bronze berg

[ving]

I am curious of a couple of things about the bronze bergs:

1) How long have they made the bronze version?

2) How much does the bronze change the character of the piece as compared to Stainless Steel?


Thanks,


ving

[MojoBari]

I've only seen one bronze Berg. It looked great. Symmetrical. But it did not play. The facing was bad and the baffle was too high after the lake. It blocked the sound trying to come out. The material was harder than most brasses and almost as difficult to work with as SS. I did not notice any diff in character due to material.

[ving]

Thanks,

I actually have one of these, picked up from another forum member and I like it quite a lot--but it had been tuned up by JWV so I am sure that accounts for it! Anyhow, I hadn't seen these often either, and was curious when the company started making them. To me it seems to have a different quality to it, darker in a way--kind of a different resonance. But still berg like....

[captain blowhard]

I am curious of a couple of things about the bronze bergs:

1) How long have they made the bronze version?

2) How much does the bronze change the character of the piece as compared to Stainless Steel?


Thanks,


ving

1. They have been around since at least 1997 cos that's when I got mine.

2. I used to think there was a difference in sound from the stainless steel version, but I think this is more a different feel when you play. I made some sound recordings once to compare with a similar ss berg, and I could not tell them apart by sound unless I checked which recording I was listening to.

[jazzznbluezzz]

Although it is not my main mouthpiece anymore
I liked my bronze Berg better than a stainless steel.
I feel there is quite a big difference in tone.
The Bronze being distinctive warmer and rounder sounding. While the
SS being more 'metalicy' and more focused. Maybe Better for modern jazz
and pop music.
I always liked the Bronze better for a vintage jazz and R&B sound
for having a richer sound.

Just my 2 cents

[ving]

Cool, thanks for the opinions. I have played the one I have in some more settings and am really finding it interesting--I think it does have a different character, which I like. It is a very powerful piece, but does not get overly bright when pushed I am finding out. Playing it in an unmic'd setting with a loud-ish funk group yesterday and I was really surprised at what I could get out of it, really a big core to the sound.


ving

[ving]

Hey Mojo,

What do you mean by "lake" part of the chamber/baffle? I was thinking you meant the flat part closest to the tip before it slopes toward the bullet indent but I wasn't sure. (This area has been leveled off on the piece I have...)

[MojoBari]

That is the same area. After the tip rail there is a flat area ~3/16" long. At the end of this flat there is a ridge. I believe this ridge was too close to the reed in the piece I worked on. I lowered it by angling the flat area down soem and making it longer.

On some Bergs, the "Lake" is a depression. This was just a flat section in the baffle near the tip rail.

[ving]

Thay makes sense then--on my reworked piece that whole area has been taken down so it is flat from the tip rail until the bullet...whatever the case, it plays really well...