TromboneChat

Curious!

Has anyone had experiences comparing either one of these two sets? The specs are very similar, but what are the playing characteristics like? I'm currently trying the Markeys (so far, so good), but wondering and seriously considering the Greg Blacks.

Thanks for your opinions and insights!

I own both the Markey 85 and GB 1 5/16g and previously owned a GB 1 3/8g.

The Markey 85 lives in my work horn, a Shires with dependent thayers, and the 1 5/16g lives in my personal horn, a mid 60's Bach 50 with dependent Meinlschmidt rotors.

Size wise, they are near identical, therefore easy to swap between.

Comparing the two directly, the Markey is a little cleaner sounding, a few more overtones perhaps, easy to centre. An excellent middle of the road sound for mouthpieces in this size. The sound really glows, it's crisp but with plenty of meat to latch on to. A superb design.

The GB in comparison has a more solid core, and is a little more 'serious' sounding. Thicker, more dense, perhaps like most GB mouthpieces.

The Markey really is a superb match for the Shires. Something about the design really clicks with that horn. I've played a number of pieces on that horn over the decades, but the Markey feels practically automatic compared to everything else. It doesn't work quite so well on my Bach 50 for some reason. A little hard sounding at times, whereas the GB tends to fit that classic Bach bass sound concept in my head and smooths out the horn. A good reminder to find a mouthpiece that fits both you and the horn...

I really loved the GB 1 3/8g, also, though it proved to be a little small for me. A little more tenor like in and above the staff, in the best of ways, but with plenty of sound down low in a slightly more classic way. That rim size is just a little too snug for me to cover the horn comfortably.

Hope that helps,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, you hit those areas that I have been thinking about!

I've always wanted to check out a GB mouthpiece, but I'm so attached to my Markey 87 right now. I also always wonder whether I'd like the .316 or .321 throat on the GB, and what weight I should go for. Being from New Jersey, where greg black was based for many years, there are a ton of Greg Black fans among my fellow players.