TromboneChat

Hey all, so I'm in the mouthpiece market, really enjoying the Ferguson LS (smaller seemed to be the solution to all my issues, no more toilet bowls I guess) I am using currently but looking to get something that goes that extra mile. As of now the O. Bass mouthpieces from Reeves seems like the best/closet option. In looking I went down the rabbit hole and got onto reeve sleeves, they seem like a decent enough option that'll finally let me play the same mouthpiece on my 71H and Meistersinger.

Anyone actually use the sleeves, do they work well, or should I just contact Doug and commit to one of his with both a regular (morse?) and conn shank?

At one-time I considered making a sleeve system, and even made some prototypes, but I didn't go anywhere with it. It seems like it would make sense but it didn't work out.

I always wanted to use Reeve sleeves on a couple of mouthpieces but held back because custom work gets expensive quick. I wanted to try sleeves on a Wick 0AL and 4ABL to see if they played well with a sleeve that made them project the standard distance from the lead pipe. Also I thought it would be very interesting to have Reeves sleeves put on a Schilke 59, the longer original one, again to see how it plays with a sleeve that puts the mouthpiece at a standard distance from the lead pipe. Of course with Doug Elliott's system you don't need sleeves, just order shanks to fit!

That gap is real

The gap is a bigger deal on instruments with two-piece leadpipes (receiver + venturi). Most trombones have one-piece pipes. Notable exceptions are post-70's King small bores.

So . . no.

I had a couple of mouthpieces cut for the sleeves at the Brass Ark. I have a couple of Elkhart Conns, and was looking to be able to play the same mouthpieces for those and for regular receivers. They work well, but full disclosure, I don't play those horns very often. I have an old 72H with a plug-in 2nd valve that I use for the VERY occasional bass doubling that comes my way. The Shires 2G that I had cut is very comfortable with that horn, and can be used in my Edwards tenor with the other sleeve for loud low range stuff that doesn't warrant a change to bass.

Jim Scott

The most notable player I am aware of that extensively plays with the "gap" is probably Sam Burtis. I'm not aware of him having joined TBC but he was fairly active on TBF when it was around. Anything I am about to say is relying on a lesson I had with maybe 6-7 years ago and maybe stuff I picked up from comments he made.

Basically, he usually has mouthpieces either made or filed/trimmed down so that they go in an extra 1/4" or so. Then at the start of his week, he figures out what gigs he has and puts out the mouthpiece/horns he's going to be playing that week and one by one applies teflon tape to the end of each of them so they stick out like 1/4" extra (this is, of course, after removing said tape from the previous week). Then he plays on the piece and takes away tape until he feels that it is in the optimal placement that week.

He finds/found that the depth varies depending on what other work is being done that week, what was done last week, and some other human variables. So it isn't a matter of finding the "right" depth, but finding the right depth for that period of time and it's somewhat variable.

That is obviously slightly different than the sleeves themselves, you'd have to buy a lot of sleeves to get that to work (although they come in very small increments if I'm not mistaken). I personally played with some sleeves on a Frost trumpet mouthpiece that I had. I actually prefer that style system myself. The threads are easier on and off than the rubber gasket. I tend to like trumpet mouthpieces that get inserted a little closer than normal for whatever reason, but I've never really experimented with trombone stuff.

People mess with the spacing between mouthpiece throat and venturi enough that Adams Instruments makes an "Adjustable Gap Receiver" for their Euphonium models.

Two piece or one piece, there is still some interaction between the throat and the venturi.

Most clients have been using the sleeves to change between morse and B&S (Conn Remington) tapers. We have had a few clients foray into the various depth changes to experiment with different insertion points. We've also had a few instances with vintage receivers that are worn out and the client didn't want to alter or pull the original leadpipe, a different sleeve allowed the mouthpiece to sit correctly. Most of our pieces are not cut for sleeves, but its a nice option to give some flexibility with regards to fit.

tbonesullivan wrote: ↑Mon Dec 07, 2020 8:38 pm People mess with the spacing between mouthpiece throat and venturi enough that Adams Instruments makes an "Adjustable Gap Receiver" for their Euphonium models.

Two piece or one piece, there is still some interaction between the throat and the venturi.

Euphonium leadpipes are constructed similarly to trumpet pipes, with a separate leadpipe and receiver.

What am I doing then??


I use a Doug Elliott with the standard 8 shank, but I use a Remington Leadpipe, (the modern Conn one from the interchangeable slides).

I much prefer how it behaves than the C shank which is longer.

I have a 70's Duo Gravis with that odd King mouthpiece receiver size/taper and the two-piece trumpet style leadpipe. I was having trouble finding a mouthpiece, which I actually wanted to play, that would fit correctly in the receiver and have the right gap between the end of the shank and the start of the leadpipe.

I sent the slide, and a couple of my Storks, out to Reeves and they made custom sleeves for me. They did a great job.