blokepiece: an amateur's review

[Matt G]

Getting this part out of the way, I paid the full price for this mouthpiece ($300+). This review was not solicited in any way, shape, or form.

Background:

I am still getting my chops back in order after many years of not playing and dealing with some artifacts of EFD. The process is slow, but when things work, they work. I have two tubas presently, a Conn/King/Walters/Dillon 4/4 CC and a Meinl Weston 2165 both listed in my signature. The I have owned many mouthpieces in the past, but sold them all. The only one I have had recently (up until today) is a Miraphone TU31. I purchased the TU31 from Dillon's when I bought the 4/4 from them that was on consignment. It paired well and has a sound I want on the 4/4.

When I bought the 2165, I knew that I needed a new mouthpiece simply because the TU31 was too far into the receiver and it wasn't quite "right" for the horn. I knew I needed something with less cup volume (at least) to get the sound I wanted.

When I saw Joe (bloke) was putting together a batch of rims to ship off for titanium coating, I decided to reach out to him and ask a few questions. After a pleasant exchange, I decided on:

HLB2 33.5mm with Gold H-Kote
Delrin Extender Ring
Imperial Cup
Imperial Euro Shank

Joe uses USPS for domestic shipping with available tracking. I was notified that my package had arrived yesterday (a day early!!) and was waiting for me in my mailbox. I immediately went to fetch the mouthpiece just because. I was pleasantly surprised that Joe included a nice rubber pouch for the mouthpiece to have a safe journey. That was much appreciated!

Another caveat: I had a run-in with poison ivy last weekend. Part of my face and lips were brushed with my enemy urushiol oil. So my upper lip has a bit of rash and is a little inflamed still. Oh well...

I was immediately impressed by the fit and finish of these parts. Mr. Houser does a fine job making these. The H-Kote looks flawless to the naked eye.

So into the receiver it goes!

Immediately I was impressed with the rim contour. I'm not a fan of flat rims, and my TU31 has a bit of a flat spot, but nothing like the Conn 120S Helleberg models. And I vaguely remember the old SH-II that I owned (one made while Mr. Laske was still in the Schilke shop), and this is more comfortable than any of those. Maybe not as comfortable as I remember my old Bach 7 being, but that wasn't the best rim for quick response. This seems to be a solid hybrid approach to the rim contour that allows for fast response and not feel harsh on the face after a long period of playing.

I have to say that the mouthpiece without the extender is the better match, for me. It gives the 2165 the "right sound" in that it has a nice bit of "front". When I add the extender in, the sound is a bit more "plush", similar to the TU31. That might be useful in certain situations. However, even though the 2165 is a big tuba, I want it to be "more tuba" as opposed to "plush tuba". In other words, a better amplifier but not a harmonic filter.

I probably could've saved a few bucks and not bought the extender, but I am certainly not dissatisfied with the purchase.

Now my next problem is saving up for a configuration to match my 4/4 CC. The rim is really that good.

Worth checking out, from my perspective.

[pjv]

I get what you're saying about the extender. When I use my Imperial with the Profundo (which gives a tad less extension) it works really well on my Hagen 496. Idem with my solo mpc/F-tuba combi.
Enjoy your tuba time!
ps. I have an Imperial with US shank. Even though the Hagen sports a one size fits all receiver, it plays much more secure when I wrap the shank with some plumbers tape. With the tape it goes in about as far as a euro sized Tilz I have lying around. I'm definitely considering ordering a euro shank next week.

[pjv]

If only he'd manufacture a 0-throat for the Imperial, heh Bloke.
I'll keep you posted about further experiments.It never occurred to me to use my Profundo and the ExRing on the solo.
I'm not sure what tuba you're referring to: "The Kaiser".

[Rick Denney]

I have an original one-piece Symphony, a two-piece Solo (for the B&S F tuba), a three-piece Orchestra Grand with Grand backbore (for the Holton), and a three-piece Orchestra Grand with Symphony backbore (for the Hirsbrunner HB-193 kaiser). The Symphony backbore on the OG cup keeps the Hirsbrunner from being too dark, and the OG backbore keeps the Holton from being woofy.

None of them have been ideal for the Eastman, however, so I've been experimenting with various options from my cast collection of mouthpieces bought over the years. So far, the best one for the Eastman has been a PT-48, but I think that's mostly because it sits down in the receiver more, and that plus its volume and throat lift the pitch a bit, which I need with that instrument. I know there's a combination from Joe that will do those things, and I'll put something together eventually, but I want to work it out as best I can first. Joe knows that I know how to measure things.

