hi,
I use a crystal blue one on my sousaphone (20K) {the albatross around my neck}
and it works real good. The sound is fine, but what I like the most about it is that coming off the bus on the way to a change of command ceremony the mouthpiece fell out of the horn and onto the pavement and was totally fine (woo hoo).
As far as the skin thing, you also might want to look into the GW mpc's. Surgical steel is ok for most skin types (so I hear) and they look like fun and I've seen so many good things here about them. I'm thinking of getting the Army to buy me a couple
Right after my Monette 98 comes in (I'm thinking that it might fatten up the sound of the 20K and hell Army's paying for it! Woo Hoo!)
Anyhow, good luck with that skin thing,
Bill Pritchard
Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible.
Huttl for life
...I prefer the Kellyberg. It sounds a bit "darker," I suppose emphasising the fundamental, with a bit less resonance, but it is very minor and as I said, I actually prefer it. To each his own, I guess. Give it a try! If you use the Tubenet search, you can find a great deal more opinions, but I say just go for it. Besides, don'tcha really want a Punk Pink one 
