MP for small shank Besson

[sffz]

I am a middle school band director and have 4 Besson tubas at the school with smaller than 'normal' receivers. Where can I find decent student mouthpieces for these instruments?

Thanks,

Randy

[Lew]

Try here:

http://www.mouthpieceexpress.com/catalo ... 97_216_261

Denis Wick mouthpieces can be ordered with shanks to fit those horns.

[tofu]

Besides buying the small shank Dennis Wick models you could probably have existing large shank mouthpieces turned down by a good repair shop.
While I did buy a Dennis Wick for a Besson New Standard that I own I preferred my Schilke Mouthpieces and had Schilke turn one down to fit. They did this 22 years ago and it still performs very well. It has since been replated and you do have to be a little more careful because the shank is thinner and easier to damage.

[Chuck(G)]

Besides buying the small shank Dennis Wick models you could probably have existing large shank mouthpieces turned down by a good repair shop.
While I did buy a Dennis Wick for a Besson New Standard that I own I preferred my Schilke Mouthpieces and had Schilke turn one down to fit. They did this 22 years ago and it still performs very well. It has since been replated and you do have to be a little more careful because the shank is thinner and easier to damage.

If I had to take this issue to a repairman and it was a school horn, I'd have him/her install a standard-shank receiver. This would let me use the same mouthpieces for all of my tubas and sousaphones.

I suspect that the cost would not be substanitally more than having a mouthpiece shank turned down and resulting in perilously thin shank ends that would dent instantly when dropped by a fumble-fingered student.

I've never tried this, but I'd bet that a good fit could be accomplished with a straight-flute #5 jarno taper reamer applied to the existing receiver.

[sffz]

All have given good advice, Thanks

I am going to look into replacing the receivers and the 24AW.

Thanks again!

Randy