Al Cass mps

[dixiedaveb]

What's up with the Al Cass mouthpieces? I saw one on Ebay today with a "buy it now" price of 4K.
Has any company reproduced these pieces? What's so special about these mps? Anyone out there playing a Cass?

[blasticore]

I'm pretty sure we saw the thread the first time. Please go back, if you can, and blow up the other 3. Otherwise, I don't have a single constructive thing to say.
_________________
Chris King
http://www.cktrumpet.com
http://www.ckbrassworks.com

[stevecass]

.Here is a partial list of Al Cass' clientel. Yes, Dizzy of course, but he also made 2 pieces for Louis Armstrong(which I feel I should mention, were made from the Diz piece tool), Also....Armond Vorce, Don Elliott, Clark Terry,Booker Little,Marion Frazier,Don Cherry, Roy Eldridge,....YES, Harry James(who was Al Cass' idol), Howard Mcghee,Slide Hampton, Trummy Young, Ken Albers, Bucky Clayton, Doc CHeatham, Emmett Berry, Snooky Young, Thad Jones,Dizzy Reece,Blue Mitchell, Harry "Sweets" Edison,Red Rodney,Benny Powell, Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Louie Jasch(Stan Kenton),Curtis Fuller(Art Blakey), Mike Conn(Harry James),Roy Burrowes(Duke Ellington), Phillip Guilbean(Ray Charles) Willie Cook(Duke Ellington,Dizzy Gillespie), Chuck Connors(duke ellington), Maynard Ferguson's entire brass section,, Bernard Nckinney(Lionel Hamton),......to name a few.

THE 3x7 is an ultra super shallow piece and only a couple are known to exist. That's the reason for that price. Hey....I just bought a MIC for $9000. (it's all about the sound) That is where all your sound begins, not the horn. The mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is YOUR LINK between you and your instrument. It makes the difference. Obviously, the previous mentioned, thought so.

[LeeC]

That's right Steve. The 3x7 sounds really interesting. Was that in a 28 throat? Not I sure I could blow that shallow of a piece but the concept would be worth a try.

If there is a "disadvantage" associated with the Al Cass line it is that you won't need to practice as much to get the same (and usually better results) as you did before . Matter of fact I find myself not getting nearly so worked up when a demanding gig is around the bend thanks to both my A/C m/pieces.

Al Cass mouthpieces can really set a trumpet player free to work on other aspects of MUSIC besides just chops.

[stevecass]

Hey LEE!!!!

Yup, 28 throat.

I just located a 1-29 !!!!! NEVER KNEW THAT ONE EXISTED!

I opened up this box, and I had to look at it about 9 times to get it to sink in that it was a 29.

[lh]

Hi Steve,

Any idea which model Blue Mitchell played?
_________________
Eclipse Enigma Bb trumpet 2011
Olds Super Bb trumpet 1958
Eclipse Red Flugelhorn 2011
Selmer Paris model 59 Piccolo 1977
Conn New Invention Cornet 1913

[stevecass]

According to my father's notes(dated 1963), Blue used a stock 1-28!

[Tempo-rary]

Steve, I have one enscribed 2-27. What's the dirt on that one?

Thanks

[LeeC]

Now that makes sense. Blue Mitchell had probably the best and purest tone in the biz. Oddly enough the 1-28 is versitile enough to play good classical music too. At least i think so.

I own the 1-28. And while there are times i wish it had a slightly larger throat like a 26 or 24 I don't b-i-t-c-h much. The key to getting a warm tone in exposed situations is to LET the sound out and not overblow.

Once you're used to the 1-28 sized cup the tone produced is unmatched compared to other mouthpieces. Tuning is superb and sound distinctive.

So again it makes perfect sense that Blue Mitchell played one. I'd puzzled for years how he did it until just today.

Thanks again Steve.

[stevecass]

the 2-27 is 2 for second series, 27 for 27 throat(inner hole where the cup and shank meet.

[lh]

This one's for Lee or Steve....

How does the 1-28 compare dimension-wise with other standard mouthpieces? I know nothing about the Al Cass numbering system or the logic behind it, but I am real familiar with most of the Bach, Schilke, Warburton, and Reeves models. I'd like to know more.

