TubeNet

Having just acquired a used King 2280 euph (thanks for all of the euph recommendations I received recently), and wanting (I think) a large mpc to assist in the transition from tuba mpcs, what would you recommend? I suspect I'll be using the euph occasionally, but not regularly (whatever that means ....).

1. How is the Yamaha Bobo TT (someone said there is a "generic" model -- who makes it and who sells it?)

2. What about the Wick SM2?

3. How would these compare with Joe's recommenation of the Yamaha bass bone mpc (Yamaha 58 )? **

4. Or, should I go w/ a "standard" euph mpc and "get used to it"?

** [trivial aside -- if you type (Yamaha 58 ), and follow the "8" with a ")", but without any space, the "8" ")" is interpreted as a smiley, and an emoticon will be inserted! The amusing result is --> (Yamaha 58) !! ]


Thanks,

snorlax wrote:Steve:

Kindly leave euphonium playing to euphonium players
But if you must, get a Bach 1.5 or 2. I frequently use a 2 on my Besson,
but you don't see me playing tuba, do you, huh???

Merry Christmas

Jim Williams

CQ, CQ!!

Hey buddy, git back to your ivory tower college job and grade some final exams!! Some finance student MUST have botched a compound interest calculation somewhere ....

Thanks for the recommendation -- and I'm glad you don't live up here in NORTH Indiana -- I'd never get any playing opportunities! But, are you sure a Bach 1.5 is BIG enough? I guess I could store it inside my Parke Offenloch when I'm not using that one on my tuba .... (Speaking of which, when are you going to graduate from that weenie tenor tuba and play a real one? )

73's,

DE -- N9EKN

wnazzaro wrote:I have a large shank 6-1/2 AL, a 51D, and a Bobo TT. At first I used the Bobo, against Bloke's recommendations. At Tuba Christmas this year I used the 51D during the rehearsal and for most of the concert, but I pulled out the Bobo to compare for one piece. The Bobo really fatigued me very quickly.

I think if you are going to switch between Euph and Tuba on a gig, it might be better to use the TT mp, so the change isn't so dramatic. If you are only playing euph, go with a euph mouthpiece.

What about the "compromise" mpcs -- the big euph mpcs (like a SM2) or bigger -- a bass 'bone mpc (Marcienkiwicz (sp) 107)? Would these be worth looking into, or just go straight to a euph mpc and get comfortable with it?

Thanks,

The Bobo TT is an interesting mouthpiece but as mentioned by LV, doesn't give a euphonium sound and may cause more tuning problems than it's worth. I don't use mine for both reasons.

I can hear them lining up with the flamethrowers, but here goes. . . I play bass trombone and tuba well. I can't have that go all to hell. I was asked to play euph in a local community Band.
I had someone shave down the shank of a Faxx 1.5 bass trombone mouthpiece and I use that in my two Yamaha euphs. It works a lot better than it sounds like it would, and it gives you a beautiful tone. Cheap too.

LV wrote:If you want to sound like a euphonium, use a euphonium mouthpiece.

Amen.

You can play a euphonium with a bass trombone mouthpiece, and it will work. But blowing a euph and blowing a trombone are very different, requiring a different approach to air movement and embouchure. I can make passable sounds on a euph, but not on a tormbone, and I'll bet there are those who can do just the opposite. Those who do both have learned how to play both as separate instruments.

The rim on a proper euphonium mouthpiece feels about the same as on a bass trombone mouthpiece. But the euphonium mouthpieces usually have deeper cups with more funnel shape to them. This is particularly true of the Steven Mead mouthpieces, which in my experience are just about perfect for tuba players playing euphonium.

I have an SM3 and an SM4. Generally, the 4 is less work for the stuff for which I use euphonium in the first place (high stuff, by tuba standards). Both work well. When I first got my Besson, it had the large shank when I was expecting the older medium shank, and I bought a Bach 1-1/2G because it was available locally. In comparing it to the SM's, the different is huge, with the SM's giving a more characteristic sound. Getting a characteristic euph sound with the bass trombone mouthpiece was quite difficult, even though I'm no good at making characteristic trombone sounds. It might work for trombonists, if they know how to adjust their air stream, but I don't think it works as well for tuba players.

Rick "speaking as a tuba player" Denney

It really is approach. When you play euph, you must really pay close attention to WHERE you direct the airstream in the mouthpiece.

.