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I've heard talk of the G&W mouthpieces (size and so on), but no reviews. I am a mouthpiece nut, and wanted to know if those of you who play them are $135 pleased. Thinking about picking one up, but just wanted to hear approvals/concerns from you guys.

Thanks!

Buy every single one. You'll be pleased.

I have a Williwaw and a Baer CC that I use on my MW 2000. I play both (depending on the situation), and I love them. If I hadn't found an F mouthpiece that fit my PT10 "perfectly", I'd still be using the Baer F as well. I only have stainless steel, but am excited to try titanium soon, hopefully at ITEC.

Definately worth a try. You get a 14 day trial period. Pick a few up.

These mouthpieces are VERY different and VERY good. I use a Caver with my big BBb Martin and it's just perfect for me. The notes slot well and yet there is still great flexibility. The stainless steel seems to bring out the upper harmonics giving a lot of projection but there is also a lot of core in the sound. And it seems a lot of other people really like them too-worth every penny, IMO.

Lee once related the stainless sound to the Kelley plastic sound

I would say plastic is a small amount mellower than brass; not brighter.

Is Bill Pritchard (TubaDork) still doing his "tupperware parties"? He had a bunch of sample mouthpieces from several makers (I'm pretty sure G & W included), and was scheduling periodic sessions to try them out. Atlanta isn't all THAT far from you -- and you'd get to try a bunch of mouthpieces, not just the G & Ws.

I'd suggest sending him a PM and see what's coming up.
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Joe Baker, who is a cheapskate, and sticking with his plain ol' brass and lexan pieces .

Joe Baker, who is a cheapskate

"Financially efficient"

I tried the F mpc, and it was fine but not $135 more fine than my PT 64. Then a friend sent me some DE parts that he liked on his 182, and the DE did seem to work better. Since it was free I didn't have to worry whether it was $135 better.

Of course my technique level on tuba is nowhere near where it is on horn, on which I am pretty picky about mouthpieces.

MA

Yep,
I'm available any time in Atlanta if you wanted to make some time to drive down and we can geek out. Right now I have the whole line (except for the charuda,the real small F mpc) but I have to return the Caver and Diablo very soon, so write me quick if you are interested.
Bill Pritchard

The biggest benefit I have found with these mouthpieces is the response.
I can't believe how easy it is to articulate with them.
I play the Caver on my Gnagey/King CC and and Churado on my Dillon/Conn F.

Frank Ortega

Here goes my silly opinion, I like the mouthpieces, but think there is just too much metal to them. I'm in the process of having a Churada machined down to something more like the shape of the Baer line. I've never been a fan of heavyweight mouthpieces because they deaden the sound for me and don't provide me the feedback that I like. Right now it looks like a big cone, so there's more metal to remove. Hopefully my buddy can get some lathe time soon so I can show the tubadork what I've got and compare to a stock Churada at the conference. Go Army.

Or you can buy a Kelly and the problem will disappear completely.

I was actually prejudice against the thick walled mouthpieces for some time before I tried the G&W. So when I tried the G&W and loved the articulation I thought the the Baer models would be ideal with the thinner walls. My reaction when playing the Baer models was that the shaved down versions seemed to lose overtones. For some reason that I can't explain scientifically, I think the Satinless steele needs the extra weight to get full color and response. I think tauba players are just not used to hearing more of the sound coming out of the bell than from the walls of the mouthpiece. I also think this phenomenon makes it easier to hear the actual intonation that we're projecting.

Just my two cents.