Common Questions | M/K Drawing & Bending

We get many questions sent to us, here are some common ones!

Q: Have you experimented making tuning slides for Bach trombones?

A: Not yet. This is on our list of products we would love to add! When the shop slows down a little bit we will work on this!

Q: Do you make Mouthpieces?

A: Not currently.

“Plays great. Works really well on my Getzen bass trombone. Just what I was looking for.”

M/K Trombone Leadpipes – Fits Shires Trombones (MK42 Tenor, Nickel with Threaded Collar, .547 Bore)
“I’m really liking the improvements on my horn! The slotting and ease of playing has improved, as well as the tone! Great product and company!”

Yamaha Bb YSE-ML Trumpet Tuning Slide (Raw Finish, Bronze, SE series, Semi-Round, ML Bore, for models 6310Z and 8310Z)
“I received my SS GR pipe this afternoon and have got to play around an hour or two on the horn. I honestly can’t say enough about the changes it has made to the horns feel and response! I play on a Shires Q series bass, and with the stock leadpipe I felt like I was always fighting for a clear ringing sound, and could never match the sound concept in my head. I drop this puppy in and all the problems were fixed! The sound feels as if it jumps out of the horn and immediately hits the wall regardless of the dynamic, which is exactly what I want. The sound that comes out is about as close to gold rods as you can get, tons of color and tons of core. I will be very excited to test how this blends in ensembles this semester. 10/10 would definitely recommend!”

George Roberts Bass leadpipe shires threads Sterling Silver Trombone Leadpipe
“I received the new tuning slide + sound post yesterday afternoon. Your high level of craftsmanship was quite evident when I first saw it. After playing my trumpet with your slide, the best word I can use to describe the sensation is “FREEDOM”. It has the perfect amount of resistance that seems to compact my sound as well as adding some brilliance and “bottom” (i.e. lower overtones) as well as more flexibility. I tried the sound post both on the slide and on various spots closer to the valve casing. Quite frankly, the slide plays best for me by itself. However it’s great to have the option.”

Benge .470 SE tuning slide with Adjustable brace
“Received my leadpipe today and I can’t put my horn down. I primarily use a B2.5L, and this new pipe changes my bass in to a different horn (a good thing!!). Articulations are crisp and pointed, and tone is extremely centered and does not spread. Workmanship is absolutely top notch and the pipe threaded into the receiver without adjustments. Excellent product that I can’t get enough of! I’ll be back for more, I’m sure.”

George Roberts Nickel Bass Trombone Leadpipe (Shires Threads)
“The scale and feel (back pressure) are more even and the leadpipe made my playing very efficient. I could articulate very hard in all registers and the sound still held together. When my musician friends listened from about 100 feet away in a hall, they noticed that the .525B-Y had more of a presence or “sizzle” in the sound than the Mercedes 836. They also noted that I sounded like I was not working so hard on the fortes and fortissimos. The coolest thing is that they noticed the same thing on my Bach 36 and my Yamaha 683G!”

525B-Y Tenor Trombone Leadpipe
“I just played a show on my lead mouthpiece with the new callet pipe setup, and I was MORE THAN SATISFIED! WOOW! Intonation, response, upper register slotting and clarity, and great articulation, to name a few of the positive characteristics. After playing this show which is usually very taxing, I’m surprised at how great I felt toward at the end. And I’ve only played this pipe a couple hours on this setup, so I’m pleasantly surprise at how fast I became acclimated. I still would like a more open and rounded sound than what I’m getting on it, but I know that will come with more practice and getting used to. Still, I think I may purchase your other 25 pipe just to have in case I want to attach it later, but I’m going to give this pipe some more time to get used to it. You all really know what you’re doing! I appreciate your friendliness and thank you for your products and for helping me find my sound.”

BSE Semi-round Nickel Tuning Slide and Callet 122 Leadpipe
“I was quite surprised by the tenor GR nickel lead pipe, sounds so good and my horn is finally projecting. Articulations are a lot easier too :)”

GR Tenor Nickel Leadpipe
“Lead pipe received. Fantastic. It’s an obvious improvement over my stock Bach lead pipe. Thanks!”

MK50 Yellow Brass pipe with Pull Ring
“Wow! This was an extremely hard choice to settle on. I really really liked both. I played both equally and I’m still torn on what I like better. I’m going to go with the Bach leadpipe. It is a little fuller and more orchestral sounding. The conn leadpipe has amazing clarity and precision, but I already have the conn in yellow brass, so that’s why I’m going with the Bach. I probably have twenty recordings of me going back and forth between the leadpipes. Thanks for the allowing me to do the trial. I highly recommend your work!”

