Greg Black

hackney_wick · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:48 am Post subject:

I ordered a 5c from Greg Black two months ago and it arrived today. He was courteous and communicative throughout the transaction. I didn't have to chase. He has had no prior dealings with me nor me with him.
I've had a lot of problems with small music stores round the world. I get the impression some of them are run off their feet. They may also be absent minded, incompetent or feckless - or worse. It's a risk you take.
Reading this thread and others like it I just wanted to say what I just said about Greg Black.
The mouthpiece is great by the way.

razeontherock · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:41 pm Post subject:

Today I did indeed receive what Greg said he had shipped Weds. It was sent 2nd day air, 2 backbores opened up on both drill size and backbore, and re-plated.

No bill was included, neither did I pay anything previously.

Greg's always been a class act, and I gather this is his way of saying he's sorry for the delay. When he sends me the other things he's making for me, I'll include something extra, reasonable for the work he's done here.

On another note, the above poster comments how his 5C is a great mouthpiece, and a previous poster said the same thing about his 7C. These are like, THE most common mouthpiece sizes ever made, so how can they be anything special??

And yet they are.

Existentialist · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 147

razeontherock · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:14 am Post subject:

Yup! However he does his combination of bite and underbite, it facilitates solid attacks and clean articulation. It gives what I hear as a "regal" sound. So I work on legato tongue, as being "connected." That's my strength, so Greg's mouthpieces make sense for me. Another thing is, at every different depth of mouthpiece this combination of bite and underbite is different - but it always yields the same results on my face. I've had other mouthpiece makers look at them, and they don't know how he does it either ...

He grew up in this business, at the old Giardinelli's, when that was THE place for top East Coast players to go. He branched out on his own so he wouldn't have to "compromise quality," working in their shop.

Another thing: play from ppp to FFF and consciously do NOTHING to adjust for pitch. Compare this to any other mouthpiece you have

lburrows · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 1:12 pm Post subject:

Existentialist · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 147

loudog · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 5:30 pm Post subject:

Hehehe, I DO have a Greg Black 1 1/4 top I'm trying to sell...check the marketplace.

Greg made a custom 1B set for me, with opened throats. It's essentially a C rim on a B cup, with 24 throat and backbore. By far the best mouthpiece I've played...I couldn't be happier. I also have 1C set, a 7S set for picc, and a 3CS set for lead playing. Awesome stuff...Greg is the best!

Louie
_________________
Louie Eckhardt, MM
Doctor of Musical Arts student, Louisiana State University
Freelance Trumpeter
http://www.LouieEckhardt.com
Monroe Symphony Orchestra
http://www.monroesymphonyorchestra.com

razeontherock · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 8:33 pm Post subject:

Louie, when you say a "set," do you just mean a top and a separate backbore?

hackney_wick · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:59 am Post subject:

lburrows · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:51 am Post subject:

Hi

My own mouthpieces arrived back today. The idea was for Greg to compare my Kanstul made screw rim/Bob Reeves threaded Denis Wick 4B, with an original Denis Wick 4B, to ascertain why my threaded version had lost the tone of the original, and to advise me how to proceed with achieving a 4B variant with my rim and the sound of the original.

Whether or not Greg looked at my mouthpieces, I don't know, but I am very pleased to have received them back in their original condition, well packed and with the customs declarations annotated as repair, so that I didn't have to pay custom charges.

I had hoped for a note of apology, or explanation for why he had had them since February, and had not communicated with me, but the package only contained my original mouthpieces.

At least they are back!

All the best

Lou
_________________
I am now Lou Finch
I am a Principal Cornet and Big Band Trumpeter.
Bach 180ML 37/25 Trumpet - Bach 3C
Bach 184ML Cornet - Kanstul custom Bach 3C
Besson 927 Sovereign Cornet - Bach 5A
B&H Imperial Cornet - Bach 5A
Bach 183 Flugel - Bach 3CFL

Yamahaguy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 3319

Bummer Lou...but at least you and Ray got something back pretty quick-
Wish I could do more!
Peace,
-Dennis

lburrows · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: Greg Black

razeontherock · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject:

Hope you're feeling better about things now, Lou?

lburrows · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:20 am Post subject: Re: Greg Black

lburrows · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:21 am Post subject: Re: Greg Black

MM2 · Regular Member Joined: 17 Mar 2012 Posts: 23

He's a funny guy (funny like odd) IN 1985 he cut down a 7CW to a `5D/E version of my bach 5C. `the shank was shorter. `but `i wanted a slightly shallower version of my 5C. `other than a little wobble in the shank he did a great job on that; then in 1991 `i had him do the same thing but the other way--his blank and a B cup--he didn't bother to put a bach backbone on it and you could feel it right off--it was bigger and it wasn't the cup. `that mic got me thru some hard times and within a week or so ``i got used to it and it became my everyday mpc. `it was a darker mpc than the 5C i brought him

any mpc. `i asked him to measure for me was never on spec according to him and his calipers. hope hey put AC in his work quarters which amounted to a `nyc sweatshop.

`i don't know what this hallowed rubric he is treated here, but back in those days raised voices were how most business was conducted after the work was done and what had to payed after the down payment.

gringoloco · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:58 am Post subject:

Hey Lou (Finch).
The Storks should be able to do what you were looking for with you Wick pieces. They've been making pieces for me for years and I've never had any problems.
They answer the phone too.

http://www.storkcustom.com/

Rob

razeontherock · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 3:24 pm Post subject:

lburrows · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:21 am Post subject:

loudog · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:14 am Post subject: