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For those who've played them...

Just picked up a #11 Schlip practice mute which the seller informed was perfect for 6/4 horns.
Apparently there are 20 sizes available!?

Anyway, on the piston BAT (Bb) it works just fine; not THE easiest low end etc but hell, it's a practice mute.
On the rotary BAT (C) in general it's probably a little better except for the range exactly from low B down to F# which are basically unplayable. Everything above and below that range slots just fine.

Have I got the wrong mute or is that just how it is?

Best,
MP
PS. Yeah, I've mailed Prof Schlipfinger.

I owned one that fit a 186 that has since green sold. My findings were: typically even responce, with slightly more stuffy low end. Magnificent noise cancelation. It did make the horn top heavy. Haven't purchased any for my current flock of horns, if I did, I would want a one mute solution.

Extend the small end of the mute with a tube of some sort. I have used both aluminum flashing and PCV pipe. That extra length heading down toward the bottom bow makes the low register speak. Someone with more lore will have to explain why. As far as I know, it's magic. But it works.

I've had one for a nearly a year. Right now I try to limit my time on it to @4-5 hrs a week max. I think it works well for something like Kopprasch, as well as Bordogni. While I do use it to play through Snedecor etudes and excerpts, I can't say it works too well down there. Actually, I'll say that it works "ok" from the low G down to the pedal C, but the B, Bb, A, Ab 2-3 ledger lines below the staff are straight up no man's land.

Having said that, I would gladly buy one again, because it makes my tuba sound @as loud as a TV set. Also, there is a side benefit from using the mute-you have to really think about centering each pitch.

I use the #10 mute with my Gronitz PCK tuba.

Thanks for the replies. Very useful.
I suspect there might be inherent issues with a working practice mute in very large tubas.
Think I'll stick with the excellent Balu straight mute and just close the 'gap' right down when I want a practice mute. Not nearly as quiet as the Schlipf but more manageable. One of life's little compromises....
MP

My guess is that since there are so many different sizes of mutes, it's pretty important to have the right size, and that the variation in size between the two tubas is significant enough to account for the differences (I guess it's based on where the sound waves and nodes hit the mute...or something).

I had one of these for my Miraphone 1291, and like Ben, I had to sell it when I sold the horn (it didn't fit my next horn).

I liked it a lot, and it was very consistent through the entire range. It did add a little resistance to the low register, but then again, the low register of the 1291 is SO open to begin with that nearly anything can add resistance. I didn't experience any unplayable ranges, nor anything close to that.

I would probably buy another one of these, but I've come to realize that my neighbors don't care if I practice without a mute. So until they say something...

To round-off this thread I thought I'd better say that Mr Schlipfinger has got back to me in a very nice message:

Hello Malcolm,

You need for the Neptune B&S 4198 CC the Practice mute no. 13

No.11 is too little.

I have 20 models:

no. -4 (For Wienertuba Jungwirth) to no. 15 (Bohland & Fuchs 6/4 this is the greatest - Paul Halvax Wiener Philharmoniker)

Best regards

Schlipf

I can only guess that the B&F 6/4 is something akin to the Rudolf Meinl 6/4...

I'm certain the Schlip mutes work tremendously for the specific tuba they're designed for but as I have a number of tubas it suits me to have one or two flexible mutes and make do with some other compromises. One day I'll have only two (or three, maybe) tubas and I'll get a set of these Schlip mutes.

Thanks again,
MP