Bass with attitude(s)

[ithinknot]

Which classic or modern-but-not-axial bass trombones have you found to have particularly strong opinions about mouthpiece type... whether surprisingly accommodating or hilariously uncooperative?

If you want a more specific question, let's say you're stuck on the desert island with something like a Hammond 21BL (60ish rim, .316" throat, tone leaning commercial/frisky but definitely requiring a modern/Big Air approach). You can have a Remington shank version too, so that's not a problem. Of the generation of instruments designed with 1.5Gs in mind, which might work fine (just differently) with the modern piece, and which won't play ball?

[Burgerbob]

Bach 50s tend to shrug and let you have your way. I think this is pretty well known, but it's pretty interesting just how un-picky they can be.

I'll tell you more when I get it back soon, but my Holton 185 didn't let a single one of my big pieces (a dozen+) work... except my Yeo replica. We'll see if that holds true.

I have played a couple 70Hs, one a stock '48 and another a rare all-red Fuchs. The '48 wouldn't make a sound unless you put in my George Roberts replica piece. The Fuchs was happy with a 60-sized mouthpiece and felt quite modern.

[dukesboneman]

I`ve been using either a Schilke 58 or 59 for most my Bass work (Before Covid)
Then I bought a used Giardinelli 1G.
This is my Holy Grail ! Love it

[spencercarran]

I'll tell you more when I get it back soon, but my Holton 185 didn't let a single one of my big pieces (a dozen+) work... except my Yeo replica. We'll see if that holds true.

My Holton 180 gets along with the Yeo, but I've also been very surprised recently with how well it responds to something much smaller. Might have to make some side-by-side recordings to show the difference. Sound is completely different of course, but not bad per se. With other small mouthpieces it always sounded bad.

[Mv2541]

The Getzen eternas don’t seem to like smaller pieces; maybe that’s why I didn’t like mine. I also had to pull the main slide super far.

[Rusty]

My Yamaha 620g bass doesn’t do as well on big pieces, and particularly favours pieces in the 2g range.

[Matt K]

Some of the Duo Gravis are pretty particular. Other are not as much. I think it's the ones with the non-standard receiver are more difficult to get something to work with. I had a great one that would work with whatever, although at the time I was on a Mt. Vernon 2G which it seemed to like quite a bit.

[Finetales]

The Getzen eternas don’t seem to like smaller pieces; maybe that’s why I didn’t like mine. I also had to pull the main slide super far.

Yep, the main slide had to be nearly all the way out back when I had one. Mine was happy with pretty much any mouthpiece though, from tenor pieces to a 21BL.

[WGWTR180]

You'd have to change the scenario for me as I'd never be stuck with a Schilke size mouthpiece. Also players make an instrument have attitude.

[GabrielRice]

I think a lot depends on the player. Many people say a 70H won't work with a big mouthpiece, but I do fine with mine. When I first got it I was playing a Laskey 93D, and that combination did very well. Now I usually play it with an Elliott LB 114/L/L8 with Conn taper shank. The M even sounds nice, but I can't quite get the pitch up to 440 with the cup that deep. I can also play it with a J cup, but the L sounds more right to me in the situations I bring that instrument.

I can imagine it not liking a Hammond 21BL though...which is a mouthpiece I don't get along with on any instrument.

My Bach 50B does great with big mouthpieces. It actually tends to like a slightly bigger version of the same mouthpiece I use on my Shires - same specs but it's on the bigger side of the tiny variations.

As to why the instruments themselves might seem to be more sensitive, I think that's probably mostly about the leadpipe taper.

[ithinknot]

Thanks to all who've contributed so far!

I think a lot depends on the player. Many people say a 70H won't work with a big mouthpiece, but I do fine with mine. When I first got it I was playing a Laskey 93D, and that combination did very well. Now I usually play it with an Elliott LB 114/L/L8 with Conn taper shank.

Of course - it's all personal - and in any case, if you were playing the same combo with an LB 109 rim, no one would accuse you of using a 60-esque megabucket... Obviously rim size isn't the operative factor here, but air/resistance management, hence:

As to why the instruments themselves might seem to be more sensitive, I think that's probably mostly about the leadpipe taper.

...which, to massively generalize, might explain why Bachs, which supply a bit more of their own front-end resistance thru relatively tight leadpipes, cope well with bigger pieces, whereas the Conn model of *front resistance left to the mouthpiece / relatively open leadpipe* is potentially more sensitive...(?)

I can imagine it not liking a Hammond 21BL though...which is a mouthpiece I don't get along with on any instrument.

Fair enough - I picked it just to make the 'modern/Big Air' point. I've been playing around with one and for me there's a fun and musically interesting 'slightly sizzling' sound in the center of it, which is great fun to try to hold onto - but it definitely allows you the leeway to get into real trouble.

I'll tell you more when I get it back soon, but my Holton 185 didn't let a single one of my big pieces (a dozen+) work... except my Yeo replica. We'll see if that holds true.

How's it getting on?

[Burgerbob]

I'll tell you more when I get it back soon, but my Holton 185 didn't let a single one of my big pieces (a dozen+) work... except my Yeo replica. We'll see if that holds true.

How's it getting on?

Still picky. I'm playing better so it isn't quite as obvious, but something about the shallower cup on the Yeo makes it work, where the larger pieces don't as well.

[mrdeacon]

How's it getting on?

Still picky. I'm playing better so it isn't quite as obvious, but something about the shallower cup on the Yeo makes it work, where the larger pieces don't as well.

I really like a Elliott LB or XB M cup and M8 shank or a Laskey 93D on my Holtons. It seems like when the throat is too big that's when they get weird and woofy. Also definitely depends on what your leadpipe is.

You still need to try out my Holtons sometime!

[WGWTR180]

Still picky. I'm playing better so it isn't quite as obvious, but something about the shallower cup on the Yeo makes it work, where the larger pieces don't as well.

I really like a Elliott LB or XB M cup and M8 shank or a Laskey 93D on my Holtons. It seems like when the throat is too big that's when they get weird and woofy. Also definitely depends on what your leadpipe is.

You still need to try out my Holtons sometime!

Yes pipes make a huge difference in all of my Holtons. And they all respond beautifully with any of my 1 and 1/2Gs.

[Matt K]

...but something about the shallower cup on the Yeo makes it work, where the larger pieces don't as well.

That's a sentence I would have never expected to hear; but thinking about it, I have at least 3 pieces that are deeper myself. Remember the first time I played one of those I thought it was comically large!