.525 Leadpipe Sterling Silver 525B-S and 525C-S
“I received my bronze tuning slide today! Just wanted to say thanks! I love it! Not sure how, or what science is behind it but, the tone and solid core it produces is wonderful! It makes me what to update all the slides on my horn.”

Bach Stradivarius 37 ML bore BSR bronze square raw brass with a Bach waterkey
“I use a 1972 TR180 Holton (Elkhorn, also) that used to belong to Dick Hixson in NYC. I have Greenhoe valves on this horn and the upgraded leadpipe really makes this horn special. I have already been singing your praises to some of the locals here in Knoxville.”

Trombone Pipe with Pull Ring (MK50, Nickel, .562 Bore)
“I love my Schilkes but somehow I wondered if M/K main slides might help. I have installed the semi-round sterling silver in all three horns (C2, B2 and B2LB) and I cannot overstate the improvement. Attacks at all volumes and range are VERY good and secure. Core sound is also better, which if you play Schilkes, is saying something. Thank you Mike for making my trumpet playing easier and more enjoyable! I even have a friend interested in an M/K upgrade.”

Schilke Semi-Round Sterling Silver Tuning Slide
“I’m really enjoying how the lack of a brace feels; just fantastic! They’re both a perfect fit on my 37, and the yellow brass slide has freed up my upper register massively. I can now slot a high A below double C perfectly, and my range up to double C (excepting the Ab) is wide open, in tune and easy! The bronze slide sounds lovely, and although it takes a bit more energy to play, it has a beautiful complex sound.”

Standard Bach 37 with 25 pipe – Silver plated SE series Yellow Brass Semi-Round and Raw SE Series Bronze Semi-Round, also an adjustable brace
“Just wanted to let you know that I got the leadpipe mounted, and I couldn’t be happier! I feel like I did when I was at UNT with the 1 o’clock with my 72/43, only I don’t have to work as hard. I can back off most of the time, but when I want to push it, my 8310 sounds huge! Can’t wait to play my horn every day, instead of being that daily chore. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks.”

Yamaha Z Yellow Brass Leadpipe
“Quick review: first two days, had to acclimate because suddenly my horn changed dramatically from large bore to ML. I thought something was wrong…then, shedding and doing some gigs, I began to understand how the ease of play had improved. Not a better sound noticeably, but evenness of tone, and projection, and focus, much much better. Thank you very much for making great thing. I can go to deeper mouthpiece set up without getting tired in the first round.”

Yamaha 8335 ML Raw Yellow Brass, Semi-Round with Brace, with traditional water key – ML bore by request
“The C pipe I had ordered arrived yesterday, and I road tested it last night. I think I am really going to like it! Big, fat core to the sound, good intonation, easy blow, what’s not to like?”

Bach CL 239 25A Leadpipe Large Bore Raw finish Yellow Brass
“I received the shipment on Friday and I had the pipe installed today, and I’m just thrilled! I had high hopes for this horn, but I was starting to feel like it wasn’t going to make the cut. But with the new setup it sounds beautiful! Plays so much better too, but boy the sound is wonderful. Thanks for your help!”

Mt. Vernon Bach Bb trumpet Mt. Pipe/Semi-round ML bore SR Series Yellow Brass tuning slide with Bach Waterkey
“It felt close to the stock 25 pipe, but (for me) seemed to slot really well, clear tone, made each note in a run pop, didn’t seem to stifle my upper register, seemed to have a zing sound up there and didn’t force me to blow my face off/out.

Both pipes EASILY outplayed my stock 25, intonation saw a noticeable improvement on both pipes, both were mouthpiece sensitive enough that I knew the tone I would have and both are a definite, needed upgrade to the stock pipe.

My Army concert band stand mate leaned in and said “I can always tell when you’ve been practicing more, but you sound even better than that today”
– My tenor sax (Indiana University performance graduate) in my Army show band, midway through rehearsal, stopped me and said “Not sure what’s different today…but DAMN man, you’re dialed in”
– The other trumpet in my NOLA brass band (former IU performance major, toured in a ska band for 10 years – even opening for Dave Matthews a few times) turned to me midway through and said I sounded like the range was coming out easier than usual.

You guys are the best and thank you for your help in this process.”

Mt. Vernon 7 leadpipe/Callet Jazz Leadpipe
“Everything looks and feels great! Even though it took a little longer than expected, it was well worth the wait – the horn slotting is greatly improved.”

Yamaha 8310Z tuning slide Bronze Semi-Round and Yamaha 8310Z Valve slide set Bronze
“Thank you for the tuning slide! The tuning slide works well, and looks/sounds great. I wanted my horn to be as flexible as possible in terms of slotting, and along with smaller mouthpiece gap, I find the horn a little more open and flexible in its slotting. (Who knows, I might be making this up all in my head, but then it’s making up good things! :)Once again, thank you, and best wishes for everyone at the MK Drawing and Bending!”

