I'm a hobbyist schlub, so maybe another player can make it work.
    Hobbyist. Collector. Oval rotary guy. Unpaid shill for Josef Klier mouthpieces.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Posts
    178
    I have a 24/25i and I went to Warburton in Titusville, Florida to have a mouthpiece custom made while I waited. It was trial and error trimming a mouthpiece to fit the shank until they got it perfect.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    San Antonio, Texas
    Posts
    8
    Awesome! I appreciate the information. Does Josef Kiler sell the adapters and mouthpieces commercially, or are they special order? Also, @rgorscak, what mouthpiece did you have made?

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Jmancasanova View Post
    Awesome! I appreciate the information. Does Josef Kiler sell the adapters and mouthpieces commercially, or are they special order? Also, @rgorscak, what mouthpiece did you have made?
    All of these were custom order, but the cost is quite affordable, and it's very easy to order from them. Maybe a bit slow at times depending on how busy they are, but that's how it goes. You're not completely limited to what the website shows in terms of cup sizes, but anything that hasn't been made before will have an extra custom fee for them having to design it. Someone actually had previously ordered a EU 12C before I did, so it surprised me when that one only had the charge for custom shank. lol

    Full disclosure of what I paid for each item. Your cost may vary due to changes in pricing per year and stuff like that.

    EU12B on 11.8mm shank = 121 Euro
    87 (Euphonium mouthpiece) + 34 (custom shank)

    Big bore 1B on 11.8 = 151 Euro
    87 (Trombone mouthpiece) + 34 (custom shank) + 34 (custom throat) - 4? (maybe discounted for 1B 8.0 already existing?)

    Adapter = 50 Euro

    I will add that if you go this route, try to be very specific if there's something in particular you want. It is entirely possible to order something stupid, and they are capable of making it. For custom shank mouthpieces, you're somewhat limited to whatever backbores they have available, but this shouldn't be a problem unless you have a particular length of mouthpiece in mind. I admit that I haven't explored that option with any of my 9'Bb stuff. I normally don't specify a length.
    Hobbyist. Collector. Oval rotary guy. Unpaid shill for Josef Klier mouthpieces.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Posts
    178
    My Conn has been in the case for over a year since I bought it. I cannot remember what I put on it (I can look when I get a chance), but Warburton has two parts, the shank and the actual mouthpiece. I had them take a shank and customize it to the Conn and then just picked a mouthpiece that resembled what I was using at the time.

    Since I never really use the Conn, it does not matter what I bought.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    San Antonio, Texas
    Posts
    8
    Thanks for the breakdown of what was ordered! It gives me some ideas of where to start. Time to start researching mouthpiece design. Thanks for all of the information!

  9. I have a 24i (which is for sale, by the way) and I got a #5 shank from Doug Elliott, which I put on a G cup with a 104 rim, and it seemed to work better than other things I have tried.

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