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OK Tubenet,

I looked in the archives and could not find an answer. Those of you who have and play a BBb St. Petersburg regularly, what mouthpiece do you find works best on this instrument? I am having a hard time deciding on a mouthpiece to use on this instrument. Something that lets the upper register sing and the low end rock! I don't have a clue...


Keith "don't beat me for another mouthpiece thread" Sanders

I thought the dark color tendencies in the St Pete were enhanced by a Mike Finn 3H and a PT- 48 ...I brightened it up a bit with an Arnold Jacobs Canadien Brass mp- but , the Rose Helleberg that the Tuba Exchange delivered the horn with was somewhere in the middle and pretty nice too ! Just my two cents...js

I have a couple of St. Petes here. When I decide to pick one out of 'the herd' and play it.... I use the same MP I generally use on all of the others.... a PT-48+.

I got my St.Petes BBb with a PT48 from Dan Schultz. Suits my ears and chops just fine. Played it all winter in 3 bands.

I have a Besson 14, Conn - Helleberg, Yamaha 67C7 and Rose LS I mostly use the Rose LS that came with the 202N. I also use it with my YBB/621.

I'va had a chance to play the PT-44 and PT-48 side by side on my horn and I found that both pieces had strong bottoms but the PT-44 was easier to have clean attacks in the upper registers. It suprised me as the 44 has the larger throat.

I always liked playing those things with Hellebergs, but in retrospect it seems kinda silly.

Gilligan wrote:I'va had a chance to play the PT-44 and PT-48 side by side on my horn and I found that both pieces had strong bottoms but the PT-44 was easier to have clean attacks in the upper registers. It suprised me as the 44 has the larger throat.

During my great mouthpiece search, I noticed the same thing. I always thought I would have cleaner and easer attacks with a smaller throat, but I found just the opposite with my playing. The smaller throat only seems to help me when playing softer. That's why I keep a PT-84 around.

Hi!
Remember that the mouthpeice is the constant to the static(s) of embrochure and support. The mouthpeice that allows one player to play in tune with wonderful tone may sound like a 1st year Bassoonist on another player's chops! The opportunity to try before you buy can't be overrated! I had the luxury of living within an hour and a half of Marcinkewic's shop when I bought my 1st. Tuba, and tried every mouthpiece he had WITH A TUNER before buying a Self model there. I still alternate between that model and a Helleburg for Contra Bass Tubas. The mouthpeice is only a tool wich allows one to produce the vibrations neccesary for making music. Every player's embrochure is different, along with the level of breath support. Find wich characterists work best(bore,rim shape,funnel v.s. cup, depth of cup, rim diameter), and try mouthpeices within those parameters. Keep an open mind through your playing life too, trying recommendations of Teachers and peers, because you WILL change as you progress.

Happy hunting,
Al

OK....

After much trying and going back and forth I finally settled on my Sellmansberger Symphony mouthpiece. I have finally gotten to the point where I sound pretty much the same on every mouthpiece, so I had to pay close attention to the "little" things. The Symphony really gives my St. Pete a great tone color and allows me to play at almost any dynamic I can, with the only real limitations being myself. I really noticed when I was warming up in a big auditorium for a community band concert, it gives me the sound I love in a contrabass tuba. Big, but authoritative, I guess that would be the German sound concept, achieved on a russian tuba, go figure. So thats my story and I am sticking to it!

Thanks,
Keith Sanders

I use a Stoffer-Geib on my St. Petersburg 201N to good effect. I prefer it over the Rose (on this horn), but it's purely personal.