Medium ("Euro") Shank Taper and Insertion Depth Specs?

ttf_JohnL · Post by **ttf_JohnL** » Sun May 28, 2017 7:54 am

Got a horn with an odd receiver. Larger than small, smaller than large. Medium shank Schilke kinda fits, but wobbles a bit and doesn't as deep as I think it should. The best fit so far is an old Conn mouthpiece originally from a 24I euphonium.

Does any know the specs for an standard medium shank? That would at least give me a starting point.

ttf_Doug Elliott · Post by **ttf_Doug Elliott** » Sun May 28, 2017 7:59 am

Different manufacturers vary from .450 to .475 at the end, I think Wicks are on the small side of that range and the Schilke is probably at the big side. Your receiver sounds like maybe it's not a Morse taper, so the best bet is to measure inside at several depths and try to determine what it needs.

ttf_MaestroHound · Post by **ttf_MaestroHound** » Sun May 28, 2017 9:36 am

I have an old German trombone with an odd receiver taper (or, should I say, almost non-taper). Small shank is too small, large shank too large, and it ate up most of the Euro shank and still wobbled a lot. Luckily it came with its original mouthpiece (that I do use the most), but when I wanted to add one, I noticed that the end of shank on the original was almost as large as a large shank. It just has such a small taper. So what I ended up doing was to get a mouthpiece I wanted in large shank, then turned down the shank to match the taper of the original (leaving the end almost untouched, more turning down as I went up the shank). Worked beautifully. Sometimes you have to improvise with those odd receivers. If your Euro shank kinda fits but shallow, then I would guess that should be your starting point, unless end of large shank is small enough to go in even a little bit--then you have to observe and have a choice to make.

ttf_JohnL · Post by **ttf_JohnL** » Sun May 28, 2017 10:06 am

Rough measurement places it at .055 in/in, so it's close to Morse taper. I think what may be happening is that it's bottoming out. That would explain why the Conn (which has a shorter shank that starts at a larger diameter) fits better.

Just to verify: standard medium shank should be Morse taper, right?

ttf_JohnL · Post by **ttf_JohnL** » Sun May 28, 2017 10:06 am

Rough measurement places it at .055 in/in, so it's close to Morse taper. I think what may be happening is that it's bottoming out. That would explain why the Conn (which has a shorter shank that starts at a larger diameter) fits better.

Just to verify: standard medium shank should be Morse taper, right?