Yamaha Vizzutti vs Yamaha 14a4a

Destructo · Veteran Member Joined: 18 Apr 2022 Posts: 172

How does the yamaha Vizzutti compare to the **Yamaha** 14a4a?

(Most of the threads are talking about the schilke 14a4a which is apparently different)

If I'm reading the info on the yamaha website right:

The YAMAHA 14a4a is deeper (than the yamaha Vizzutti), has a larger throat and larger backbore?

(The 'a' backbore is described as 'Narrow' and the Vizzutti backbore is described as being 'Very Narrow')

Can anyone else confirm if all this sound right?

I'm basically looking for a slightly deeper option than the yamaha Vizzutti, without going custom.

I can get a big, full sound on the vizzutti despite the shallowness, and like the resistance, but it starts to shut down on me upstairs if the mouthpiece is on my face too long.

gord-o · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2022 3:47 am Post subject:

I have both pieces and have used the Yamaha Vizzutti for years for lead playing. What you wrote about them sounds right to me. For me the resistance of the Yamaha 14A4a is not right and the Yamaha Vizzutti is a too tight, so I had a Vizzutti top threaded for backbores and found that a Pickett 10-3 is a good match for me. Many mouthpiece makers can slightly deepen the cup of your Vizzutti piece if you want. Frost Custom Brass did the work on mine.
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Richard Hastings
Brass and Stringed Instrument Repair,
Popplers Music

chase1973 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 6:27 pm Post subject:

When Allen was at Eastman in the early '70's, he did ALL his work (Lead, Jazz, Symphonic, Solo) on a Schilke 14A4-can you dig that? He said he just had to watch how he used his air and never really had any problems-on Woody's band, he had Bob Giardinelli make a copy of the 14A4 which he really liked. Then in 1978, he was at the old Schilke shop and picked up a piece Mr. Schilke had made for Doc Severinsen to come and "try" but never did so Allen got it.

It was gold-plated with an inner diameter close but just slightly smaller than the 14A4a but the rim was more rounded and the cup more bowl in shape with a #28 throat-he later had Joe Marcinkiewicz & Yamaha make variations on the Schilke piece-he now uses something Pete Pickett made

Destructo · Veteran Member Joined: 18 Apr 2022 Posts: 172

chase1973 · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 1:13 pm Post subject:

When Allen was at Eastman he ordered an early prototype of the 14A4a and Schilke sent it but with a standard backbore (14A4C)-years later, he switched to a gold-plated Schilke piece I was told that was initially made for Doc to come in and try but Doc never made it to the shop so Allen had dibs. It had a ID just slightly smaller than the 14A4a but not as small as the 13A4a (which isn’t that small at .660) the rim was semi-flat with a shallow bowl cup and a 28 throat.