All of Joe's mouthpieces that I've played are a bit Geibish in that they are more cup than funnel. As I have matured as a player, I've gravitated away from wanting the darkest (i.e., least colorful) sound to compensate for my laser tone, to embracing that tone and using instruments that color more deeply in the first place. The cuppier mouthpieces encourage a lot of harmonic content, which is welcome on tubas like the Holton and that particular Hirsbrunner. When I had my Miraphone, it was too much, though if I had a naturally deeper tone it would have been fine.

Rick "but they ain't getting any cheaper" Denney

[cjk]

I have an original one-piece Symphony, ....

One piece Symphony? I thought the only one piece was the original "Solo".

[Rick Denney]

I have an original one-piece Symphony, ....

One piece Symphony? I thought the only one piece was the original "Solo".

Maybe it's a two-piece that has become a one-piece, but I also have a one-piece Solo.

Rick "who doesn't take these apart once assembled" Denney

[Donn]

The cuppier mouthpieces encourage a lot of harmonic content, which is welcome on tubas like the Holton and that particular Hirsbrunner.

Do you know if the Holton would have come with a mouthpiece, from the factory, and if so what sort?

[Rick Denney]

I'm pretty sure that Holton supplied that gigantic (2" wide x 3-13/16" long, Conn Chief / Conn 2 knock-off) Holton "Revelation" 52 with the model 345 tubas.

The 52 cup is a very deep straight funnel (consuming the mouthpiece's excessive length), the 52 throat is extremely large, and the 52 back-bore is a straight funnel.

I keep these back (in really nice shape) to give to buyers of Holton 345 tubas (when I have those tubas for sale), so they can have OEM mouthpieces to go with their new-to-them tubas.

Every 345 buyer has been appreciative, but none of them - that I know of - have ended up using them...They sound sorta like an old Ampeg tube bass amp, but with the bass turned up all the way, and the treble turned down all the way.

Yes. Instead of the anti-woof, it's the Woof-Master. Color? Nope. Clarity? Not much. A floor under the band? Nothing but. Maybe it's good for playing string bass transcriptions, but not with me playing it.

Rick "who has one, is glad to have one for history's sake, but doesn't use it" Denney

[Rick Denney]

The cuppier mouthpieces encourage a lot of harmonic content, which is welcome on tubas like the Holton and that particular Hirsbrunner.

Do you know if the Holton would have come with a mouthpiece, from the factory, and if so what sort?

No, as stated. But I'm not sure Holton ever understood who the target audience was for that instrument. They made it for Arnold Jacobs, when they were sponsoring the CSO Brass Quintet, and he never demonstrated a dark, fluffy sound. Nor did he use Woof Master mouthpieces. But to sell them, especially the BB-345, I think they thought they were competing with the Conn 25J. They might have sold more of them had they gotten Mr. Jacobs's advice on what mouthpiece to supply, and then turn it into a signature model, as they did with the Farkas-model 8D horn.

Rick "the time of world-class instrument-manufacturing managemnt had passed" Denney

[anotherjtm2]

If I had to tell someone (like a remote teacher) what widely known mouthpiece a Blokepiece Symphony is kindof like, what would that be?

[anotherjtm2]

"better than theirs"

That will definitely set the tone that I have in mind for the relationship, so I'll lead with that.

[bort]

I owned a Blokepiece symphony once a long time ago.

I remembered liking it a lot, and sold it, because I didn't like the feel of stainless. Joe hasn't let me hear the end of it since then.

[anotherjtm2]

I owned a Blokepiece symphony once a long time ago.

I remembered liking it a lot, and sold it, because I didn't like the feel of stainless. Joe hasn't let me hear the end of it since then.

Heh. I like mine. And I like stainless, too, so that's lucky.

Thanks, Joe, for all the details.

[bort]

It's not really the smoothness, it's more the hardness and cold "surgical" feel of stainless. Not like temperature cold, but just like, the metal feels distant and unusual to me as compared to brass.

It's not you, it's every stainless mouthpiece I've tried. It feels like chewing on a spoon...?

[MikeMason]

I own and use lots of blokepiece components so I feel like I have the right to nitpick. Bloke has said,just in this post stream plus the quoted one, that the solo is a shallow bowl and a shallow funnel. I always assumed bowl,to match the symphonie. So which is it?

[MikeMason]

I have everything but the grand. Maybe I just haven’t mixed and matched and experimented enough.

[bort]

Ok, fine....I'll try one again, and you can help me choose what's best. Probably won't be next, but I'll try to get to it sooner than later.