Good Evening,

I am trying to decide on a new mouthpiece. I know that I want a Denis Wick Heritage mouthpiece but I’m having a hard time differentiating the two sizes of 4.5AL and 5AL. If anyone has any information to help me clarify the differences, or any personal preferences that may help, please let me know. Thank you for all your help!

4.5AL is just a bit bigger than 5AL, but smaller than 4AL. AL sizes have larger apertures than BL sizes.

I play a 4BL because I found the 4AL to be an air hog.

Might also help to know what mouthpiece you are playing now, and what horn you are playing on. The 4.5AL has a wider cup but a slightly narrower throat. Both have the "barrel" backbore.

The DW advertising used to say that the 4.5AL was like the Bach 4G but more efficient.

My experience is that it is about the same rim size as the older Bach 4G, maybe a bit deeper. It tended to sound rather dark. The Heritage version feels much more open than the standard version which makes it harder work. I've used the 4.5AL when playing lower parts on the tenor bone. Upper register is hard work.

The 5AL is a bit smaller in diameter and about the same depth. It also tends to sound rather dark. I haven't played the Heritage version of it. It is also very open (perhaps more so than the 4.5AL) and the upper register can be hard work.

The 5ABL is the same as the 5AL but with a smaller bore and back bore making it less of an air hog. It also tends to sound rather dark. Upper register is a bit easier.

They are all well made and have comfortable rims.

It depends on the music you are playing and what the expectations are for your sound.

Generally speaking, the BL range of Wick mouthpieces work better on large bore tenor for most applications.