Yamaha Bobby Shew Yellow Brass Fully Round Tuning Slide
“Slide arrived, Sterling, semi-round for my Yamaha 8310z. It took me about 12 seconds to figure out that in every way this is a big improvement over the stock main tuning slide. Nice focus, more even response high to low, articulation improved.

You do great work, Mike!”

Yamaha 8310Z Semi-Round Sterling Silver
“I’ve had about 5 days now of testing the leadpipes out and the clear favorite is the 525CY. It’s a longer pipe that produces enhanced clarity in articulations and excellent feedback in the high register. Sometimes the sound can suffer with a tighter pipe, but I did not find that to be the case. Perfect all around pipe for a Bach 36. It beat out the Edwards #2 pipe I was currently using. The 525BY is shorter and feels more open. Perhaps on a different horn it would be great, but for my needs the feedback on the chops and ease of articulations wasn’t like the 525CY.”

.525C-Y Tenor Trombone Leadpipe
“During the rehearsal the conductor made several public and positive comments about my sound. By the end of rehearsal I knew that I had finally found what I had been looking for. Surprisingly after the rehearsal he sought me out and asked if I was doing anything different with my playing. I explained the addition of your SS pipe. He said and I quote, “It has totally transformed your sound. I am finally hearing things in your part that I never heard before.” Since that night I have sold all the other lead pipes and gotten your bronze pipe which has its own uses in some of the smaller groups I play in. I look forward to someday having the entire set of your lead pipes and then any new developments you may come up with. I cannot say if everyone would have the same experience as I did, but I would and do recommend your GR bass Trombone lead pipes to any bass trombone players I come in contact with. Thank you for providing me a quality product that has given me the means to successful.”

M/K George Roberts Sterling Silver Leadpipe
“I really couldn’t be happier with the George Roberts Bass lead pipe. Now that most of the playing I do is in a concert band, I’ve been looking for a way to make my Edwards bass more efficient to play – more like my old King Duo Gravis. Switching to an “old school” lead pipe design seemed like a option worth trying, and it turned out to be exactly the right choice. I can get the fat sound I want with much less effort and without getting “the hand” from the podium. Articulations are cleaner, lip slurs are less effort, and soft dynamics are easier to produce.”

M/K George Roberts Nickel Silver Bass lead pipe with Getzen-Edwards threaded collar (Raw Finish), has .562 Bore.
“I play a Antoine Courtois 550bhr bastrombone and I have let make the leadpipe removable. Now i play with the MK50 pipe in nickel silver and its great and the bass is become a weapon , a bit brighter but very invasive and penetrating. I am glad thanks!”

MK50 Leadpipe – Nickel silver
“I tried both GR yellow, nickel sliver, and MK42 sterling sliver leadpipe. They are awesome! I play Rath R4F trombone, the GR yellow gives me a clear, fast response and open sound, I would like to use it with solo pieces. Nickel sliver presents a even and stable tone with exposing the sound, especial the low range, open and warm! MK sterling sliver is a amazing piece, it helps you to make very warm sound when you’re playing some soft phrase, also easy to make a very brilliant sound with giving lots of air. I would use during some big pieces. Great job!”

MK42 Sterling Silver, George Roberts Tenor Nickel, and George Roberts Tenor Yellow Brass
“Got my MK Drawing Sterling Silver tuning slide for my Schilke B1. Tried playing the B1 as is first, then changed over to the Sterling silver slide. I immediately noticed a marked improvement in the tone, when playing with the Sterling Silver one: I clearly heard more sparkle, depth and volume in the tone. Also very clear, ringing articulations and the upper register felt free. I noticed it is a little more square than the Schilke tuning slide. I am very happy I got it. Kudos to Mike Bulow the owner.”

Schilke B1 Sterling Silver Tuning Slide
“This slide is amazing! I’ve been playing on this slide for about 2 months, and the difference is astounding. For commercial and lead work, this is perfect. The upper register slots much easier, and everything is centered and sizzles. I can peel paint off of any wall!”

Yamaha 8310Z Fully Round Yellow Brass Tuning Slide
“Excellent products, craftsmanship and customer service. I bought a BSE slide in Sterling Silver for my Bach Anniversary 190 37 for jazz and lead playing. The sound is fat, huge core and cuts the way I need it to. The upper register is more locked in and focused from High C and beyond! Highly recommended!!!”

Bach Trumpet Tuning Slide Raw Finish, Bb Standard Weight SE Square Sterling Silver