Purviance Mouthpiece

Post Reply
Posaunus
Posts: 3424
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:54 pm
Location: California

Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by Posaunus »

I had never heard of Purviance mouthpieces until I saw a recent listing on eBay and followed the bidding - which ended today. They must be something special - or the trombone world is populated with obsessive collectors of exotica!

ebay Item number: 183339012594
Purviance 3 Los Angeles Silver Plated Small Shank Trombone Mouthpiece
Winning bid: $217.49
Shipping: $5.15 Standard Shipping

Bidders: 7
Bids: 13
Time Ended: Aug 2018 at 7:00:01PM PDT
User avatar
BGuttman
Posts: 5893
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:19 am
Location: Cow Hampshire

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by BGuttman »

Trumpet players know this brand better than trombone players.

I had one, but it was the wrong size for me and so I didn't like it;

They are no longer being made (I think Purviance died a few years ago).
Bruce Guttman
Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra
"Almost Professional"
User avatar
greenbean
Posts: 1784
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:14 pm
Location: San Francisco

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by greenbean »

BGuttman wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 5:18 am ...
They are no longer being made (I think Purviance died a few years ago).
Not to be confused with a great bass trombonist - Doug Purviance.

Anyway, the eBay seller (who is a member here) has a few other interesting mouthpieces for sale...
Tom in San Francisco
Currently playing...
Bach Corp 16M
Many French horns
User avatar
JohnL
Posts: 1563
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:01 am
Contact:

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by JohnL »

Purviance mouthpieces were very popular with the LA studio trumpet players. I suppose the closest equivalent in the trombone world would be Burt Herrick, but Purviance seems to have been better known outside the studio community.

Purviance trombone mouthpieces have been out of production for quite a while (Carroll Purviance passed away in 1971), but Bob Reeves (who worked for Purviance for several years) still makes Purviance trumpet mouthpieces.

Sometimes I wish I could take a little trip back to the time when the LA studio scene was at its height. Earl Williams, Eldon Benge, Burt Herrick, Carroll Purviance, Irv Bush, Earl Strickler...
peteedwards
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2018 5:43 am
Location: York County PA

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by peteedwards »

greenbean wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:48 am Not to be confused with a great bass trombonist - Doug Purviance.
not to change the subject but speaking of Doug Purviance:

blast
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:46 am

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by blast »

I have one of his 'bass trombone' mouthpieces the collection.... very different in every way ! very wide rim, inside around 5G size, very very deep and conical with quite a small throat. A tenor doubler's piece,I suspect, made for LA studio players. Very well made. Gives a mellow dark sound in most basses.

Chris
User avatar
JohnL
Posts: 1563
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:01 am
Contact:

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by JohnL »

blast wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 2:07 am I have one of his 'bass trombone' mouthpieces the collection.... very different in every way ! very wide rim, inside around 5G size, very very deep and conical with quite a small throat. A tenor doubler's piece,I suspect, made for LA studio players. Very well made. Gives a mellow dark sound in most basses.
That description pretty well matches a late '40's Olds (i.e., Roe Plimpton) bass trombone mouthpiece I have. Does the Purviance have a lightweight blank?
blast
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:46 am

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by blast »

JohnL wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 8:27 am
blast wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 2:07 am I have one of his 'bass trombone' mouthpieces the collection.... very different in every way ! very wide rim, inside around 5G size, very very deep and conical with quite a small throat. A tenor doubler's piece,I suspect, made for LA studio players. Very well made. Gives a mellow dark sound in most basses.
That description pretty well matches a late '40's Olds (i.e., Roe Plimpton) bass trombone mouthpiece I have. Does the Purviance have a lightweight blank?
I wouldn't call it lightweight. It's very long.... like nothing else. I will try to take a picture.

Chris
User avatar
DaveAshley
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2018 9:37 pm
Location: Kentucky

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by DaveAshley »

The Purviance that just sold on eBay was made by Bob Reeves. The 3 is Bob's version of the 4*3 with a very V-shaped cup. The rim is very 12Cish, but flatter.
I've had a few Purviances over the years. I have two now. One is a 3, which I (maybe stupidly) had altered to a 25mm rim. The other is Carl Fontana's 1A. Again - made by Bob Reeves. (not sure what the A means, but it's just like a 4*1 I had) I reached out to Bob to ask if he knew anything about it. He didn't even know Carl had owned one. (Carl almost always played a Bach 11C, but had a massive mouthpiece collection).
I'm pretty sure Purviance died decades ago.
It just occurred to me that I inadvertently "lied" about having two Purviances. I also have a gold plated bass trombone only marked 'S' on the shank. A rarity, to be sure! The one mentioned above is the only other one I've ever heard of.
sporto
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2018 9:47 am
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by sporto »

I bagged a Purviance 5*1 last year. Very similar to a Bach 12C but with a wider, flatter rim and more rounded curve into the throat. Nice fat sound and very agile
TromboneMonkey
Posts: 223
Joined: Fri May 11, 2018 9:58 am

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by TromboneMonkey »

I have an original 4*3. It is way shallower than it's beautiful sound would have one believe. It has a great, wide, flat, comfortable rim and amazing transitions between low and high ranges. A true marvel of mid-century American craftsmanship! I'll never sell mine, even though I'm not currently using it as a day-to-day driver.

Allegedly, Reeves is going to start up production again...
Fidbone
Posts: 259
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:14 am
Location: UK

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by Fidbone »

I had a 5*3 for a while, sold it to someone in the USA for mucho $$$ ....... :hi:
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
dukesboneman
Posts: 636
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:40 pm
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Contact:

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by dukesboneman »

Looks like a Bach artisan
daveburch235
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2020 3:06 pm

Re: Purviance Mouthpiece

Post by daveburch235 »

I looked up this thread because today I bought a used Getzen Custom 3508R trombone (the dual bore .500-.508 horn), and in the case I found a Purviance mouthpiece, stamped "5*3". I slipped it into the horn and played a few minutes, finding that it works very well! I'm going to have to give it a serious evaluation against my current piece.
Post Reply

Return to “Mouthpieces”