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There is an old Eb alto horn for sale near me for very cheap.

Before I go get it, what modern mouthpiece fits these? I'd wager the instrument is from the early-mid 20th century.

YorkNumber3.0 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:17 am Not sure about that particular horn, but I hooked up someone with one of the cheapo Yamaha alto/tenor horn mouthpieces and it worked out really well. YMMV, possibly void in Nebraska.

Happen to have a model number or any clues thereabouts?

Word of advice. dont spend much if anything on a mouthpiece until you establish that it actually plays. A trumpet mouthpiece will allow you to test it

LeMark wrote: ↑Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:46 am Word of advice. dont spend much if anything on a mouthpiece until you establish that it actually plays. A trumpet mouthpiece will allow you to test it

Good advice.

You might ask a trumpet player if they have a big trumpet mouthpiece - such as a Bach 1, Schilke 24, or Monette "whatever-they-sell-that's-big".

If they don't want to loan or have you blow their large trumpet mouthpiece, have them test the instrument, and comment on how "tight" the valves seem to be.

If it's only $25 (and the valves prove to be too worn for the instrument to be of use), it possesses a nice rustic look - good for the wall of a den or a yard ornament.

I might (??) remember that Blessing (when USA-based) included some too-large-for-mellophone (ie. alto horn-size) mouthpieces with their mellophones in the past...dunno if you could stumble across one of those...
EDIT: OK...I believe I see some (new?) on eBay for c. $50 (borderline-possibly-more-than-you-would-like-to-spend...??) They are a number 5. I simply searched for "Blessing mellophone mouthpiece".

JP offers this: https://www.jpmusicalinstruments.com/pr ... mouthpiece

(For the English, "tenor horn" is E-flat.)

The prices of their mouthpieces are remarkably reasonable (along with good quality), but I'm pretty sure they only stock their mouthpieces in their London warehouse, so a USA dealer would need to order one sent over for you (but the cost to the dealer is still the same - as shipping is built into JP dealers' pricing. Quite often, JP mouthpieces are patterned after Wick.)

Kelly Mouthpieces has their 6V model on offer in red, white, or blue for $21...

6V (basically a flugelhorn mouthpiece with a trumpet shank) is great for mellophones, but maybe (??) E-flat alto/tenor horns might need something slightly bigger.

6V:
I was disappointed with DEG was shuttered, and St. Louis Music Supply (who took over their accessories lines) didn't keep the 6V.
It was the cheapest one, and was silver plated brass.

arpthark wrote: ↑Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:04 am There is an old Eb alto horn for sale near me for very cheap.

Before I go get it, what modern mouthpiece fits these? I'd wager the instrument is from the early-mid 20th century.

My old Bach mouthpiece catalog shows five Alto Horn m/p's: #'s 3, 5, 6, 7, and 12. Depth of cup on each is "medium". The rim shape on each is described as "medium wide". Approximate cup diameter ranges from 18.30 mm to 19.75 mm

I support the advice given by other posters to not buy a new expensive mouthpiece unless you have determined the horn plays.

Ace

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Jun 22, 2023 7:56 pm I was disappointed with DEG was shuttered, and St. Louis Music Supply (who took over their accessories lines) didn't keep the 6V.
It was the cheapest one, and was silver plated brass.

lt's a bummer that DEG is gone. Their Alterna mouthpieces weren't bad at all, if you needed a common-sized Bach copy.

I have three alto horns, none of them get played very often

If you really want one, the Besson is a gem and I could be talked out of it. My Wife likes the miraphone better.

Unfortunately your Besson isn't $30 and five miles down the road from me. Thank you though!

Yes, I'll bring a small shank trombone and a trumpet mouthpiece along with me to see if it will play. It looks mostly intact, just verdigris-y.

You'll want an actual alto horn mouthpiece if you buy it - the other mouthpieces that fit the shank don't really match the instrument.

Denis Wicks are the best, but expensive. For a cheap option, go with the Kelly 3W (not the 6V, which is for marching mellophone). I have one and it's a nice player - my Denis Wick 2 is obviously better, but the Kelly is by no means a bad mouthpiece. Yamaha/Jupiter/Bach also make basic alto horn mouthpieces that would work, but the Kelly is much better value and is missing nothing in sound or playability.

Those JP mouthpieces (for English-style instruments - such as E-flat tenor horns - are usually copies of Wick, and much less expensive.

I'm not interested in selling this person one (though I'm a dealer) but their local JP dealer can do that for them.
Again...They tend to keep them in stock in London - but not at the USA warehouse...but their dealer doesn't have to pay a nickel above their dealer price - even if they only order one...(but I always order several things, if from London - to try to be a little bit considerate to those folks)...Also, I'm thinking that the UK government has made export postage for businesses to other countries really inexpensive (ie. it subsidizes the mail cost of export business).