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fuzzyjon79 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Posts: 3014 Location: Nashville, TN
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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I was wondering if there are any benefits to playing on a gold plated mouthpiece? I know that Monette mouthpieces are gold plated and that you can have almost any mouthpiece gold plated. Are there any benefits to this, or is it just for looks? _________________ J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!" |
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_Don Herman 'Chicago School' Forum Moderator
Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 3344 Location: Monument, CO, USA
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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A gold plated rim has a lower coefficient of friction than silver. It's "slicker". Most people think a gold mpc feels warmer than a silver. I do, but am not really sure why that is.
Whether a "slicker" mpc is a "benefit" is up to you. I have several, and really like the feel, but by and large use my silver mpcs because I find I need the more secure "grip" they provide.
HTH, YMMV - Don _________________ Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley |
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JackD Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 1436 Location: London, England.
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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I think they feel 'warmer' because gold conducts heat well, and so they warm up faster than a conventional mouthpiece. |
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musiclifeline Heavyweight Member
Joined: 07 Nov 2002 Posts: 1045 Location: New Orleans, LA
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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I had only used silver for my entire trumpet career... just recently switched to gold on both cornet and trumpet. It's definitely a nicer, smoother, more comfortable feel (as long as you keep it clean, of course), and I don't find grip to be an issue at all.
Overall, I'd say it's not worth having your favorite piece gold plated, but if you get a copy of it in gol plate from the factory, you may find that you like the feel more than silver.
(Just make sure you're not allergic to gold... saw this happen to someone once--it was funny, but not to him!)
I agree on the warmth issue, FWIW.
[ This Message was edited by: musiclifeline on 2004-04-01 15:37 ] |
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lonelyangel Veteran Member
Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Posts: 286 Location: london
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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It is warmer - because it conducts heat faster. It also does not corrode or tarnish like silver.
Noel. |
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JackD Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 1436 Location: London, England.
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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So do they get cold faster too? (Would make sense) |
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roynj Heavyweight Member
Joined: 19 Oct 2002 Posts: 2065
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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Definately the Gold feels different than the silver, so its not just a question of looks. As said above the Gold tends to be less grippy than silver which to me is a benefit. Some people simply cannot play on a gold mp because they RELY on the silver to lock their chops in an open setting, and then they use pressure to play high. The gold finish doesn't allow this very easily. With gold, your lips have to do all the work. I like this, but you may not. |
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_Japle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Nov 2001 Posts: 1110 Location: Viera, Florida
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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Gold feels better, slicker. After playing on gold MPs, silver feels sticky and (I know this is silly) it tastes funny.
I can't see how 0.0005" of gold can actually make a difference in how warm the MP feels, but it does.
I got a kit from Medallion and plated the rims and cups of all my MPs. _________________ John
Cape Canaveral |
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maynard-46 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Oct 2002 Posts: 1845 Location: GEORGIA
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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As a rule of thumb...players that prefer a "wet" embouchure find goldplated pieces to their liking with the reverse being true...players that play dry like silver. Gold is slicker feeling, i.e. wet....silver is sticky feeling, i.e. dry! Of course there are always exceptions to the rule!
BW _________________ TRUMPE: YAMAHA Lacq. "Shew Gen II" / Legends .585 "CatMaster" Top / KT "TKO" BB / Reeves #5.75 Sleeve.
FLUGELHORN: ADAMS Custom "F1" / Legends .585 "CatMaster FL. |
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trumpetmike Heavyweight Member
Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Posts: 11315 Location: Ash (an even smaller place ), UK
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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I have now got a matching set of Warburton tops in gold and silver. I primarily use the silver tops, but when playing cornet or flugel I use the gold. The perceived warmth seems to come across in my playing (according to those who listen). How much of this is due to the mouthpiece I am unable to say (I think some psychology might be to blame as well), but it is my experience.
