Intonation with a pixie mute

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Tried today a Humes and Berg pixie mute #112, on a Yamaha 2330 cornet. Without filing the corks, the mute falls out of the bell. While filing the corks, the real fun begins. How much filing is just enough?

Intonation above low C is good, with rather shrill tone produced. Cannot descend below the low Bb and keep projection. Played as 12, A below staff sounds weak and will easily drop down into a new resonance one tone lower (G) - pixie mute interferes with the resonances of the horn.

Played the low A, Ab, G, F# and even F on an open horn - no problem. With another straight or cup mute - no problem. With pixie - these low notes sound terrible. But, aren't the low notes necessary for pixie+plunger work?

Could it be that this pixie is designed for very wide flaring bells? And how tight do you file the corks?

[VetPsychWars]

I start with rounding the edges of the corks and checking the fit. Then if it needs more, adjusting until they match the contour of the bell. That is usually enough and the intonation is still good.

I'd expect the small Pixie to not perform as well as a lerher straight well below the staff.

Tom
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Buescher Lightweight 400
Other Buescher horns 1939--1955
Buescher Duo-Cup 88-E mouthpiece
Humes and Berg mutes
http://mmccband.org

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The issue with filing is not so much of a good fit - that is relatively easy - but how THIN the corks should be after filing. That is, how close the mute should be to the bell?

Update: if the mute is further out (one ich or so, held by hand), there is hardly any effect of mute on the sound. The closer it gets to the horn, the worse is the low Bb and below.

Previous discussion about the pixie mute on TH is here.