Greg Black 1G and/or Laskey 93D?

[roeltrombone]

I've been playing on Greg Black's 1G for several years and recently I've also been using a laskey 93D from time to time. They each have their own character and I see both positives and negatives in each of them.
So my question is: What are your positive and negative experiences with the Greg Black 1G and the Laskey 93D? (Sound, feeling, attack,...)

[RustBeltBass]

You asked, I will answer. I played both of these mouthpieces for years and have some thoughts on both. Others will too, I am sure.

Just be careful to not try to manipulate yourself by thinking of other people’s experience when YOU are playing these mouthpieces. Ok, here goes:

Both are in the Schilke 60(ish) size range. Both are extremely well made and are the mouthpiece of choice for some very famous orchestral bass trombonists.

The Greg Black to me blows very freely, is very even throughout the entire range and has what I would call the “Greg Black Sound”, in lack of a better word. For me there is a quality in gb pieces, that is really unique and I believe I hear this in every Gb I ever played, regardless of size. I do think it is a bit tricky sometimes to “do things”, changing colors is a bit of a challenge. The strength is the weakness.

The Laskey 93 is absolutely awesome and absolutely terrible.
The rim allowed for me to make the cleanest articulations ever and helped me tremendously in that regard. I think it is a very flexible as a mouthpiece compared to the GB and changing character felt easier. However, all of that only happened when I was in really great shape. And when I was not in great, pre-audition shape I felt this mouthpiece makes my life harder.

This is based on memories, as I have not played both in quite a while, also super subjective. But that was my experience.

[TheBoneRanger]

You asked, I will answer. I played both of these mouthpieces for years and have some thoughts on both. Others will too, I am sure.

Just be careful to not try to manipulate yourself by thinking of other people’s experience when YOU are playing these mouthpieces. Ok, here goes:

Both are in the Schilke 60(ish) size range. Both are extremely well made and are the mouthpiece of choice for some very famous orchestral bass trombonists.

The Greg Black to me blows very freely, is very even throughout the entire range and has what I would call the “Greg Black Sound”, in lack of a better word. For me there is a quality in gb pieces, that is really unique and I believe I hear this in every Gb I ever played, regardless of size. I do think it is a bit tricky sometimes to “do things”, changing colors is a bit of a challenge. The strength is the weakness.

The Laskey 93 is absolutely awesome and absolutely terrible.
The rim allowed for me to make the cleanest articulations ever and helped me tremendously in that regard. I think it is a very flexible as a mouthpiece compared to the GB and changing character felt easier. However, all of that only happened when I was in really great shape. And when I was not in great, pre-audition shape I felt this mouthpiece makes my life harder.

This is based on memories, as I have not played both in quite a while, also super subjective. But that was my experience.

In my experience, this is a pretty accurate description.

The Laskey is a fraction bigger diameter at the rim, but not enormously so. It's crisper and cleaner, yet more malleable than the Greg Black. But it does take a little more taming at times.

The Greg Black does have a sound that's hard to obtain elsewhere and is certainly compelling. The .312/#2 option tightens it up a little and offers a little more colour and focus.

Andrew

[Burgerbob]

The 90D is technically closer to the 1G, but seems like a bit smaller mouthpiece in general.

I played the 1G .312 #2 for a long time, and tried the 93D many times- even had a couple magic ones.

The GB does have that GB sound, for better or for worse. For me as a doubler playing many styles, the GB ended up being the wrong choice long term- it made my horn choice and sound choice very limited.

The Laskey is more versatile, but I couldn't ever get on board with them for long periods.

I play a "compromise" piece now, the Markey 87, and sometimes I do miss the more hardcore stuff like the GB or the real Laskeys... but I also don't miss them.

[roeltrombone]

You asked, I will answer. I played both of these mouthpieces for years and have some thoughts on both. Others will too, I am sure.

Just be careful to not try to manipulate yourself by thinking of other people’s experience when YOU are playing these mouthpieces. Ok, here goes:

Both are in the Schilke 60(ish) size range. Both are extremely well made and are the mouthpiece of choice for some very famous orchestral bass trombonists.

