What is a Medium Shank?

Post Reply
User avatar
JoelKelley
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:05 am
Location: New Carlisle, In.
Contact:

What is a Medium Shank?

Post by JoelKelley »

Try as I might I can not find a mouthpiece that is listed with this feature, could someone please help.
Joel Kelley
New Prairie Marching Cougars
User avatar
EdwardSolomon
Posts: 104
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:01 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by EdwardSolomon »

It's what the Germans call Baritonschaft. This is often referred to as 'Euro' shank. It sits midway between large and small shank and it is commonly found on older European baritones and trombones.
pompatus
Posts: 400
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 2:19 pm

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by pompatus »

Medium shank, sometimes called European shank, is most often found on older euphoniums. The shank, as you might guess, is in between small (tenor) shank and large (bass) shank. I used to have a Denis Wick 4AM to fit a Willson euphonium I played through undergrad, but sold it after I sold that horn. It’s fairly common to see old Besson and Boosey & Hawkes euphoniums in medium shank, as well.

Many mouthpiece manufacturers will make a medium shank these days, but it may be a special order item. I believe Doug Elliott has a medium shank listed on his website for certain series of his mouthpieces.
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 493
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by ghmerrill »

Wick lists a number of euph mouthpieces in medium shank: https://www.deniswick.com/wp-content/up ... -Chart.pdf. Other makers do as well. There's additional information on Dave Werden's forum about this. Here's an example: http://www.dwerden.com/forum/entry.php/ ... yO0wadKiUk.

And, as mentioned, Doug makes them for his mouthpieces. I have one for my oval Amati euph.
Gary Merrill
Wessex EEb tuba
Mack Brass Compensating Euph
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
DE LB K/K10/112 Lexan, M&K GR Nickel leadpipe
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
User avatar
BGuttman
Posts: 5891
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:19 am
Location: Cow Hampshire

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by BGuttman »

Also please note that Medium Bore trombones generally do NOT have a Medium Shank mouthpiece. They take small (standard) shank mouthpieces.
Bruce Guttman
Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra
"Almost Professional"
afugate
Posts: 644
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:47 am
Location: Oklahoma City

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by afugate »

Please note: If this question is concerning a mouthpiece for a medium bore horn as being discussed in a separate thread of yours :), then don't worry. Most medium bore horns, like my Yamaha 645 - and the King 3B+ mentioned in that thread, use a small shank mouthpiece.

I *think* there are a few medium bore horns that have large bore leadpipes and therefore take a large shank MP, but they are the rare exception.

--Andy in OKC
User avatar
heinzgries
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:52 pm
Location: Heidelberg/germany

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by heinzgries »

You can get all Mouthpieces from Klier, Tilz, Schmidt with the option bariton/euro shank
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 493
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by ghmerrill »

And you can get Klier through Dillon in the US. They're a bit spotty in terms of what Klier items they have in stock, but they will order for you (and you can even return it after that if you aren't happy with it). If they don't have what you're looking for in stock, it will probably take several weeks for them to get it. But they're great to work with.
Gary Merrill
Wessex EEb tuba
Mack Brass Compensating Euph
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
DE LB K/K10/112 Lexan, M&K GR Nickel leadpipe
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
User avatar
BGuttman
Posts: 5891
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:19 am
Location: Cow Hampshire

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by BGuttman »

I think this discussion is probably moot since the OP was talking about a mouthpiece for a medium bore trombone.
Bruce Guttman
Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra
"Almost Professional"
User avatar
ghmerrill
Posts: 493
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:41 pm
Location: Central North Carolina

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by ghmerrill »

Definitely tricked by the "Medium Shank" title. :shock: :? :lol: But a lot of this terminology can be confusing until you get experience with it -- especially the shank sizes that can appear in the case of bartiones/euphoniums/tubas (American, European, Old British, etc.).
Gary Merrill
Wessex EEb tuba
Mack Brass Compensating Euph
Amati Oval Euph
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone
DE LB K/K10/112 Lexan, M&K GR Nickel leadpipe
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Bach 12c)
User avatar
JoelKelley
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:05 am
Location: New Carlisle, In.
Contact:

