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I posted earlier about Eb tuba mouthpieces, and I'm pretty sure with the horn I am using Denis Wick is going to work best. I need to fit an old reciever and I was told just use the mouth pieces with no numbers. I play on a pretty large mouth piece on my CC tuba so I want a decent sized one for my Eb, So is a 2 bigger then a 3? (I've been told 3 is the standard.)

Thanks,
Benjamin Garlic
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Xi Theta Chapter

You need to indicate a model/size #, only you need to ask for the non-L series, as the L indicates large receiver.

The #1 is the widest, #5 is the narrowest in both series of stem sizes. The L series holds some variants not available in the non-L series.

I like the flat rim and quite sharp edge of the plain ##1 through 5, But in general I have given up on the DW tuba mouthpieces because I find them too small.

If you can afford paying a deposit I would suggest ordering the ##1 through 3 (non-L) with the right to return the two you don’t want to keep.

Klaus

Get dimensions from http://www.deniswick.com/cat.cfm?id=2&inst=14 (but don't pay too much attention to descriptions, for example the "Large funnel-shaped Helleberg type cup" description for the 2 is somewhat open to debate.)

As a vaguely general rule, the larger the number, the smaller the cup diameter.

Please do not enter unnecessary confusion!!

The OP needs a small shank mouthpiece, which has no funny variants, just the plain ##1 through 5.

Klaus

imperialbari wrote:Please do not enter unnecessary confusion!!

The OP needs a small shank mouthpiece, which has no funny variants, just the plain ##1 through 5.

Well, it was you who brought up the matter of the unavailable variants - and one could argue that lacking the "S" models, none of the small shank Wicks are really obvious choices for bass tuba.

Denis Wick recommends the #4 and #5 for F tubas. Both of these are at the very small end, I actually consider them useless for my not especially small F tuba. They are of no use for my small Eb either. And there are no sour grapes, as I own both stem variants of both sizes mentioned.

DW recommends the #3 for Eb tuba. Nobody has contradicted his comparing the #3 to the Bach 24A(W), which is no big mouthpiece by any tuba related standard. The largest DW, the #1 has been compared to the Helleberg II, which I consider a medium mouthpiece.

I don’t know the OP, but I am fairly trained in analysing, where posters have their focus. And this OP is not extremely focused on instrument details. That is different from my approach, but I still try to be helpful, as have other posters been.

My basic approach is: gather information, make decision. I have done lots of bad decisions, but in general I stand by them. You haven’t seen me hawk-off mouthpieces or instruments.

Whether the OP finds the following jpg-conversions of a couple of pdf’s from the Denis Wick site helpful is beyond me. If somebody asks why there are no funny variants for the small shank series, then the answers is rather obvious: there still are large numbers of the pre-1982 British tubas out there. Their owners are worthwhile serving with the original series as the tools are still there. The owners of these tubas hardly are among mouthpiece freaks begging for funny specialty mouthpieces. Hence it hardly is worthwhile tooling up for that smaller market segment when issuing new variants.

Klaus

Is a Wick 2 larger than a Wick 3 -- yes and no. The cup is slightly larger diameter. The overall outside diameter is the same, as Wick makes the 1, 2 and 3 all on the same mouthpiece blank. The cup on the 2 is a modified cup, and the cup on the 3 is more of a funnel.

What do you play on your CC? If you play larger than a 1.30 cup diameter, then both of them may seem small by comparison.

Personally, I get a great robust tone out of my BBb with the 1, and a great overall tone out of an eefer with the 3, but get a grainy tone out of a 2. My son, OTOH, gets a great round tone out of a 2 for the one or two notes he can play as a beginner, and doesn't get along with other mouthpieces. Your mileage will vary.

Whilst there are fashions and fads about mouthpieces, I have to say that I have never quite been convinced about the Denis Wick tuba mouthpieces, either in the way they feel on the lip or how they sound (and this is very personal view and not to be disparaging about them), although my cornet and trombone playing colleagues are very happy with their DW mps.
Interestingly (or maybe not) the DW chart compares the size 3 mouthpiece to both the VB24AW and the Schilke 66. It doesn't say if the comparisons are based on similarities in the dimensions or the playing characteristics, and although I now play with a PT24, I have a VB24AW and a Schilke 66 and those 2 are quite different in size and shape.
I wonder if the size 3 is the "standard" just because that is what is shipped with the instrument and most players don't explore beyond it (due to the expense of mouthpieces), but I would think you would have to try a range of mouthpieces before you can decide for yourself which one is best for you and the instrument and not just take anyone elses word for it