TubeNet

Maybe you could throw in some bait to give people some ground to found an answer on.

What do YOU think is it that will make an MP UNSUITABLE for a (any) big horn ?
What do YOU think may possibly lead to a situation where you can use an MP on ONE BAT, but not on THE OTHER ?

Just to give you an idea: to "modern" standards, the MW 46 is a mid-sized, not-so-big F-tuba, even though it was considered a 6/4 at the time it came out (I read so in the old Melton catalogues). I successfully use a PT50+ on it, and I regret every time I try a so-called "F-tuba" (= Euph on steroids)-MP for a change. (For example: the Tilz 7 that came with it). Bore and rim diameters are MY two reasons for that:
1) Whenever I use a smaller-bore MP, the sound gets narrow and weak above the stave, which it doesn´t when I use large-bore MPs. Mid and low range will be fine, though.
2) I´m used to an MP with 35mm inner diameter to go with my CC-tuba (currently my main axe), while the PT50+ has only about 33. This is my small MP already.

I don´t think the PT50+ is considered a popular MP for mid-sized F-horns, though.

the PT88"S" on mine. I've tried a lot of mouthpieces but the Yorkbrunner I have tends to be rather dark in sound and difficult to "light up" in the low register. I found this mouthpiece to be very good for adding that little bit of edge and response without sacrificing the inherent sound quality of the instrument. It also gives the horn (for me) more clarity and definition in articulation and sound. I was using the standard PT88 but it was "woofy" and a little too dark - though my wife preferred that one as a clarinetist.

The Conn Helleberg is nice but requires a bit more air, and I'm too old to work that hard.

YMMV
Peace
Roger

I like the Laskey 30H. I believe that it was specifically designed to be used with the big horns!

Schilke Helleberg II
Laskey 30h
Bear G&W

Enjoy.

d

I used a Laskey 30H when I owned a Yorkbrunner. Though I preferred the feel on my face of my Kanstul 30H (w/C4 rim), the flatter rim on the Laskey brightened the sound and definitely helped with cleaning articulations 'out front'.

I would imagine that the Baer MMVI CC or the Loud LM-7 would also work well if you like a slight heavier mouthpiece.

-Josh

TU33 sure makes the 191 sound good ... might be why Miraphone has one duct taped to the horn when you buy it (or something like that).

I would go with the Laskey 30H. I really love mine.

The Joseph Klier "Exclusive" T1 or T2 with a AA cup will really open up a big horn. I use the T1 AA on an old 5/4 Rudy BBb.
T1 has a 34 inner rim diameter while the the T2 is 33.5 - similar to the PT-88+ or TU33 but with a deeper bowl cup.
I believe Klier also makes the Miraphone mpc's. These are good and relatively inexpensive: my gold one was ~ $100 shipped from Dillon's.

PS01 for me
I also liked the Doug Elliott T Cup with a 133 N rim

sc

I use a Tilz Nea MS-1 on my 1291, the TU33 didn't do it for me. The Tilz gives a nice big and centered sound.

Jeez....

For the money you pay for the damn thing, a Yorkbrunner should play itself....

That plan all shot to hell....

Jeff "Talking to the banker" Benedict

I understand that Arnold Jacobs used a Conn-Geib mouthpiece for the large Yorks. I have tried to produce the most faithful copy of that mouthpiece available. I've tried using larger mouthpieces of similar design, such as the Rudolf Meinl RM-10, PT-88, etc., but they require more physical effort and can make for muddy response with less clarity.

While playing a Geib-model mouthpiece on large tubas over the last 8 months, I feel that I have gained insight into how the very large tuba/moderate-sized, efficient mouthpiece combination worked so well for Mr. Jacobs. This combination has been changing how I play, and I think it is helping me play more musically, which is always a good thing.

I wish you all the best in finding the best match for you and your tuba.

Lee, do you know yet when your mouthpieces will be available?

Kevin,
They are available now - well, give me enough time to get back home from the Army Tuba Conference (back in the shop on Tues). I think Rick Denney picked one up today - perhaps he would care to comment on it.

Scooby Tuba,
Really. I have it on good authority from two excellent sources. Feel free to PM for further discussion.

My own ability to pump air through a big tuba is more limited than for most, and one of things I fight as an amateur is a fuzzy, unfocused sound.

The Revelation 52 that was originally supplied with big Holtons is a toilet bowl. I call it the Woofmeister.

I have played a range of mouthpieces on my Holton, including a Conn Helleberg, a Laskey 30H, a PT-48, a Doug Elliott 2n132T, and now the Stofer Geib. Of these, the more the funnel shape the more woofy it gets. The Elliott was too big and hard to control, making the upper register real work (it's perfect for the smaller York Master tuba, though). The Conn was woofy sounding for me. The PT-48 has been my favorite, and a four-month trial of the Laskey did not sway me away from the 48. When I went back to the 48 after tha trial, I felt like that zip in the sound came back with it.

Roger's description of his experience with the 88 seems to me to speak volumes. He talks about "lighting up" the sound, and for me that means to stop trying for a dark sound. I don't hear a dark sound in Jacobs's recordings, and his sound has quite a lot of upper harmonic content. I think this is what good players mean when they use the term "color". With the PT-48, I feel like the sound has real energy in it.

The Geib is an experiment. In my initial test, I find that the sound of the Geib is not as earth-moving as with the PT-48, but the accuracy and singing quality in the upper register is noticeably better. That's likely just my own strengths and weaknesses being superimposed on the mouthpiece. The real test will be in some months when I try the PT-48 again to see if I perceive any useful improvement with it.

There is no doubt, however, that I'm tending to narrower rims, more bowl-shaped cups, and somewhat smaller volume. The PT-48 is not by any means a small mouthpiece (neither is the Geib), but it is more of a bowl shape and is not as deep as most Conn-style Hellebergs. The Geib is a natural next step to see how far I might follow this tendency.

My point is not to look for a mouthpiece that makes the loudest or broadest sound, as Holton apparently intended with the mouthpiece they supplied. A big tuba should do that for you. The mouthpiece can therefore be a little more conservative and provide a little more resistance, so that you don't have to work so hard to control the breadth of the sound to keep it from getting fuzzy.

Rick "thinking a sound can be big without being dark or woofy" Denney

I'm two for two in following Rick this evening. His comments about mouthpieces are exactly why I got the Curry 128D for my 186, and had Vladimir turn down the rim to an 18 profile. What it does for that horn is exactly what Rick describes, as I, too, am starting down the long road of the breath will never be as voluminous as it used to be, and I also need some resistance to help manage air flow, and a little bit of a bowl for a little more definition to the sound.

When Rick mentions "accuracy and singing quality", that's what I'm after. After years of trying to sound darker, I've finally realized that, since I'm playing a tuba, it'll probably be dark-enough anyway.

In 1989 when I first heard Arnold Jacobs play up-close, I was surprised by the color and brilliance in his sound. There really wasn't anything dark about it, just lots of resonance and color, and his delivery was singing, not just playing a succession of notes.

The super-5-gallon birdbath mouthpiece I used to play is now retired, and when I play on a BAT it is with a moderate-sized mouthpiece with a narrow rim and fairly deep bowl. I've participated in the tuba "Nuclear Arms Race" before, but I'm through with that.

The super-5-gallon birdbath mouthpiece I used to play is now retired

Who would have thought.

Chuck"It was actually a super-duper 6 gallon model"Jackson