Alto trombone mouthpiece

Tbone00 · by **Tbone00** » 2021-02-19 7:20 p.m.

Hi folks!

I am looking for an alto trombone mouthpiece with similar characteristics as the VBach 12c (similar cup and throat) but with a bigger rim.

I know D.Elliott have a great stuff but now I'm looking for cheaper brands like yamaha, JK, Bach ... Thanks

paulyg · by **paulyg** » 2021-02-19 7:35 p.m.

The road to hell is paved with cheap alto trombones and cheap alto trombone mouthpieces. If JK makes a dedicated alto piece, that's probably your best bet.

Bach5G · 2021-02-19 7:51 p.m.

Best Buy: Yam 48A $50.

timothy42b · by **timothy42b** » 2021-02-19 8:30 p.m.

[quote="Tbone00"]Hi folks!

I am looking for an alto trombone mouthpiece with similar characteristics as the VBach 12c (similar cup and throat) but with a bigger rim.

I know D.Elliott have a great stuff but now I'm looking for cheaper brands like yamaha, JK, Bach ... Thanks[/quote]

I just bought one of Doug's even though I don't have a real alto yet. It has the large rim that fits my chops and a shallow cup that matches an alto. ( I'm playing a pbone for now. I can afford a good alto but I want to test my shoulder on a cheap one - I may find I just can't play much longer)

Anyway, if you need something like I do, modular is the only way to go. Doug wasn't cheap but I only own one alto mouthpiece. by the time you've tested several cheaper ones you may have spent more than me.

A funny thing happened yesterday when I was practicing. The recording sounded too tenory and the partials were way off. Then I noticed a chip in the plating. On a brand new mouthpiece? Then I noticed it said Vincent Bach. I'd put one of my tenor pieces in. Yes, I own two tenor mouthpiece s, one small shank and one large.

harrisonreed · 2021-02-19 8:35 p.m.

If you want to save money the choices really are:

13CL

15CL

These were specifically designed for alto trombone by an expert alto trombonist.

If those don't work for you

DE "insert rim here", A or B cup, and both alto shanks (alto and alto S). These also were specifically designed for alto trombone.

It's cheapest to use the DE method, since you won't need any other cups or shanks for alto after that. You won't be wasting money on a quest.

Posaunus · by **Posaunus** » 2021-02-19 8:46 p.m.

Denis Wick claims to have designed the Wick 10CS for alto trombone (has a shallow cup).

But Ian Bousfield prefers the Wick 9BS (deeper cup than the 10CS). :idk:

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2021-02-19 9:15 p.m.

[quote="Posaunus"]Denis Wick claims to have designed the Wick 10CS for alto trombone (has a shallow cup).

But Ian Bousfield prefers the Wick 9BS (deeper cup than the 10CS). :idk:[/quote]

He has his own brand of alto mp!

Kdanielsen · by **Kdanielsen** » 2021-02-19 9:45 p.m.

[quote="harrisonreed"]If you want to save money the choices really are:

13CL

15CL

These were specifically designed for alto trombone by an expert alto trombonist.
[/quote]

I have both that I'd be willing to sell. PM me if you are interested.

Mv2541 · by **Mv2541** » 2021-02-20 2:43 a.m.

[quote="Bach5G"]Best Buy: Yam 48A $50.[/quote]

This.

NordicTrombone · by **NordicTrombone** » 2021-02-20 9:57 a.m.

[quote="Tbone00"]Hi folks!

I am looking for an alto trombone mouthpiece with similar characteristics as the VBach 12c (similar cup and throat) but with a bigger rim.

I know D.Elliott have a great stuff but now I'm looking for cheaper brands like yamaha, JK, Bach ... Thanks[/quote]
Josef Klier makes some excellent alto mouthpieces. I liked mine, 5F, much better than a Yamaha 48A. But Doug Elliott's still works the best for me :shuffle:

boneberg · 2021-02-20 10:06 a.m.

CheeseTray · by **CheeseTray** » 2021-02-20 3:45 p.m.

Kdanielsen: PM sent

Ellefson · by **Ellefson** » 2021-02-20 5:31 p.m.

The Yamaha 48A has been my "go-to" alto mouthpiece since the mid-1980s. I have used it with every alto I have owned and it has worked the best...for me. I have dabbled with others and always return to it. I don't mind switching rim sizes between tenor and alto.

Just be aware that the throat on the newer (maybe the last 20 years?) 48A is much tighter than the older ones...maybe the cutter has really worn down or maybe it was redesigned, who knows? I don't like the newer ones at all and wouldn't choose to play that model. I have been lucky to find some older ones as back-ups.

Also, Ultimate Brass makes a 48A copy that is excellent. Their model is the A1.

PE

CalgaryTbone · by **CalgaryTbone** » 2021-02-20 7:41 p.m.

I'm currently playing an Ultimate Brass custom A1 alto mpc. with a larger rim (matches the 4.1 that I play on tenor). Great alto mpc., at least for me. Not an inexpensive fix that the OP was looking for, however.

Jim Scott

momentum · by **momentum** » 2021-02-24 11:43 a.m.

I like my JK 4F.

I am in the weird position of being a bass/alto doubler (don't recall the last time I played tenor).

ssking2b · by **ssking2b** » 2021-02-27 4:09 p.m.

