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Holy Grail?



 
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spitvalve
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Joined: 11 Mar 2002
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Location: Little Elm, TX

PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 8:01 pm    Post subject: Holy Grail? Reply with quote

I've been playing Warburton #4 series mouthpieces for close to thirty years and have been satisfied with them...

...until I tried a section-mate's Stomvi Flex yesterday.

It was not a lead mouthpiece--it was based on a Mt. Vernon 3C. But HOLEEE COW! I did a four-octave arpeggio from pedal C to dubba C almost effortlessly. I've been squeaking the dubbas for a few years, but not without a lot of work. And this was at the end of a Christmas brass ensemble rehearsal when my chops were totally fried. It slotted beautifully, had a tremendous core to the sound, and my attacks were cleaner and with better response than I've ever had on my equipment. Intonation was spot-on.

K.O. and his crew are definitely on to something. I just might have to free up some funds and talk to those guys.
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Bryan Fields
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1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1979 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
Eastlake Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces
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Type3B
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My long equipment journey ended with Stomvi. I play an S3 big bell trumpet with a Flex S14A mouthpiece. I can't say enough good things about the design and build of Stomvi equipment, and about the expert and generous help from K.O. There's a lot of great gear out there, and definitely different strokes for different folks, but I've never played anything nearly as good as Stomvi.
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pssssshaaaw. Did that work? The greatest invention ever was a Conn 22B Victor. Kicks all others right out the door. My goodness. An easy extension of range of a fourth. With an amazing tone. Done.
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HERMOKIWI
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sometimes switching mouthpieces seems to give miraculous results. Until later. Sorry, but there are no miracle mouthpieces. When the honeymoon is over, and it doesn't take long, by and large you'll be back to where you started.

It's just not that easy. Never has been. Never will be. If it was otherwise we'd all have range into the stratosphere and sound like Maynard just by playing "the right" mouthpiece. At the end of the day it's about embouchure, air and mechanics, not the mouthpiece.

Here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BzR0HDQ378
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JVL
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 12:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

no miracle mouthpieces nor horns, but unadapted ones to you can impede your playing, your improvements.
when we get experts, we get more sensitive to little differences
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TKSop
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 2:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are as many Holy Grail's as there are players.

We're all different, if that piece is you then go with it!
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spitvalve
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Joined: 11 Mar 2002
Posts: 2149
Location: Little Elm, TX

PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HERMOKIWI wrote:


It's just not that easy. Never has been. Never will be. If it was otherwise we'd all have range into the stratosphere and sound like Maynard just by playing "the right" mouthpiece. At the end of the day it's about embouchure, air and mechanics, not the mouthpiece.


Yeah, I have been on a lot of safaris in the past (been playing 50 years now), but have stuck with my WB pieces for the past thirty years. I already have the mechanics and the range--I was just surprised at how much easier it was on the Stomvi mouthpiece. The older I get, the more efficiency I need. The right setup--horn, mouthpiece, etc--can make a difference. Worth exploring.
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Bryan Fields
----------------
1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1979 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
Eastlake Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces
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Harry Hilgers
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spitvalve wrote:
The older I get, the more efficiency I need. The right setup--horn, mouthpiece, etc--can make a difference. Worth exploring.

Very true, but not at $225 per piece
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feedback@stomvi-usa
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the kudos.

The vast majority of our customers report having continued success with our equipment. Simply Easier To Play is not just an add slogan.
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John Mohan
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Bryan,

Glad to hear you're happy with it. You wrote that it is based on a Mt Vernon 3C but if you would, please let us know exactly which (size/model) Stomvi Flex it is that you are writing about.

Cheers,

John
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spitvalve
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Location: Little Elm, TX

PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe it was the 3FVR/J6 with some slight modifications K.O. made for the owner. The rim felt almost identical to my Warburton 4 tops but the response was much quicker and more secure.
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Bryan Fields
----------------
1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1979 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
Eastlake Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces
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Ed Kennedy
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Joined: 15 Jan 2005
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Harry Hilgers wrote:
spitvalve wrote:
The older I get, the more efficiency I need. The right setup--horn, mouthpiece, etc--can make a difference. Worth exploring.

