TubeNet

I was wondering if anybody here has tried or owns a stainless steel mouthpiece. Houser has them on their web site and they seem interesting. I currently play on a YCB 822S and a stork custom mouthpiece based on a helleberg II (I got it from my teacher). Does anybody have any thoughts?

http://www.housermouthpiece.com/
http://webpages.charter.net/mjtproject/

It's probably not a bad idea--steel is stronger and tends to hold its shape better than brass, although it isn't as dense. Traditionally, the problem with stainless has been its difficulty to machine, but modern tooling has made that less of an issue.

For some, an unplated stainless mouthpiece will work fine, but others may have a reaction to the metal; it varies from person to person.

Heck, if Kelly can sell Lexan mouthpieces, I'd imagine that a stainless mouthpiece would perform just fine.

I've got a brass Houser HB2 mouthpiece that I like very much.

Okay I was going to wait about another week before I started letting tubenet users in on this, however after reading this post I think it's a good intro into Stainless steel mouthpieces.

I have been making mouthpieces for myself out of stainless steel for about four years, and after making many prototypes, and learning a lot about what works and what doesn't I have been starting the process of manufacturing tuba mouthpieces.

I have a friend Bob, who is a tubaist for fun, and a machinist by trade. We also have access to a CNC lathe, all the computer programs a person could want, and over the course of about two years we have over 100 mb worth of drawings from failed mouthpieces, and succesful mouthpieces.

What we learned briefly (I hope to have a web site up and running within about 2 weeks)

stainless articulated better
Stainless focussed better
Stainless has a very nice tone compaired to brass

when compairing brass to stainless with exactly the same shape mouthpiece, stainless is an improvement

Heavy weight can get too heavy
Light weight can get too light

Backbore is tough to machine in stainless, but when you make it just the right way it Really makes a difference.

Rim is important, and generally speaking a sharper rim though uncomfortable at first can teach a person to play with leass force, and as a result take a persons playing to another level

This is all too brief, however I have some photos of what we have been making. By next week we will have our first batch made. This will be

1.32 Big momma for making the roof rattle
1.28 General playing
1.25 Little guy for quintet, solo, and small stuff

We also have plans for about 3 other mouthpieces. Check out the limited photos I have and let me know what questions you have. In the photos are two prototypes, the walls are bit thick and the backbore is sad!!! along with one 1.32 that I really like, nice weight, great sound, amazing articulation and focussed sound like you wouldn't believe.

http://www.lakinarottweilers.com/mouthpieces.htm

Ivan Giddings

P.S. The web sight is a little add on to our Dog web sight, if you love dogs check it out. Lots of Great info there.

how much do you plan on selling them for?
just curious.

Bill