What’s the deal with steel ??

[Matt K]

1.008" = 25.60mm; Doug lists a 5G at ~25.65mm and 1.01", so it's .002" difference. It's totally believable to me a Mt. Vernon 5G would be closer to a .265" throat rather than the .276" indicated on the spec sheet. A 5GS is supposed to be .261". Remember, there's a lot of variance with the Mt. Vernon pieces.

[Posaunus]

What I do not yet understand is this:

On their website the description of the Sonny Ausman model reads as follows:” ….truly classic design based on a Bach NY 5G.“

The stats are: 1.008 0.264

I am not a tenor player and can not judge if the measurements are the same as an old 5G or not. But I just find it hard to believe that a design SO different from a traditional design, combined with a very different material can result in something even remotely close to the NY characteristics. Mr. Ausman sounded phenomenal and he must have been happy with it, but it confuses me as to their approach to mouthpiece design.

In Giddings parlance, "based on" certainly does not mean that measurements are "identical to!"
Giddings designs are indeed rather different from the Bach pieces so many of are are accustomed to, but that doesn't mean that a Bach piece may not have been a starting point in the design ultimately approved and played by Sonny Ausman - who probably wanted something similar to, but better than, what the Bach 5G provided.
Perhaps we should get Sonny to comment on this?

In a parallel vein, the Giddings Harry Watters piece may be "similar in size to a Bach 6½AL" - but it's (in my opinion) a better mouthpiece!

[RustBeltBass]

I’d definitely love to hear what the creation process is like for this model, I doubt Mr. Ausman is on here though.

[mikerspencer]

External shape aside, the Harry Watters appears to be the closest Giddings piece to a traditional design that I've seen. Everything else tends to run a bit deeper and have a fairly large throat, comparatively.

My gripe with the Giddings HW is the rim profile, it's so round there's almost support. It's an interesting experience to play it, but I'm glad I got secondhand.

[Posaunus]

External shape aside, the Harry Watters appears to be the closest Giddings piece to a traditional design that I've seen. Everything else tends to run a bit deeper and have a fairly large throat, comparatively.

My gripe with the Giddings HW is the rim profile, it's so round there's almost support. It's an interesting experience to play it, but I'm glad I got secondhand.

Works for Harry, works for me. But (apparently) I'm one of the few who can play a Christian Lindberg mouthpiece.
And I'm not a fan of most Bach mouthpieces. I guess we're all a bit different.

[ssking2b]

Parker makes screw rim pieces in stainless for trombone. Houser is said to be coming out with stainless trombone pieces. Kelly makes an inexpensive stainless one piece. Usual suspects, Giddings and Loud.

Houser makes Parker mouthpieces. He also uses a titanium H cote on in the stainless rims. I’ve had many discussions with Mr. Houser about stainless steel and its qualities and how trying other manufacturers stainless steel mouthpieces seem to leave me flat mostly. The focus of the sound began to disappear as I got softer by the time I reached mezzo forte, the Mouthpieces were just not focused. I currently owned 2 Parker mouthpieces one for bass Trombone, and one for euphonium actually manufactured by Houser. He uses implant grade stainless steel. His titanium H coating is also a form of coating stainless steel with titanium borrowed from the implant industry. Houser Mouthpieces do not lose their focus and sound equally great when playing the horn, or hearing a recording.

Mr. Houser is currently working on a prototype of my jazz tenor trombone mouthpiece in implant grade stainless steel. It will be a two piece unit with a cup rim section in stainless steel H coated in black titanium, and a bronze screw in back bore.

[ssking2b]

Some people react to stainless, whatever the reason.. that's why they don't use it for implants.

Yes it is used quite successfully, the type Houser uses. To stop any wear and render the piece chemically inert the titanium H cote method is used. Most Stainless/titanium H cote pieces are used on large body parts like hips and shoulders.

[ssking2b]

Yes, Giddings and perhaps Houser make pieces in titanium.

The G&W titanium pieces have no focus at all and cost a fortune.

[trombonedemon]

Yes, Giddings and perhaps Houser make pieces in titanium.

The G&W titanium pieces have no focus at all and cost a fortune.

They seem to have tin like, compact raspy sound to me. They would do well in a big band setting. Very little sympathetic vibrations. He doesn't have big enough mouthpieces for me.