Wedge Comparison

[Detrocious]

Hey all,

I was curious to know what people experience has been with the wedge mouthpieces in comparison to what they normally play on. I know the design is very different from the standard and no manufactures measure sizes the same, but what did you notice when trying them?
I had been playing a Bach 3B for a while and decided to give the Wedge a try, Dr. Dave suggested the Gen 2 66MDV. I loved the depth of tone, greatly improved clarity of articulation, intonation control but it felt like I was playing on a mouthpiece that was much larger, something like a Bach 1. I gave it a week try and had a ton of difficulty articulating in the upper register. After consulting with Dr. Dave again and I'm in the process of exchanging the 66MDV for a 65M.

I'm not saying that his personal comparisons are incorrect and its probably very likely that the mouthpieces I've been using weren't a great fit for my embouchure in the first place. So what were your experiences with the wedge in comparison to your older mouthpiece? Did you stay with a similar size, move away, and why?

Thanks,

Dan
_________________
Bach Strad. Bb 37
Bach Strad. C 239
Yamaha Custom Picc.YRT-915
Kanstul 1530 Cornet

You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.

[patdublc]

I was Dave's first customer so I've been with the Wedge for a long time. In general, what I find is that I can play a smaller Wedge effectively than the corresponding traditional size. For example, I was only Monette 4 rims when I switched to a Wedge. At first, I used a Wedge modified Monette. Then, when the Wedge 3 series came out, I switched to that.
Eventually, I downsized to the 5 series and stayed there for several years. These days, I'm doing most everything on 10.5 rims. But, my playing requirements have changed a lot. I no longer play in large groups (e.g. orchestra). I play a lot of solo performances (mostly picc), music theater pits, and small ensembles and that allows me to play on smaller equipment.
_________________
Pat Shaner
Play Wedge Mouthpieces by Dr. Dave exclusively.
Experiment with LOTS of horn makes and models.

[oxleyk]

[derekthor]

Typically, most of the Wedges I've tried have felt larger than what might have been expected from the given measurements. There's a section on their page that talks a bit about this:

"While smaller mouthpieces do enhance upper register response a bit, they can also be constrictive and make it more difficult for the player to adjust the aperture size as needed. This often means reduced flexibility, and produces difficulty in accessing the lower register. With the Wedge rim the player has more flexibility as result of the rim contour and the oval shape, so that a smaller diameter can be used without the usual decrease in flexibility. Despite the relatively narrower width, the longer vertical axis provides a big sound and feel of a larger mouthpiece."

https://www.wedgemouthpiece.com/about-the-wedge/

[Detrocious]

I understand that he does talk about this on the website but I was looking for people's personal experiences with it.
_________________
Bach Strad. Bb 37
Bach Strad. C 239
Yamaha Custom Picc.YRT-915
Kanstul 1530 Cornet

You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.