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Well to go with the theme of Cristmas wish lists, I want a mute for christmas. Now, I want to get the correct one to to the job. I played a muted part at a band camp over the summer and the mute sounded great it was a Humes&Berg Aluminum (Symphonic). I enjoyed the timbre that I got from it. I played around with another H&B mute about a week ago and it set in my bell essentially hanging by its rim inside my horn. I am assuming the one I played during the summer was the large model and the one I played a week ago was the small model. FWIW I play a Miraphone 188 So 17.75" I believe is the diameter. I called (rather my mother called) WWBW to order one and they told her that they'd be instock when the Chicago Cubs win the world series or next week, who knows! I have no problem buying used if the deal is right or looking at alternative models. I am interested to hear your thoughts. Should I just run over to South Bend and spend the day with Roger?

Something to put on your list of things to consider.
http://www.ionbalu.com/

SplatterTone wrote:Something to put on your list of things to consider.
http://www.ionbalu.com/

Would one of these give me World Class Sound if it is used in conjunction with a glitter-gold Kellyberg???

The Jackson wrote:Would one of these give me World Class Sound if it is used in conjunction with a glitter-gold Kellyberg???

It requires one more item: Some hand-me-down Paris Hilton underwear. Not easily obtained. Which explains why not many people have that world class sound. The next time you hear a player with world class sound, you can smile and say: I know what you are wearing.

do they sound the same?

I bought the Ion Balu mutes for euph and for large and small tubas from bloke. The purpose was to be able to practice on odd hours here in my row house without the restricted sound of practise mutes.

The Balu mutes are very flexible with velcro-attached corks. As I play on several tubas and euph/Kaiserbaritöne/Tenorhorn/Saxhorn basse I didn’t want to change the corks for the various bell dimensions. By hazard I had some adhesive velcro patches, which I placed under the top of the “mushroom” resonance chamber, so that the corks rest on the respective bell flares.

I had planned on buying the small tuba and the euph mute, as I have no real BAT’s. However Joe advised the large tuba mute also for 4/4 tubas. I bought both sizes to save on the shipping. That was the right disposition, as the large mute fits my 19" Besson 981 Eb, my 17" Besson New StandardBBb, and my Jos. Martin CC similar in size to an Alexander 163. The large size would have blocked the bell of my 1870 small Eb tuba. I use the small tuba mute for that one and for my Boosey F.

No mutes are entirely even compared to open playing, but the Balu mutes are more even that most. The sound is neither too piercing, nor too muddy. The Balu mutes do not restrict the outer ranges, but the difference in response is most noticeable above the 9th partial.

Klaus