How does Brad Close’s Seamed yellow NY50 & MV50 compare to Edwards B3 standard yellow leadpipe? Mainly curious about how the make, length and weight affect the sound and feel vs the edwards pipe. Thank you!

Way, way smaller feeling. More color, quicker (probably), but mostly just a totally different vibe. Closer to a 1.5 but not the same.

[quote="Burgerbob"]Way, way smaller feeling. More color, quicker (probably), but mostly just a totally different vibe. Closer to a 1.5 but not the same.[/quote]

Thanks for this! Which one is comparable to a 1.5—Isn’t the MV50 longer than the NY50?

Aidan's description of the MV50 is right on. Feels much smaller than a big pipe from Shires or Edwards, with immediate response. I also feel like the closest Shires pipe is the B1.5, but the slot feels more flexible to me - like I can expand on the sound more than a Shires B1.5.

And yes, the MV50 is longer than the NY50. The NY50 is a completely different animal. I haven't spent as much time on it, because it's not as attractive to me and my instruments. Feels more open than the MV50 but not in a linear way like comparing Shires or Edwards pipes of different numbers. The source pipe probably came from a slide with a narrow crook like a Conn - which tend to be shorter like that.

And FWIW, Steve Shires measured the venturi of my seamed MV50 pipe last week, and it's shockingly small. But don't put too much stock in that. It doesn't sound small, and it responds great in all registers.

[quote="felixbone"]How does Brad Close’s Seamed yellow NY50 & MV50 compare to Edwards B3 standard yellow leadpipe? Mainly curious about how the make, length and weight affect the sound and feel vs the edwards pipe. Thank you![/quote]

Hi Felix

I've played on all three of these pipes for extended periods of time over the years. The Edwards is a very different animal than the other two. It's about an inch longer than the MV and two inches longer than the NY. The venturi is likely quite a bit larger (relatively speaking) and does not have as fast of a response as the other two. As a result, the pipe has a much more "open" feel to it.

The MV pipe is a lot more focused/centered than the other two. I would not call it "bright" though. It has a nice round centered rich core to the sound. The feel may seem fairly tight if you're used to a larger more "modern" pipe. But it is also more responsive and efficient too. FOR ME (key words) it didn't work as well in a dual-bore slide as a single, or in a Shires slide as well as a Bach.

The NY pipe plays a bit more open and is less focused/centered than the MV but still more so than the Edwds3. Still has a nice core and quick response like the MV as well as a bit more flexibility to it. Again, I liked it more in a single bore Bach slide than a single or dual-bore Shires.

The Edwards 3 was closer to playing with no leadpipe for me than it was to playing either of the Close/Bach copies. Very open feel, wide slot, not the fastest response you'll ever experience. I played on this for a number of years with a Bach bell, Edwards d-b slide, and a Schilke/Laskey custom piece. (similar to what would become the 93 when Scott started his own company)

It might be worth shooting Noah an email to pick his brain.

I also highly recommend Brass Ark’s Schatz leadpipe. If you’re looking for a great blowing middle of the road pipe that’s a good one to try.