TromboneChat

Hello, over the last few days while searching for a new mouthpiece i stumbled across somw comparsion charts and pages that compare different mouthpieces. I play small bore and i play a Bach 7C which i feel comfortable, but i feel like i could control my notes better with a deeper/larger cup. I ve noticed that on many post some say that the 11C is actually deeper and larger in diameter than the 7C.
So i found this image, if someone who knows can clarify the waters here would be great help, how accurate is this picture and how does this small differences affect?. (And also where the 6 3/4c stands?)[/img]

That seems about right, only very small differences between them. And obviously not accounting for the considerable variances that exist.

Trying an 11C isn't a bad idea. A better idea is to try a bunch of them. And a 6 3/4C or 3. Maybe even a 6 1/2A.

If you want a deeper cup, why not a 7 (no letter)? I've got an old NY 7 with an out shape much like the new "artisan" series. It was my main small shank mouthpiece for years. I love the narrow, flat rim, but the throat is pretty tight and not at all right the Conn 32H I use now. I've never played a newer 7, but maybe they are great?

There are so, so many choices for small shank mouthpieces. 11Cs are a bit tight for me, but Brass Ark's is by far the best thing 11C-ish that I've played. The high register screams and it has a crazy rich core to the sound for something so small.

Finally, you can't go wrong trying Doug's stuff. Much easier to find a fit than mucking through all the random out there, unless the chase is fun for you!

Paul

If you look at your picture you see they are a bit different at the rim, and even though it doesn't look like much it is enough to be felt. I can't tell wether the picture is correct or not but since Doug says it looks right then I guess it is showing were the differences are. To me the rim is most important, I mean the shape of the rim, not the width. You can see at the picture that the Bach 7C shape has a sharper edge compared to the 6 3/4C. The 11C is even more round. This is also how they feel when I play them. Strange is the 7C is (for me) very uncomfortable and the two others are not, even though the 7C and 6 3/4 C differences looks small at that spot.

I play a lot of mouthpieces and I'm comfortable on most but I've never been comfortable on a 7C. I don't know how it compares to a 12C - another small but great and common mouthpiece -, but 12C is a good match for me. Can't understand why my lips don't fit the 7C

Mouthpieces are very personal but (for me) is the 11C best from these and is right now what I'm playing a lot. I've started to play more lead in big band lately and I notice I prefer the 11C before my Yamaha Nils Landgren signature on many small bore horns. The "Nils" is more suited for solo work and doesn't cut as well as a 11C (YMMV). The 6 3/4 C is closer in feel to a 11C compared to a 7C (again YMMV).

Try a mouthpiece a couple of weeks before you decide. I think you can always tell immediately if a mouthpiece will work, but question is also. Will it work with that band, that horn, that part and that role. I always keep at least two mouthpieces in my case.

/Tom

It is pretty amazing how such small differences can FEEL big, and how much the shape of the inner edge of the rim can affect the perception of size.