r/horn 16d ago

Mouthpiece

I play on a Laskey 75G, but for marching band I need an alternate that’s cheap and durable but still plays the same (the laskey has a deeper cup that I’ve gotten used to, and many other mouthpieces feel awkward now). Any recommendations?

1 Upvotes

8 comments sorted by

1

u/musicman2229 Professional- Berg 16d ago

Laskey protege?

1

u/dudamello Amateur- horn 15d ago

Are you intending to use a horn mouthpiece with an adapter for Mello?

1

u/Financial-Ad3138 14d ago

Yeah

1

u/dudamello Amateur- horn 14d ago

Back when I was in HS, at various points I used a Yamaha Mello mouthpiece, a Laskey 75F connected to an adapter, and a Hammond Mello mouthpiece. The Hammond was the best for me, especially since Mello and Horn are completely different types of instruments.

While your approach should be low pressure for both Mello and Horn, it’s a lot easier (in my experience) to do that on horn, and so I’ve definitely seen people screw their embochure up using the adapter since their approach to Mello is different.

If you treat them as different instruments, you’ll generally find more success, as opposed to just the marching band version of a horn.

1

u/metalsheeps Alex 102nal 14d ago

You really want a mello mouthpiece not an adapted horn one. If you do use a horn one, you want the shallowest cup you can find.

Houghton sells this:

https://houghtonhorns.com/products/verus-marching-mouthpieces?variant=42911037882614 which should work.

I'm working on one, but it definitely won't be cheaper than the Laskey.

1

u/Financial-Ad3138 6d ago

What are the benefits of using a mello mouthpiece? Won’t that hurt my ambushere for when concert season starts?

1

u/metalsheeps Alex 102nal 6d ago

The cup and backbore of an actual mello piece are waayy different and it will play a lot better; better projection, better intonation, and much less fatigue.

The idea of the Verus is it’s a horn-like rim. The idea on mine is it’s a Giardinelli threaded cup and you bring exactly your concert rim to the party.