what does 24AW stand for?

[Dan Bradley]

It's neat to finally find out what the AW means. I never took the time (30 seconds of my life) to google it. As mentioned earlier, I have heard that Warren Deck was a 24AW guy and that his Orfeo mouthpieces from the 90's were somewhat based on the 24AW. This is hearsay, so it could be inaccurate.

In regards to Ron Bishop, I don't know if he played a Bach 18 or not back in the day. When I studied with him, he used a Doug Elliot. He did express love for the Bach 7, and he's definitely playing a Bach in some of those old pictures, but who knows.

I personally used the Perantucci PT-24 for many years that was based on the 24AW. It had the same super-wide/cushioned/rounded rim with the deep cup and HUGE throat. I used the mouthpiece on CC and F tubas, and it worked very well. The reason I eventually switched off is that I wanted to use a mouthpiece with a throat that wasn't so huge...it is like over 9mm! I am very sensitive to sharp rims, so it worked well, and you can still get a deep sound, even with the semi-narrow diameter.

Like Bach mouthpieces for other brass, many instrument companies make knockoffs with the same model number that are generally pretty bad. I know that my first tuba, a Cerveny BBb, came with a ripoff 24AW.

I think the 24AW is a good mouthpiece for someone with a shortish upper lip/lower lip. I had a lot of problems with the mouthpiece rubbing my nose and chin due to my facial structure, and this helped a lot (rather, the PT-24 did)...which makes me think that Army Band marching story could actually be true.


Cheers,
Dan Bradley
VA

[Donn]

I think the 24AW is a good mouthpiece for someone with a shortish upper lip/lower lip. I had a lot of problems with the mouthpiece rubbing my nose and chin due to my facial structure, and this helped a lot (rather, the PT-24 did)...which makes me think that Army Band marching story could actually be true.

Sorry, I didn't follow that. Could you look it over, and see if there's some mistake? Bumping against the nose is a problem, right? A mouthpiece with a narrow rim is the answer, is that what you're saying?

The moral of the Army marching band story, for me, was that a big throat doesn't support blatting, so 9 sousaphones are more likely to sound sound like music, not strident flatulence.

[J.c. Sherman]

It's neat to finally find out what the AW means. I never took the time (30 seconds of my life) to google it. As mentioned earlier, I have heard that Warren Deck was a 24AW guy and that his Orfeo mouthpieces from the 90's were somewhat based on the 24AW. This is hearsay, so it could be inaccurate.

In regards to Ron Bishop, I don't know if he played a Bach 18 or not back in the day. When I studied with him, he used a Doug Elliot. He did express love for the Bach 7, and he's definitely playing a Bach in some of those old pictures, but who knows.

I personally used the Perantucci PT-24 for many years that was based on the 24AW. It had the same super-wide/cushioned/rounded rim with the deep cup and HUGE throat. I used the mouthpiece on CC and F tubas, and it worked very well. The reason I eventually switched off is that I wanted to use a mouthpiece with a throat that wasn't so huge...it is like over 9mm! I am very sensitive to sharp rims, so it worked well, and you can still get a deep sound, even with the semi-narrow diameter.

Like Bach mouthpieces for other brass, many instrument companies make knockoffs with the same model number that are generally pretty bad. I know that my first tuba, a Cerveny BBb, came with a ripoff 24AW.

I think the 24AW is a good mouthpiece for someone with a shortish upper lip/lower lip. I had a lot of problems with the mouthpiece rubbing my nose and chin due to my facial structure, and this helped a lot (rather, the PT-24 did)...which makes me think that Army Band marching story could actually be true.


Cheers,
Dan Bradley
VA

Mr. Bishop used a Bach 7 (NY) for much of his time in TCO, especially on the Alex with Ed Anderson. He began experimenting with the Doug Elliott's in the 90s to shallow out a little, and even did some time on his axes with a Miraphone C4 (pre-TU-23). For the last several years, he settled on a DEG Nylon... these were made in two sizes, though never marked or marketed as such. One is close to a Bach 12, the other a copy of the 25 (the modern ones are like that). The big ones are hard to find. FWM didn't like the mouthpiece, so Bishop spray-painted it silver Problem solved.

[iiipopes]

If you went to the glovebox and found no spare mouthpiece, and had to make a mouthpiece on the spot, out of a potato, what are the odds it would be better than a 24AW? Assume that the gig mostly involve rests, so physical comfort of the two mouthpiece materials isn't super important.

If a yankee buzzed on a 24AW in the woods - and no southerner heard them do it - would the union intervene ?

No, but since Missouri was a split state, the Fountain City Brass Band might!

[iiipopes]

I can't speak to bloke's skills in that medium, but for me I'm sure it would be a challenge. On the other hand, it seems like a potential useful skill. Maybe it would be a fun contest, like an event at one of those big shows people go to. Or it could be part of the symphony orchestra audition process. I think you'd have to allow some other common item in the manufacturing process - a pencil or something, I don't know. Most pocket knife blades are too broad to cut a bore, so you'd have to use the knife and pencil to fabricate a bore drill. Maybe it would be better if we suppose that the unfortunate tuba player can reasonably easily procure a 5/16 twist bit, so the specific terms would be make a functional tuba mouthpiece out of a potato, or tuber of your choice, with a pocket knife and one commonly available drill bit.

The pen blade of a standard Case pocket knife is narrow enough to cut the throat.