TubeNet

I don't hear very much about these, but I'm curious too. I wonder if their price has something to do with it - they cost quite a bit more than the Denis Wick / Steven Mead euph mouthpiece line.

Here are some customer reviews at wwbw:

http://www.wwbw.com/DEG-Signature-Low-B ... 3172.music

Louis

Oh... I saw this in the For Sale section BTW...

viewtopic.php?t=10696

Louis

I've been playing a BB1 for a year or more and prefer it over all my others. I give the others a new chance once in a while but always go back to the BB1 because the high range is easier and flexibility and articulation are improved, all this being said by an amateur who needs all the help he can get from good equipment.

If anything, the BB1 is a hair smaller in cup size and bore than the 51D, but it doesn't so much feel like it because of the rim shape. And the BB1 is the biggest in the series as far as I know. Maybe your friend meant that it was harder to get more air through it as apposed to a bigger bore piece?

"I know that 90% of the Euphonium studio at UNT Play on it, and not just because Dr. Bowman is our teacher."

I'll betcha that deep down Dr. Bowman's preference is the reason. If he suddenly had a conversion and decided the SM4 is the best piece, 90% of the UNT students would be playing them in a heartbeat.

Go over to Steve Mead's website and look at the recently posted student profiles from his euphonium studio. All the euph players except one (and he's on a Wick 4AL) are on SM mouthpieces. There ain't a BB1 in sight.

Two main reasons I think: (1) Players follow their mentor's example, and (2) different traditions, American service band vs. English brass band.

There are great players who sound wonderful on the Willson/BB1 combo that Dr. Bowman favors and equally great players who sound wonderful on Bessons with SM pieces.

And then there are the great players who sound wonderful on Yamahas with Doug Elliott pieces, and so on....

John

I have played on one of these mouthpieces. I started, like most, on the 6.5 AL. I was quickly moved to a 51D in high school - which is a fine mouthpiece. I know some service band players still use these. I think that Lance LaDuke still performs on this mouthpiece. Anyway, I now play on a SM3, which is the best fit for me and the type of music that I like to play.

The most important thing is this - there is no such thing as the "perfect" mouthpiece. No matter what someone says. They all have their strengths and their weaknesses. You just need to find on that you can live with and one that you can improve on. Let me say that again:

Find a mouthpiece that you can live with - and one that you can also improve on. Don't look for a mouthpiece to "fix" problems. More times they often create more problems than they fix.

- Pat Stuckemeyer