crowmadic

6th decade returning trumpeter considering himself a creative advanced beginner who wants his Bb Trumpet, Couesnon Flugelhorn, and Conn Cornet, mouthpieces to be and feel compatable to his Conn 3C Trumpet mouthpiece, or "buzz-pots" recommended by a custom mouthpiece maker. Beside the cost, is this quest nonsencical for an aging advanced beginner? Please don't mention getting teacher advice. If I do go "custom" I'll see the mouthpiece maker in person...............tom

Dale Proctor

Other than rim size/shape, I don't think you could get a proper cornet or flugel mouthpiece to feel just like your trumpet mouthpiece. The cup shape and depth would be too different, not to mention that you might need a different throat or backbore on them.

The main problem with having a custom piece made is....what do you ask for? How do you know you'll like it before it's made?

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J. Landress Brass

When I have people come in asking to make a custom mouthpiece I go through a series of questions and sizing on existing mouthpieces. It is my feeling that modifing an existing mouthpiece is better and cheaper than having one made. Also, in my process of making a mouthpiece (everything I make is by hand and custom) I generally make it a little shallower and smaller in the rim than asked for, this way minor changes can be made to make the piece absolutly perfect. You can always take away, but never put back.

Josh

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Josh Landress
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crowmadic

Dale & Josh, What wonderful input! I know the blowing-feel of the "custom" mouthpiece can't be the same on all three instruments. What I'm after is having the rim shape and size the same on all three mouthpieces. Because I live in Florida I was thinking of going to the Warburton factory where I expect they have all the componants available to try. Perhaps custom was not precisely what I meant. Josh, I like the idea of keeping cost down. How would you go about providing me a Conn 3C rim on a French Tappered flugelhorn mouthpiece, and a deep-V long shank cornet mouthpiece. And what could I expect the cost to be?..........thanks guys, tom

Richard Oliver

Oh, I really don't know. I just read a Heserth profile from Jan '06 where he says he still looking for the perfect horn/mouthpiece combo even though he knows they do not exist.

So far, I've avoided the lure of the sirens' song.

I did play for my teacher on 3 pieces I own, and he said I sounded "clearer" on one of the 3. The one I used when I played in the concert band he conducted incidentally.

If you can swing it, have another set of ears who know your sound and can help you evaluate.

Maybe in a year from now if lessons progess and I do also, I'll ask him about it all.

We maybe doomed Crow and can't help ourselves

And Dale's comment about not knowing until the deed is done is spot on. Also, here's a real # for you exempflying what John said, I phoned Stork last week and spoke with Phyllis. It was a weak moment on my part, and we just chatted a bit. She said she could change a Vacchiano 4C into a "pumped" cup for $20. Much less than buying one outright.

If you're like me, you don't want to let go of what you already own if you think it might have some good use for you.

crowmadic

Richard,
It's not the sound I'm looking for (of course I want that to be acceptable), It's the rim size and shape that I want the same on all three instruments. I don't want to feel like I'm leaping from round-edged-rim to sharp-edged, or wide to narrow. What does "pumped" cup mean, and who is this person that does work for$20.00?........thanks, crow

Richard Oliver

"Pumped" means in non techno speak a blend tween the Vacchiano V cup and a regular cup. That's my take, and it's probably full of innacuracy.

Phyllis Stork told me if I would send her my Vacchiano 4C, she'd turn it into a 4C with a pumped cup for $20.

Having the same rim on all mouthpieces might be simple via a screw rim?

crowmadic

Richard, I might do the screw rim idea. I'm visiting the Warburton factory this week................crow

rowuk

Mr. Crow,
I really appreciate the "basic" philosophy questions and your quest for freedom of BS.
My "opinion" on custom mouthpieces is that you pick a shop that does the thinking for you. You feed them basic info and expect them to use their vast experience to minimize the guesswork. It is kind of like picking a doctor, a pastor, a trumpet teacher or physical therapist. In each of those cases, we admit that our knowledge and capability to figure everything out ourselves is grossly limited and search for a complementary relationship.
Although some may think that having a collection of Monette, Stork, GR, Kanstul mouthpieces is cool and implies that we have done our homework, each of these companies have varying concepts about what works and this shows me that the player has either bad instruments that need particular mouthpieces to compensate for the "problems" OR they don't realize how much they are confusing their faces!
I think the most sensible thing to do is IF you feel that a "standard" mouthpiece is not adequate, you pick one company and develop a relationship - letting the experts do what they do best. If an instrument is very "unique" - take it there and let them match it up!
I made my choice in 1997 and every time that I "think" that I need something else, I send an E'mail with the symptoms and wait for a response (which generally comes very quickly). Only once has that lead to another mouthpiece!
My trumpets in deep F/Bb/C/D/Eb, cornet and flugelhorn mouthpieces all have the same rim. For lead and for the picc in G and A/Bb I use a smaller rim. This works for me and I can switch at will during a concert!

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crowmadic

rowuk,
It's sounds like your approach to mouthpiece mania matches what I'm striving for. As you know by now I'm nowhere near the professional that you are. The only horns I'm interested in playing right now is my Bb trumpet, my Couesnon Flugelhorn, and my Conn cornet. I'd like the rim to feel the same on each. Of course, as luck would have it, now that I'm going to the Warburton factory I break out with a blister in the middle of my lower lip..............tom/crow