Cornet Mouthpiece

1234 · New Member Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Posts: 5

Has anyone had the same positive experience as I have had trying the new Cornet mouthpiece made by GR. The model was the "Sparx no.3".
It was developed by Gary Radtke of GR mouthpieces and Ted Sparks, who apparently is a serious Cornet player. The mouthpiece felt very natural on my lips. Even sound, great intonation and flexibility. Eventhough it was developed for the serious Brass Band Cornet player, I can see how it can become a standard for all types of music, especially the Jazz idiom. To check out the mouthpiece, one can go to http://www.grmouthpieces.com/other.html to get all of the details.
I believe the information on the "Sparx" mouthpiece is at the bottom of the page. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

fzr Phil · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2002 2:57 pm Post subject:

hello 1234,
I have a special cornet piece on its way, it is a bit of a gamble but i can't wait for it to arrive.

i did consider the spaarx rim but want to try something else first. also i want a slightly smaller rim than the two sizes offered.

What were you using before and why did you need to change?

glad your new piece is working out ok
_________________
Phil Martin
Callet Sima Trumpet - GR NB63*** / dw3
Besson Sovereign tenor horn DW 3
Yamaha Maestro Cornet RW3
Yamaha pro 631 Flugel dw3fL
Yamaha YCR6610T Soprano
Elkhart pocket trumpet
www.thundersleybrassband.co.uk

Graham Young · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2002 10:00 am Post subject:

The problem for those who play both cornet and trumpet is to find a compatible cornet mouthpiece that has the proper cup for cornet sound. Many so called cornet mouthpieces are really just trumpet mouthpieces with a cornet receiver. Bach is the chief perpetrator of this disgusting cheat. Many then try a Wicks mouthpiece which is fine if you like the rim. Several players in our brass band have had this trouble. Our principal cornet who plays a Bach 3C on trumpet tried the Wicks but preferring the sound but not the rim. On trying the Sparx the combination of a rim that relates to her normal Bach for comfort and the cup and backbore has yielded an immediate imporovement in sound. She now has that "British" cornet sound as opposed to a hard flinty unyielding trumpety sound. Others in the band are looking at these as well. I myself will try the 1 sized rim when it is available. You really can tell the difference in sound that this mouthpiece has been thought out as a cornet mouthpiece and not an afterthought to fill out a catalogue.

_Don Herman · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2002 11:43 am Post subject:

Very good points, Mr. Young! Most true cornet mpcs have a V cup which matches the cornet better and provides a darker tone (not always true, but these are generally deeper V cups, not the "dime with a dimple" screamers). Flip Oakes has a whole line of "true" cornet mpcs and I imagine others do as well. Closest Bach comes is the 5xV (x= blank, M, S; they took the D out of the catalogue, I think). This is one case where I think a mpc really does matter; I play cornet very little, but find it hard to get the right sound from a typical bowl cup.

FWIW - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

natchezz · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2002 7:33 am Post subject:

The Mark Curry Vintage Cornet pieces may be what you are looking for. Deep V big throat on a modern rim. I have their 5VC. Very warm almost flugal-like tone.

_PhilPicc · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2002 10:30 am Post subject:

Do you have a web site for Mark Curry or a way I can get more information. I went to mouthpiece express, they showed Curry but not the mouthpiece you are talking about.

Thanks,
Philip S.

David Oulton · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2002 10:35 am Post subject:

http://www.currympc.com/

David

_PhilPicc · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2002 10:51 am Post subject:

Thanks David, I appreciate the response.

Regards,
Philip S.

RockyM · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2002 12:02 pm Post subject:

Hi,

I heartily agree that too many people use a cornet mouthpiece that's actually a smaller version of a trumpet piece...fine for Dixie, bad for a British brass band!

Mark Curry is the man for mouthpieces. I've seen other pieces that claim to be "true" cornet pieces, but often aren't. Mark makes two versions, a Deep and a Vintage. He is, I believe, the mouthpiece maker for Flip Oakes, so he obviously knows his stuff.

I play in a British brass band in Seattle and have been using his Vintage pieces for awhile. We're trying to swith everyone over, as once you've heard the difference between a modern cornet and a true vintage cornet mouthiece, there is NO comparison. Cornets actually sound the way they're supposed to sound.