Very true, but not at $225 per piece


About the same as Warburton and Reeves. If it's the right one it's worth it.
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spitvalve
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Joined: 11 Mar 2002
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Location: Little Elm, TX

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all,

Since I started this thread a couple of months ago I figured it's time for an update for those few of you who might be interested.


I finally scraped together the cash and bought two Stomvi Flex mouthpieces to evaluate. One was a used 3GVR/VS I got off of eBay (it was almost like new) and bought a new 3FVR/J6 directly from Stomvi-USA.

As expected, there is a honeymoon period so I have taken some time to get used to the nuances of these pieces.

First of all, the workmanship is fantastic. The couplers all fit onto the backbores seamlessly. I got six couplers--five different sizes, as I got a 4.5 with each one since that's the middle of the road. The others are 3.5, 4, 5, and 5.5. It took awhile to really get a feel for which was right for my Bach, but it looks like the 4.5 is the best fit for both pieces as far as tone and intonation are concerned. I'm fascinated by how changing the gap just 1/32" completely changes the blow feel and the sound.

I got the 3GVR first and played it for a couple of weeks before ordering the 3FVR. The 3GVR is probably similar in cup volume to a Bach 3D, a little bit shallow. I haven't played a lot on shallow pieces in recent years--it's similar to my Warburton 4SV in depth but more of a bowl-shaped cup. It took me several practice sessions to get the feel for it--I tended to overblow the piece and it really isn't built to be played that way and doesn't need to be played that way. Once I backed off and started to relax, it got easier.

The first thing I noticed was how brilliant the tone is--not necessarily "bright" as much as how much more focused it is than on my WB. Working on mid-range flexibilities, it just pops between notes with a lot less effort. It took a couple of weeks to get into my regular high register because I realized just how much pressure I've actually been using over the years, and the slightly sharper rim on the Flex doesn't allow it as much as the more rounded bite on the WB tops. But sound-wise, there's no comparison. As I started relaxing and backing off on the pressure the sound started to come out more freely--and I have to say it really sizzles. It made me realize just how much I've been forcing the sound on my old pieces.

The 3FVR/J6 is pretty much the same model that my section-mate on the Christmas gig had. It has a deeper cup, more like a Bach 3C, but probably shaped more like, say, a Schilke B cup. It has just the color of sound that I've been looking for. I've A-B'd it against my trusty Warburton 4M/7* setup repeatedly since I received it. Again, I found that the Warburton required more effort to get the same resonance.

I've loved my Warburtons for many years and still wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone--the modular system is great. But for me they can't match the sound I'm getting now on the Stomvi pieces. Slots that have eluded me for years are now easy to hit and I just love the centered sound I'm getting now. Even my wife, who has been listening to me play for 25 years and has learned to tune me out, commented that I sounded better--and she was at the other end of the house from my practice room.

Both the 3FVR and 3GVR pieces sound really good, but I will probably use the 3FVR more because it just seems to have more versatility as far as tone color goes. It's definitely a keeper. I can play dark or bright, depending on how I blow--it's very sensitive. On my WB 4M I could really only get one flavor of sound, and the center always felt a little fuzzy and undefined, especially above the staff.

I've already sold my some of my Warburton pieces, but will keep the 4M/7* a while longer, if only for sentimental reasons. I'll still use the Warburton 4FL on flugelhorn and the 4MD/10 on cornet until I can afford to get Stomvi pieces for those horns.

The Stomvis haven't given me notes I didn't already have, but I now have more core and a lot more accuracy.

