Posted by Lee A. Stofer, Jr. on July 15, 1999 at 09:01:05:
In Reply to: Re: possible easy solution 2 Jay's pet peeve posted by Jay Bertolet on July 14, 1999 at 23:09:45:
Jay,
Yes, your Rudolf Meinl has no receiver for the mouthpiece. Receivers are mainly found on American and English instruments. German/Czech horns are typically receiver-less. That's why a Bach or Denis Wick mouthpiece typically has a thick, meaty shank end that should approximate the leadpipe it meets inside the receiver, but most of them are a shade too thick. The European mouthpieces, on the other hand, tend to be thinner. Have you ever noticed, in a Perantucci mouthpiece, or stock R. Meinl/Hirsbrunner mouthpieces, a small bevel cut into the very end of the shank? This small modification can be made to any mouthpiece, and can make a BIG difference! I'd try that first before modifying the complete inner taper of the mouthpiece. Your local instrument repairman has a triangular scraper, and can cut a nice bevel in the shank in about 20 seconds. It's the fastest, easiest way I know of to make a horn/mouthpiece combination play better.
-Lee Stofer