Check Mark out, he makes a fantastic line of mouthpieces that are very reasonably priced.

Good luck!
Rocky

rbuser · Regular Member Joined: 13 Nov 2001 Posts: 24

speaking of cornet mouthpieces - with my '38 martin came a #1 martin mouthpiece - GREAT SOUND (its actually the mouthpiece to be used on my martin flug as well as they use the same receiver) however with the great sound comes GREAT PAIN. for you cornet loyalists out there - which mouthpice would you look at. on my strad i use a northern brass 63****. the martin #1 is a deep V cup short shank with a very unforgiving rim.

TptProf · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2002 6:46 pm Post subject:

I personally have not tried a Sparx cornet mouthpiece but if it plays anything close to the GR Cornet mouthpieces, it is worth a try.
I have been totally thrilled with my GR Cornet pieces. I now have the sound I have been seeking for years.
Robert Keith

sparx · Regular Member Joined: 14 Jan 2002 Posts: 11

Hello, My name is Ted Sparks. I along with Gary Radtke of GR Tech. have developed the "Sparx" cornet mp. As as already been pointed out on another post you can find more detailed information on this mp. at: http://www.grmouthpieces.com/other.html.
I have had a number of customers wanting to add to this cornet mouthpiece thread but they have not been able to log on or sign in. Therefore I'm taking this opportunity to post their comments:

While I have experimented over the years with a number of cornet mouthpieces, I have always returned to the Denis Wick 4B as the one that worked best for me. That was until I played the SPARX #4. The Sparx provides the full sound I enjoyed with the Wick 4B and has solved a few minor intonation challenges I was having with the Wick. The SPARX is a great mouthpiece in both band and solo situations. Doug Chaulk Toronto ON

I was introduced to the "Sparx" cornet mouthpiece just a couple of weeks ago. Ted Sparks has worked on my trumpets for a number of years. Last time I was in his shop he was keen to show me a new cornet mouthpiece he was selling. He explained that he had been working on this project with Gary of GR Tech. for quite some time. With the knowledge of GR's craftsmanship and Ted's insight on the cornet I knew this was a mouthpiece I just had to try. After only a few notes it was apparent that this mouthpiece produced the richest cornet sound that I had ever heard. Highly recommended
Bras DeLeon Toronto ON

Warbird · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2002 6:29 pm Post subject:

ANy of you messed with the Denis Wicks? a guy let me barrow his 4B Dennis Wick cornet mouthpeice and he drilled that thing out and all I got to say is GOOD NIGHT! I think I've died and gone to heaven. Probably the free-est flowing mouthpeice I have ever played. Anyone else have any really free blowing mouthpeices? I'm looking for one. I want a good one but I can't exactly spend 200+ dollars on a monet:).

In Christ,
Joseph N. Pack

_Don Herman · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2002 9:18 pm Post subject:

Flip's flugelhorn mpcs, made by Mark Curry, have a deep, deep V and #13 bore with a fast-expanding throat and backbore. Feels like blowing into the air.

FWIW, drilling out doesn't always have the intended effect. Literature by Renold Schilke, Claude Gordon, and Gary Radtke (just to quote some pretty disparate sources) among others caution that making the throat too long will increase resistance, so you might end up with more resistance after drilling a mpc out. And, a machine reamer or lathe is the proper tool for boring out a mpc -- a drill bit leaves swirls which cause distortion and strange feeling airflow (some notes may not slot properly anymore).
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

fzr Phil · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2002 12:12 am Post subject:

Warbird,
the DW straight 3, 4 and 5 are all pretty (very) free blowing with big sound. personally i could not get on with the 3b or 4b.i have an RW3 which i liked but i needed a smaller dia rim. am using the 5 for now. if you need a wider rim perhaps the 4w?
_________________
Phil Martin
Callet Sima Trumpet - GR NB63*** / dw3
Besson Sovereign tenor horn DW 3
Yamaha Maestro Cornet RW3
Yamaha pro 631 Flugel dw3fL
Yamaha YCR6610T Soprano
Elkhart pocket trumpet
www.thundersleybrassband.co.uk

Warbird · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 6:34 am Post subject:

Thanks, I'll look into the 4W.

In Christ,
Joseph N. Pack