Giddings mouthpieces

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novalvz
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Giddings mouthpieces

Post by novalvz »

To those that own and play stainless steel Giddings mouthpieces, what characteristics do they possess that appeal most to you?
What benefits do they provide over a brass mouthpiece?

According to the hype, stainless steel can give the player a brighter sound and more projection with the same effort. True?

But can it blend in a section of brass mouthpieces?

Thanks in advance!
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by GBP »

I started playing on ss with Hauser mouthpieces, Don Harwood model. When he moved To G&W, I started using his model. The material works for me. I have a clear, focused sound that has a lot of presence. It is definitely not for everyone.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by mrdeacon »

The biggest thing is the feedback is different. Some dig the "clearer" sound. I'm so used to playing brass or brass/plastic that I just can't stand stainless steel.

They are super comfortable and Giddings does make a fine product, it's just not for me.

Also, the super thin shank thing is hogwash. It just makes it easier for your shank to get out of round haha.
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novalvz
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by novalvz »

I am beginning to think that I would have to try one to see if it works for me.

The Giddings website describes both the Chocolatero (0.96) and the Bacchus (0.992) as "similar to a Bach 12" . Obviously, this cannot be. Can anyone clarify this?
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by GBP »

novalvz wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 5:13 pm I am beginning to think that I would have to try one to see if it works for me.

The Giddings website describes both the Chocolatero (0.96) and the Bacchus (0.992) as "similar to a Bach 12" . Obviously, this cannot be. Can anyone clarify this?
His mouthpieces come up for sale in the classified section. I would just grab a used one and try them out.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Posaunus »

novalvz wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 5:13 pm The Giddings website describes both the Chocolatero (0.96) and the Bacchus (0.992) as "similar to a Bach 12" . Obviously, this cannot be. Can anyone clarify this?


Neither plays quite like a Bach 12. But they are both small-shank mouthpieces suitable for a small-bore tenor trombone.

I agree - try one to see if they are for you!
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Matt K
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Matt K »

novalvz wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 5:13 pm I am beginning to think that I would have to try one to see if it works for me.

The Giddings website describes both the Chocolatero (0.96) and the Bacchus (0.992) as "similar to a Bach 12" . Obviously, this cannot be. Can anyone clarify this?
There is quite a lot of variance in the 12C that you see over the years, I don't think it's unreasonable to describe both in comparison to a 12C as they could easily both be copies of a 12C or at least both have characteristics of the 12C but change some aspect of it.
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novalvz
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by novalvz »

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but a mouthpiece that has an inside diameter of 0.992 cannot feel like a 12C.
0.992 is approaching the inside diameter of a 6 1/2 AL.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Matt K »

novalvz wrote: Mon Dec 17, 2018 6:24 pm Please correct me if I'm wrong, but a mouthpiece that has an inside diameter of 0.992 cannot feel like a 12C.
0.992 is approaching the inside diameter of a 6 1/2 AL.
I think one could make a compelling argument that no mouthpiece other than a silver or maybe gold plated, brass mouthpiece can feel like a 12C, so anything made of steel, titanium, lexan etc. are out. Similarly, the shape also makes a big difference not just with how it feels but how it is measured. Where do you measure the 'inner diameter' of the mouthpiece? Is it the crest of the rim? Or is it further down in the cup? Obviously it in't the throat, so it must be somewhere between those two extreme points. So if you have something that is more rounded, you can get a piece that has a measured inner diameter that is closer to a 6.5AL but in reality if you measured it slightly further down, might be closer to a 12C diameter.

Doug's description is still the best that I've seen:
Do not take diameter or depth measurements too seriously. The measurements are done on curves, and are subject to varying interpretation. A lot of other factors influence how a mouthpiece feels and plays.
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novalvz
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by novalvz »

Getting back to the questions in my original post ...
Can anyone else chime in?

(Thanks GBP, mrdeacon)
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Matt K »

I've had several G&W pieces over the years, ultimately I had several threaded for Elliott rims, though I've sold all of them with the exception of two that I currently hvae for bass trombone: one steel and one titanium Chinook. Obviously I don't have a brass version, but I have several Elliott pieces of similar specs that I compare them with and I have the benefit with the threaded rims that I am not comparing apples & oranges so to speak with the rim characteristics. I can use the same rim on all three.

