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I started on a 25 in middle school, and I used it all the way until my sophomore year of high school when I tried out for the All-Ohio State Fair Band. The man running the sousaphone auditions took one look at my mouthpiece and told me I was long overdue to upgrade to an 18. I had the good fortune to have a very supportive band director who bought a brand new Blessing 18 for me to use within a week. It wasn't until my senior year of high school before I tried a Helleberg, and I still use it to this day.

But what Helleberg? There are dozens of incarnations with a variety of rims, cups throat sizes back bores and shank sizes. I suppose one can find a suitable version of it to fit your taste. The originals seem to consistantly have a smaller throat than the modern versions. But when you read the copy from the various modern manufacturers, that seems to be intentional in order to open up the sound, "as they say." Legend has it that when Gus made these for his colleagues they were tailiored to the individuals. Supposedly there were original "Hellebergs" before Conn took over and put their name on them. Part of the design is the distinctive inside cup contour and the rather skeletonized and rather thin wall along with the weighted area around the throat (which seems to be missing from the newer Conn version)
I would love to see a chronology of all the various models from Gus Helleberg's originals to all the versions that are out there now, complete with specs and an overlay of digital images.

I think one really key point along those lines, is we need to call out false Hellebergs wherever they turn up. It is not uncommon among mouthpiece makers to use the name Helleberg to describe a mouthpiece that actually has quite a rounded cup, nor does it have any other obvious resemblance to the Conn mouthpieces or their antecedents. This fraud cannot pass unchallenged!

I really like the Kellyberg version which to me feels like the rim isn't as wide as the Conn 120 version. I also like Paul Sidey's SSH version.

I've been playing a Kellyberg exclusively for about six months. Love the way it feels and I've gotten used to all the haters who joke about my "toy" mouthpiece.

I like the kellyberg too, so i bought the brushed stainless steel version. It reminds me of the Delorean in Back to The Future.

pecktime wrote:I like the kellyberg too, so i bought the brushed stainless steel version. It reminds me of the Delorean in Back to The Future.

Ohhhhh!!

So is it more like the 120S or the 7B??

Right now I switch between a plated 120S and the Plastic Kellyberg.

I always disliked the Bach series.

I didn't realize I was playing a Conn #2 thru college. Strangely enough they were hard to find then, even though they were likely the ones that came with all the sousaphones.

I guess you could say I'm a Conn-Man!!

But I still keep an old Bach 18 around. My main piece is a Tilz-Hirsbrunner M1. Still: isn't the mouthpiece the link from player to tuba? So a "Helleberg man" should be willing to morph into a "Bach man", "Blokepiece man", etc. depending on the tuba du jour, yes?

I always keep a Helleberg in my car for buzzing exercises, and if I get called to sit in on certain rehearsals. It's a great all around mouthpiece.

gregsundt wrote:But I still keep an old Bach 18 around. My main piece is a Tilz-Hirsbrunner M1. Still: isn't the mouthpiece the link from player to tuba? So a "Helleberg man" should be willing to morph into a "Bach man", "Blokepiece man", etc. depending on the tuba du jour, yes?

No, I'd rather fight than switch!!

The Faxx HB has a particularly nice rim. If tuba mouthpiece makers put the thought into rims, that people over the years have put into making a comfortable toilet seat, the rims would be more like the Faxx.

For me it has a nice particularly clean sound, so I suppose they're doing some other things right, too.

Like my Helleberg and it gets occasional use.
Do any of you know pros regularly using a Helleberg?
Did is see Mr Baadsvik using a 7B on his Starlight?
Also I think I saw a regular Helleberg used by the chap alongside Red Martin on the Chicago Symphony Brass Alpine DVD - I don't know his name, apologies - playing a Neptune or PT6.