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I think they have a batch of pretty generic mouthpieces at the factory, and in general just grab one and ship it with the horn. I don't think a whole lot of thought is put into which one, as long as it fits the receiver. I'm sure some manufacturers might put more thought into it, or would ship whichever mouthpiece (they make) that you request. Try it with the Helleburg. I'm sure it can't hurt, except in the wallet! Then again, you just bought a Thor, so the price of a new Helleburg can't hurt by comparison!! Find the one that works with you and with your horn.

Go Wildcats!!!! (I used to live on the other side of campus just off of Tuttle Creek BLVD). Loved Manhattan.

Every tuba is carefully play-tested by the mouthpiece selection team before it leaves the factory to insure that you get the best possible mouthpiece for your new tuba. So keep that in mind before you go out and buy 6 new mouthpieces.

I got a JK 7A with my Alex 155. 7, being extremely narrow, and A, being extremely deep. Completely unplayable (think low C...).

Like everything else, it depends. Conn has shipped whatever version of the 2 mouthpiece was/is being made at the time with almost every tuba they make. I don't know why. I guess it gives them an excuse to sell a second mouthpiece almost immediately -- like a 120S or a 7B.

Most "beginner" trumpets ship with something akin to a 7C trumpet mouthpiece in order to facilitate a beginner (usually elementary or early middle school age) both being able to get a decent buzz with enough feedback that the players lungs don't give out and small enough cup diameter to fit the average sized student of that age, along with the ridge that is usually in the rim in order to get a good "seal" on the embouchure.

Some are simply by contract. For years, before the bankruptcy, Besson had the exclusive contract to ship with a Wick mouthpiece. The post-bankruptcy incarnation of Besson is now doing the same thing with the new Alliance series, with each model of Sov or Prestige being shipped with a new Alliance mouthpiece ostensibly designed just for that instrument.

Miraphone 186's used (do they still?) to ship with a C3 (now TU21) as a matter of course, as that was a mouthpiece a lot of people could just pick up, blow, and get good results out of.

Schilke doesn't sell horns with either mouthpiece or case. Never did. I guess Schilke, and his protege Newman, both know that the person purchasing a horn of that caliber is probably already a gigging, or at least dedicated experienced amateur, with enough wherewithall to know what kind of mouthpiece suits best for the particular individual, and has already developed a routine or method about a preferred case or gig bag, accessories, etc.

I'm sure there are as many reasons for shipping a particular mouthpiece as there are tubas to sell and people to buy. But that's what I can think of.

Speaking of trumpets....way back in the 70's when I got my Benge, one of the things we had to decide was mouthpiece, as it didn't come with one. So, I'm always surprized that new non-beginner horns come with a mouthpiece.

In answer to a previous question; Miraphone ships a TU33 with the 186. I have two of them, now (two horns in 5 years - the first met a horrible death).

Are you sure? Miraphone's website, and all the realtively new 186's I've seen come with TU29's. I think they are okay pieces for the horn.

tubashaman wrote:Well Melton and MW are under the same company, ....

FYI, they're not "under the same company" so much, they are the same company. Melton and Meinl-Weston are two brand names engraved on the same instruments coming out of the same factory. The only difference is where those instruments are going to be sold.

http://www.meinl-weston.com/brandname.htm" target="_blank

tubashaman wrote:...I'm sure COnn with the 5XJ would ship a conn-helleberg...

No, as stated above, Conn ships a 2 with all their tubas.

They ask this guy.