In my experience, the steel is a little bit more dull sounding than brass, and the titanium moreso than the steel. However, they do tend to project so it's a fairly different paradigm than the usual comparisons. Difficult to put into words. I've been meaning to get those back out now that I've been doing a lot more bass than I was doing when I originally acquired the pieces and see if I could put a better description on my thoughts, for what they might be worth. In general, they don't tend to work for me so I have less trouble blending with other brass pieces, but that may well be because they just don't work for me for whatever reason vs. someone who they work very well for.
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novalvz
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by novalvz »

Interestingly, this is the first time I have read that stainless steel sounds more dull than brass!

Could it be that its advertised properties are much more apparent in the small bore jazz pieces?
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by GBP »

novalvz wrote: Tue Dec 18, 2018 10:17 pm Interestingly, this is the first time I have read that stainless steel sounds more dull than brass!

Could it be that its advertised properties are much more apparent in the small bore jazz pieces?
Mouthpieces material will behave different for different people. There is no way to know how the mouthpiece will behave for you until you try it.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Matt K »

novalvz wrote: Tue Dec 18, 2018 10:17 pm Interestingly, this is the first time I have read that stainless steel sounds more dull than brass!

Could it be that its advertised properties are much more apparent in the small bore jazz pieces?
Its hard to put into words, with brass mouthpieces, it is often the case that an increase in, let's say, dullness is often called 'dark' but the same ratio doesn't apply to steel - at least for me. So 'dull' doesn't necessarily mean the same thing that it would if I was playing a huge brass mouthpiece relative to what I normally play.

And, of course, bear in mind that I was playing on a lexan rim (which is hands down my favorite rim material). Its very sticky. If you like slippery rims and the shape is right for you then that might compensate for that entirely. Maybe!

I have gotten a similar impression from other pieces I've had - a GW100 and an E-1. I actully really liked the E-1 but I seldom used it because of the playing I did at the time. I wish I still had it for certain applications. But when I compared the GW100 (sort of a 6.5ALish piece) I got the same impression... maybe we'll call it "darker" than my Elliott XTE/E4 but less efficient. Again, words are hard to describe the feelings, let alone what is coming out the other side of the bell. But they also tend to have fairly large throats; not all steel pieces do. I think that's one of the reason that people who like the G&W people like the pieces. It's a subset of the population that likes slippery rims and larger throats. I'm not entirely convinced it is necessarily the properties of the material. One of these days I'd love to have a copy of the Chinook made and really give it an A/B/C comparison with the steel/titanium ones I have. Maybe I should start a gofundme :biggrin:
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by BrianJohnston »

To bring this dormant forum back active again. I've been trying a lot of Giddings Mouthpieces. Most haven't even closely worked for me, but the Kadja, with the heat treatment is a different story. I find it to really ring with a large, dark orchestra sound in the louds, while being consistent, and appealing. I have found dynamics at and lower than MF to become dull, but the louds keep their core, and don't become harsh. I find them to be a one-trick pony, but one that I may be interested in owning.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by mbtrombone »

I have a copy of one of my brass mouthpieces in Stainless Steel. I played the Stainless Steel one for a few months, but the moment I tried the brass one again, it was a huge difference. For me I tend to get much more overtones out of a brass mouthpiece. Which stinks for me because I tend to eat through plating and lacquer on my horns and mouthpieces, so I was hopeful the stainless would be a solution to having to get new mouthpieces or mouthpieces re-plated every couple of years... oh well, gives me a reason to try new stuff every now and then.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by ssking2b »

I have found on trombone that stainless steel mouthpieces seem to loose their focus for me below mf. Not acceptable.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by BrianJohnston »

ssking2b wrote: Wed Aug 12, 2020 1:03 pm I have found on trombone that stainless steel mouthpieces seem to loose their focus for me below mf. Not acceptable.
I agree with you, but they have an amazing core Forte and up, so to consider them a one trick pony is acceptable.

