Haydn The Creations - Slippery DE LB114 Gold Plated Rim

[TheConnArtist70H]

Hi Folks,
I know this sounds crazy but I'm in a little rut here and needing some assistance with my Issue.
I'm playing Bass Trombone again in a months time and been practicing as usual with my GP LB114 Rim, however finding once again it feeling too slippery on certain moving passages and slightly losing my grip. I do have the
same rime in Silver plate which can be a little too dry at times ( call me mad I don't mind ).

I was thinking of a way of dulling down the Gold plating so it's like a frosted effect to see if this would give me a
mid point between both extremes, however, I don't just want to go ahead in case I damage or lose the sound
characteristics of the GP which in most cases works really well on the fast passages as apposed to the Silver PLated
version......

Any suggestions or advice would be really appreciated.

[stewbones43]

Why not go the other way and have your silver plated rim polished up and made ultra-smooth before you ruin your gold plated rim?

Cheers

Stewbones43

[GabrielRice]

I agree. Have the silver rim polished. Even doing it yourself with a non-abrasive liquid silver polish will probably make a nice difference.

I find I like Doug's rims best in silver, though I tend to be a little more accurate in the upper register with lexan. YMMV.

[baBposaune]

I used gold rims for years. Do you consider yourself a "wet" player? I know a trumpet player who would wipe his lips before putting the horn up to his lips. Liked the "grip" better that way. When I've used gold rims I think I wipe my lips with my finger occasionally without even thinking about it. I've had good luck with the Griego Markey mouthpiece with gold, the Yeo signature, but for almost a year now I've gone back to Doug Elliott in silver.

Gold is so soft that it would be very easy to wear through if you tried to "dull" it down.

[TheConnArtist70H]

Thanks for your idea / suggestions folks. I will certainly polish the SP 114 Rim which to be honest I'd never thought of so certainly worth a shout. Doug's mouthpieces are great in both finishes, however, I must admit to getting a nicer sound on my GP 114 Rim, it's just gets a little slippery quicker passages as in No. 26 in The Creation which does not allow you a breath, let alone time to wipe the mouthpiece to dry.....

As the GP only affects this one movement, I'll just leave it as it is as I certainly do not want to risk effecting the sound by slightly removing the GP/ or scotch brighting it as I was thinking of doing .

I am a wet player but only when blowing continuous long loud passage, which to be honest isn't that often.

Thanks once again folks......

[TheConnArtist70H]

Just some feedback on your kind suggestions. Polishing the Silver plated 114 rim worked really well, however, this still did not support my Issue which I now realise that I was unable to easily go from the Middle G ( 4th Space ) up to the Top G No 26 ( Bar 3 ) without missing it or fluffing it ( Should be easy I know ) which I think was a mixture of over wet lips on the GP rim, and maybe too big set up i.e. LBL + LB114.

So I tried using my LBW112 ( Wide Rim ) with the LBL Cup which seems to have solved my problem, Middle G to Top G a breeze, this rim has also helped my breathing efficiency as I seem to have to take less breaths if this makes any sense.....

Thanks Y'all

[hyperbolica]

The gold rim would be better if it were somewhat roughed up before plating. If you do it after plating, it will certainly ruin the gold finish.

I'd actually try a different approach. Try to desensitize yourself to the slipperiness. No idea how you'd actually do this, but care less about the surface texture. I seem to have done that concerning rim width. I played a Remington mouthpiece for a long time, and it was so round it felt sharp. Then I played something narrow and flat, which actually felt better. Then I played something wide again, which I didn't like as much, but I really didn't care.

"Just change your preferences" seems like a stupid thing to suggest, but if you can pull it off, you lose an important psychological impediment. I prefer lexan rims, but I can play other stuff. Anyway, good luck.

[TheConnArtist70H]

Well our Haydn The Creation Church Choir Concert was last Saturday night, I must say that my DE set up i.e.
LBL Cup / L8 Shank / LBW 112 Rim worked really, really well, no miss-pitching, Solid centered sound throughout range on my 1952 (SP) Conn 70H, what a perfect partnership, so pleased I tried this a couple of weeks before, and sooo happy I did not remove anything on my GP 114 Rim.

I would share a few Pics of my set up but unfortunately I cannot attach picture files ...... for some reason


From One happy Guy....... Al

[stewbones43]

Glad things went well with "The Creation"
It's a while since I did that and I have used my small bass (Besson Academy 409). The slightly smaller bore and bell meant I was able to do the whole first section in one breath (bars 1-11). The other trombones used alto and small bore tenor, that way we didn't drown the singers.

Cheers

Stewbones43

[TheConnArtist70H]

Thanks Stewbones43 - Really appreciate all the support. Mind you must have some Canny Lungs to do that, I was having to snatch the odd breath, but overall this set up made it feed more efficient, this says a lot about Single Basses and smaller Rims. This is actually the second time I've played it in 5 months so let's hope our next concert is a little less challenging. I've got to admit I Love the 70H Basses.

Oh and I managed to download a Pic as well, mind I did not realise how dirty this was Ha !
I'll try and post a few more of my 70H which has some quite extensive engraving, it must have been a special pro order I reckon even the case is a work of Art.

Well must get ready for the Newcastle v Pallace match tonight.....

Cheers, Al