repairing a mouthpiece

[ppalan]

Hi,
I have an old Miraphone C4 mouthpiece that was found in a trash can. Even though the exterior is pretty beat up, my concern is the rim. While it isn't as badly beat as the exterior, it has some dents(chips?) and the silverplating is worn in a fine line around the top surface. Is it possible to repair this mouthpiece (especially the rim) without changing its characteristics (shape, width, etc.)? I discovered that even in its current state, it actually works quite well for me on a recently acquired F tuba. Could this be done for less than the cost of a new one (I think TU-23 is the current name for it) which is around $100+? I will post some picks later when I have an opportunity.
Thanks in advance for any info.
Pete

[ppalan]

Thanks Bloke. Question...I assumed the C4 copy was the 69C4 but the description says the 62 is their Eb/F mouthpiece. Which is the one that copies the Miraphone C4 characteristics?
Pete

[ppalan]

Wow, that was quick. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Pete

[ppalan]

Still casting about for ideas to resurrect this mouthpiece so I guess I'm sort of replying to my own last post. I've seen suggestions in other threads for using clear fingernail polish on mouthpieces whose plating has worn. Is this actually something anyone has done or is it just "in theory this works"? I'm not sure I like the idea of putting this on the rim where it would be in contact with my mouth. Anyone done this?
Pete

[Donn]

Anyone done this?

Yes and no. I have one or two mouthpieces with fingernail polish rims - but not clear fingernail polish, I favor a dark blue or a kind of coral red. It's made for application to humans, so I don't believe there's much to worry about there.

[Three Valves]

You're supposed to huff it??

I've been drinking it!!

[Big Francis]

I had a mouthpiece (~$100 to replace new) that had a pretty beat up rim. I had sent out to get a quick once over before replating ($60) with a caution from the shop that it was bad enough that it wouldn't be perfect and possibly still unplayable. It came back better, but still unplayable. Bloke's right, if it's in that bad of shape, send it back from whence it came. I ended up giving mine to a band director friend in need of extra tuba mouthpieces.

Frank

[Lee Stofer]

Pete,
On my website, I caution people to consider the factors before restoring a mouthpiece. It can certainly be done, but I have pretty-much limited going to the trouble of brazing-and-filling rims and re-working very badly-damaged mouthpieces to those mouthpieces that have historical value, real playing value, and are not available as such any more. The Mirafone C-4 mouthpiece is not available as such any more and has real value as a player, enough-so over the past several decades as to make it an important historical mouthpiece. This project is not cheap, and may cost approx. $125.00, but how can you otherwise get one of these exact mouthpieces in like-new condition?