Receiver issue...

[ss]

Hi,

I have acquired a Schilke and have an odd situation with the receiver. My standard Schilke mouthpiece bottoms out. However, a heavyweight Schilke mouthpiece, Yamaha, Bach are all fine. My Schilke mouthpiece does NOT bottom out on another Schilke I have.

I looked into having the receiver replaced but am afraid it will mess up the finish. What are my other options?

Would a sleeve work? I could have the mouthpiece cut down but that would impact the gap on other horns.

Thanks for your advice.

Steve

[Brad361]

Contact Schilke, they are very helpful, they might even replace the receiver under warranty.

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

[Christian K. Peters]

Hello Steve,
You are stuck between a rock and a hard place. The used Schilke you picked up has a worn receiver, more than likely. I had to have two of my Schilke horns, receivers and or leadpipes replaced in the past. Either way, the finish at the brace and leadpipe will be compromised. The easiest/cheapest fix is to have a tech unsolder the receiver and re-position it about 1/8th inch out. The real fix is to have the receiver replaced. Schilke does repair on their own horns. They might recommend replacing the leadpipe as an assembly. That might be the best idea if your horn is older and has some red rot. Either way, the finish will be compromised, unless you have the horn replated after the work. Call Schilke. They are great people.
_________________
Christian K. Peters
Schilke Loyalist since 1976

[ss]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have already contacted both Schilke and my local tech and they both assured me I could count on having the finish messed with if they replace the receiver. Schilke suggested I have the horn re-plated after the receiver replacement which I'd rather not do, regardless of the cost. No it's not under warrantee as the horn is quite a few years old. It doesn't appear to have any red rot, or the start of it, either.

Steve

[trickg]

Here's another suggestion: get another Schilke mouthpiece - the same as the one you are currently using, and have it cut for Reeves Sleeves, then get the corresponding sleeve that allows you to both dial in the gap and not have the mouthpiece bottom out.

That may not be the most cost effective solution, but it doesn't mess with the horn.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[Dale Proctor]

...or, just cut a tiny bit off the length of the offending mouthpiece shank...
_________________
"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

[Benge.nut]

Worn reciever on your leadpipe.

Very typical cal on lightweight horns from Benge, Schilke and others. Especially one of your horn's age.

Schilke receivers are funky anyway and are set for a different gap than other horns. This is why Schilke mouthpiece backbores are shaped differently and have a different length. Over the years maybe players have rammed in other mouthpieces trying to make them seat better, or just years of thin brass being moved about from normal mouthpiece insertion and removal.

A new receiver is no biggie. The work can often be done with out taking the lead pipe off the trumpet. And the finish flaws would be kept to a minimum. Even after the work taking it to have some silver plate added where it was removed by a jeweler is not expensive or difficult. But playability would be my main concern.

The other mentioned option is to have your mouthpiece cut for Sleeves. This way you can adjust the gap as you see fit and not worry about a misshaped receiver. This has saved a lot of hassle on a couple Benges I've had with similar problems.

[Benge.nut]

For what it's worth, all of my mouthpieces are cut for Reeves Sleeves and have been since the early 90s. Makes things a lot easier when switching horns.

The Sleeves themselves are cheap, the cost to cut your mouthpiece is around maybe $40-60 as I recall?? I do t remember, but it's worth the price and you only have to buy the sleeves once.

Although I read Reeves now has Sleeves in half sizes??? I must resist the urge to buy any!!!!

[trickg]

[snichols]

[Benge.nut]

[B. Scriver]

Before doing anything, measure. Don't assume it is worn.

1. Measure the mouthpiece that is bottoming out. The old Schilke had smaller shank dimensions. Measure the mpcs that don't bottom out and determine the gap.
2. Measure the receiver. It will take a special touch and tooling.
3. Call Charlie Melk if he replaced it or moved it you would not be able to tell. He is really good and can spot plate. He can measure and has his own Schilke replacement receivers.
www.charliesbrassworks.com

www.grmouthpieces.com

[cheiden]

The first Schilke Symphony piece I bought bottomed out and wobbled in my Strad. I had to get it sleeved to solve the problem. And when I dialed in the gap the piece played way better.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[Benge.nut]

Every schilke Bb I ever owned was very mouthpiece sensitive. Some Warburton's wobbled, Curry's wobbled, Greg Black's wobbled etc and the only way things got corrected was to use Sleeves.

One things were dialed in every Schilke Bb I ever owned were some of the best trumpets I ever played. I especially miss a B7L I had from the 70s I wish I never sold. I had a bunch of different bells and got so frustrated with always switching and looking for the perfect bell, and perfect placement of the tuning bell....I finally gave up and sold all of them.

Man they sure sear and pop and play remarkably well in tune when everything is lined up.

[scottfsmith]

Just wrap some plumbers teflon tape to fit. Or use beeswaxed string. Down the road you can always upgrade to sleeves.

[trickg]

[Craig Swartz]

Brian has the best advice here. I don't believe, and you should not assume the receiver is worn, just about every new Schilke mpc I've ever bought had to be ground off slightly to use in my 2 B3s and CXL. All were too long. I had the same problem with my Yam 9445CHS- Schilke mouthpiece butted against the end of the leadpipe as well. Get someone to shorten it for you if you cannot make a precise trim and deburr/chamfer. Ren (Schilke) always claimed his trumpets played best with no gap, I concur, at least with mine. Good luck. (edited to remove the fxxking auto correct BS)

[trickg]

I'm not sure I'd want to grind down the mouthpiece - as a friend, a customer mouthpiece maker, once said to me before adjusting a mouthpiece to fit with a tighter gap in the receiver of a Strad I had, "I can take metal off, but I can't put it back on."

For me, I always thought it was interesting that a Schilke mouthpiece wasn't gapped where I needed it to be in a Schilke trumpet, and that it needed some adjustment, but the packing tape trick certainly helped. Was it "ideal?" Not really, but it I made a lot of money with that trumpet/mouthpiece setup in the 10 years I used it that way.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[Craig Swartz]

Well, if you do not remove material how do you make it shorter?

[Flip Oakes]

Simply have the mpc., machined for Reeves Sleeves.
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Flip Oakes “Wild Thing Trumpets”
2559 Mottino Dr.
Oceanside, Ca. 92056-3421
760-643-1501


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