When I was in high school in 1987 I busted my butt one summer to earn the money to buy a Bach 42B. A friend had a silver Schilke 51C4 he let me use. For my birthday in 1990 my parents got me a gold 51C4 and I would not trade it for anything. It may be in my head but I played that for four years as a performer in The University of Texas Longhorn Band and for multiple semi-pro gigs over the years. I never once lost my lip and had the best tone of my time as a player using that mouthpiece.
I get it - Brian Hecht (Bass Trombonist) was playing a Shires so I had started to save to buy one (about $7K) as it appears to be not so demanding concerning amount of air needed. Now he plays on a Thein which costs over $10K - I give up. If I can save enough to get a Shires I will.
in my own very opinion, the gold sounded much more silky, didnt quite capture the Alessi sound the silver one gets, but i supposed he is much more used to the silver anyways
When I was playing a lot - gold plated mouthpieces were easier to play for a long period, especially at loud volume levels. Your mileage may differ.... 🙂
There's a huge difference in attacks! The gold has a smooth and defined beginning, the silver harsh and not as clean. Even though I'm a horn player, silver seems to grip and stay put. Gold slides a little, but not much.
I can not tell a difference (old half deaf band director, musician) but for the price difference of a SUPER high end mouthpiece, get what will make you happy to not buy another one ever again. haha. I know me too. (will never happen)
In my humble opinion, eventually there could be a difference in flavour or if a player has an allergy to gold. Some years ago I had a discussion to a trumpet player, who did the mp gold plating himself. I told him nobody would tell the plating he plays, with closed eyes. Since some time I play a mp partiallly gold plated and I like the noble look.
Hate to burst you "experts professionals" bubbles ....but there is no difference between silver and gold. IF there is a difference in sound, it is because there is a difference in the profiles of the mouthpieces somewhere. The rim profile, the inner or outer contour, the cup size, profile, the profiling/shape and blending ......to the 0.001"/0.0252mm. Yes, all brass instrument mouthpieces are manufactured by computerized machinery .....THEN the plating is done ......but there are still machining variations that occur .....but hardly anyone checks ALL the dimensionals 100% on every mouthpiece. Chips get caught/stuck in the processes. If anyone thinks there is a difference between gold and silver plating ....it's all in your mind .....psychological .....and that fact alone will affect HOW a player plays his/her horn ......but it won't have anything to do with which plating. There IS one reason for gold. ONE purpose. Skin sensitivity as in hypoallergenic. .
Not completely true, the vibrations will have a different effect physically in the materials. If we would analyze the eigenfrequencies of the mouthpiece with gold plated or silver, there should be a difference. The question is only then: “how significant is the difference” and I assume it is very minor but could still have an effect.
Recently switched from my silver shilke 51d to a gold denis wick heretige 5ABL and im loving it.
Good analysis
When I was in high school in 1987 I busted my butt one summer to earn the money to buy a Bach 42B. A friend had a silver Schilke 51C4 he let me use. For my birthday in 1990 my parents got me a gold 51C4 and I would not trade it for anything. It may be in my head but I played that for four years as a performer in The University of Texas Longhorn Band and for multiple semi-pro gigs over the years. I never once lost my lip and had the best tone of my time as a player using that mouthpiece.
Now I have bought all 1er Griego mouthpieces. 1000€ was for nothing because Mr. Alessi is now playing Laskey... Oh man! 😂😂😂
I get it - Brian Hecht (Bass Trombonist) was playing a Shires so I had started to save to buy one (about $7K) as it appears to be not so demanding concerning amount of air needed. Now he plays on a Thein which costs over $10K - I give up. If I can save enough to get a Shires I will.
in my own very opinion, the gold sounded much more silky, didnt quite capture the Alessi sound the silver one gets, but i supposed he is much more used to the silver anyways
❤❤❤
When I was playing a lot - gold plated mouthpieces were easier to play for a long period, especially at loud volume levels. Your mileage may differ.... 🙂
I kind of like the silver sound better….
I've never played through a gold mouthpiece but I cnt see there being any difference . Either you can play or you cnt . I play through a yamaha 12c
The difference is different price 😂😂
There's a huge difference in attacks! The gold has a smooth and defined beginning, the silver harsh and not as clean. Even though I'm a horn player, silver seems to grip and stay put. Gold slides a little, but not much.
I can not tell a difference (old half deaf band director, musician) but for the price difference of a SUPER high end mouthpiece, get what will make you happy to not buy another one ever again. haha. I know me too. (will never happen)
In my humble opinion, eventually there could be a difference in flavour or if a player has an allergy to gold.
Some years ago I had a discussion to a trumpet player, who did the mp gold plating himself. I told him nobody would tell the plating he plays, with closed eyes. Since some time I play a mp partiallly gold plated and I like the noble look.
Hate to burst you "experts professionals" bubbles ....but there is no difference between silver and gold. IF there is a difference in sound, it is because there is a difference in the profiles of the mouthpieces somewhere. The rim profile, the inner or outer contour, the cup size, profile, the profiling/shape and blending ......to the 0.001"/0.0252mm.
Yes, all brass instrument mouthpieces are manufactured by computerized machinery .....THEN the plating is done ......but there are still machining variations that occur .....but hardly anyone checks ALL the dimensionals 100% on every mouthpiece.
Chips get caught/stuck in the processes.
If anyone thinks there is a difference between gold and silver plating ....it's all in your mind .....psychological .....and that fact alone will affect HOW a player plays his/her horn ......but it won't have anything to do with which plating.
There IS one reason for gold. ONE purpose. Skin sensitivity as in hypoallergenic.
.
It also looks cool 🤷🏻♂
Not completely true, the vibrations will have a different effect physically in the materials. If we would analyze the eigenfrequencies of the mouthpiece with gold plated or silver, there should be a difference. The question is only then: “how significant is the difference” and I assume it is very minor but could still have an effect.