shank for 1291CC

[The Jackson]

If your PT fits in it nicely, then you can safely say it's a Euro shank.

[Tom]

Several years ago this was posted on tubenet in response to the same question:

You need a mouth piece with a Euro shank. There are several makers out there that make a Euro shank piece. GW, Laskey,
Miraphone, and many more.I've done extensive testing with the 1291 and I certainly would not tell you this in a public forum if I didn't think it was important..
good luck,
Alan Baer

I'd take his word for it if and get the euro shank if I were you.

[cjk]

... I think the PT moutpieces are somewhere between an American and Euro shank. Anybody know for sure?

The PT standard shank is "Euro". The PT "S" shank is "American". I have examples of both and have verified this first hand.

viewtopic.php?p=81071&highlight=shank#81071

STANDARD AMERICAN: The reference point for this size of about .520" at the small end of the shank. A good example would be the Bach, and Conn Helleberg tuba mouthpieces. This is the most common size here in the United States. In the Dennis Wick line, you need to make sure it has the "L" in the model number to get this standard size. Our regular size shank Dillon Mouthpieces are also of this size. Besides American built horns, many European horns like Miraphone can use this size.

EUROPEAN SHANK: This is an increasingly popular shank size of about .530" diameter at the small end of the shank. It is found in mouthpieces like the JK Exclusive, Perantucci, Laskey "E" shank, and of course our wonderful Sheridan Series of mouthpieces. Most every European and American tuba built these days, will accept this shank size.

LARGE SHANK: This is a larger size that measures about .550" diameter at the small end of the shank. It works well on the larger European tubas. Especially horns with large diameter leadpipes like the "York" copies and most Alexander model 163 CC tubas. This is the size of our Dillon Music "L" shank mouthpiece and the new Wick 2XL.

[Alan Baer]

FYI...
Parantucci pieces.. .531
Euro shank ... .538
American shank.. .520

The 1291 and 1292 will take the Euro shank.. Anything else with adversely affect the way the horn plays.
You can get the GW pieces in American AND Euro..
The .531 shank will make the bottom end feel very fat, but have bad clarity.. the .520... even worse..
good luck,
some hack...

[MartyNeilan]

I had a chance to play on a new student's 1292 New Yorker tonight. Nice horn, a little smaller than what I was expecting. The low register had a lot of balls.
The receiver was huge. Completely swallowed both mouthpieces I tried on it (standard shank models). Unquestionably a euro receiver. I have played "large shank" MW's that can get away with a with a standard shank mouthpiece, but I really don't think anything other than a euro would be appropriate for these horns (assuming the 1291 has the same receiver as the 1292.)
The student had a Loud LM7 and it seemed to work pretty good for him, FWIW.

[Alan Baer]

Okay,
now that we've leveled the playing field... ha..
Anyway, You could use the small piece (w the euro shank) But..
this isn't the way the tuba OR the mouthpieces were designed to be used.
I only use my C mouthpiece on my C tuba.. period. If I HAVE to do a solo on this horn the mouthpiece is never changed. If I'm playing in an ensemble the mouthpiece is never changed..
If your wanting to change your PT 50 for solo work, you really need to ask yourself if this is the correct piece for the horn.. Are you getting all the clarity that you need to cut through the ensemble? Apparently not, because if you were getting great clarity, you wouldn't be looking for a smaller piece for solos.
Putting a bigger piece into a horn to TRY to give it a "bigger" sound, is like putting a tractor tire on a Toyota.. Will it get you there? yes... will it get you there in a way you know you want it to? Hell no.
Come on guys, the reason that I'm on this tangent about shanks and now mouth pieces is NOT to slam other pieces or to make anyone feel stupid. I'm doing it to try to help...
The equipment that you choose should allow you to sound like
YOU...with the least amount of effort. I pick pieces that run somewhere in the middle.. The pieces that I play allow me to sound like me.. very easily...
Allow the equipment to create the clarity and the music, allow the room to create the mass, not the big mouthpiece...
good luck,
Baer

[Ed Jones]

In response to Mary Neilan's post, the 1292 has a larger receiver than the 1291. The '92 needs a Euro shank mouthpiece while either Euro or American mouthpieces fit the '91 (although I think Euro mouthpieces work better). I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps Alan can chime in on this.

[Alan Baer]

Well,
Ed has noticed "the change".. But, I assure you, it's the same receiver and more importantly, the same engagement into the horn with both...
The only reason that we changed this was in hopes of giving a different look. Yes, that right.. Folks were complaining that their Euro shank mouthpiece was "sticking out too much". In reality it was right where it need to be. The only change was to make the receiver longer so that more of the shank of the mouthpiece was covered. This also discouraged players from trying to use a small shank it the horn. so bad.. so bad...
So, the moral to the story, Please use the Euro shank on 1291 AND 1292.
Sorry for any confusion.
Baer

[quinterbourne]

About how far should the shank go into the receiver for it to be considered too small/large or just right? This is a question for any mouthpiece in any horn.