I still think Warburtons are excellent mouthpieces, and I don't want to dis them in any way. Many well-known players use them with great success. But it seems these new pieces are what I need to accommodate my advancing age and the need for more efficiency. If it will add a few years to my chop life, I'm all for it.
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Bryan Fields
----------------
1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1979 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
Eastlake Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces
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Trumpetingbynurture
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Joined: 18 Nov 2015
Posts: 898

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John Mohan wrote:
Hi Bryan,

Glad to hear you're happy with it. You wrote that it is based on a Mt Vernon 3C but if you would, please let us know exactly which (size/model) Stomvi Flex it is that you are writing about.

Cheers,

John


Heh... I wonder who is about to get their credit card out
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Brad361
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Joined: 16 Dec 2007
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Location: Houston, TX.

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 4:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Harry Hilgers wrote:
spitvalve wrote:
The older I get, the more efficiency I need. The right setup--horn, mouthpiece, etc--can make a difference. Worth exploring.

Very true, but not at $225 per piece


Looking at your equipment list in your signature ....really?? You would not spend what today is not a lot of cash for a trumpet mouthpiece on one that works best for you?

Ok...I would. NO, there is no magic piece of equipment that enables you to do what you have not earned through practice and study with a good teacher, but I believe that certain equipment can really help.

Brad
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LSOfanboy
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Joined: 08 Jul 2018
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Brad361 wrote:
Harry Hilgers wrote:
spitvalve wrote:
The older I get, the more efficiency I need. The right setup--horn, mouthpiece, etc--can make a difference. Worth exploring.

Very true, but not at $225 per piece


Looking at your equipment list in your signature ....really?? You would not spend what today is not a lot of cash for a trumpet mouthpiece on one that works best for you?

Ok...I would. NO, there is no magic piece of equipment that enables you to do what you have not earned through practice and study with a good teacher, but I believe that certain equipment can really help.

Brad


Agree wholeheartedly with Brad.
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Ed Kennedy
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Joined: 15 Jan 2005
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Kennedy wrote:
Harry Hilgers wrote:
spitvalve wrote:
The older I get, the more efficiency I need. The right setup--horn, mouthpiece, etc--can make a difference. Worth exploring.

Very true, but not at $225 per piece


About the same as Warburton, Reeves and GR. If it's the right one it's worth it.
Life is short. You could blow $225 on a fancy dinner, a pair of show tickets, etc. For a great mouthpiece, money well spent.
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JayKosta
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Joined: 24 Dec 2018
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Kennedy wrote:
... For a great mouthpiece, money well spent.

-----------
especially if it's "buy ONCE, cry once".

'once' is the difficult part ...
Jay
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O00Joe
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Joined: 04 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

HERMOKIWI wrote:
Sometimes switching mouthpieces seems to give miraculous results. Until later. Sorry, but there are no miracle mouthpieces. When the honeymoon is over, and it doesn't take long, by and large you'll be back to where you started.

It's just not that easy. Never has been. Never will be. If it was otherwise we'd all have range into the stratosphere and sound like Maynard just by playing "the right" mouthpiece. At the end of the day it's about embouchure, air and mechanics, not the mouthpiece.

Here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BzR0HDQ378


Oh my glob that's a funny video. What I hear is confusing what I'm reading a little bit but still.

Anyway, I would say a mouthpiece change can make a world of difference, sometimes at the fault of the previous mouthpiece. I went through a couple big letter Bach 5Cs that were more like a Bach 1 in depth and were just a pain in the ass in general. I didn't even realize it until I tried other 5Cs! I thought I had purchased 2 gold plated 5Cs and that was that.

Going from a GR 65VC to a Stork Vacchiano 4C26B on C trumpet was the same sort of deal. I didn't realize what the GR was doing to my sound. I think that in the past, I was one of the few trumpeters that didn't experiment ENOUGH with equipment.

While I'm here, I gotta give a shout out to Stomvi. Their Elite Eb/D is one of the best sounding, easiest to play trumpets I've ever worked with. Definitely piqued my interest in their mouthpieces.
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