DE shank/cup question

[quiethorn]

When specing out DE mouthpieces, if the shank and cup have to match, why is the shank sold separately from the cup to begin with? For example, if you want a D cup and a 3 shank, you'd order a D3 shank, so why aren't they just sold as a single unit? Maybe it's easier to make them separately, or a cost offset by not plating the shank? Or I'm just misunderstanding how things work.

[Doug Elliott]

It started as a way to experiment and I decided to keep doing it.
With one cup you have options of many different backbores depending on the instrument. Just another way to fine tune your setup - and it really does make a major difference.

[quiethorn]

It started as a way to experiment and I decided to keep doing it.
With one cup you have options of many different backbores depending on the instrument. Just another way to fine tune your setup - and it really does make a major difference.

Oh I see. I thought you had to order a matching shank/cup combination for them to fit together or something. I didn't realize they were interchangeable.

[Burgerbob]

It started as a way to experiment and I decided to keep doing it.
With one cup you have options of many different backbores depending on the instrument. Just another way to fine tune your setup - and it really does make a major difference.

Oh I see. I thought you had to order a matching shank/cup combination for them to fit together or something. I didn't realize they were interchangeable.

They're compatible within cup sizes. All C+ and D cups fit all the D shanks, for instance.

[BGuttman]

You can even mismatch shanks and cups, although you may not like the result. Shank length is matched to cup length so a wrong shank can make the mouthpiece play out of tune, even though the pieces screw together.

But having separate shanks and cups is useful. For example, I have an LT E cup that I use with an E2 shank on a small bore, an E4 shank on a Bach 36, and an E8 shank on a large bore.