Current Warburton 4M and 4MD vs old (pre-fire) versions

[kallen]

I recently had a chance to compare the current 4M and 4MD (marked Warburton-USA) with the pre-fire versions (marked just Warburton) that I already owned. The company website has an FAQ that explains some of the differences:

http://www.warburton-usa.com/index.php/faq/222-what-does-warburton-oviedo-stamped-on-some-of-our-mouthpieces-mean

The FAQ explains that they made "various subtle refinements to the mouthpieces" when they transitioned from the old shapers to the new CNC lathes.

To me the differences in the 4M and 4MD are quite noticeable. Generally the new versions are tighter and brighter, slightly more resistant, and sound more focused.

I had been playing an old 4M/8 for a few months and initially found the new 4M to be noticeably tighter. Also, the new rim felt like it had a slightly sharper bite than the old one. When I switched the new 4M to a 9 backbore, the overall resistance felt more like the old 4M/8. Once I got used to the new 4M, I was able to switch back to the 8 backbore.

I noticed similar differences between the old and new 4MD. The old versions seem a little airier and more diffuse, the new ones more compact and focused. I'm guessing (just from the playing response) the new versions tend ever so slightly toward a more "bowl" shape rather than a V, with maybe a little tighter transition into the throat. It would be interesting to see some Kanstul-comparator-type scans.

To me, the new 4MD is easier to play than the old one, and I'm finding the new 4MD/7* to be an easy switch from the new 4M/8. That's my take on how these work for me, in my playing situations (small group jazz), on my horn, at my age (senior citizen), with my physical approach.
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Yamaha 8335G
Yamaha 8310Z
Yamaha 6330S-II Cornet
Yamaha 631FH Fluegelhorn
Warburton 5M/6*, 5FL

[TKSop]

I find the current Warburton rim profiles to be very flat, the pre-fire rims were more rounded and far more comfortable (for me) - I wouldn't say the difference is subtle in the slightest....

To each their own, but I preferred the old rim by a significant margin... to the point that I don't use Warburton top's anymore (the old ones aren't easy enough to find, and the current ones aren't to my taste), though I do still use other tops on Warburton's backbores.


Options - gotta love 'em.

[kallen]

That sounds right. My first impression of the new 4M rim was that it felt a little smaller, which could be the flatter rim + a sharper bite on the inside.

For me, the new rim feels OK — doesn't seem to hurt my flexibility and may even help my endurance. I'm going to hang on to the old 4M anyway, just in case ....

Options are great. Nice to be able to fine-tune my mouthpiece setup while keeping the rim more or less constant.
_________________
Yamaha 8335G
Yamaha 8310Z
Yamaha 6330S-II Cornet
Yamaha 631FH Fluegelhorn
Warburton 5M/6*, 5FL

[kallen]

Somewhat ironically, after working through various size 4 tops and backbores ranging from 6 to 10*, I finally settled on a totally middle-of-the-road 4M/7. The 4M gives a bright enough tone on the darker 8335G horn, and the 7 BB balances the resistance. (After working with a 4M/8 for a while, I found that the /7 was more efficient. But any smaller than that starts to feel stuffy.)

I also found that different setups work with different horns. For me, the 4MC/7* seems to balance both the tonality and resistance of the brighter 8310Z. This setup is also more similar to the Shew Jazz piece that comes with the horn.

It's nice that the current size 4 Warburton tops have consistent rim contours, which makes it easier to switch horns while using a different top/backbore combination to balance each horn.
_________________
Yamaha 8335G
Yamaha 8310Z
Yamaha 6330S-II Cornet
Yamaha 631FH Fluegelhorn
Warburton 5M/6*, 5FL