Gronitz PF 125 and AGR

[jtuba]

Has anyone thought about putting an adjustable gap receiver on their Gronitz F? I was thinking about moving the receiver to adjust the gap on mine, but noticed there is no gap to begin with, like a Yamaha 822C. The articulation isn't bad, but would be better with the gap receiver?

[JB]

I think these gadgets are cool - and I use one of one of my instruments...

Mr Bloke:

I've read what (I can find) about "these gadgets" but am still not clear on what the potential results are (be they + or -). Since you use one and have first-hand experience, would you please describe what they do and the affects on playing.

Thanks

[JB]

...they can very subtily change the way it "feels" to blow through the instrument.

Does this mean, for example, that (to a certain degree) a horn that plays with a fair bit of resistance could be made to feel more free blowing? And, in a different application, could this be used to "tighten up" the feel of how a horn slots?

[Matt Good]

I had a Dillon AGR installed by Matt Walters, sometime at the end of the last century on a MW2165. My overall impression was that the AGR illustrated a point concerning the amount gap that could be adjusted to my horn to make it articulate and slur the best. I never noticed a huge change in resistance from all the settings that I had experimented.

I spent a lot of time messing around with this piece of hardware to the point of frustration. I did eventually learn that I preferred larger shank mouthpieces, but I could have discovered that without doing major surgery to my leadpipe. The best thing that I did with my 2165 was to install a smaller leadpipe with a tighter venturi.

Mr. Bloke does give some good advice; I wouldn't install an AGR on a Gronitz, especially if you will have a need to sell this tuba in the future.

If anybody one this board wants one, I have one for sale!:D

-Matt

[Haugan]

There is no gadget that exceeds excess practice. We all have our quirks, I'm real sensetive about mouthpieces and imperfections in mpc. machining, but in the long run I sound the same for the most part whether I'm playing on a "DR. Young" or a Miraphone 13.

The initially different response one gets when trying out anything strange or new forces a person into a different mode of approach, and the results are that the "product" (or sound) is improved. At least temporarily. Many a $150+ mouthpieces are sold in this manner, and it's nothing new. Jacobs once confessed to me that before he realized this, he spent a small fortune, but always came back to his Conn-Helleberg. He could pull out anything for a quick-fix example, and in the later years, I was often on the recieving end of his generosity when he decided he didn't need 100 mouthpieces anymore.

I DO feel however, that there is an "Ideal" mouthpiece that connects any player with a given model tuba, and the manufacturer's "supplied" mpc. is usually the best starting point.

I've always entertained the notion/fear that if I "geeked up" and customized my tuba too much, I would only be able to play one tuba well, and now I can play on well on nearly anything. A versatility that also carries the disadvantage of lack of total connection with one, perhaps. When Pat Sheridan told me about how he played one tuba - just one - for what seemed forever to me several years ago, a lot "clicked" in this regard. I can happily say the Gronitz finally fits this bill for me, though I always have "ergonomic" (I'm 6'8") issues with nearly ANY tuba.