Lexan rim to the rescue!

Cmillar · by **Cmillar** » 2024-12-15 9:03 p.m.

Having just played a couple of annual outdoor Xmas Market gigs with my guitar friend....in 32F weather (0C), I have to put in a plug for Doug Elliott's Lexan rims.

Lexan rim to the rescue! It felt warm on the chops the whole time. (can't say that about my fingers!)

Hmm...I believe that Doug has been gigging in Florida during this time....hmm.... maybe it got 'cold' there, like 50F or something.

Hey? Anybody believe in Christmas down there? I'm available for any outdoor gigs!

Kevbach33 · by **Kevbach33** » 2024-12-15 10:50 p.m.

Can vouch for Lexan, though it wasn't one of Doug's pieces, in rather balmy 48°F weather, but with a (not freezing) wind chill.

Kelly Lexan mouthpieces will do the trick and stay rather neutral to the weather, hot or cold. My hands on the flip side...

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2024-12-16 1:31 a.m.

Yup, I use mine for all my outdoor gigs in the holiday season.

Matt_K · by **Matt_K** » 2024-12-16 7:02 a.m.

Been using lexan rims exclusively since 2010. Bought it for the cold weather and ended up replacing every rim I had with one.

hyperbolica · by **hyperbolica** » 2024-12-16 8:10 a.m.

All my DEs have Lexan rims in part for this reason. We did a series of outdoor Christmas carnival sort of gigs, and the lexan was a lifesaver.

JeffBone44 · by **JeffBone44** » 2024-12-16 1:37 p.m.

Yes, I played in a trombone quartet on Thanksgiving Day, and the lexan rim felt amazing to play.

AtomicClock · by **AtomicClock** » 2024-12-16 2:48 p.m.

I haven't had to play outside in the cold for over 30 years. Hooray!

Doug_Elliott · by **Doug_Elliott** » 2024-12-16 3:36 p.m.

I have an outdoor gig coming up too.

elmsandr · by **elmsandr** » 2024-12-16 3:45 p.m.

[quote="Matt K"]Been using lexan rims exclusively since 2010. Bought it for the cold weather and ended up replacing every rim I had with one.[/quote]
I bought mine for comfort and introduced a couple of guys to it in a summer band… they all came back the next year with lexan rims. Just feels pleasant in the face all the time.

Still playing on my ‘97 and ‘99 lexan rims,

Andy

MTbassbone · by **MTbassbone** » 2024-12-16 6:42 p.m.

+1 for Doug's lexan rims. super comfortable

RobL · by **RobL** » 2024-12-16 9:38 p.m.

I'm a fan of DE Lexan rims.

Elow · by **Elow** » 2024-12-17 4:43 p.m.

Yep, I had a gig outside last night, albeit only 60 degrees out, but hey I would’ve been prepared for colder with my lexan! You’re in FL right now, Doug?

BrassSection · by **BrassSection** » 2024-12-17 9:13 p.m.

I used a nylon rim in my baritone back in the late 60s. Good for football halftime shows, all the cold weather parades, etc. Few other baritone players and some trombone players also used them. I believe I may still have it stashed in a drawer someplace. We were lucky enough to be able to wear gloves.

tbonesullivan · by **tbonesullivan** » 2024-12-18 9:57 a.m.

I keep forgetting to pick up a Lexan Rim for my DE setup I use with my Bach 36B. Definitely helps when playing in the cold weather.

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2024-12-19 9:00 p.m.

All right. I have been using my lexan 104N rim for a couple years now for outdoor gigs, as I said above.

However... I feel like I'm in the wrong. I really don't like it! I prefer my metal rims in every way except playability in cold weather. It feels worse on the face, I have way worse endurance on it, everything. My playing has changed a lot while I've owned it and... I still don't like it!

I have a bunch of friends that love theirs, so I feel like I'm missing something.

GabrielRice · by **GabrielRice** » 2024-12-19 9:28 p.m.

[quote="Burgerbob"]All right. I have been using my lexan 104N rim for a couple years now for outdoor gigs, as I said above.

However... I feel like I'm in the wrong. I really don't like it! I prefer my metal rims in every way except playability in cold weather. It feels worse on the face, I have way worse endurance on it, everything. My playing has changed a lot while I've owned it and... I still don't like it!

I have a bunch of friends that love theirs, so I feel like I'm missing something.[/quote]

I keep a Lexan rim around for cold outdoor gigs and for my car buzzing mouthpiece (at least in the winter), but I don't like it either.

