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I don't believe I can be of much help, Wade. I played on a Bach 18 for many years. In fact, that is the mouthpiece I was using the last time I saw you. I switched from that to a Conn Helleberg. Now when I try the Bach, I lose a lot of my flexibility and agility. I also believe I get better articulation. Now I am using the Helleberg for "ordinary" things and I use the Mike Finn 3H for times when I want to beef up my sound.

I always thought the Blessing 18 was intended to be a knockoff of the Bach 18, although not a very good one. I could be wrong, here. I have NO experience with a Blessing anything, personally. I have had students who used Blessing trombones which are said to be knockoffs of the Bach 42. I don't think they are as good as they are trying to be, either.

I realize this isn't much help. I just felt like posting this. Maybe someone can have some fun flaming me. GO FOR IT!

By the way, Wade, I hope you survived Katrina OK.

TubaRay wrote:I realize this isn't much help. I just felt like posting this. Maybe someone can have some fun flaming me. GO FOR IT!

FLAAAAAAAAME!!!!!!!!!!!

Ralph

I'd like to help, but your post begs several questions:
1) What are you using now?
2) Why do you want to change?
3) What do you not like about your current mpc?
4) What was your criteria for narrowing your scope?

For example, I wanted a new mouthpiece that felt like an 18 rim (which as we all know, is larger in diameter than spec, something like 1.28 instead of the published spec), was deeper to put more air through it, darken the tone and get rid of split notes from back pressure, and 3) I could play outside in all conditions. After reviewing the market, and deciding I couldn't afford a custom Lexan rim on a "standard" mouthpiece, I went with a Kelly 18, which fit the bill perfectly and has replaced all others with one exception below.

On my 1971 Besson, I needed something that fit the stock smaller British receiver. That pretty much took me to a Wick, as I couldn't afford a Perantucci, and custom shanks on others were even higher than that.

So please give us a little more info so we may help you better.

Good to hear you're doing OK, Wade. You may have heard some about the situation in San Antonio. It bears many similarities to what you have described. I have no idea how many there are in our city, but apparently many of them plan to stay. Who knows what effect this will have.

It is a sad commentary that so many have chosen to complain about what they are receiving out of the kindness of others. It seems that the thugs and riff-raff of New Orleans have tarnished the country's view of the entire city. I know they have mine. I know if I had been a volunteer and someone had started shooting at me, I would have left immediately. I would probably have been muttering expletives to myself while I was leaving. I'm afraid our country harbors a rather large number of people who are focused on their rights and not much else. At the same time, look at the amount of money, goods, and time which have been freely offered by the caring people of the U.S. and many other countries. Even Mexico has sent a convoy of the Mexican army to help here in San Antonio.

By the way, you caught me with the troll. I wondered why you would be asking such a question. While it didn't seem to make sense, I took you seriously, anyway. Hope you had some fun.

Wade, it was a perfectly good troll!



I got it, anyway; I was trying to figure out exactly how to use this picture:

(Barbara Bach, who is something of a Blessing...) but hadn't come up with quite the right wording yet.

Hope things return to something resembling normal soon. Try to remember the "space invaders" around you have little choice about the matter. Best to you and yours.
__________________________________
Joe Baker, who plays a custom copy of a Faxx 18

Who needs an excuse to use that picture. Whoa!

the elephant wrote:... Sorry about the silly troll. I was buzzing and frustrated and sometimes am blessed with an odd sense of humor . . .

A sense of humor (especially an odd one) can be a very valuable thing. Glad you're hanging in there.

barry guerrero wrote:I use the Blessing 18 exclusively for the top line G# on any CC tuba. If it's written as an Ab, then I stick to the Bach. There is a difference in how the two enharmonic notes are tuned, and I find that making this m.p. switch gets it just right.

I really have to ask, is it awkward changing back to the Bach 18 before moving on to the next note? If you are playing a solo in front of a large audience, does it help to clear your throat whenever you get to that point?

But much more seriously, I'm glad to know that you're OK, Wade. Most of my wife's family lives in Hattiesburg, MS. They are alright, but her uncle's house was completely destroyed by the hurricane.

Joe Baker wrote:Wade, it was a perfectly good troll!



I got it, anyway; I was trying to figure out exactly how to use this picture:

(Barbara Bach, who is something of a Blessing...) but hadn't come up with quite the right wording yet.

Hope things return to something resembling normal soon. Try to remember the "space invaders" around you have little choice about the matter. Best to you and yours.
__________________________________
Joe Baker, who plays a custom copy of a Faxx 18

You mean Mrs. Ringo Starr! Wonder what she looks like in a more recent photo,

http://www.dancingmonica.com/ringostarr.htm

Well, for what it's worth, I like the Blessing better than the Bach -- feels a little deeper and a little more open to me, with better centering. So much for a troll. You won't catch me next time -- not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.

I use a Bach 6 1/2 AL with a LOT of duct tape

While changing mouthpieces may help those pesky notes, I find it works a LOT better to just change tubas. Like, if I suddenly have a note that is G or above, I pick up my F tuba to play it. It takes a little bit of practice if it's in a 16th note run, but practice is what it's all about, isn't it?
MA

MaryAnn wrote:While changing mouthpieces may help those pesky notes, I find it works a LOT better to just change tubas. Like, if I suddenly have a note that is G or above, I pick up my F tuba to play it. It takes a little bit of practice if it's in a 16th note run, but practice is what it's all about, isn't it?
MA

It probably helps if you are extremely strong, and quick, too.

" I hope they got a trailer park in heaven-a place where this ole boy can rest his soul. I hope they got a trailer park in heaven. If not I might change my mind before I go."
By the Trailer Park Troubadors.
"My truck don't need no streets of gold-just some jumper cables when it gets cold. And it won't be no paradise without a K-mart up the road."
This kind of songwriting cheers me up!
The Fartman
www.johnreno.com/

MaryAnn wrote:While changing mouthpieces may help those pesky notes, I find it works a LOT better to just change tubas. Like, if I suddenly have a note that is G or above, I pick up my F tuba to play it. It takes a little bit of practice if it's in a 16th note run, but practice is what it's all about, isn't it?
MA

I have a stunt double.

the elephant wrote:Barbara Bach was a Blessing at the age of 18.

I just don't know why it didn't occur to me that Catherine Bach was (to my tastes) even MORE of a Blessing when I was 18!

__________________________
Joe Baker, who found a more recent picture of Catherine Bach... and decided it was best not to post it .