Denis Wick 5880 Classic Large Shank Trombone Mouthpiece: 4BL

Size

Cup Depth

Cup Diameter (mm)

Bore (mm)

Rim Shape

Description

Comparison

00AL

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-

-

New.  This is a new larger bass trombone mouthpiece based on a 1904 Hawkes tuba mouthpiece cup.  Mr. Wick viewed the original bill of sale for the tuba, which was 17 pounds Sterling.

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0AL

Deep

27.42

7.45

Narrow

Super large for strong advanced players.  Original Wick design.

Schilke 59, Bach 1.25

1AL

Deep

27.11

7.45

Narrow

Superb low register, dark rich tone, but good upper register and dynamic range.  Made for Dave Stewart of the London Trombone Quartet.  It's based on the Schilke 58, but with a better rim.

Schilke 58

2AL

Deep

27.00

7.24

Wide

Wide rim and clear traditional bass sound.  Originally made for Ray Premru.

Bach 1.5G, wide rim

2NAL

Deep

27.00

7.40

Narrow

Narrower rim with excellent flexibility and easy high and low registers.  Otherwise similar to the 2AL.

Bach 1.5G

3AL

Deep

26.40

7.38

Wide

Wide rim and easy response for young bass trombonists, excellent for strong euphonium players.  This was originally designed as a larger version of the 4AL to work with the terrible Besson 555 trombone.

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4AL

Deep

26.00

7.38

Wide

This was the first Wick mouthpiece, and was designed for Mr. Wick's Conn 8H.  Vincent Bach had said that his 4G was the perfect mouthpiece for the 8H, so Denis Wick used a 4G on his horn for some time.  He then decided to create a more efficient version, which ended up being based on an old Salvation Army euphonium mouthpiece cup, a Bach screw rim from a set sent to him by Jay Friedman, and a shank adjusted by Giardinelli.  And the rest is history.  Decently wide cup diameter, deep cup

none

4BL

Med. Deep

25.90

7.13

Medium-Wide

This mouthpiece is a medium deep version of the 4AL, and was designed to work well with the Bach 42 trombone.  It really got the Bach instruments to sing, thus ending the saying in the UK that the Bachs "were just terrible, like playing a bicycle frame".  Wider than a 5BL but otherwise similar.

Bach 4

4 1/2AL

Deep

25.85

7.24

Medium-Wide

This is the perfected Bach 4G, but more efficient.  We find this to feel larger than a 4AL, and seems to have a slower response.  The 4AL is more popular - try it first.

Bach 4G, DW has better high register

5AL

Deep

25.73

7.30

Medium-Wide

This was made as a fix for the Bach 5G, which was regarded as a bass trombone mouthpiece in the 1920's.  John Iveson and Clive Cox assisted in the design.  It's similar to a 4AL but narrower, with a deep cup.  Designed with the Conn 8H player in mind.

Bach 5G

5ABL

Medium

25.73

7.00

Medium-Wide

Like 5AL with modified back bore, rich tone with improved high register.  This was designed for one of Mr. Wick's colleagues who was playing a Bach 42 trombone.  When the fellow asked what the "50" stamped on his slide meant, Denis and the others laughed and told him he'd received a Bach bass trombone slide with his horn.  The player had been doing just fine on it, but suddenly, after learning this, it became incredibly hard to play this horn.  In the meantime, this was an adjustment of the 5AL for a more open feeling horn.

Bach 5GS

5BL

Medium

25.73

6.87

Medium-Wide

This is the medium deep cup version of the 5AL, and is designed to work well with the Bach 42 trombone.

Bach 5, DW has better low register

6BL

Medium-Deep

25.40

6.66

Medium-Wide

All around best seller, good in all registers.  This is the large shank version of the 6AL, which is based on the Ernest Clarke Large mouthpiece.

Bach 6.5AL. Schilke 51

9BL

Medium-Deep

25.00

6.66

Medium-Wide

Small but sonorous for very good high register.  This is a smaller version of the 6, made for Clive Cox in one day.  They started at 930am, and at 520pm, after trying numerous versions, he said, "This is the one".

Bach 6.5AL, Schilke 47, DW is smaller, with bigger sound