Damn European shank mouthpieces !!!!!

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Thrawn22
Posts: 1436
Joined: Sep 06, 2018

by Thrawn22 »

Hi all.

I just got a Conn Constellation baritone and I'm stoked. Bummer is that it takes a European (aka medium) shank mouthpiece. It came with a Denis Wick 6BM mpc that fits but i was hoping to use my Griego mpcs. Can i get an adapter for it? What's the relative size of a DW 6BM mpc.

ARGH!!!!
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BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

You can get an adapter to fit a small shank mouthpiece to Euro. Or you can put a few layers of tape (or paper) on a small shank mouthpiece to make it fit.

There is no way (short of using a sledge hammer) to fit a large shank mouthpiece in the Euro shank receiver.

Note that Doug Elliott has Euro shanks for his mouthpieces. I have a Chinese horn that takes a Euro shank and I can use my LB 102/E with a 16E (or something like that) shank. (I have no idea why they would make this horn.)
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Thrawn22
Posts: 1436
Joined: Sep 06, 2018

by Thrawn22 »

Thanks Bruce.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

You could also have a new receiver put on.
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JohnL
Posts: 2529
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by JohnL »

I think you'll find that it doesn't like big mouthpieces. I fought mine for years trying to use a 51D. Nice sound (though not what Conn intended), but intonation between partials was not good.
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Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

The correct shank with a correct backbore can make a big difference.

A small shank with an adaptor is not going to give great results, and shaving down a large shank won't either.
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harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

[quote="Doug Elliott"]<I><U>The correct shank with a correct backbore can make a big difference.

</U></I>


A small shank with an adaptor is not going to give great results, and shaving down a large shank won't either.[/quote]

Doug, just got your new design for the alto shank with the star on it. Oh my God! Thank you!
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JohnL
Posts: 2529
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by JohnL »

[quote="Doug Elliott"]The correct shank with a correct backbore can make a big difference.[/quote]
Doug, would you recommend one of your regular 6E shanks or something special for the OP's Conn?
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Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

Gotta try something first...That would be a good place to start.
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Thrawn22
Posts: 1436
Joined: Sep 06, 2018

by Thrawn22 »

[quote="Burgerbob"]You could also have a new receiver put on.[/quote]

That's the route i was thinking and that John Sandhagen suggested as a cost effective solution. I have a sone other work this baritone needs apparently so changing the reciever makes more sense.
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BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

[quote="Thrawn22"]Hi all.

...What's the relative size of a DW 6BM mpc.

ARGH!!!![/quote]

It's around Schilke 50, Yamaha 48, or Bach 6.5AL.

Doug's LT 100/E would probably work, but I'd recommend deeper (LT 100/H?) (Again with the 16E shank)
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mrdeacon
Posts: 1225
Joined: May 08, 2018

by mrdeacon »

[quote="Thrawn22"]<QUOTE author="Burgerbob" post_id="129181" time="1604116543" user_id="3131">
You could also have a new receiver put on.[/quote]

That's the route i was thinking and that John Sandhagen suggested as a cost effective solution. I have a sone other work this baritone needs apparently so changing the reciever makes more sense.
</QUOTE>
I highly recommend against that. Those Constellation Baritones aren't big horn by any means. While swapping the receiver on a full sized Besson or Wilson Euph is not a big deal and can even improve the horn swapping the receiver on the Constellation could wreck the horn. Like JohnL said too big of a mouthpiece and the horn just won't work

Use the 6AM and live with it. It's not a half bad piece and is a good fit for that size of horn. The 6AY is one of my favorite pieces for British Baritone. Those size of instruments really like something in that 6 1/2ALish size.
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CalgaryTbone
Posts: 1460
Joined: May 10, 2018

by CalgaryTbone »

Wick also makes a 4AM if you want something bigger - might overblow that horn, but you won't know until you try it. Doug's mouthpieces are also a good way to go. You could also ask Griego to make you a Euro shank mpc. in the same size as your trombone mouthpiece - most of the top manufacturers will do that. I would expect that to be a costly and rather slow option, since it will be entirely a custom job. Doug's right about getting the proper backbore - I played an old Besson a bit in school with a shaved down 5G. It made the pitch on that horn even more difficult to navigate than usual.

By the way - I heard Jay Friedman play the Mahler 7th in Carnegie Hall on an old Conn Euphonium (Baritone) - not really sure which name suits the instrument better. Jay sounded great on it!

Jim Scott
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Thrawn22
Posts: 1436
Joined: Sep 06, 2018

by Thrawn22 »

Thanks guys. I got things to consider. They're structural things that need attention first.

Maybe I'll start buying baritone/euphoniums i don't need instead of trombones :0