Bach "B" marking on small shank mouthpieces

B
Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

Usually, a B marking on a Bach mouthpiece means the Beversdorf rim. I'm well aware of that, I have a 4GB in large shank that is actually quite good.

I just bought a 3GB on eBay, thinking it would be a 3G in large shank with a Beversdorf rim. Lo and behold, it's a 3G in small shank with a normal rim. The B is marked below the 3G on the cup, rather than after it. I guess if I ever get a .525 I'll have something to play it with.

Octavposaune told me of a couple more examples he's seen of Bach bass trombone mouthpieces in small shank marked with a B... Anyone else got a story behind this?
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CalgaryTbone
Posts: 1460
Joined: May 10, 2018

by CalgaryTbone »

I could be wrong on this, but I think it refers to "baritone horn". A lot of American-made baritones/euphoniums were built with a small shank receiver. I'm pretty sure that a colleague had a 5GB that wasn't the rounded Beaversdorf rim, but was instead a small shank mouthpiece that he used in a Yamaha 321. That mouthpiece was made before small shank 5G's were in Bach's catalog.

Jim Scott
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

That would make some sense!
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bimmerman
Posts: 188
Joined: Apr 04, 2018

by bimmerman »

Ha, so you bought that one! I'd be happy to take it off your hands....

I have a small shank 5GB B that seems to be the same thing. Non-standard large shank mpc on small shank gives the second B.
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modelerdc
Posts: 352
Joined: May 03, 2018

by modelerdc »

The B on the shank means baritone. I once a a 5GB with an additional B on the intermediate sized shank, it was a 5G with Beversdorff rim and a shank for a Besson pre '74 intermediate shank euphonium.
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mrdeacon
Posts: 1225
Joined: May 08, 2018

by mrdeacon »

Are you guys sure it means baritone? Or... does it actually mean bass?

For a number of years the British G bass was still in vogue and it seems like all these pieces are 5G+ sizes which would fall in the range of the British G bass.

I've got an Mount Vernon 2G, that is clearly a 2G, but it has a small shank on it!!! It was originally made for a British G bass. No additional B on this guy though but it was from the Mount Vernon years before they got constant with stamping.

Just food for thought!
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modelerdc
Posts: 352
Joined: May 03, 2018

by modelerdc »

One thing that makes me think the B means baritone instead of bass is that these mouthpieces were always already marketed in stock form as bass trombone mouthpieces anyway!
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Burgerbob
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Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

[quote="modelerdc"]One thing that makes me think the B means baritone instead of bass is that these mouthpieces were always already marketed in stock form as bass trombone mouthpieces anyway![/quote]

But not in small shank!
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Matt_K
Posts: 4809
Joined: Mar 21, 2018

by Matt_K »

I'd be interested in knowing this as well. I have a Mt. Vernon

3G

B

With the "B" centered between the two.... but it has a threaded rim! THey aren't done particularly well. Bucket list to have Doug make a rim for me. Its much smaller than a 3G rim... or at least it feels so. But it's quite deep. Like, 2G depth by my eye.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

Mine is marked the same way.

The rim does seem to me to be smaller than a 3, but I can't really tell.