BCC99Man Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 i've heard about drilled mouthpieces for screamers and others, but i'm not exactly sure what they are and what their benefits and detriments are. could someone explain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mafields627 Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Advantage: You can get more air through the mouthpiece. It gives you a bigger, broader sound. Disadvantage: Can be more tiring if you aren't a developed breather. Can cause pitch in upper register to drop. Harder to get the full sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regularsopguy Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 i've heard about drilled mouthpieces for screamers and others, but i'm not exactly sure what they are and what their benefits and detriments are. could someone explain? Don't do it unless you know what you are doing. not only does drilling improperly make you out of tune, you could ruin the mouthpiece. I use a Warburton mouthpiece (Kanstul has the same threads too) and if I want a larger backbore, I just switch. Drilling is no longer necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spcbrass Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 Don't do it unless you know what you are doing. not only does drilling improperly make you out of tune, you could ruin the mouthpiece. Agreed, not even advanced level players should drill out a mouthpiece. There are too many options out there now to go messing with specs on a mouthpiece. If you can't find something with the specs you desire, try getting a custom piece. Granted it costs a couple bucks more, but it is far better then making modifications to a current design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gothighnotes86 Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Exactly....the mouthpiece you buy was designed for that goal in mind weither it be a moutpiece for screamers or classical players. Most (good) mouthpieces are too expensive to mess up. Simple as this....if you can't find the mouthpiece you want theres something wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mafields627 Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 1. When done properly, mouthpieces aren't drilled. They are reamed out with a special tool which preserves the shape of the backbore. 2. Most mouthpieces that are drilled are screwed up when someone clamps it in a vice and takes a hand drill too it. 3. If you manage to use a drill press and get it straight, you're still changing the shape of the back bore because the drilling elongates the tapering part of the backbore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschoolVK Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 (edited) Drilling out your mouthpiece is not recommended. As was stated above, it will change the inside taper of your backbore/throat, and will therefore change the entire setup of the mouthpiece. You may get lucky, but more often than not you will get a "woofy"-sounding mouthpiece if it's not done properly. Byron Autrey, a long-time consultant and friend of our company says that sometimes it's enough just to polish the extra plating away from the inside of the mouthpiece, and not necessary to "drill it out". As one of the posts above says, the Kanstul modular mouthpiece system (or Warburton's) allows you to play the cup that is comfortable for you, and to choose a backbore that is more open or one that offers more resistance. Remember that the taper inside the backbore will give a characteristic sound or blow to the mouthpiece, and altering that may or may not offer improvement on it's ability to perform as designed. Edited January 30, 2004 by oldschoolVK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStar98 Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 I wouldn't try it on anything too expensive. I did on my 6 1/2 and it worked out wonderfully. The intonation was pretty whacky at first, but I soon got used to it and the sound was much better. Basically, try others until you find something you like, or ask your local university prof to help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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