TubeNet

Howdy all,

What are some good all-around F mouthpieces? I recently purchased a YFB 822 (thanks, Clinton!) and am not really satisfied with the sound I'm getting from the Perantucci S-25 I'm using (and it's the best-sounding one out of the three I have). I formerly played a PT-44 on a YCB 822, if that helps any.

Thanks!

Devin

~

I really like the Floyd Cooley Helleberg.

I use a PT-64 on my Yamaha 822 and it works wonderfully! I have tried almost of of the PT mouthpieces on this horn and the 64 is the only that gives me the sound i want in all registers.

jhickmott wrote: I am also not familiar with the mouthpiece you are using, is it an older model?

Yes, it was made before they started using their current naming system. I believe it is comparable to a PT72.

Mirafone C4 and the assorted copies and variations on it.
Yamaha Self replica if you are looking for a bigger sound than the Bobo.
G&W Baer F.
Floyd Cooley Helleberg (already mentioned) for a dark sound with a phat low register without leaving the realm of F tuba timbre.

I have a YFB 822 and use two mouthpieces. I have not tried some of the mouthpieces mentioned above, so take this as a limited bit of data.

The Roger Bobo Solo mouthpiece is a great match for this tuba -- lots of core and color; it really sings. A great all-round mouthpiece for this bass tuba.

The Roger Bobo Symphonic has about the same rim diameter and back bore but is deeper than the Solo. The sound is wider and less bright. The low end really opens up and is more powerful. It's great for when you are playing a part for which you might consider using a contrabass tuba.

I like having both mouthpieces, and choosing to use the one that seems to fit the music.

Allen

I have a doug elliot for CC tuba and I use the Schilke SH-II F for my PT-10. I recommend the Schilke over any other that I've tried. I've used it on the Yamahas, Miraphones, and PTs and I think it produces great sound on almost all of them.

Laskey 28C

For most folks this piece will feel and sound awful at first. Give it some time. It's worth it. Not about comfort but what sounds good

I believe many other 'F tuba mouthpieces' are an attempt to give us either the sound or response of the bigger tuba we are used to.

My opinion is subject to change.. but for me change comes slowly. I played the PT65 for atleast 10 years and flirted with the 28C off and on for a year before finally jumping ship. The 65 is good, even great for many applications. The 28C pushes everything a few steps further down the F tuba path. For the non tuba listening public it makes our instrument much easier to listen to, understand, and appreciate.

I've done blind tests more than once. The 28C has consistantly won.

Subject to error.. your milage may vary.

If it's any help, I have a friend who plays a Miraphone Rose Solo on his F. I've tried it out and it seems to work fairly well, but he also plays on a PT-10, if I'm not mistaken (and I probably am).

As a newcomer to the F tuba (Boosey 3+1 comper from 1923 with the receiver changed to large) I have been experimenting rather much for just having had it 3 months.

It came with a DW5L, which I had heard sounding very well on the recording that convinced me about this tuba). Accustomed to large mouthpieces on all brasses I came out too dry and lacking dynamic expansion in the lowest range.

The PT-50 gave me a wonderful sound and no danger of overblowing. Range upwards was no problem, but pianissimo attacks needed far too much attention.

The DW4L was very playable, but building my range from the bottom up, it also came out on the dry side low down.

I had a Conn Helleberg in my storages. I have heard beautiful playing on the B&S Symfonie F tubas using that mouthpiece, so that is what I am using now. Hopefully it will prove itself also in the very low dynamics.

KLaus Smedegaard Bjerre

Since the Yamaha Self and the PT-44 have been mentioned here, which i also played, i would like to add the "Yamaha Canadian Brass" mpc, although i play mine on a 4/4-BBb (PT1-Predecessor) and not an F.
The Yamaha CB is very easy to play from bottom to top, especially in the (my) high and low ranges. It has a very clear but not overly bright tone. It has a large bore, so it might take a little bit more air. Before that, i played on a Yamaha Self which is also a great allround mpc, i think. The PT-44 has a certain nice "core" to the tone and a good attack.
But the CB is my favourite now. It has hardly ever been mentioned on tubenet, so i thought i would give it some appreciation.

Laskey 28-C or 28-F might be worth a shot.

I prefer the Bruno Tilz M-9. It has a well-rounded and relatively shallow bowl, which makes for better response in the low register, better intonation in the upper register. The rim is fairly wide and well-rounded, but has sufficient bite on the inner rim for sure attacks. The rim opening is large-enough that you can get some face in there to play some very pleasing low notes, too, but not so large as to make one suffer in the high range. All this, and a great sound, too. The M-9 is a mouthpiece that I can play on all day and not feel like I've tortured myself.

A funnel-shaped mouthpiece and/or a large mouthpiece will make the pitch drop, particularly in the high register, and this tendency is really magnified, the smaller the instrument. So, problems that are minor or nonexistent on a CC or BBb tuba suddenly become a problem on a bass tuba. I have conferred with a professional trumpet player who also plays quite a lot of cornet, and he confirms that the same considerations are valid on cornet, and perhaps even more critical.

The above-mentioned M9 is the same as the old PT 9, which is the new 64. Tilz was making them in the old days, at least, and the numbers were interchangeable. I had one of each, misplaced the Tilz labeled long ago, have used the PT 9 (now 64) for almost 25 years, and found nothing better for me.

I was never happy with what was commercially available, so I designed my own. Good luck.