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by JoelKelley »

Yes but on the Yamaha website it has it listed as requiring a medium shank mouthpiece..I really didnt know that they existed before now.
Joel Kelley
New Prairie Marching Cougars
User avatar
BGuttman
Posts: 5891
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:19 am
Location: Cow Hampshire

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by BGuttman »

JoelKelley wrote: Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:57 am Yes but on the Yamaha website it has it listed as requiring a medium shank mouthpiece..I really didnt know that they existed before now.
That's just WRONG. The Yamaha 640 takes a standard (small) shank mouthpiece.
Bruce Guttman
Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra
"Almost Professional"
User avatar
Kingfan
Posts: 1132
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:32 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by Kingfan »

Local music store was selling cheap Chinese copy horns (Mendini?) brand new that took a medium shank. I pity the parents that bought a trash horn anyway, and to make it worse couldn't find replacement/upgrade mouthpieces.
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are still missing! :D
Greg Songer
King 606, King 3B-F: DE LT101/LTD/D3
King 4B-F: Bach 5G Megatone gold plated
King 2107 bass: DE MB109/MB J/J8 King
User avatar
Matt K
Verified
Posts: 3944
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:34 pm
Contact:

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by Matt K »

Which horn are you referring to? Looks like the 640 is indicated appropriately here:

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical ... oduct-tabs

Might be wroth specifically pointing to the page so that if someone else has that question, when they google it hopefully this thread pops up detailing why the information is incorrect! Might help someone in the exact situation in the future!
User avatar
JoelKelley
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:05 am
Location: New Carlisle, In.
Contact:

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by JoelKelley »

No... 445g?
Joel Kelley
New Prairie Marching Cougars
BoneRob
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 5:38 pm
Location: Eugene, OR

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by BoneRob »

I remember being tripped up by this when I first started looking at medium bore horns as well. For instance, Yamaha lists the specs for the 446G as using a medium shank:

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical ... oduct-tabs

I now know that it takes a regular shank like other tenor horns. Yamaha should really change that page.
King 2B (1965-70)
King 3B/F (1975-80)
Conn 73H (1973)
User avatar
Matt K
Verified
Posts: 3944
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:34 pm
Contact:

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by Matt K »

Ah yes, I see it!

448G/446G

(They have at least fixed it for the 630 series instrument and the other medium bores that I can find). So it should look like this for the 446G:
Level Intermediate Tenor
Key Bb/F
Bore ML:0.525"
Bell Diameter 8-1/2"
Shank Small
Leadpipe Yellow brass; Fixed
Body material Yellow Brass
Bell Material Gold brass; One-Pice
Weight Standard
Finish Clear Lacquer
Inner Slide Chrome-plated nickel silver; Drawn
Outer Slide Brass; Drawn; One-piece
Mouthpiece 48
Features F-Attachment
Pistons/Rotors Hand lapped; String linkage
User avatar
Doug Elliott
Posts: 2950
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:12 pm
Location: Maryand

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by Doug Elliott »

Cut it open and see what it looks like on the inside. Medium should be pink.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
User avatar
Kingfan
Posts: 1132
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:32 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: What is a Medium Shank?

Post by Kingfan »

Doug Elliott wrote: Sat Jun 16, 2018 7:57 pm Cut it open and see what it looks like on the inside. Medium should be pink.
Or the medium could get you in contact with your deceased trombone. :pant:
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are still missing! :D
Greg Songer
King 606, King 3B-F: DE LT101/LTD/D3
King 4B-F: Bach 5G Megatone gold plated
King 2107 bass: DE MB109/MB J/J8 King
Post Reply

Return to “Mouthpieces”