TubeNet

Hi all!
I was looking through my mouthpiece collection to find some for a student to try out. I don't even know where I got this one, but I have this old King 18. Knowing how Bach 18's vary in their specs depending on when they were made and there's also the Blessing knock off 18, does anyone know anything about this King 18? It certainly looks different from the other 18's on the outside. I cleaned it up and played on it for 20 min. , both on my 186 and my Gnagey CC and I liked it very much, in both sound and feel. As I recall, when I had a Bach 18 many years ago, I felt it was too small for me and I then went to a Bach 12. I no longer have either of those to compare the King to. Any thoughts? thanks!
Bill

It is the short-lived version from a generation ago, one of the first expressions of the Cyborg series of mouthpieces. It is loosely based on the Bach 18. This one says "King," although most said "CKB," as the acronym for Conn-King-Benge.

I knew iiipopes would chime in

Yeah, I have the CKB 18 version in goldplate. Nice mpc. It seems pretty much identical on the inside to my Faxx 18, even though it looks quite different on the outside.

I think during the UMI days (1990s - early 2000s) they labeled a lot of thier mpcs with the various brands under thier 'umbrella'. I also have a Benge 7 (Bach 7 copy), as well as a gold-plated King 7B (Conn Helleburg 7B copy), all made during the UMI days. Someone here (Lee Stofer?) commented that those mpcs were actually made in Germany for UMI

I think these come new in the case with the 2341's...or did? They are a perfect fit for the King horns, easy to play and produce a great tone!

toobagrowl wrote:Someone here (Lee Stofer?) commented that those mpcs were actually made in Germany for UMI

Yes, I agree about the manufacturing. And yes, I chimed in. The town I grew up in had a music store that had three generations of being an H. N. White / King dealer that my Grandfather (for my Uncle), Grandmother (for my Dad), Uncle, Dad, Mom for me, and finally I shopped at before the last owner in that family died. I suffered the witnessing first hand of the demise of King instruments into the Cyborg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

Thanks for the responses, guys. I don't normally play my Gnagey in brass quintet, but I have a rehearsal tonight where I'll use it and the King 18. Tomorrow night, I have a Cedar Park Winds rehearsal and I might give it a go there too.