The Greg Black to me blows very freely, is very even throughout the entire range and has what I would call the “Greg Black Sound”, in lack of a better word. For me there is a quality in gb pieces, that is really unique and I believe I hear this in every Gb I ever played, regardless of size. I do think it is a bit tricky sometimes to “do things”, changing colors is a bit of a challenge. The strength is the weakness.

The Laskey 93 is absolutely awesome and absolutely terrible.
The rim allowed for me to make the cleanest articulations ever and helped me tremendously in that regard. I think it is a very flexible as a mouthpiece compared to the GB and changing character felt easier. However, all of that only happened when I was in really great shape. And when I was not in great, pre-audition shape I felt this mouthpiece makes my life harder.

This is based on memories, as I have not played both in quite a while, also super subjective. But that was my experience.

In my experience, this is a pretty accurate description.

The Laskey is a fraction bigger diameter at the rim, but not enormously so. It's crisper and cleaner, yet more malleable than the Greg Black. But it does take a little more taming at times.

The Greg Black does have a sound that's hard to obtain elsewhere and is certainly compelling. The .312/#2 option tightens it up a little and offers a little more colour and focus.

Andrew

Thanks for sharing your experiences, these were the feelings I had too.
May I also ask what you are playing now?

[roeltrombone]

The 90D is technically closer to the 1G, but seems like a bit smaller mouthpiece in general.

I played the 1G .312 #2 for a long time, and tried the 93D many times- even had a couple magic ones.

The GB does have that GB sound, for better or for worse. For me as a doubler playing many styles, the GB ended up being the wrong choice long term- it made my horn choice and sound choice very limited.

The Laskey is more versatile, but I couldn't ever get on board with them for long periods.

I play a "compromise" piece now, the Markey 87, and sometimes I do miss the more hardcore stuff like the GB or the real Laskeys... but I also don't miss them.

Thanks for your reply.
What exactly do you mean by 'compromise', the feeling, the sound, or both?

[TheBoneRanger]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, these were the feelings I had too.
May I also ask what you are playing now?

I've downsized a little over the last few years, but am currently playing a Greg Black 1.25GS .312/#2. Subject to change, not completely settled.

Andrew

[Burgerbob]

Thanks for your reply.
What exactly do you mean by 'compromise', the feeling, the sound, or both?

if I only played orchestral bass trombone, I would probably be on a Greg Black still. But with the varied playing and instruments I use, the Markey makes more horns work and gives a wider color palette to choose from. It's also much easier to play after not playing bass for a while.

[RustBeltBass]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, these were the feelings I had too.
May I also ask what you are playing now?

I occasionally still trying something new in that size range when I think it comes highly recommended, like the Markey 93. However, I woefully always run back to my default mouthpiece for many years, the Hammond 21BXL.

Right now I am giving the Griego Taylor model another spin as it’s such an interesting design with some real outstanding qualities. I’m not yet convinced it allows for me to do all the things I want to do with the sound I want to do them with, but we will see.

[tbonesullivan]

if I only played orchestral bass trombone, I would probably be on a Greg Black still. But with the varied playing and instruments I use, the Markey makes more horns work and gives a wider color palette to choose from. It's also much easier to play after not playing bass for a while.

I would like to echo this. My Markey 85 and 87 allow me to play just about anything I want. I've used it on all three of my basses, which are definitely a bit different, and I was able to play them well. I had thought that the backbore / throat might be too small to work well with a Doug Yeo YBL-822G, but to my ears and face it works just fine. It works just as well with a YBL-612RII, which is a VERY different horn.

[GabrielRice]

The descriptions so far are right on in my experience - especially about the Laskey working great IF I was working great. The standard Greg Black 1G simply requires a wider airstream than I can give. I do much better with the .312 #2 version.

What I play now is a Doug Elliott XB 114 M/M8. Everything is easier than either of those.