Detail 01
16.87mm rim inner diameter
On the narrower side for horn. Easier endurance and high notes, less room to spread out low.
Product detailSKU #1274115034881
YamahaStandard Series French Horn Mouthpiece 31D4
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
Yamaha's 31D4 French horn mouthpiece: a 16.87mm double-cup with a semi-shallow V profile, aimed at players who want help in the upper register.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Horn players who tire out on high passages
- Bb horn work where a warm core matters
- Anyone currently on a Giardinelli G17 needing a replacement
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Players chasing a big, dark low-register sound
- Large-rim players used to 17mm+ diameters
- Beginners still forming an embouchure on a stock mouthpiece
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Semi-shallow V-cup, double-cup design
The double taper brightens the attack and adds security up top while keeping the tone from turning thin.
Detail 03
3.90mm throat
Moderate opening. Holds resistance you can push against rather than letting air escape freely.
Detail 04
Semi-wide backbore
Opens the sound and helps the horn bloom at louder dynamics without choking off.
Detail 05
Semi-thick rim, standard contour
Spreads pressure across the lip for comfort on long sessions without deadening feel.
Detail 06
Voiced for Bb horn
Tuned toward the Bb side of a double horn, where a warm, rich response is the goal.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01Mouthpiece only. No pouch, case, or brush included.
- 02Rim size changes endurance. Expect an adjustment period of days, not minutes.
- 03Confirm your current rim diameter before switching, so the change is deliberate.
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Will this fit my horn?
It uses the standard French horn shank, so it seats in standard French horn receivers. It will not fit trumpet, mellophone, or alto horn receivers.
02Is the 31D4 good for high notes?
That is its strength. The 16.87mm rim and semi-shallow cup reduce fatigue and make the upper register more secure than a deeper, wider mouthpiece.
03How does it compare to the Giardinelli G17?
Yamaha lists the 31D4 as the equivalent to the Giardinelli G17, both double-cup designs. It is the closest match in the Yamaha Standard lineup.
04Should a student start on this?
Only if there is a reason to switch. Narrower rims reward a settled embouchure; students usually do better on a medium mouthpiece first.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsBody & build
- Backbore
- semi-wide
2 detailsSize & weight
- Rim Inner Diameter Mm
- 16.87
- Cup Depth
- semi-shallow(v-cup)
21 detailsOther
- 29d4
- Holton VDC (double-cup)
- 34b
- Denis Wick 4N (V-cup)
- 33b
- Denis Wick 5N (V-cup)
- Characteristics
- Designed especially for Bb horn, it is close to the YAC HR29B, but has slightly different rim contour, producing a warm, rich sound.
- Throat Mm
- 3.90
- Rim Thickness
- semi-thick
- 32b
- Tilz 39, with larger rim diameter (V-cup)
- 31b
- Tilz 39 (V-cup)
- 30b
- Alexander 8 with shallower cup (V-cup)
- 34c4
- Bach 3 (U-cup)
- 33c4
- Alexander 8F, with larger rim diameter (U-cup)
- 32c4
- Alexander 8F (U-cup)
- 35c4
- Bach 3, with larger rim diameter (U-cup)
- 29c4
- Tilz 39S, with smaller cup (U-cup)
- Rim Contour
- standard
- 32d4
- Giardinelli S16 (double-cup)
- 31d4
- Giardinelli G17 (double-cup)
- 30c4
- Tilz 39S (U-cup)
- 30d4
- Holton VDC, with larger rim diameter (double-cup)
- 29b
- Alexander 5 with smaller rim diameter (V-cup)
- 28b
- Alexander 5 (V-cup)
