Sterling Silver Mouthpipes—What are the pros and cons? Do I need one?

[TromboneLAB]

It seems a lot of players are switching to sterling mouthpipes, lot of classical guys, but some commercial players too. I’ve never played on one, but now I’m curious.

Those of you that play them, what can you tell me about it. Are they better? Do I need one? I’m a commercial player playing rock, funk, and jazz. Is this gonna be appropriate for that type of playing?

Thanks!

[harrisonreed]

They slot nice and help give you more "core" to the sound. You don't need one -- the horn and the player are one complete system, and the leadpipe is one of the least interesting parts of that system.

For example, if you play on a 3B Silversonic with a sterling bell, the sterling leadpipe would likely be a bad match. I mostly see the dense leadpipes used with yellow brass horns.

Just get a Brad Close pipe, whatever he recommends. They're the best. Otherwise stick with what is in the horn

[Burgerbob]

I personally don't use them, though I've owned a few. I find they add a LOT of core to the sound, firm up the attack a bit, etc., but it's too much for me. My sound gets a bit harsh, loses some of the soft edges I actually do want, much of the warmth.

[Kbiggs]

I’m currently going back-and-forth between a stock 42 pipe and a Shires no. 2 sterling pipe. The Shires pipe is about 3/8” longer, and i wonder whether it’s too locked-in. I feel like it hampers my flexibility.

Anyone ever trimmed a long sterling pipe?

[mrdeacon]

I’m currently going back-and-forth between a stock 42 pipe and a Shires no. 2 sterling pipe. The Shires pipe is about 3/8” longer, and i wonder whether it’s too locked-in. I feel like it hampers my flexibility.

Anyone ever trimmed a long sterling pipe?

MK Drawing sterling pipes are the same lengths as the other metals. The sterling pipes feels a little more open but nothing where I think it would need the extra length.

I think I’d be interested in trying a shorter #2 sterling Shires pipe but that’s an expensive experiment! I’ve got a sterling Schatz pipe on order with the Brass Ark. I can’t wait to get it.

[elmsandr]

I’m currently going back-and-forth between a stock 42 pipe and a Shires no. 2 sterling pipe. The Shires pipe is about 3/8” longer, and i wonder whether it’s too locked-in. I feel like it hampers my flexibility.

Anyone ever trimmed a long sterling pipe?

My Edwards Bass pipe is a modified version of one of their sterling pipes. Shorter than the standard sterling, still a hair longer than a brass version. Was one of a set made for {redacted}, made a couple each of some recipes and this was the same recipe he chose, just not his favorite one.

I found the full longer length maybe a little too locked in, to use your verbiage.

From the other comments here, I mostly can align to them, it added a lot of both depth and sizzle when I was playing a full Edwards horn. Now that I only occasionally play just the dual bore slide (and even that rarely), I mostly just use a standard Bach 50 pipe. It’s good.

Cheers,
Andy

[harrisonreed]

I’ve got a sterling Schatz pipe on order with the Brass Ark. I can’t wait to get it.

Well, you're gonna have to lol. But it was worth the wait for the .508 pipe I ordered. Fantastic work.

[ghmerrill]

Granted that I play a cheesy low-end Chinese bass trombone ...

It's taken me quite a while to get it dialed in to how I need it to perform and to sound in the big band context I'm playing in now. I haven't tried a Sterling pipe (way to expensive and not justified in my case), but I have found that the lead pipe matters a lot -- in combination with the mouthpiece (including rim, bowl, and shank) in getting to where I need to be.

In my case, the best I've tried is the M/K MK50 in nickel. I also have an M/K George Roberts in nickel and a BrassArk MV50 in red brass (which I used for some time in community bands). But the nickel MK 50 is just the ticket in the jazz orchestra -- in terms of the sound, the articulation, and double valve register access and ease. However, I have had to shorten each of those pipes by about 3/8" in order to get the right result -- and the specific mouthpiece components are a big part of that also. It's a gestalt kind of thing.

[BrooklynDad]

Hey Colter! I had Miles make one for me based on my Yamaha LA pipe- I dig it! Hard to describe Sterling... but there's a unique warmth that it has. You are welcome to try mine lead pipe next time I see you.

Michael Dease

[mrdeacon]

Hey Colter! I had Miles make one for me based on my Yamaha LA pipe- I dig it! Hard to describe Sterling... but there's a unique warmth that it has. You are welcome to try mine lead pipe next time I see you.

Michael Dease

I didn’t know O’Maley did sterling pipes! I’ll likely have to order one in the future.

[jjenkins]

In my experience, it creates a warm, dense, slightly more complex sound. As Harrison mentioned, the greatest affect is with yellow bells.

[ssking2b]

I use the sterling silver lead pipe on my XO1240RL for everything except orchestral playing. The sound and response for me are amazing. I use a brass lead pipe of exactly the same dimensions for orchestra. Both come standard with the horn

[Driswood]

I got a sterling silver pipe from BrassArk. It’s the 32H Burkle, I use it in my Elkhart 6H.
It’s a little longer than the stock 6H pipe. I noticed an improvement in slotting, and a little more core to my sound.
It is darker than the brass pipe, but speaks much quicker. It also has great protection.
With the improvement in slotting it hasn’t hampered my flexibility.

I had ordered a nickel silver pipe, and Noah let me know it would be months to get it. He had a sterling silver pipe in stock he would let me have for a 10% discount. I took it and I’m glad I did.

[Driswood]

This is from the BrassArk website.

Seamed sterling silver (925) is an exotic material that we've recently started using. Many players are familiar with the heavy and long sterling silver pipes made by Edwards and Shires. Our pipes are not the same, but instead made from sheet silver and rolled/brazed with a seam. This gives a thinner and more responsive pipe that yields an amazing full bodied sound with rich overtones, clarity and projection, a unique and solid core with amazing feedback on your face. I find the sound and response to be in between copper and nickel, retaining the warmth of the copper but with the response and brilliance of the nickel silver. These pipes are something very special and we're happy to finally be offering to our clients.