I'm using a Marcinkiewicz Dave Steinmeyer mouthpiece. Works great!

brassmedic · by **brassmedic** » 2021-02-28 5:11 a.m.

I tried all kinds of alto mouthpieces and kept coming back to my Yamaha 48A.

heinzgries · by **heinzgries** » 2021-02-28 10:17 a.m.

[quote="ssking2b"]I'm using a Marcinkiewicz Dave Steinmeyer mouthpiece. Works great![/quote]
I have try it today, you are right, its a real good alto mouthpiece

ssking2b · by **ssking2b** » 2021-03-01 2:05 p.m.

Thanks, heinzgries! I tried lots of pieces before I found that one. Many of the alto bone mouthpieces promoted by orchestral players, no doubt, seem small to them, but really aren't. The wide aperture, shallow cup, and good sized throat on this piece make it sing , and not sound like just a small, funny tenor trombone.

heinzgries · by **heinzgries** » 2021-03-04 9:42 a.m.

[quote="ssking2b"]Thanks, heinzgries! I tried lots of pieces before I found that one. Many of the alto bone mouthpieces promoted by orchestral players, no doubt, seem small to them, but really aren't. The wide aperture, shallow cup, and good sized throat on this piece make it sing , and not sound like just a small, funny tenor trombone.[/quote]
if you want a little bit darker sound and a bit more room in the cup, the Marcinkiewicz Ian McDougall ET 2 is

also good for alto.

ssking2b · by **ssking2b** » 2021-03-04 11:43 a.m.

if you want a little bit darker sound and a bit more room in the cup, the Marcinkiewicz Ian McDougall ET 2 is

also good for alto.

I have used it on my jazz horns and liked it a lot. I'll try it!

murazato · by **murazato** » 2025-03-15 7:23 p.m.

Bruno Tilz Modell Schreckenberger 8

wonderful Alto trombone mouthpiece!

Danitrb · 2025-03-31 6:14 a.m.

timothy42b · by **timothy42b** » 2025-03-31 11:58 a.m.

There was a Thein alto at a booth at the American Trombone Workshop this year.

I played a few notes with the only mouthpiece I'd brought, my normal small shank tenor mouthpiece.

As I left, the salesguy chased me down, brought me back and made me play it on one of his mouthpieces. Had this really horrified look on his face.

It did indeed play much better on what he handed me, a Thein 11, C I think. Nice horn, but $6,000 USD.

AtomicClock · by **AtomicClock** » 2025-03-31 1:26 p.m.

I've never been to any of those workshops or festivals. I guess you really need to walk around with a mouthpiece bandolier or utility belt.

heinzgries · by **heinzgries** » 2025-04-01 9:14 a.m.

this is a fine JK mouthpiece for alto. Flat cup but withe a large diameter (26,40 mm).

Design from H. Schmidt (Warburton Hubimeister)

<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.thomann.co.uk/intl/jk_h._sc ... 9&reload=1">https://www.thomann.co.uk/intl/jk_h._schmidt_a_j.htm?shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6NywibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjJ9&reload=1</LINK_TEXT>

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2025-04-01 9:42 a.m.

[quote="timothy42b"]

As I left, the salesguy chased me down, brought me back and made me play it on one of his mouthpieces. Had this really horrified look on his face.
[/quote]

<EMOJI seq="1f602" tseq="1f602">😂</EMOJI>

JameyMorgan · by **JameyMorgan** » 2025-04-21 4:52 a.m.

I have had great luck with a Yamaha 45C2-12C in my Yamaha 671.. I tried a 48A for a bit but kept coming back to the 45C2. Haven't gone deep down the rabbit hole though; the only other alto piece I've played for any appreciable length of time was a Greg Black NY 4A which did not work well for me at all.

dukesboneman · by **dukesboneman** » 2025-04-21 8:14 a.m.

I have a Schilke 4.7 Elliott Chazanoff Alto mouthpiece for sale if you`re interested

Tbone00 · by **Tbone00** » 2025-11-24 8:41 a.m.

[quote="dukesboneman"]I have a Schilke 4.7 Elliott Chazanoff Alto mouthpiece for sale if you`re interested[/quote]

Sizes?

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2025-11-24 8:52 a.m.

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I'm sending out my prototype A2 alto mouthpiece (modern alto), size "5R", to get silver plated this week and start play testing it. This size is measured at 1.05" but because of the rounded "R" rim, it feels closer to the 1.06" I play on other mouthpiece lines. You can see the unique feature, a shallow cup with a large and long throat entrance into a pretty narrow throat.

It has taken me longer than I wanted to get up to speed on my lathe, working full time and only having weekends for this, but I'm getting there! I wish I had more hours in my day! I have been designing mouthpieces for five years now, and I'm proud of the progress I've made in machining recently.

I hope to have these available for order very soon. They'll be in sizes 1.00 to 1.06 (every hundredth inch) and in three rim profiles per size -- regular, narrow, and round. A1 (classical alto) series will be next, and then two more small bore series (A3 and S2). All will be available within those seven sizes and three rim shapes.

Chronos91 · by **Chronos91** » 2025-11-27 4:04 p.m.

It looks really nice, and that will be quite the library that you'll have for selections.

That reminds me, I really need to get set up again to silver plate.

dukesboneman · by **dukesboneman** » 2025-11-28 10:35 a.m.

tbone00 - It`s very similar to the Schilke 47. More like a 7C size

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Alto trombone mouthpiece