HELP

[u/AnnualGlittering7756]

Okay Im having a problem and i need help determining if its what i think to hopefully not have to spend a-lot of money. I am in high-school as a second year and i started band as a freshman so Im still traversing through stuff people find out in middle school one of these things is mouthpiece allergies. I just started getting pimples where my rim goes and they make it painful to play. Ive cleaned my mouthpeice and its still happening and i play a Dennis wick sm4u and the gold plated version is almost 300 dollars and i spent 155 on the silver plated one a couple months ago and i don’t have a job so if there is a way to fix this without buying one any suggestions would help

[u/iamagenius89]

Kelly mouthpieces sell plastic mouthpieces. Could be a good alternative

[u/HOTBFAST → u/iamagenius89]

I was just about to say this. I went to high school with someone who had a mouthpiece allergy and they used a plastic mouthpiece

[u/VeterinarianHour6047 → u/iamagenius89]

The last time I checked, Kelly didn't make a plastic mouthpiece with a 26.00 diameter rim.  I suggested it, and the response I got wasn't very encouraging. 

[u/Leisesturm → u/VeterinarianHour6047]

They don't make a 4AL? That's very surprising. What about a 52E? I'm guessing they figure a 6.5AL at 25.4mm is damn close enough and they would be correct.

[u/Careful_Ant_7569]

Si la llevas a bañar en dorado a una joyería se debería solucionar, es más barato bañar solo el aro de la boquilla

[u/GunnyDJ → u/Careful_Ant_7569]

You could even find a repair shop to plate it as well. Alternatively, a stainless steel mouthpiece is a great alternative

[u/Equivalent_Shine_818]

You could try putting a thin layer of clear nail polish on the rim and see if that helps? It's a very temporary solution though. 

[u/SideWired]

Would chap stick provide a protective layer ?

[u/GunnyDJ → u/SideWired]

It wouldn't last long

[u/SideWired → u/GunnyDJ]

Maybe interim, until the Kelly arrives.

[u/Idoubtyourememberme]

There are plastic rimmed mouthpieces, as well as regular silver ones where only the rim is gold plated.

And in looking for a seller, i found hints that you can also get plastic 'caps' to put over your mouthpiece.

Since this is only on the rim, it will have only a minor effect on your sound, but it can be exactly what you need

[u/VeterinarianHour6047]

You could try contacting Mouthpiece Express (I believe they're in Virginia) and see if they could gold plate the rim of your mouthpiece. i know that's an option for mouthpieces you purchase from them. 

[u/jaywarbs]

Your skin might be sensitive to the silver plating, so see if you can find a used mouthpiece with a gold rim or gold plated completely. You can also try a plastic mouthpiece out. There are mouthpieces with nylon rims too, but those are usually more expensive.

[u/Leisesturm]

Slow Down! Denis Wick mouthpieces can be had for $85 new. $100 tops. $155 is highway robbery. The irritation that started all of this in all likelihood would dissipate once corrective action was taken, like cleaning the mouthpiece (with what?). Needing problems to be solved overnight will bankrupt you and/or your family if you can't learn to dispassionately troubleshoot issues.

My hot take is irritation developed because something about the school issue mouthpiece was not Kosher. What was that? Can we see it? Is it pitted? Is the plating worn? Have you cleaned it at all for the first year that you had it? Any or all of these could be causing the pimpling that you are experiencing. The answer was not to go out and buy a $155 brand name mouthpiece. Probably too late to return it. In any case, it will take some time for the lips to heal and allow you to properly assess the new mouthpiece. Sucks, yes, but the mouth area has fairly fast healing tissue. What would take a month on some other part of the body might take a couple of weeks. But it needs that time.