E-Z Tone Precision mouthpieces
According to the 1969 issue of Conn Chord magazine, the period involving these mouthpieces lasted from 1950 to 1954. In fact, the 1956 Conn accessories catalog doesn't mention these at all. Probably the E-Z Tone mouthpieces started in 1958, which was another of the years with major changeovers. Also, E-Z Tone mouthpiece were produced into the 1960's, and probably through 1969.
Quoting the January 1969 issue of Conn Chord magazine: "In the era 1950 to 1954 Conn introduced the "E-Z Tone" mouthpieces which were originally designed for student use. These distinctive mouthpieces are made in standard cup and rim sizes only, and are comfortable and scientifically designed for proper tone production." Copyrighted, 1968, By Conn Corp.)
The Mouthpieces
E-Z Tone mouthpieces have a distinctive "stepped" design of the outside of the cup. One model E-Z Tone mouthpiece was made for each of the different types of brass instruments. I gather that the cornet E-Z Tone mouthpiece was 2½" long, which suggests it might be a short shank mouthpiece. Or at least that E-Z Tone cornet mouthpiece were prodeced as short shank mouthpieces for a period. This of course is inconsistent with a start date of 1958, when as far as I am aware Conn switched to long shank cornet mouthpieces.
A review of the E-Z Tone mouthpiece
The Conn 4 mouthpiece and the Conn E-Z Tone mouthpiece feel like completely different mouthpieces to the trumpet / cornet player, but the truth is that they have exactly the same dimensions in most respects. If you start with a Conn 4 mouthpiece, then round the rim contour and enlarge the throat from a #25 throat to a #19 throat, you will end up with a Conn E-Z Tone mouthpiece.
Through the following measurements and observations I discovered the main reason the two mouthpieces feel so completely different: Rim shape.
My Conn 4 short-shank cornet mouthpiece has the following approximate dimensions:
Outer diameter = 1.057”
Rim width = .220”
Throat = 0.150” = #25
Cup Depth = .420”
Total Length = 2.5”
My Conn E-Z Tone short-shank cornet mouthpiece has the following approximate dimensions:
Outer diameter = 1.057”
Rim width = .220”
Throat = 0.166” = #19
Cup Depth = .420”
Total Length = 2.5”
Why do the Conn 4 and the Conn E-Z Tone feel so completely different to the player’s lips? Although the Conn E-Z Tone and the Conn 4 have the same cup diameter and have the same rim width, why does the Conn E-Z Tone feel like it has a larger cup diameter than the Conn 4 and a wider rim than the Conn 4?
According to the Conn Loyalist pages at Connstellation Mouthpieces and Conn Connstellation mouthpiece rim bites, the Connstellation 7C-W mouthpiece and Connstellation 7C-N mouthpieces are identical cup diameters but the 7C-W feels larger than the 7C-N because the inner bite of the rim has been removed for the 7C-W.
The Conn E-Z Tone mouthpiece feels like a larger diameter than the Conn 4 mouthpiece because the Conn E-Z Tone is essentially a Connstellation 7C-W rim (without bite) while the Conn 4 mouthpiece is essentially a Connstellation 7C-N rim (with bite).
That lack of bite on the inner edge of the rim on the Conn E-Z-Tone has another result: Because of that lack of bite, making the cup diameter feel slightly larger, the lips fall slightly farther into the cup of Conn E-Z Tone than they would on a Conn 4, with the aperture of the player’s embouchure coming slightly closer to the throat of the mouthpiece than would happen with a Conn 4. That makes the Conn E-Z Tone mouthpiece play as though it feels slightly shallower than the Conn 4, although my measurements indicate that the two mouthpieces are really the same cup depth and cup shape.
Also, the middle of the rim (which is also the high point of the rim) on the Conn E-Z Tone is flatter than the middle of the rim (which is also the high point of the rim) on the Conn 4. That makes the rim of the Conn E-Z Tone feel much wider and much more comfortable than the Conn 4 rim, although they really have the same rim width.
As my embouchure has matured, I have felt that the Conn 4 mouthpiece has started to feel like it is too small a diameter for me. And I wished that the cup was slightly shallower to make hitting Double High C’s a little easier. And I wished that the throat was more open to compensate for the thin tone of my upstream embouchure. And I wished that the rim was more comfortable.
As it turns out, the Conn E-Z Tone mouthpiece gives me all of those features, so the Conn E-Z Tone has become my favorite mouthpiece for my cornet. My scales up to Double High C’s have become easier, more consistent, and sound better, than with any other mouthpiece I have tried.
The Conn E-Z Tone might have a reputation for being just a “student mouthpiece”, but I consider it to be one of the best mouthpieces I have ever tried.
Icing on the cake: The “stair-step” design on the outside of the Conn E-Z Tone mouthpiece looks so “cool”, and we trumpet / cornet players love to look “cool”.