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My tuba is very mouthpiece sensitive and I've spent too much time and money trying to find the right MP for it. A fellow tubaist told me that with large tubas, a bowl mouthpiece will really help center the sound. Before I had it ultrasonically cleaned, the only mouthpiece that had any response in the low register was a huge heavy weight mouthpiece that is a giant funnel. However, after the cleaning the low register was insanely better, but when I plugged in my Miraphone TU-33 and my horn is almost different from the day i got it. Everything is better, tone, dynamic response, the low register, etc... I was wondering if there are any bowl mouthpieces with a 33.5 mm rim, for some reason that is the only rim size that accommodates my face- I'm a large guy. My friend also said that the bowl mouthpiece provides resistance for air, my tuba blows pretty freely and I would think that adding resistance would reduce performance. No?

If anyone who has owned one of the big Kalisons before has anything to say, that would be great.

Might want to think about an LM-10:

http://www.loudmouthpieces.com/ProductD ... tCode=LM10" target="_blank

I've used it with great success on many large horns.

It just seems to me that with the big funnel I loose almost all control and the the low range isn't clear at all.

From an amateur's perspective, I've got a Wisemann 900 and have quite nicely settled onto a Blokepiece Symphony with a 33.2 #2 rim. The shank design offers enough resistance to match with the larger 5/4 horn and the cup shape permits enough traction so as to not often lose control when articulating the low register. Larger funnels like the GW Bayamo initially and instantly made the low register more accessible and fooled me into thinking this was the way to go, but over time I learned that it was more size than I could handle. All-around intonation suffered and I could not get a handle on reliable clean articulation down low. From what I've read the Symphony cup is a hybrid of sorts, bowl and funnel. Regardless, It's the best piece I've come across so I've stuck with it and the relationship keeps getting better with time.

I looked in to the LM 10 and it's V shape cup is a interesting, plus it has the rim size I need. I may record myself playing an excerpt with several (4) mouthpieces and hopefully the differences will be easy to hear.

PT-88 is a 33,5mm deep bowl mouthpiece. I play that on my Rudolf 5/4 and like it.

Tampaworth wrote:From an amateur's perspective ...... settled onto a Blokepiece Symphony .......From what I've read the Symphony cup is a hybrid of sorts, bowl and funnel. Regardless, It's the best piece I've come across so I've stuck with it and the relationship keeps getting better with time.

I resisted purchasing a blokepiece symphony for over a year. It was time wasted trying other mouthpieces. Get yourself one, then spend a little time trying rims to find one that fits you best.

Kevin_Iaquinto wrote:I was wondering if there are any bowl mouthpieces with a 33.5 mm rim,

Dave Houser has the Blokepieces and there are at least 2 rims that are 33.5. (HLB2 and MO HBG XLG)
http://www.housermouthpiece.net/tuba-sc ... steel.html
I use the Symphony on both my 186 and a VMI 3301. It works very well for me.
Hope this helps.
Pete