For those of you that enjoy the sound of the big Greg Black pieces but not always how they play, check out the GS depth available for some of them.
I have played a 1G .312 #2 for a long time (this has a smaller throat and backbore than the stock model) and I really enjoy this piece. Of course, it's not perfect and sometimes it doesn't match up with some horns that don't respond to deep cups.
I recently got a Laskey 90D that has the same rim size and throat as the GB I play, but is significantly shallower. It solves many of those issues like high range slots, articulation, etc. It's not quite the same... The sound is narrower and doesn't have that same quality. Mine also had a bunch of missing plating on the rim and is off to be replated!
I learned that Greg's new site has a GS, or slightly shallower option available for the 1G model that I enjoy. I ordered one and got it less than a week later (things are different now!!).
Wow. It has the same rim I love, the same sound with more high overtones and color, and is actually just more even over the whole range. I don't have to work so hard on getting a ping on the front in any range. The low range is more even and still has the weight of the normal pieces.
Think of it kind of like a Yamaha Yeo, a big piece but not too deep (but better than the Yeo in basically every way
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