I used to not be able to play one at all. Now I can for the most part, but the low register doesn't work as well for me unless it's quite cold out.

bassclef · by **bassclef** » 2024-12-19 9:37 p.m.

[quote="Burgerbob"]However... I feel like I'm in the wrong. I really don't like it! I prefer my metal rims in every way except playability in cold weather. It feels worse on the face, I have way worse endurance on it, everything. My playing has changed a lot while I've owned it and... I still don't like it![/quote]
I have had the same experience (underlined portion above) and I have a theory as to why.

As I have continued experimenting with different mouthpiece blank weights, including the Futuro & plastic rims Greg Black offers, and the different effects on the experience of sound production - I think the loss in mass of the metal rim means you lose some assistance with focus/centering which is provided by that mass. I feel this difference more in some registers than others. So, in order to produce the same results coming out of the bell end of the horn, you have to compensate for that loss with more and/or different embouchure muscle engagement. That's likely something to which one is not accustomed when you only use the Lexan rim occasionally, so you get tired much faster.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge of mouthpiece design can tell me that theory doesn't hold water, but it sure feels that way to me.

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2024-12-19 9:50 p.m.

[quote="GabrielRice"]

I used to not be able to play one at all. Now I can for the most part, but the low register doesn't work as well for me unless it's quite cold out.[/quote]

Those are the exact issues I have. Interesting.

Doug_Elliott · by **Doug_Elliott** » 2024-12-19 10:24 p.m.

I don't know, I use them interchangeably and don't notice any of that. But I'm not playing bass trombone.

mrdeacon · by **mrdeacon** » 2024-12-19 10:42 p.m.

[quote="Burgerbob"]<QUOTE author="GabrielRice" post_id="261974" time="1734661710" user_id="102">

I used to not be able to play one at all. Now I can for the most part, but the low register doesn't work as well for me unless it's quite cold out.[/quote]

Those are the exact issues I have. Interesting.
</QUOTE>
The dry vs wet embouchure topic hasn’t come up in a while on trombonechat. I wonder if it’s because you and Gabe are one or the other?

I’m normally a dry embouchure player and I find the Lexan rims to be super comfortable in all weather.

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2024-12-19 11:20 p.m.

[quote="Doug Elliott"]I don't know, I use them interchangeably and don't notice any of that. But I'm not playing bass trombone.[/quote]

I'm using mine on tenor only!

[quote="mrdeacon"]

I’m normally a dry embouchure player and I find the Lexan rims to be super comfortable in all weather.[/quote]

I'm also a dry player.

Matt_K · by **Matt_K** » 2024-12-20 4:06 a.m.

It may have something to do with facial hair? I not keep a clean shave at all, but I also don’t go moustache/beard either. In fact, I don’t own a razor. I use a hair trimming tool with no guard, which leaves me with a slight amount of stubble. I find that if I have a clean shave in the morning, I have “five o’clock” shadow by like 9AM anyway, so I may as well no waste time getting a clean shave.

As a consequence, I am not expressly a wet or dry player. I do not go out of my way to wipe my chops down, nor do I go out of my way to like… lick the rim of my mouthpiece. (The two extremes, I know seasoned pros who do both of those, not the same person obviously.) I lean more towards “wet” though as a consequence because the rim is floating on half a millimeter of stubble.

GabrielRice · by **GabrielRice** » 2024-12-20 8:48 a.m.

I play wet.

Driswood · by **Driswood** » 2024-12-22 11:33 a.m.

[quote="Cmillar"]Having just played a couple of annual outdoor Xmas Market gigs with my guitar friend....in 32F weather (0C), I have to put in a plug for Doug Elliott's Lexan rims.

Lexan rim to the rescue! It felt warm on the chops the whole time. (can't say that about my fingers!)

Hmm...I believe that Doug has been gigging in Florida during this time....hmm.... maybe it got 'cold' there, like 50F or something.

Hey? Anybody believe in Christmas down there? I'm available for any outdoor gigs![/quote]

It’s been in the 40’s here overnight.

Doug_Elliott · by **Doug_Elliott** » 2024-12-22 2:54 p.m.

I was only in south Florida for two gigs. Back for 3 more toward the end of January. Boca/Lake Worth/Bradenton.

Meanwhile I have a long outdoor gig in DC on the 25th. High near 41, not TOO bad.

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Lexan rim to the rescue!