Wood Mouthpieces ? Titanium ? "Unobtainium" ?

Robert Rowe · 03-18-2005, 09:27 AM

There is currently running, another Post Topic, regarding the use of titainium for horn components, including mouthpieces. Most mouthpieces are of brass, plated with silver or gold. There are mouthpieces fashioned from wood, as I understand it (the manufacture's name escapes me -- sorry). I believe Stomvi has an optional wooden bell, also (piccolo trumpet?).

Can anyone comment, hopefully with personal experience, on the wood(en) mouthpieces.... Also, those bells ?

Other than Lexan (for cold weather?), are there any other materials presently, or previously, used to fabricate mouthpieces ?

What are advantages ? Disadvantages ?

Robert Rowe

Mr. Stomvi · 03-18-2005, 01:12 PM

Stomvi makes mouthpieces in brass, silver, gold, titanium, ebonite and carbon fiber. I have a Stomvi wooden bell on my picc and it is really cool. I use it for small rooms in intimate settings as the projection is much less than the other bells. The wood also deadens the response of the horn a bit.

Maurice Benterfa produces the wood mouthpieces and they are marketed thru Stomvi. Kanstul and a few others make wooden mpcs but the rims
are usually plated brass.

Seth Moore

Heavens2kadonka · 06-03-2005, 01:39 AM

Anyone have experience playing on a wood piece?

I would be afraid of splinters.... *Shudders*

Van

frank · 06-03-2005, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heavens2kadonka

Anyone have experience playing on a wood piece?Van

Yes, but only on a alpenhorn!

No problems with splinters...

trickg · 06-03-2005, 10:32 AM

I could be way off base here, but it sticks in my mind that that the wood used in the wooden mouthpieces isn't your typical oak or hickory. I think that it is ebony, zebra wood, or some other very hard, dense, exotic hardwood. My dad once made a set of grips for a Cold SAA revolver from a wood he referred to as iron wood. This stuff was so hard, he had to work it for hours with rasps and files to shape it. It got to the point where it almost wasn't worth the effort.

He also made some scales for a big 15" Bowie knife that he made, and he made those out of a couple of piece of cocobolo. This is also very hard and dense, but it was easier to work than the iron wood. It has nice orange to red hues and it polished up really nicely.

Robert Rowe · 06-03-2005, 12:24 PM

I've been "in-&-around" wood-working for quite a while. Among other things in our shop (mostly instrument repair), my business partner (a prominent luthier) and I build guitars, mandos and ukes.

I haven't played on a wooden mpc, but I saw a picture of one, and it is obviously constructed from a laminated blank (like a butcher-block), and turned-down on a lathe.

Patrick -- you're correct about "ironwood". Something much, much harder is lignum vitae, which has been used for centuries (& still) as ball-bearings, and has now been replaced by steel, of course. Ebony is so dense, it will not float, as ironwood, also.

***By-the-way ... "ax me about Ebonics."

...onward ....
Robert Rowe

trickg · 06-03-2005, 12:34 PM

The laminate thing would make sense, otherwise, how could you as a wood mouthpiece maker guarantee any kind of consistency?

I wasn't sure if those revolver grips were actually made from iron wood, or if it was something that he just referred to as iron wood because it was so danged hard and tough.

That's interesting about lignum vitae - I wonder if it would be possible to make an entire mouthpiece from a block of that - not just a cup. It's an interesting subject, but for me, I'll stick with gold plate over silver and made from brass.

I wonder what a mouthpiece made from Tungsten would be like? It would be heavy, that's for sure!

