.: Mouthpieces

Lawson Horns started their study and creation of mouthpieces as one of the first endeavors in 1952. Walter Lawson was mindful of all of the aspects of the mouthpiece, and a very detailed report on mouthpieces can be found on our research page.

As with our horns, we offer a wide variety of rims and cups to fit the individual need.

Before buying a Lawson mouthpiece, there are 3 important choices to consider: Rim size, Rim shape, and Cup.

Rim Size: The inner diameter of the rim, or sometimes called the grip diameter, is the diameter from one side of the inner rim to the other where the lip grips the mouthpiece. 

Rim Shape: The shape of the rim. While it appears at first that all mouthpiece rims are rounded, this is not the case: there are many slight variations that can give major changes in feel.

Cup: The cup shape, total cubic area, bore, and backbore are all areas of dissention among horn players. After over 40 years of research, Lawson developed two mouthpiece cups that are designed to be the most efficient means to move air through the mouthpiece.

Mouthpiece specifics:

Rim Sizes: Lawson Horns keeps in stock rim sizes from .690” (17.5 mm) to .710” (18 mm) in .005” increments.

We also have a selection of oversized rims up to .735” (18.65mm), but please call for availability on any rim over .710" (18 mm). We would be glad to make one for you if we do not have it in stock, but there will be a delay in shipping.

Rim Shape: We offer four different shapes of rims:

1. P10G: Oval Shape – This is our most popular rim, with its oval shape providing a great deal of comfort, stability, and grips like many mouthpieces already on the market.

2. B23G: Reverse Peak – Our second most popular rim, often with professionals and those who are in good playing condition. This mouthpiece has less metal to grip, but more of an edge feel compared to the P10G.

3. KG: Round – Unlike the P10G, this mouthpiece rim is completely rounded, offering a different feel to the grip.

4. R10G: Cushion – This rim has the most amount of metal grip of all four rims.

Our standard rim is silver-plated. As stated above, we can also make rims in gold or plastic. Additional charges may apply.

Cup: Lawson offers two different cup shapes, both in our stock bore size of #11 (4.9mm):
1. S Cup – Standard cup, designed for efficiency in all registers and dynamic ranges.
2. F Cup – Fast cup, tailored more towards maintaining efficiency in the upper registers of the horn.

Cups come in 660 and 670 sizes; however, these numbers do not change any of the interior shape or volume. The difference comes in the diameter to fit different sized rims. 660 cups will fit .690 and .695 rims, 670 cups will fit .700 to .710.
We also stock 680 cups which will fit our oversized rims up to .735”

Specialty Mouthpieces:
Lawson Horns also carries several specialty mouthpieces to fit the needs of horn players around the world. As with all specialty orders, please call ahead for availability.

Euro-Shank Mouthpieces: Some European horns makers do not have compatible shanks with standard mouthpieces. We offer the Euro-Shank mouthpiece at no additional charge in 660, 670, and 680 sizes to be fitted to older Alexander horns and Englebert Schmidt horns.

Custom Bored Mouthpieces: We also can make our S or F mouthpieces to specialty bores, including #9, #15, and #17. Unfortunately, there are no refunds offered on any orders once a mouthpiece has been specialized or altered outside of our standard specifications.

.: Mouthpiece FAQ

What makes Lawson mouthpieces unique?

While a detailed answer to this question can be found on our research page, the backbore and design of the Lawson mouthpiece makes it efficient and easier to play than others.

I’ve heard that bigger rims give better low ranges because more lip is in the cup. Is this true?

Bigger rims do not necessarily give any benefit in any register; rather, the size of the rim should coincide with your natural lip formation while playing.

What is the difference between a silver, gold, and plastic rim?

This is one of our most commonly asked questions. Silver rims are industry standard, and most players play on this out of familiarity. We recommend gold rims for those who have silver allergies or prefer a ‘wet embouchure.’ Plastic rims work very well for those who are performing outside, as in a military or marching band, and also will work for those who have metal allergies which prohibit both gold and silver rims.

Does a gold rim make my sound ‘warmer’?

Acoustically speaking, there is no acoustic change or benefit between any rim as the rim itself is not vibrating – your lip does the vibration at that point in the horn.   

How do I know what rim shape is best for me?

Most players, when trying new mouthpieces, should think of their trial and testing like a trip to the eye doctor: "What's better - one, or two? One, or two?" Find a new mouthpiece that is similar to yours first, then try in small increments between your original mouthpiece and your test mouthpieces. Lawson’s most popular rim shape is the P10G, followed closely by B23G.

I’ve heard big bore mouthpieces give me a bigger sound. Is this true?

There is a sliver of truth to this, but there is a critical point of no return where the mouthpiece is no longer providing enough backbore to make the mouthpiece efficient. Without an efficient cup, this problem will manifest itself as endurance issues and difficulty playing at extreme dynamics in extreme ranges.

What is Lawson's bore size?

Our stock bore is a #11. We do have specialized mouthpieces such as for descant playing with smaller bores, and do also offer a #9 bore. There are no refunds available for any mouthpiece with altered bores and please call for availability.

I like the feel of the S670 cup over the S660 cup. Can I use either on my rims?

All of the cups are the same. The only difference in the cups are the size of the receivers - 660 cups fit up to a 700 rim, 670 fits 695 to 710 rims, and the 680 fits 710 and larger.

I play on a European horn with a different shank than most other horns. Do you have a shank that will fit my horn?

Yes. We are happy to offer all our mouthpieces in an "E" variant which will fit many popular European horns including Engelbert Schmid and Alexander horns.