TromboneChat

Didn't know exactly where to place this but it's about mouthpiece that Frank played so put it here. He played the same mouthpiece all the time from he was 13 years old? Found this on a trombone group;

“I don’t believe in changing mouthpieces because that messes up the muscles you might have spent years developing and setting. Once that mouthpiece feels comfortable, nothing hurting if biting, then stay with it. Mine is called a Bel Aire Rite Cup #41, the one I started out with when I was 13 years old” - Frank Rosolino

And a video of him playing so beautifully:



I don't have a clue about tenor mouthpiece so I don't know what his "Bel Aire Rite Cup #41" mouthpiece is.

Anyway he sounds great of course

Here's what Perplexity found:

No detailed technical specifications (rim diameter, cup depth, throat size, backbore) for the **Bel Aire Rite Cup #41** mouthpiece used by Frank Rosolino could be found in available authoritative sources. Historical profiles confirm that Bellaire (sometimes spelled Bell-Air) Rite Cup mouthpieces were significant among session brass players in the 1940s–50s and that Rosolino had Terry Warburton create a copy in the 1970s, inspiring today's Warburton "Rosolino" model. However, measurements such as **exact rim diameter, cup depth, and throat dimensions** are not published in either mouthpiece catalogs or historical PDF archives.[1]

### What Is Known

- The mouthpiece was considered notably small, shallow, and bright in sound.[1]
- It was rare, influential, and closely copied for the modern Warburton Rosolino model.[1]
- Exact measurements are **not documented** in standard reference PDFs or online databases of mouthpiece dimensions.[1]

For the most accurate modern equivalent, contacting Warburton directly or measuring an original #41 mouthpiece (if accessible via a collector or museum) is recommended, as only anecdotal descriptions—not numeric specifications—are currently archived.[1]

[1](https://brasshistory.net/Bellaire%20History.pdf)
[2](https://www.thomannmusic.com/bob_reeves ... _41_es.htm)
[3](https://gregblackmouthpieces.com/produc ... outhpieces)
[4](https://sg.yamaha.com/en/products/music ... eries.html)
[5](https://www.musiciansfriend.com/thehub/ ... ying-guide)
[6](https://www.nickrailmusic.com/c-416-mouthpieces.aspx)
[7](https://www.alshallalchannel.com/Cup-Co ... Rim-925803)

I had one of those Bel-Aire #41 mouthpieces. Bach 15C-ish cup and VERY Shallow.

I have a Rite Cup #43. The cup diameter is extremely small.

For reference, I play a Bach 16.

It's way smaller than my Bach 16. I measured the 43 at ~.93 in. The throat seems very large (.25 in?), but I haven't measured it. Dunno how a 41 compares.

Photo: Bell Air Rite Cup 43 (L) vs. Bach 16 (Mid), vs. Yamaha 42b (R)

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/523hwwma ... 1dt8n&dl=0

Photos: Bell Air Rite Cup w/quarter, Bach 16 w/quarter

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hdz4hfvf ... zndmc&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/u7t67015 ... npooq&dl=0