The silver tops definitely grip more - I would never use any of the gold ones (even the shallow ones) for high register lead-style playing - they just don't feel right up there. |
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tpetplyr Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2002 Posts: 1669 Location: Boston
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 4:24 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
On 2004-04-01 15:35, JackD wrote:
I think they feel 'warmer' because gold conducts heat well, and so they warm up faster than a conventional mouthpiece.
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Silver is the best conductor of all metals. Therefore it conducts heat from your lips faster than gold creating a cooler feel to the mouthpiece.
Stuart _________________ "So long, and thanks for all the fish!" -- Dolphins |
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badebop Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 1591 Location: Lacon, IL
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 6:49 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
On 2004-04-01 16:17, Japle wrote:
I got a kit from Medallion and plated the rims and cups of all my MPs.
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Where can you get this "Medallion liquid gold plating system?" I can't seem to find a source on the web. |
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PH Bill Adam/Carmine Caruso Forum Moderator
Joined: 26 Nov 2001 Posts: 5862 Location: New Albany, Indiana
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 7:04 am Post subject: |
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I find my gold mouthpiece does feel more comfortable to me. Best of all, chicks dig 'em. |
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Tom LeCompte Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 3341 Location: Naperville, Illinois
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 7:17 am Post subject: |
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Stuart,
I don't think that's quite the case.
F irst, a technical point. Silver is the best *electrical* conductor, but that doesn't make it the best *heat* conductor. There is an equation that governs heat transfer, called (perhaps not surprisingly) the heat conduction equation, and one of the pieces of it is a constant called the "thermal diffusivity". The higher the thermal diffusivity, the faster the material can remove heat. As it happens, silver is a good electrical conductor *and* a good thermal conductor, but it didn't have to be that way. Polycarbonate (Lexan) is a slightly better thermal conductor than many steels, but a much, much worse electrical conductor than steel.
More relevantly, though, a mouthpiece is made almost entirely of brass. The little bit of silver or gold plating makes much less difference to the thermal properties of the mouthpiece than the difference between varieties of brass, shape and size of the mouthpiece, and so on.
Cheers,
Tom |
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maynard-46 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Oct 2002 Posts: 1845 Location: GEORGIA
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:09 am Post subject: |
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Took the words right out of my mouth, Tom (I wish!)! I guess my parents were correct when they told me I should have payed more attention in school!
BW _________________ TRUMPE: YAMAHA Lacq. "Shew Gen II" / Legends .585 "CatMaster" Top / KT "TKO" BB / Reeves #5.75 Sleeve.
FLUGELHORN: ADAMS Custom "F1" / Legends .585 "CatMaster FL. |
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_Japle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Nov 2001 Posts: 1110 Location: Viera, Florida
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:40 am Post subject: |
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Medallion can be contacted through http://www.medallionprod.com/metalcare.html
Two things:
Don't bother to order online. They don't seem to pay much attention to email.
They are in no hurry to ship anything. Repeated phone calls are necessary to get them off their butts.
And three, order an extra bottle of gold solution
The kit is designed for jewlery, not mouthpieces. A MP has far more mass than a locket. After cleaning with the enclosed jewlery cleaner, heat the MP in hot (HOT!!) water before dipping in the gold solution. _________________ John
Cape Canaveral |
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camel lips Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 687
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badebop Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 1591 Location: Lacon, IL
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:48 am Post subject: |
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Great, thanks! I'm always eager to learn a new skill! |
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Ralph Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2002 Posts: 881 Location: Delaware
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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Can gold plating a mouthpiece change the way it plays? I've been told by soom manufactures on this forum that it can. Anderson plating is the only place I've seen recommended by top mouthpiece makers for this sort of thing. |
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fuzzyjon79 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Posts: 3014 Location: Nashville, TN
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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I just got my Warburton 3D and it is gold plated. I didn't notice any big differences in the playability/sound. The "grip" wasn't an issue either. It is very comfortable and seems to be softer on my chops. _________________ J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!" |
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