Bach "B" marking on small shank mouthpieces

[Burgerbob]

Usually, a B marking on a Bach mouthpiece means the Beversdorf rim. I'm well aware of that, I have a 4GB in large shank that is actually quite good.

I just bought a 3GB on eBay, thinking it would be a 3G in large shank with a Beversdorf rim. Lo and behold, it's a 3G in small shank with a normal rim. The B is marked below the 3G on the cup, rather than after it. I guess if I ever get a .525 I'll have something to play it with.

Octavposaune told me of a couple more examples he's seen of Bach bass trombone mouthpieces in small shank marked with a B... Anyone else got a story behind this?

[CalgaryTbone]

I could be wrong on this, but I think it refers to "baritone horn". A lot of American-made baritones/euphoniums were built with a small shank receiver. I'm pretty sure that a colleague had a 5GB that wasn't the rounded Beaversdorf rim, but was instead a small shank mouthpiece that he used in a Yamaha 321. That mouthpiece was made before small shank 5G's were in Bach's catalog.

Jim Scott

[Burgerbob]

That would make some sense!

[bimmerman]

Ha, so you bought that one! I'd be happy to take it off your hands....

I have a small shank 5GB B that seems to be the same thing. Non-standard large shank mpc on small shank gives the second B.

[modelerdc]

The B on the shank means baritone. I once a a 5GB with an additional B on the intermediate sized shank, it was a 5G with Beversdorff rim and a shank for a Besson pre '74 intermediate shank euphonium.

[mrdeacon]

Are you guys sure it means baritone? Or... does it actually mean bass?

For a number of years the British G bass was still in vogue and it seems like all these pieces are 5G+ sizes which would fall in the range of the British G bass.

I've got an Mount Vernon 2G, that is clearly a 2G, but it has a small shank on it!!! It was originally made for a British G bass. No additional B on this guy though but it was from the Mount Vernon years before they got constant with stamping.

Just food for thought!

[modelerdc]

One thing that makes me think the B means baritone instead of bass is that these mouthpieces were always already marketed in stock form as bass trombone mouthpieces anyway!

[Burgerbob]

One thing that makes me think the B means baritone instead of bass is that these mouthpieces were always already marketed in stock form as bass trombone mouthpieces anyway!

But not in small shank!

[Matt K]

I'd be interested in knowing this as well. I have a Mt. Vernon

3G
B

With the "B" centered between the two.... but it has a threaded rim! THey aren't done particularly well. Bucket list to have Doug make a rim for me. Its much smaller than a 3G rim... or at least it feels so. But it's quite deep. Like, 2G depth by my eye.

[Burgerbob]

Mine is marked the same way.

The rim does seem to me to be smaller than a 3, but I can't really tell.