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No, I'm not talking about Virginian Slims.

So I'm reading a description of tuba mouthpieces by a to-remain-nameless mouthpiece manufacturer and here is the description for Model B:

The Model B is exactly the same as Model A, except the mouthpiece diameter is 32.5 mm instead of 32.0 mm.

Does anyone think that this difference is significant?

That would depend on who's using it, and in what context. Would it be significant to a beginner? Doubtful. For a general-purpose mouthpiece? Maybe. Special-purpose mouthpiece? Quite possibly ...

Yes, if you believe strongly enough.

Mark wrote:No, I'm not talking about Virginian Slims.

So I'm reading a description of tuba mouthpieces by a to-remain-nameless mouthpiece manufacturer and here is the description for Model B:

The Model B is exactly the same as Model A, except the mouthpiece diameter is 32.5 mm instead of 32.0 mm.

Does anyone think that this difference is significant?

Yes. Considering the complexity of the human body, .5mm may be the difference between a mouthpiece being perfect or extremely uncomfortable on your face. For most folks, probably not, but if you have slightly crooked teeth for example, that .5mm as small as it is may ease discomfort.

Mark wrote:Does anyone think that this difference is significant?

No, but might be noticeable. Since they're the same otherwise, it would make an interesting pea-under-the-mattress test - play both of them, back and forth in random sequence, and have your accomplice keep track of which is which and which you thought it was. Then you'd know if you were a real princess.

For that matter, it's hard for me to take a 33 vs 32 size difference very seriously. Taking into account that in terms of lip placement, this is 0.5 mm, since the difference is distributed symmetrically to both sides. But experience suggests I might indeed notice it.

Mark wrote:

The Model B is exactly the same as Model A, except the mouthpiece diameter is 32.5 mm instead of 32.0 mm.

Does anyone think that this difference is significant?

I do. Because of the way my teeth are set up, I can't play comfortably on 32mm and smaller, but 32.5 and larger are fine. I finally settled on 33mm for general playing.

I notice a significant difference with a change of 1mm or more. I can notice a slight difference with a change of .5mm. I do notice a difference between the PT50 (33mm) and PT88 (33.5mm). I can't notice it by looking, but I can feel the difference.

Mark wrote:No, I'm not talking about Virginian Slims...Does anyone think that this difference is significant?

Actually, you're talking about an old Chesterfield ad advertising their cigarettes as being 101 millimeters long, and making fun of the then newly introduced Benson & Hedges 100 mm cigarettes being longer than standard American cigarettes of the time, coupled with the contemporary relative lack of knowledge by the American public regarding the metric system. Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

OK, I have a Wick 1 and a Wick 2. Both are made on the same blank with the same outside diameter. The difference in cup diameter is .5 millimeter, which, when divided by 2 for each side of the mouthpiece, equates to .25 millimeter difference in rim width. I can definitely feel the difference on my embouchure, and those who hear me play can tell a difference in the tone, more than the just the minor difference on paper the diameter and cup depth would indicate.

I don't have the tuba chops yet to notice much difference between mouthpieces, but for a pro player on french horn a difference of 0.1 mm makes a noticable impact on how the mouthpiece feels and plays. That's a difference of about 0.05 %

harold wrote:Allegedly. I've seen the guys that operate these machines and most of the time they seem barely awake. Usually they have a high school kid that replaces the blank at the end of every run.

Not to mention the minimum-wage guys who hand-buff the mouthpieces prior to plating...

Jonathantuba wrote:I am convinced I can tell by the feel the difference between the 31.25mm of a 24AW and 31mm of a PT24+ and that is only half the amount.

There is some ambiguity in measurement between two mouthpieces of different design, though, because we're measuring a rounded and sloping surface. Does anyone know, is there some standard way to measure a mouthpiece such that your diameter measure will turn out the same as the one the manufacturer publishes?