Suggestion on a Lead Mouthpiece...

Lazarus · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2002 4:49 pm Post subject:

Greetings to all! Hey, here is my question- what lead mouthpiece should I look into getting? For concert band I play a schilke 18 that gets a gorgeous sound on my horn and I have also been using it in jazz. With this mouthpiece however, it makes it alot more difficult and tiring to stay in the high register. Granted it is not impossible, but the sound is deficient in the upper register for jazz. Just recently my director had a change of heart after attending the jazz education festival in california. He got talking to some awesome trumpet players there that finally convinced him to let his trumpet section start using lead pieces along with their regular pieces (in his own words he is a fundamentalist LOL), so long as the rim was the same as the one they used in symphonic band. Now, granted that I use a schilke 18, what piece would you suggest. I know its an odd rim size, but there has got to be something I can get that would be exact or near the same rim size and shape. Frankly the 14a4a is not the lead mouthpiece for me and once I get a true lead piece that I can use, I'll be selling it. Thanks guys!

--Stephen

P.S. On flugel I use a schilke 15F that works perfectly with my schilke 18 setup on trumpet...that may or may not help.

John Miconi · Veteran Member Joined: 05 Dec 2001 Posts: 290

Stephen-
If you are looking for a lead mpc or just a mpc change check out the GR Tech mpc webpage at http://www.grmouthpieces.com...These are fantastic mouthpieces. Just fill out the questionaire, and be specific as possible, and Brian Scriver or Gary Ratke will help you select the best possible fit mouthpiece for you. You can also check out Bruce Lee at http://www.NorthernBrass.com...excellent trumpet player, teacher, and a friend of mine that I have had the good chance of knowing for about a year. He is a salesman for the GR Tech mouthpieces. Currently I am using a mpc that Gary Ratke of GR made personally for Bruce, the Northern Brass *** which is working quite well for me. Hope that will lead you down the right path!!!

John "Just Screamin" Miconi

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

If the 15F works for flugel, you might want to try a 15A4A or a 15A4. The 15A4A will have a much tighter backbore and if you are not used to it, it can create some difficulties at first. These models are both available as a standard (i.e. normal price) mouthpiece. I had Carl Hammond of Schilke make a custom piece for me with a 17D4 rim (very close to 1

with an A cup and B backbore. It is awesome. I can get a good sound with it, or cut through the section if I need to.

You may also want to consider a Warburton 3SV anchor grip or a De Nicola 11C. The De Nicola 11C is about the same rim diameter as a Schilke 18 with a much more efficient cup and not too tight of a backbore. These would be my top recommendations.
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Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-11-21 12:07 ]

cgooding · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2002 8:02 pm Post subject:

If you are used to the Schilke rims, I agree the 15a4 might be a good choice. I have never liked the a backbores myself. I use a Monette B5L for lead work and really like it. It has a nice sound in the lower and middle registers and is great up high.
I would suggest getting a lead piece with a slightly more narrow rim than your legit piece. You can get used to it with minimal adjustment and it will give you a little more endurance when playing lead.
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Lazarus · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2002 8:07 pm Post subject:

Lobo · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2002 8:39 pm Post subject:

I also believe you should give the guys at GR mouthpieces a try. His stuff is GREAT and he seems to have a wider range of sizes, with the same rim to match, plus he also has flugel mouthpieces that correspond. I got a 66S from him last year that works great for jazz band and legit, and I recently got a 66FL for flugel that has a beautiful sound.

Cozy · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002 12:07 am Post subject:

Kinda' tough task to find a lead mpc close to the rim of a Schilke 18. Those who hint narrower are probably right. Hope your director understands. Touchy to intercede on the director/student relationship. Like tampering with parent/child.
The GRs are fantastic. Contact GR or Bruce Lee. Both are quite helpful, I agree. Friendly folks.

Cozy
http://www.cozychops.com

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

Well if your playing on a Schilke 18..

..that is technically an 18C3c..

..whynot order a custom Schilke 18A3c? ---

from Giardinelli/MPC.express...that way you'll be sticking pretty darn close to what you've got now without taking too many risks.

