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I happened to be reading a bio for Mel Culbertson and in it he is credited for designing three tubas with VMI/B&S: Neptune, Apollo & Mercury. I've never heard of the Mercury and don't see it anywhere I'd expect to see a Culbertson or B&S tuba. Does anyone have any info on it? I saw a picture of him holding a moderate-sized piston valve (what looks like an) F tuba... could that be it?

bio & pic here: http://www.hgm.hr/Brass_eng.htm (scroll to bottom)

Thanks,
Chuck

The tuba in the picture is a Meinl Weston 46SLP "Titan"


http://www.meinl-weston.com/Titan46S-LP.htm



By the way...the massive looking mouthpiece is a Romera Brass Culbertson Model.

OK, what is up with the mouthpiece. Is that the actual size or is it just extra added mass around the rim. I refuse to believe that someone actually plays something that looks like the business end of a Fosters can.

Chuck

Tom wrote:

By the way...the massive looking mouthpiece is a Romera Brass Culbertson Model.

Just read the other day that Jon Sass also uses a custom Romera mouthpiece.

http://www.romerabrass.com/romera_brass.htm

Does anyone have any experience with these? It strikes me as interesting that you can build your own custom mouthpiece on their website. If the prices are reasonable this might be a nice alternative for those inclined to experiment.

Chuck Jackson wrote:OK, what is up with the mouthpiece. Is that the actual size or is it just extra added mass around the rim. I refuse to believe that someone actually plays something that looks like the business end of a Fosters can.

Chuck

Chuck,

Looking at the custom mouthpiece builder.. it looks like you could potentially build a mouthpiece with a 14mm wide rim.

I'm sorry, but that is insane. The guy must have chops of steel!!!!

Chuck

... nobody has any ideas about the Mercury model? c'mon, someone's gotta have a theory.

-ck

Hey CK. I guess the mercury model was actually made of mercury, and it eventually killed anybody who got near it. So they took the tuba, which was quite heavy, and dropped it down Mel's hole up there in Oregon. They waited for an hour but never heard a sound.

On they way back home they stepped in some Chupacabra doodie.

I'm guessing no one has any experience with Romera Brass either. I emailed them quite a while back now.. still no response.

The aliens are here because they need recycled brass for their inter-dimensional spacecraft. They especially seek out brass that has gone through a lifetime of vibration. I think Gene Pokorny had better keep that AJ York locked up. I hear the illuminati are after that horn more than any other.

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