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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by ssking2b »

Yes they are a one trick pony - but as a commercial player i need something that woks all around, so I don't use stainless steel.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Posaunus »

Harry Watters?
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Domgaietto »

I've gone back and forth on them for awhile. Played the Barber as a lead piece for quite awhile and really liked it, plenty of zip and quite comfortable, though I moved to a DE piece for small horn now cause it's more versatile. Played a Mark 1 on bass for a couple years and it worked well for big band but was too bright for anything else, lot's of focus though. Currently giving the Sonny Ausman model another go and am liking it more than I remember. Very centered, very comfortable, and even from top to bottom. Softs speak and carry very easily for me on it and the sound is rounder than my DE pieces. Plus I am allergic to nickel and even gold sometimes causes irritation, so steel and lexan are my two most viable options. Will I play it forever? Probably not, but they are worth checking out, especially because they go on sale used so frequently.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by bassboy »

Domgaietto wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 10:40 am Plus I am allergic to nickel and even gold sometimes causes irritation, so steel and lexan are my two most viable options.
Apologies for going off-topic, but I'd like to just say if you (or anyone else) has a brass mouthpiece they're attached to, rhodium plating is something you should look into. It's not cheap but Rhodium is an excellent, very strong and long-lasting alternative to silver or gold. It also tends to contain less allergens (i.e. nickel) than silver or gold. Just search "rhodium plating service".
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by BGuttman »

bassboy wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:50 am
Domgaietto wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 10:40 am Plus I am allergic to nickel and even gold sometimes causes irritation, so steel and lexan are my two most viable options.
Apologies for going off-topic, but I'd like to just say if you (or anyone else) has a brass mouthpiece they're attached to, rhodium plating is something you should look into. It's not cheap but Rhodium is an excellent, very strong and long-lasting alternative to silver or gold. It also tends to contain less allergens (i.e. nickel) than silver or gold. Just search "rhodium plating service".
Caution: I had a mouthpiece rhodium plated back when I was in High School (late Pre-Cambrian Era). It was done by a jewelry supplier and was quite thin. Over the intervening years the rhodium has completely dissolved into the brass. I first noticed this when the mouthpiece was about 20 years past its plating date. Have your plater put a barrier layer of something else between the rhodium (or gold, for that matter) and the brass. Also, a jewelry coating thickness of 5 microinches or so (just enough to color) is not thick enough.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by bassboy »

BGuttman wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:54 am
bassboy wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:50 am

Apologies for going off-topic, but I'd like to just say if you (or anyone else) has a brass mouthpiece they're attached to, rhodium plating is something you should look into. It's not cheap but Rhodium is an excellent, very strong and long-lasting alternative to silver or gold. It also tends to contain less allergens (i.e. nickel) than silver or gold. Just search "rhodium plating service".
Have your plater put a barrier layer of something else between the rhodium (or gold, for that matter) and the brass. Also, a jewelry coating thickness of 5 microinches or so (just enough to color) is not thick enough.
Thanks for catching that Bruce. I should have added when Noah Gladstone did it for me, the piece was already silver-plated. Definitely worth doing it to a piece with something else already there. Here's an idea of what it can look like compared to silver.
20180209_194449.jpg
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by Domgaietto »

bassboy wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:50 am
Domgaietto wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 10:40 am Plus I am allergic to nickel and even gold sometimes causes irritation, so steel and lexan are my two most viable options.
Apologies for going off-topic, but I'd like to just say if you (or anyone else) has a brass mouthpiece they're attached to, rhodium plating is something you should look into. It's not cheap but Rhodium is an excellent, very strong and long-lasting alternative to silver or gold. It also tends to contain less allergens (i.e. nickel) than silver or gold. Just search "rhodium plating service".
I will have to consider this in the future! I have a few silver pieces I love but just can't play anymore, and would love an alternative plating that lasts.
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Re: Giddings mouthpieces

Post by SGlong »

I just got the V-MAX G&W mouthpiece for my Bass. I've tried a lot of mouthpieces and this one fits me best. I do like the clarity in the sound and the feedback is better than the wedge, Bach, Schilke and Griego mouthpieces I've owned, but it is a personal thing. everyone is different.
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