Is this a Bass Trombone or a Tube Dennis Wick piece?

[Vivar]

Hello,

I am originally a saxophonist and manage to make a dream come true and got vintage bass trombone (King Duo Gravis SN 602xxx in fairly good condition). I came with a Yamaha 57 mouthpiece, of which there is almost no info online as it has been discontinued. It seems the 57 it is a smallish bass trombone size but is is heavily beaten up on the sides of the rim.

Since I am currently leaving in Mexico City I have go not many options to get and try bass trombone mouthpieces. A guy is offering me online a very cheap Dennis Wick "Bass trombone" mouthpiece with a number "2" alone engraved and I am willing to take the risk of buying it without trying. However, I have noticed something strange and here comes my question. There are not Dennis Wick Number 2 alone trombone pieces on the current catalog, only "2 AL". There is a DW Tuba number 2 mouthpiece and I am wondering if the guy might be trying to sell me a tuba piece as a trombone one. I want to attached photographs but since I am new to the forum it seems it is not yet possible. I will greatly appreciate your comments as I have not found good photographs online to help me distinguish them.

Many thanks

[BGuttman]

I have a Yamaha 57 mouthpiece and it really is too small for bass. It also didn't work with my Yamaha 682 trombone (which it was supplied with).

I think you are right that the Denis Wick 2 is a tuba mouthpiece. There is also a 1AL, 0AL, and 00AL (each progressively larger).

You might want to browse the Classifieds here as bass trombone mouthpieces come up for sale frequently. I don't know what the conditions are for shipping to Mexico. Supposedly it's a Free Trade zone but our President has abrogated NAFTA and we haven't approved his replacement plan.

[Vivar]

Thanks Bruce,

My interest is the DW 2 offer is because it is sold for 35 Dlls with shipping. But if it is indeed for Tuba....

Yes, there are many more options in the USA and might be worth paying the shipping charges. As as far as I know NAFTA is in danger but is still on, so taxes are not an issue yet.


I would appreciate your own recommendation for a good starter second hand bass mouthpiece (in the 50 to a 100 USD range) as I will not be able to try before I buy.

Regards

[pompatus]

I agree that the Wick 2 sounds like the tuba model.

The Duo Gravis trombones that I’ve played all responded better to mouthpieces on the smaller side of the bass trombone spectrum, such as the 1 1/2G size range.

There is a like new Denis Wick 2NAL for sale here on the forum for $55, which is a great deal on an appropriate piece. Christopher is a class act, and great guy to deal with, should you decide to explore that option. Here’s a link to that post:
https://trombonechat.com/viewtopic.php? ... c94e0c7679

Terry

[BGuttman]

I agree that a smallish bass trombone mouthpiece is a good one for a Duo Gravis (I play a King 7B, which is the Independent version). Here are a couple of sizes:

Bach 2G, 1 1/2 G
Schilke 58, Yamaha 58
Marcinkiewicz 3 (I use one when I need a smallish bass mouthpiece on my King 7B)
Wick 2NAL, 1AL
Faxx 1 1/2 G (copy of the Bach)
Kelly 1 1/2 G (copy of the Bach, but in plastic -- and available in some bright colors)

Good luck.

[Vivar]

Thanks Bruce and Terry for your suggestions and comments,

I know this is not the section but to avoid opening a new thread and because you evidently know about King Duo Gravis, do you know why most have the second rotor valve extension long and others short?. Mine has it short. Here you can see both examples.
https://www.dillonmusic.com/used-king-d ... rmationtab
https://www.thebrass-exchange.com/conte ... s-bass-70s

I ask because the difference is very evident and quite considerable!

[pompatus]

The short, double-thumb, arrangement was the stock configuration for the Duo Gravis. The split levers, for thumb and middle/other finger, are the modern configuration for just about any other bass trombone made today.

Many Duo Gravis owners will have their brass technician split the second valve lever out and extend it to match the modern configuration.

The stock configuration wasn’t unusable to me, as some stacked levers can be, but the modern/split second valve lever is much more manageable in fast passages.

Makes me wish I still had my Duo Gravis. Best of luck with a unique old horn!

[BGuttman]

The original Duo Gravis came with the second valve giving a flat E (first valve gives F, 2nd valve only works in conjunction with the first). This was enough extension to get low B in a long 7th position.

Later a replacement slide was made to put the second valve in D, which has become the de facto standard for bass trombones nowadays. This second slide is quite long. Having the second valve in D puts low C in approximately the same place as G (4th position) on the slide, and low B is somewhere between 5th and 6th.

Note that low C is the same note as Low A on a baritone sax. It's even in the same position: 2 ledger lines below the staff.