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Joe Selmannsberger has pointed out that the 700-something bore of the Wessex cimbasso is a bit too big for the instrument to be really responsive and agile. I can't afford my dream cimmbassos - Haag, Thein, Mike Johnson, etc. - so is it worth me putting any money into this thing to get it a bit 'brighter' sounding, and to have a better upper range (the high range really sucks)? . . . Would having an inch taken off the bell make any sense? Can a different pipe be easily put on these things? . . . I've already dumped money into making the rotary valves more functional. As for the mouthpiece . . .

Joe has put together a nice m.p. for me. However, at the moment, I'm using a Loud LM-15 with the narrower screw rim (I bought it from a friend). It seems to work pretty well. For jazz playing, should I look into a contrabass trombone size m.p.? . . . Do they make them with a tuba size shank?

Thanks in advance.

I’m not sure I totally understand your question. From what I get, you’d like it to be more bass trombone-like in terms of it’s agility?

Any cutting of the instrument would probably be ill-advised. If you mean cutting the bell flare, I’m not sure that would do much of anything. Negligible, maybe?

Different leadpipes are tricky with anything, but especially a cimbasso. I don’t know what size it is, but it’s likely not going to be as simple as, say, swapping a stock 2165 pipe for the 45slp one. You’d likely have to dump a lot of money into it, and it’s really up to you to deem that worth it or not.

To me, I’d probably say just pick up a really good bass trombone with that money you save from this thing.

You could play around with mouthpieces. That would be the first logical step. Something smaller and shallower would likely help. Contrabass trombone might be something to try. Or, put a really small F tuba mouthpiece in there and see what happens. Maybe a Sellmansberger or Parker with a really small rim, or a Pt-64?

I’ve never played the Wessex cimbasso, but the examples of cimbasso I’ve played have never struck me as anything other than an effect instrument. What are your reasons for using it in jazz other than a bass trombone?

No other reasons - you've nailed it on the head. If I were young, I'd head your advice and get a bass trombone. At my age, I'm not going to bother. I want a 'doublers' horn that's easy to use. I also want to keep working on my F fingerings. If I had the money, I'd get a Haag, Voigt, Thein, Mike Johnson, etc. . . . but I don't. Somebody whose name I won't mention - only because I'm not sure they'd want it known that they were the one who let this information 'out of the bag' - has informed to be "patient", as Shires will be making something that, quote, "is exactly what you're wanting", unquote. But for the mean time, I think I will look for a smaller m.p. with a tuba shank. I'm thinking of checking out the Denis Wick 3SL in the Heritage style, as I think I know a place that carries those. I might be able to use that piece on a Besson 983 Eb in a British style brass band as well. Then again, it might be too similar to my Loud LM-15 to bother making the investment. Thank you for your input.

Use a slightly shallower bowl cup mouthpiece for the response and brighter tone. You're right - you're not going to change the foundational nature of the instrument, but you can adjust the timbre slightly with a shallower bowl-cup mouthpiece.

I am using a contrabass trombone mouthpiece on my Cerveny cimbasso.
I was unhappy with the sound of all the tuba mouthpieces that I tried. Made it sound too much like a baritone.
I ended up having a custom contra mouthpiece made with a tuba shank. Much more “trombone-y”!

Who did your custom work?

Why don't you try a Wessex Cimbasso. .700 isn't gigantic.

I got a Thein MC1 mouthpiece, with a tuba shank.

You just have to adjust to a different size rim.

Z (tuba) Dude, thank you for that info. I'll look into that.

Mr. T. Smith, my cimbasso is an older Wessex. But the high register licks on many of these 4th trombone jazz band parts are really challenging. One thing I'm now looking into, is to also bring a 9 ft. Bb valve trombone to jazz rehearsals, and play both horns.