Lead in Mouthpieces

[John Mohan]

[John Mohan]

I think players struggling to play high notes kills a lot more brain cells than the lead in their mouthpieces.

[TrumpetMD]

[iiipopes]

[O00Joe]

If there ends up being class actions lawsuits, some of these companies might be put out of business. Ugh, this is probably a huge waste of time regardless.
_________________
1981 Bb Bach Stradivarius 37/25 ML raw - Laskey 60C
2003 C Bach Stradivarius 239/25A L silver - Stork Vacchiano 4C25C
2006 Bb/A Schilke Piccolo P5-4 silver - Reeves A adaptor - Stork SM SP6
Akai MPC Live II
Roland JD-Xi
Casio MT-68

[MrOlds]

Symptoms of lead poisoning include developmental delays, abdominal pain, neurologic changes, and irritability.

Sounds like many of the trumpet players I know. 🤪

[amzi]

I first became aware of this listening to a radio interview this morning. If I remember correctly the mouthpieces were soaked in water then the water was tested and revealed the leaching of a couple of micrograms of lead. No mention of how much water or how long it was soaked.

I'm not worried about lead contamination, I'm concerned with mouthpiece coast and availability in California. These sorts of groups have unbelievable power with our legislature and Governor. This kind of law suit is likely to result in a new state bureaucracy created to insure compliance with a 0 lead tolerance in the brass used in mouthpieces. And the manufacturers will requited to pay for the testing, just like gun manufacturers are.

Remember, this is the state that believe the color of a gun finish somehow makes a difference in the safety of the firearm.
_________________
Recording Olds Trumpet
Bach Stradivarius ML 37
Bach Stradivarius CML 236
Bach Stradivarius Bass Trumpet
Holton T171 Alto Trumpet
Yamaha 610 Eb/D Trumpet
Kanstul 920 Picc.

[LittleRusty]

[amzi]

What I do know is that 10 or so years ago I was shooting in 2 or 3 competitive pistol leagues, and frequently making it to a night of practice in an indoor range--all with unjacketed lead ammunition. I also shot almost daily at an outdoor range and was playing my trumpet a couple of hours a day. Because of the prolonged exposure to lead dust in the indoor range I was tested for lead in my blood stream. Guess what, no appreciable amount of lead was found.

I'm pretty sure that having contact with a mouthpiece is not a health risk.
_________________
Recording Olds Trumpet
Bach Stradivarius ML 37
Bach Stradivarius CML 236
Bach Stradivarius Bass Trumpet
Holton T171 Alto Trumpet
Yamaha 610 Eb/D Trumpet
Kanstul 920 Picc.

[so what]

You know, of course, that California Prop 65 required labeling coffee as a carcinogen. This is despite many, many well done studies that show that people live LONGER if the drink coffee. And, they get LESS liver cancer if they drink coffee. That's right.

[so what]

We've found that there is LEAD on earth. We have to get rid of it. No one should be on earth. Get off now, while you still have a chance at a normal life.

[boog]

In between teaching gigs, a few years ago, I worked as an electronic tech in a plant that made circuit boards for telecommunications equipment. I even ran the flow soldering room there, as well as repair and return of customer equipment. Solder smoke and handling lead everyday....guess I am not going to make it to 180 like that coffee guy out in Seattle! I turned 70 last year and am still playing the trumpet and euphonium...should I switch to plastic mouthpieces?

Dang, as kids we used to play with mercury...it's a marvel that we are still alive!

We have bigger problems in life other than lead poisoning from playing a brass instrument.

The only lead poisoning most people have to worry about is a speeding bullet!

I was admonished as a kid to "get the lead out"...and go practice!

[LittleRusty]

I am surprised that no one has pointed out the bright side in this. We now have an excuse to limit our practice time.

Not that I need an excuse...

[yourbrass]

I did some checking on this after my colleague in the shop had seen it on a major Bay Area TV news channel. The "Center for Environmental Health" was quoted by the reporter, so I took a look at their Web site in an effort to determine what sort of research they based their assertion on.

Turns out there is a blogger in Oakland, CA who is an anti-lead activist and has a kit with which she tests objects for lead. She tested what appeared to be a Monette trumpet mouthpiece with no plating (raw brass) and came up with a lead content reading that was (she asserts) far above the government standard for allowable exposure.

This one test, as far as I can tell, was what the CFEH based their conclusion on!

While I have every sympathy for this lady, who became an activist (she says) after her son was damaged by lead paint exposure (which really is a serious problem) I can't say this one test convinces me.

I sent her an inquiry as to whether she tested plated mouthpieces and hope that she answers my question.
_________________
"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/

[Tpt_Guy]

[yourbrass]

Here's the link to Ms. Rubin's original blog post:

https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/does-my-childs-trumpet-mouthpiece-contain-unsafe-levels-of-lead/

There are two related posts at the bottom of the article.

PLEASE, people, be respectful of this person. I don't happen to agree with her viewpoint on this particular subject, but I respect an activist who's trying to do the right thing. None of us gets everything right.

No professional musician, teacher, or music salesperson would ever advocate that students play on a raw or worn-through mouthpiece rim. There's the rare problem of brass poisoning, which is an allergic reaction as I understand it.

My question is still : Is there any lead exposure from the base metal with a properly plated mouthpiece? I suspect the answer is no, but I'd like to see testing.

-Lionel
_________________
"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/

[yourbrass]

Another lead exposure question that occurred to me reading Ms. Rubin's post was about the instrument itself. Many more people play worn horns with raw spots where lacquer/plating is missing. My current horn has no finish.

She did a test on her son's old Selmer K-Modified and found no lead in the alloy used to make the horn. So it may be limited, as cheiden noted, to the 360 alloy used for mouthpieces.
_________________
"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/

[adagiotrumpet]

[Crazy Finn]