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Why do you like or dislike stainless steel mouthpieces?

I've got a Houser MJT E-C and a G&W Bora that I use on my Besson 983, and I like both of them. The G&W gets a much darker sound, almost too dark.

I really dig the stainless steel, but I really don't feel a terrible amount of difference between the steel and gold, which my other mouthpieces are plated in. Maybe I'm just not cognizant enough to realize it, but the difference, although obviously there, isn't terribly perceptible.

The G&W mouthpiece I tried play well. In the end, I didn't think it was quite as good as what I had with the Finn, but it was close enough to be worth an extended trial.

But I really like the feel of the stainless steel. It is as smooth and slippery as new gold plating, and more likely to stay that way. It was the feel that made me want to try it.

Rick "who can recommend the stainless on the feel if nothing else" Denney

I've never tried one, but Alan Baer showed me the prototype Alan Baer Signature model G&W and I was impressed with its looks and dimensions. So, I went home and ordered one. I've never bought a mouthpiece without trying it first. I'm due to receive it in late April. I'll post back when I get to play on it.

I play a B&S PT6 and B&S PT-16.

Back in January I ordered 4 of the GW mouthpieces to try out and ended up keeping 3 of them (the Bayamo and Caver for the C, and the Matanuska for the F), much to my back account's dismay, because I liked them so much. I was playing on PT88+ and and PT72 before. I realize that the debate about stainless steal mouthpieces has been raging for several months now, and I do not claim to have any sort of expertise in the area. BUT, I will say that for whatever reason (the material, dimensions, weight, etc.) these mouthpieces truly make me sound "fatter" and "bigger" (however you choose to interpret these terms) without my doing anything differently. I have been playing long tones daily with a tuner and digital sound level meter for the past 4-5 years, and since switching to the GW's, the pitch has been much more predictable from day to day and the sound level meter readings have been AT LEAST 5db greater for EVERY pitch EVERY day. I am making no claims as to the role that the stainless steel plays in this change (in my mind: this improvement)---just reporting my opinions and observations.

I really liked the feel of the G&W's, liked the weight, liked pretty much everything about the manufacturing process. The sizes and shapes offered just didn't do it for me--

Dennis "off to SERTEC 2005" AsKew

It's funny that we have the "ends" to play with...stainless steel on one "end" and the Kelly mpcs on the other "end."

I do find the plastic mpcs to be very comfortable....I have the MDC horn mpc which I've taped up and stuck in my alto horn, and I have the 51D which I've taped up and stuck in my Bariton (not baritone.) They would both probably play a little better if they fit the receivers.

MA, not talking about stainless any more