TubeNet

Another new toy

http://www.monsteroil.net/lube-master-s ... outhpiece/" target="_blank

Credit to: Billy M.

Sounds interesting. My beef with the Conn Geib was always the small throat. I just had a Geib made for me with an 8.4mm bore. If my kids ever give me 30 seconds, I'll try it out and tell you all how it worked out!

Billy -- congrats!

Lube Master is also making a line of trumpet mouthpieces, Bach Mt. Vernon derivatives. I can see it now: the tuba mouthpiece says, "Say hello to my little friend...."

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Do any new current horns come with a Geib style MP?

peterbas wrote:What is up with the high prices for a mouthpiece

You tell me. According to your signature, you're the proud owner of a mouthpiece that costs significantly more than this one.

Personally I'm pretty fond of the Faxx hb and hb-7B models, at considerably less than $100, but I guess I'd happily pay $175 if I thought it was going to get me something I wanted and couldn't get anywhere else.

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Most of these companies are farming out the manufacturing component. Depending on the size of the batch they order plus the amount of consultancy needed on the design plus the prototypes plus the profit they want to make you’ll get different prices. Most brass mouthpieces are in the $100-150 range, so this isn’t absurd.

A mouthpiece that requires less time on the lathe (because heavy), a 6 month wait, and a flash of gold plate that costs $400+ because of aligned chakras seems a bit out of line.

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People's spending habits aren’t going to scale linearly like that. I understand your point, but the difference between $125 and $175 is a meal for 4 people as opposed to something closer to a paycheck.

If their pricing sucks, the old “invisible hand” comes along and does its job.

peterbas wrote:how many are going to buy the [more expensive, less familiar alternative].

Matt G wrote:I understand your point

Maybe you could explain it, then. There are many mouthpieces out there, that I wouldn't spend so much money on myself, and I could tell you why. But what use would that be? Now if someone who did buy one wanted to talk about why he or she would recommend against it, that would be some use. We should have more of that!

Meaningful measurements and a picture of the rim and cup would be helpful. The three measurements on the page are without referents and pretty much meaningless. "Comfortable" is nice, but one person's comfort can be another person's misery. A cross-section diagram would be great.

GC wrote:A cross-section diagram would be great.

I love the cross-sections Mike Finn used to do. You can really tell what you're getting, with a cross section, photo or diagram.

I really like the Blokepiece and Houser diagrams on the Houser site, too.

Donn wrote:

peterbas wrote:how many are going to buy the [more expensive, less familiar alternative].

Matt G wrote:I understand your point

Maybe you could explain it, then. There are many mouthpieces out there, that I wouldn't spend so much money on myself, and I could tell you why. But what use would that be? Now if someone who did buy one wanted to talk about why he or she would recommend against it, that would be some use. We should have more of that!

Hm. My point was that I understood the point of his analogy. Why would someone spend a premium on a lesser known brand. But people do. Examples abound in just about every market I can think of.

As to why this particular mouthpiece is worth a premium, I have no clue. Even if I did, my experience would be singular. I agree that having numerous specs, diagrams, and illustrations are great.

Jack ´n Jill went over the hill, just add another "new" mouthpiece to the bill.

Okay then, how much *should* a mouthpiece cost?

Yes, the mass produced ones cost less... a Bach 18 costs under $100 right now. And even the Robert Tucci mouthpieces are right around $100, which is a heck of a value.

Other things cost more... And I think there are a lot of reasons things cost what they cost... but most of that doesn't really matter in the end. A few examples here, prices are for silver unless otherwise noted:

* Stofer Geib -- $225
* Mike Finn -- $175
* James R New -- $200
* Stork -- $275
* G&W -- about $250 for stainless, about $500 for titanium
* Monette -- $410
* Thein -- about $350
* K&G -- about $150
* Breslmair -- about $125
* Werner Chr Schmidt -- $210+
* Blokepiece -- $250+
* Dillon -- $195

So, $175 for the Super G isn't such a bad price in my eyes. Yeah, its still a chunk of change to find out what you think of it (and my goodness, could those measurements on the website be more useless!). But it's not an unreasonable cost, and you've got to find out somehow. Maybe we've been spoiled with the mountains of used tuba mouthpieces (and used tuba mouthpiece costs), to help us dial in what we are looking for.

What I would want to know, though, is where the mouthpieces are made... As a valve oil company, I'm assuming they send these out to be manufactured elsewhere, and that would be good to know where they are made. I'm not doubting the merits of these mouthpieces, but it is odd to me to see a valve oil company with a lineup of mouthpiece s. Also, I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I'd want to play on a mouthpiece called "Lube Master".

Think of the motto opportunities!

“Put your lips on a lube master today!”

“Lube master makes you play better!”

“For a performance your colleagues will admire, choose lube master!”

If you have the measurements of a Laskey 30G for cup depth and throat, and the shape, you have the measurements of the Super G. The rim is 33.0 mm and is different from the Laskey 30G.

Thanks for clarifying, Joe.

Any plans for a solid brass one piece?