MF3 vs. MF3-H?

[MichaelDenney]

Has anyone who prefers a Helleberg rim compared these two variants? What were your conclusions?

M.

[dmmorris]

The MF3 is way more rounded on the rim than the Helleberg, more like a Bach 18. The MF3H is most like the Helleberg in that the inside rim edge is fairly sharp. I prefer the MF3H. The MF3 and the MF3H are larger inner diameter than the Helleberg.....and certainly more so than say the Laskey 30H which is more of a Helleberg variant than either of the MF mouthpieces.

I really like the MF series, having switched from Marcinkiewicz H2 (yet another Helleberg variant). I'm using the MF3H on my B&S rotary valve 4/4 BBb tuba and a MF4 on a peashooter Creveny F tuba. The MF3 and the MF3H sound about the same to me, but I like the extra control I seem to get out of the MF3H rim. I really like the sound I'm getting ....especially on the B&S. The MF4 is the first mouthpiece I've used on the little F that allowed me to slot the notes with any security. I'd like to try an 'H" rim on the MF4 at some point.

Interesting chart here

[MikeMilnarik]

I've found it really depends on which horn you plug them into. They're great mouthpieces!

Do you have a particular tuba you are comparing them on?

Mike Milnarik

[MichaelDenney]

Yes, a BBb Holton 345. Other 345 players have found that the MF3 works for them (viewtopic.php?t=8895&highlight=holton+345+mouthpiece ), so I'm going to give it a try.

Several other mouthpieces were recommended in that thread including the PT-48, PT-44, Warburton Jacobs, Marc N4, Dillon M1CB, and the 30H. I've tried a few of them and liked them for various reasons.

A few choices of my own were thrown into the mix--Conn Helleberg, Loud LM7 with 30H-type rim, and a Monette 94. One result is that I now like a Helleberg-type rim. Another is that switching mouthpieces has become easy (the only characteristic I have in common with Mr. Jacobs). The last is that there's a lot more mouthpieces in the rack than I ever planned to own, but my technical background is design and development engineering so tinkering was bound to happen!

[dmmorris]

Seems like most MF3 users have enjoyed "pluggin-them-into" 4/4 rotary valve tubas (Miraphone 186, MW-25, B&S, and the like), but I'm also using one in an old York 4/4.....nothing as big as the Holton you have, but the MF3H gives it a big-fat organ pipe sound.....'specially in the low octave. I played the York in church yesterday and the pedal-D's at the end of several hymns were right on the money....very cool.

Again...the MF3 is much more rounded on the edge than most any of the Helleberg mouthpieces I have tried, so you may wanna go for the MF3H is you like the edge.

[iiipopes]

Have you thought of sending an email or pm to Mike Finn, as he is a tuba player, and can tell you not only the differences, but why he has both models to choose from?

[MichaelDenney]

Yes, Mike emailed me just this weekend.