Ferguson M-Series Bass MPCs JR vs L

[tbonesullivan]

So, having played a lot with my Laskey 85MD recently, I've realized that maybe a slightly more "cushy" rim might be better for me. I recently became aware of the Minick style mouthpieces that Steve Ferguson over at Hornguys.com was making with James New, the former mouthpiece guy at Kanstul. The reviews I've seen so far are VERY encouraging.

Anyway, on paper, the JR and L are very similar, with the JR having a 28.5mm published width, and the L a 28.1mm published width. But that's just published, so I was wondering if anyone who had experience with the Laskey 85MD had tried the Ferguson JR or L.

I had been playing with a Faxx 1 1/2G, but the type of playing I am doing just wasn't possible on that MPC anymore. I just can't get the pedal notes below G to speak well no matter how much I was working on them. The 85MD gave me an instant boost to F, and now I'm down to Eb, though not at the power I want it. And also I find that playing higher up, as often required in orchestral parts, is not quite as comfy on the 85MD with the thinner rim.

[Bach5G]

I’ve tried all three at one time or another. The Laskey didn’t seem to have the depth of sound and the rim was awfully thin. The L seemed unbalanced, with too much weight in the rim, and maybe a little inflexible. The JR seemed bigger than its specs would suggest. For all of that, I found it difficult to get a good sound out of it.

Better alternatives, for me, were the Hammond 20 BL and a Yeo. YMMV.

[Burgerbob]

I personally detest the Minick style pieces, super cushy rims but not a ton of cup space. There are definitely players that can sound good on them, but it's a more commercial "phat" sound than an orchestral one that I've heard.

Hammonds have a wider rim that isn't quite so pronounced.

[hyperbolica]

I use the L as my main piece. It's a nice 1 1/4 size piece with a little more clarity to the sound. It uses a heavier blank. It plays like a DE110K or there abouts. If you like the Yeo, you probably won't care for what the L does to your sound.

[tbonesullivan]

It seems like a lot of bass trombone players prefer the thinner rims. The pictures of the Hammond 20BL make it look like it's got a pretty thin rim, though that could just be the pictures. I do worry about the large throat that the Hammond has though, at .316" , which is significantly larger than anything I've played on. I did have a Yamaha 60 for a while, but did not get along with it at all.

[tbonesullivan]

Well, I've got an L on the way, we'll see how it works out compared to the 85MD. It also will help if I start practicing more often than 3 times a week.

[Bach5G]

Well, I've got an L on the way, we'll see how it works out compared to the 85MD. It also will help if I start practicing more often than 3 times a week.

Long tones.

[tbonesullivan]

Long tones.

My big issue now is getting loud immediate response pedal tones below a G. I've been working on them, but I'm really not sure what about a mouthpiece makes them easier or harder to make speak. A wider cup seems to help, but it can't be just that. Many commercial bass trombonists were killing them in the 60s with 1 1/2Gs.

So, I got the L in, and it's definitely a different beast than the Laskey 85MD. It's only very slightly smaller, so it doesn't really have any endurance issues. But the feel is a lot different, especially with the big cushy rim. I thought I'd love the big rim but right now I'm divided on it.

[harrisonreed]

Well, I've got an L on the way, we'll see how it works out compared to the 85MD. It also will help if I start practicing more often than 3 times a week.

[tbonesullivan]

Well, after some real practicing, and playing, I can say that the L definitely has some ZIP to it. It's a pretty hefty mouthpiece. Beyond having a nice cushy rim, it's also got a nice thick wall around most of the cup, which really seems to help put a lot of core in the sound. It does seem a bit harder to push the tone towards the rounder end, but for Jazz and concert band stuff, it's perfect.

I may eventually pick up the Jeff Reynolds MPC, just to have more options. It's less massive than the L or LS, so probably has a bit more flexibility in the feel.