Mr. Stomvi · 06-03-2005, 01:32 PM

Here is a web site for Maurice Benterfa mpcs.

http://www.bill-lewington.com/mbwood.htm

Seth Moore

03-18-2005, 09:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
Robert Rowe Piano User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 498	Wood Mouthpieces ? Titanium ? "Unobtainium" ? There is currently running, another Post Topic, regarding the use of titainium for horn components, including mouthpieces. Most mouthpieces are of brass, plated with silver or gold. There are mouthpieces fashioned from wood, as I understand it (the manufacture's name escapes me -- sorry). I believe Stomvi has an optional wooden bell, also (piccolo trumpet?). Can anyone comment, hopefully with personal experience, on the wood(en) mouthpieces.... Also, those bells ? Other than Lexan (for cold weather?), are there any other materials presently, or previously, used to fabricate mouthpieces ? What are advantages ? Disadvantages ? Robert Rowe

03-18-2005, 01:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mr. Stomvi Pianissimo User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 120	Stomvi makes mouthpieces in brass, silver, gold, titanium, ebonite and carbon fiber. I have a Stomvi wooden bell on my picc and it is really cool. I use it for small rooms in intimate settings as the projection is much less than the other bells. The wood also deadens the response of the horn a bit. Maurice Benterfa produces the wood mouthpieces and they are marketed thru Stomvi. Kanstul and a few others make wooden mpcs but the rims are usually plated brass. Seth Moore __________________ The "Flattergrub" or literally, the "uncouth flutter" was the very descriptive term that the Germans had for the pedal tone. Apparently some players could produce a "Flattergrub" and nothing more. Richard I. Schwartz "The Cornet Compendium"

06-03-2005, 01:39 AM	#3 (permalink)
Heavens2kadonka Forte User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Carthage, TN Posts: 1,283	Anyone have experience playing on a wood piece? I would be afraid of splinters.... Shudders Van __________________ Stage 1 California Light '94 Bach Strad 37 1900 Eb Cornet LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C LOUD LM93

06-03-2005, 10:32 AM	#5 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	I could be way off base here, but it sticks in my mind that that the wood used in the wooden mouthpieces isn't your typical oak or hickory. I think that it is ebony, zebra wood, or some other very hard, dense, exotic hardwood. My dad once made a set of grips for a Cold SAA revolver from a wood he referred to as iron wood. This stuff was so hard, he had to work it for hours with rasps and files to shape it. It got to the point where it almost wasn't worth the effort. He also made some scales for a big 15" Bowie knife that he made, and he made those out of a couple of piece of cocobolo. This is also very hard and dense, but it was easier to work than the iron wood. It has nice orange to red hues and it polished up really nicely. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

06-03-2005, 12:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	The laminate thing would make sense, otherwise, how could you as a wood mouthpiece maker guarantee any kind of consistency? I wasn't sure if those revolver grips were actually made from iron wood, or if it was something that he just referred to as iron wood because it was so danged hard and tough. That's interesting about lignum vitae - I wonder if it would be possible to make an entire mouthpiece from a block of that - not just a cup. It's an interesting subject, but for me, I'll stick with gold plate over silver and made from brass. I wonder what a mouthpiece made from Tungsten would be like? It would be heavy, that's for sure! __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

06-03-2005, 12:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
Robert Rowe Piano User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 498	I've been "in-&-around" wood-working for quite a while. Among other things in our shop (mostly instrument repair), my business partner (a prominent luthier) and I build guitars, mandos and ukes. I haven't played on a wooden mpc, but I saw a picture of one, and it is obviously constructed from a laminated blank (like a butcher-block), and turned-down on a lathe. Patrick -- you're correct about "ironwood". Something much, much harder is lignum vitae, which has been used for centuries (& still) as ball-bearings, and has now been replaced by steel, of course. Ebony is so dense, it will not float, as ironwood, also. ***By-the-way ... "ax me about Ebonics." ...onward .... Robert Rowe

06-03-2005, 01:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mr. Stomvi Pianissimo User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 120	Here is a web site for Maurice Benterfa mpcs. http://www.bill-lewington.com/mbwood.htm Seth Moore __________________ The "Flattergrub" or literally, the "uncouth flutter" was the very descriptive term that the Germans had for the pedal tone. Apparently some players could produce a "Flattergrub" and nothing more. Richard I. Schwartz "The Cornet Compendium"

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