Steven Mead Mouthpieces Experiences?

[StarGemini]

Googling yields "british standard pipe". I'd honestly thought that it was legitimately just pipe, but I realised that was just the connector. Besides I would definitely opt for 'brass, silver plated" being the correct one. About to send an email anyhow to M&B just to confirm.

[NLeuph]

BSP stands for 'bright silver plate'. It is silver plated brass indeed. I have no experience with stainless steel mouthpieces. But i feel that, unless you have a certain metal allergy, it is a bit of a gimmick. However maybe other members of this forum might have real experience with this material and prove me wrong!

I am really interested what mouthpiece you choose eventually and what your experiences are with it.

[franz]

I can only assume stainless steel is heavier than BSP.

Actually no, brass has a greater specific weight than steel (8.73 versus 7.6) therefore, for the same volume, a brass mouthpiece weighs more than a steel one.

[dsurkin]

BSP stands for 'bright silver plate'. It is silver plated brass indeed. I have no experience with stainless steel mouthpieces. But i feel that, unless you have a certain metal allergy, it is a bit of a gimmick. However maybe other members of this forum might have real experience with this material and prove me wrong! [snip].

I used the Kadja by Giddings for a little while. I liked the fact that there was no plating to wear out or tarnish. The mouth feel was comfortable. I wound up switching to the Bowman BB-1 because I liked the deeper cup. I would consider steel if I was in the market.

[Alex]

I'm a golfer and when I started playing a long time ago, you had few choices of "types" of balls. With most brands, it was a higher compression ball with a black number or a lower compression ball with a red number. Better players used the black. Now you can actually go to a "ball fitting", like a club fitting, and you have a myriad of choices - high spin, low spin, no spin, distance, whatever - makes my head spin. Same with mouthpieces today. I guess that's a good thing. But, too many choices elevate my anxiety levels about whether or not I could play better on something else. I have found that it helps to have a discerning ear helping you out. Like a golf pro, if you have a teacher, go with their recommendations.

[StarGemini]

I have no experience with stainless steel mouthpieces. But i feel that, unless you have a certain metal allergy, it is a bit of a gimmick.

By no means am I saying he's right, but emailing with Mr Mercer, he said that "Regarding stainless steel it has a softer feel on your face and doesn’t lock in to your chops in the same way as silver does. You also have the added advantage that you never need to worry about any plating wear as it is polished metal. A looked after stainless mouthpiece will look like new after 20 years."

No idea if that means that the mouthpiece will be a bit "slippery-er", but I know I definitely can't play as well if there's spit on the rim of my mouthpiece.

[miketeachesclass]

I do feel like stainless feels "slippery-er" than silver, personally.

I also feel like for me, stainless doesn't quite resonate in the same way as brass. Something missing in the upper harmonics maybe.

Mike

By no means am I saying he's right, but emailing with Mr Mercer, he said that "Regarding stainless steel it has a softer feel on your face and doesn’t lock in to your chops in the same way as silver does. You also have the added advantage that you never need to worry about any plating wear as it is polished metal. A looked after stainless mouthpiece will look like new after 20 years."

No idea if that means that the mouthpiece will be a bit "slippery-er", but I know I definitely can't play as well if there's spit on the rim of my mouthpiece.

[StarGemini]

I do feel like stainless feels "slippery-er" than silver, personally.

I also feel like for me, stainless doesn't quite resonate in the same way as brass. Something missing in the upper harmonics maybe.

Mike

Tying into what Franz said, that since stainless is a less heavy of a metal, then perhaps there is indeed less resonance than there would be on a denser brass mouthpiece.

[dsurkin]

I'm a golfer and when I started playing a long time ago, you had few choices of "types" of balls. With most brands, it was a higher compression ball with a black number or a lower compression ball with a red number. Better players used the black. Now you can actually go to a "ball fitting", like a club fitting, and you have a myriad of choices - high spin, low spin, no spin, distance, whatever - makes my head spin. Same with mouthpieces today. [snip].

From elementary school through high school, all my teachers only recommended Bach mouthpieces. I never even encountered other brands until college. Well, there were a few Conn mouthpieces included in the case with the school's Conn horns, but my teachers never liked those mouthpieces. I've had my Bach 6.5AL for a long, long time (now used only on my trombone).

[NLeuph]

@stargemini, did you already decide on the mouthpiece or pieces? Just being really curious ;-).