Thanks
_________________
Eclipse Enigma Bb trumpet 2011
Olds Super Bb trumpet 1958
Eclipse Red Flugelhorn 2011
Selmer Paris model 59 Piccolo 1977
Conn New Invention Cornet 1913

[stevecass]

The 1-28 is the FIRST piece in the Al Cass line. It was the one that my father recommended everyone try first. 1 means FIRST series, and the 28 means a 28 throat. The next would be the 1-27, (first series with a 27 throat, these then continued to the 1-26, 1-25 and 1-24. Then the 2 series begins with the 2-28 and goes 2-27,2-26,2-25, 2-24 in that order. The 3 series is totally different cup flow, refered to as "screamers" beginning with the 3x1 which is the deepest, then get's shallower. The next would be the 3x2, then 3x3, then 3x4, 3x5 ect. There was a 3x6 which was not offered as a "standard". Also a 3x7 is known to exist. The 4th series have a larger inner rim, the 4x2 is shallowest, the 4x1 is deeper. He would say these are symphony type pieces, (big sound) for someone who can't play a "smaller" piece. there is the 4s series (which means "for symphony")

so.....I think he had the intention that the 1-28 is what a mouthpiece should be, with all the other's being more tailored to the user depending on how much register they could support. I know that my father used to use several series, each allowing him a different sound. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, he knew what each piece was doing and how to adjust to each one, or knew what to expect when he used it. He would also say that if you had difficulty switching between pieces, that you should use a 4 series to help adjust.

Lee.....please correct me

[stevecass]

Rather than me saying anything, i should just show what my father wrote in his brochure.

In his words

To select your correct piece use this procedure and know where you are at at all times. You ca get a big a sound as you can support, with register, if you find the correct balance or correct pressure you can blow at. this procedure helps you find the correct pressure you wish to blow at. to Give you your correct BALANCE between you and your instrument, regardless of which company's instrument you use.
ALL SERIES HAVE DIFFERENT THROAT SIZES(small center hole).
28 is smallest and 24 is largest,
#1 and #3 series have different cup flows. All #1 series have the same depths.

I recommend every player try a 1-28 to start, Then if player wants a DARKER-HEAVIER SOUND, go to 1-27, 1-26, 1-25, 1-24 in that order, depending on how much register he can support.

#3 series has different cup depths, deepest is the 3x1 shallowest is the 3x5, this is a screamer type piece for professionals and in parallel works for beginners also, start wiht 3x1 and go to 3x5 in that order.

If you find that the adjustment from your mouthpiece to series #1 and #3 too radical a change, use the #4x28 series, or #4s-1-28, or #4s-28 series(symphony type models) to carry you through the adjustment period. All throat sizes are available in each of these series.

Symphony type models:
#4x28 series shallowest of symphony series,
#4s-1-28 series(medium shallow)
#4s-28 series, (deepest).

For standard trombone, T-1 model has the widest inside diameter, T2 Medium, and T3 smallest, Each has a different cup flow, but each as the same cup depth.

[LeeC]

IH,

Steve is the resident expert on Al Cass mouthpieces. I can offer only an experienced opinion on the mouthpiece sizes not having a micrometer or anything. At least not in hand anyway.

So my thoughts are that the 1-28 mouthpiece is a medium sized inner rim dimension with a medium sized cup depth. The inner rim is well rounded as are all the Cass pieces that I know of. Since a rounded inner rim will seem to play larger there might not be an effective comparison with other company's mouthpieces.

Most Vincent Bach mouthpieces will cut the average player's lips to shreds.

[stevecass]

Well thanks LEE, but I don't consider myself an expert by any means. I am just going by what I have in print. You and the other players who use them are the experts on real world experience.

[dixiedaveb]

Does anyone reproduce these mouthpieces? If so who?
What makes these mouthpieces different from others?

[Bird Lives]

[Jerry]

I have an Al Cass 3 X 6.
Does anyone know the specifications of this mouthpiece?

[stevecass]

Very shallow, one step shallower than the 3x5 not as shallow as the 3x7. Kept in house, probably originally sold by me 20 years ago. Al Cass doesn't measure the same as the usual. Most all the rims are the same, it's the inner cup that makes them feel different and why if you have the right one for you there is a sense of magic.

[Jerry]

Thanks, Steve.