Roddy o-iii<O

http://members.aol.com/RoddyTpt/

[ This Message was edited by: Roddyo-iii

Lazarus · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2002 1:50 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much to everyone who responded! It had been awesome hearing from you all and the suggestions are wonderfully taken. I have talked to GR mouthpieces in the past and they are great. The only thing is that there mouthpiece rim sizes don't run as large as the Schilke 18. The hinting to go to a bit smaller rim size is also well taken. Thats what GR suggested as well. Although Roddy's suggestion about the custom schilke interests me as well. So what it comes down to is trying out different mouthpieces (taking the rim into mind) and then ordering. Thanks again, I could not have made the RIGHT decision without you guys!

--Stephen

LeeMorganFan · Regular Member Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 15

If you like wide diameter mouthieces the size of a schilke 18, I would recomend trying out a Jet-tone Studio 1S... my friend who plays a Monette B1-1D normally uses one, and I really dig it as a wide diameter Lead piece... and they're relatively cheap too

tom turner · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2002 3:23 pm Post subject:

Hi,

I'd be careful before ordering a LEAD mouthpiece. It is a really soft, heavy metal that most people are allergic too.

(sorry for the humor . . . !)

I'd strongly recommend the NorthernBrass mouthpieces that GR developed for NorthernBrass. These are all lead-type mouthpieces that have a really great sound too. The NB** is what my son Russell uses and his range immediately went from a full G above high C to a Double D--rich and full.

I liked the *** better and am waiting to try the ****. I'm also planning on having Bruce develop a signature piece for me within a month or two. These, and other GR pieces really have a nice full scale and even blow with great intonation.

Talk to Bruce Lee and tell him what you play on, the pros and cons of what you feel about that mouthpiece, what you want it to do and I'm sure Bruce will know exactly what to recommend.

Best wishes!

Tom Turner

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

Sorry for the delay in responding to your question. The custom Schilke mouthpiece was around $90. Bobby DeNicola sells his horns through Bruce Lee at Northern Brass, perhaps he can get the mouthpieces also.
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Best Regards, Play Well!!

Lazarus · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2002 8:44 pm Post subject:

What is Bruces website? I will look into it, because last time I talked to the GR guys, they were awesome. Although I haven't talked to Bruce yet, he sounds like a great guy. My only thing is that I know GR doens't have standard mpc's that run in the rim diameter range of a Schilke 18, then again this isn't particularly a bad thing. Its something I'll have to discuss with him. Thanks in advance for the website address.

--Stephen

histrumpet · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2002 9:12 pm Post subject:

Stephen,
Bruce's web site is http://www.northerbrass.com

Cozy · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2002 12:23 am Post subject:

Directing someone to make a radical change from a present mpc can be bad news...good news. You have lots of excellent suggestions, from Roddy's "stick with Schilke 18, just go to the A cup"...to others saying go with a smaller mpc. A GR mpc projects well. Like the Callet DT-10, the GRs are used by lots of folks who Used to play a larger mpc. Talk to GR some more, talk to Bruce Lee, think about it. Gary and Brian at GR are knowledgeable folks as is Bruce Lee. By all means, get with Lee Adams, too, if you can.

Cozy
http://www.cozychops.com

[ This Message was edited by: Cozy on 2002-01-25 03:27 ]

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

Lazarus wrote...
''My only thing is that I know GR doens't have standard mpc's that run in the rim diameter range of a Schilke 18''

...your right!!
--they only go to a Sch.14 / GR67

..however they may do a custom job for ya!!
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kenny dorham is an animal · Veteran Member Joined: 15 Jan 2002 Posts: 133

i would reccomend any storks that are on their website for lead. They are really great mouthpieces, and consistent too. I currently use a LDS6 with a three rim for lead. WHat i like about storks are that they have mostly v shaped cups, not the traditional bowl, so they blow a lot different than the typical bach. Also unlike bachs, as you play the storks louder the tone gets brighter, not just louder, interesting i love em.
Later
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DRES

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

Check your private messages. I sent some additional information to you.