Schilke GP rims different?

random_abstract · Regular Member Joined: 16 Nov 2013 Posts: 72 Location: USA

Hi - has anyone noticed a difference in the rims on the factory gold plated mouthpieces from Schilke, as opposed to the standard silver plate versions?

I am looking at a new Schilke 17 GP, and the rim is noticeably sharper, rounder, and slightly narrower than the old silver 17 I’m used to. It also has a straight cylindrical section on the outside of the rim, where the older version slopes down from the outer edge of the rim in a nice curve.

Maybe they cut the GP rims sharper to account for the slipperiness of the gold. Or maybe Schilke has updated the rim?

Appreciate any input, thanks.

BigE · Regular Member Joined: 22 Mar 2022 Posts: 11

I don’t think anything is supposed to be different but my 2 20D2d mouthpieces are a bit different as well. Fresh on the day I don’t notice it but back to back they feel different. Mine are both silver plated and one was enlarged to a 22 throat.

gord-o · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 4:19 am Post subject:

Back when I played a Schilke 15 I decided to get a new back up 15 just in case. The rims were different, and the ages of the pieces were maybe 7 years apart. My college teacher had two Schilke pieces, same model, that were purchased years apart and they also had different rims. I think this topic has come up here in the past, and we aren't the only people here who have noticed that things about Schilke pieces have changed over the years.
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random_abstract · Regular Member Joined: 16 Nov 2013 Posts: 72 Location: USA

Just revisiting this question, as I've had the chance during my latest safari to compare several new Schilke mouthpieces with older versions of the same size. Not only are some of the rims different, some of the newer ones are also slightly shorter, by about 1/16". Has anyone else noticed this? Has Schilke recently updated their mouthpiece dimensions and designs? Am I crazy?

Aj · Regular Member Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 83

Halflip · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:08 am Post subject:

random_abstract · Regular Member Joined: 16 Nov 2013 Posts: 72 Location: USA

These are all stock, off the shelf.

Ed Kennedy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 3187

At some point Schilke went from using a hand operated turret lathe with, several hand operations involving a file and a scraper, to an automatic production lathe for the mouthpieces. I know because I operated that turret lathe in 1973. The mouthpieces at that time were hand polished in the cup and rim as well. I'm sure that the change in manufacturing practice would change the product to some degree. This may account for the differences that you have observed. I'm willing to bet that the currently produced pieces, using modern lathes, are quite consistent.