NEW Sellmansberger "Symphony" mpc

[bloke]

edit: February 2010

I'm finally getting through my order backlog, and I sincerely thank everyone on the list for their tremendous patience.

I believe that I have "Symphony" threaded underparts here for everyone who has prepaid, and a few extras for those who have sent in serious inquiries but not yet ordered.

To review, (as this post is heavily edited)

This mouthpiece fits the preexisting #1 and #2 rims (which were originally developed for the "Solo" underparts).

The "Symphony" is a much deeper cup mouthpiece (though nothing out of proportion) which is fine-tuned to offer

- a big,round, and focused sound
- absolutely minimalized extraneous noise without being "muffled"
- a very fast low range response

for primary use with contrabass tubas...(*though - just as with the "Solo" version, I can certainly imagine that there will be those who find it to work well with other types of tubas...As examples, a couple of high-profile professionals are actually using the "Solo" underpart with their York-style 6/4 tubas.)

As the two "Solo" underparts feature whimsical engraved designs (Atlas holding up the world on the Solo #1 and a beer mug on the Solo #2), the new "Symphony" underpart (both the American and Euro shank versions) features the full profile of a bugling elk.

The current price (for the Solo versions or the Symphony versions) for a complete mouthpiece (one underpart with one rim) is $140 + $10 s/h. The longstanding "sale" price will end on April 1st, 2010, and the "regular" price of $165 + s/h will be in force at that time.

very brief description:

- The "Symphony" mouthpiece is NOT a "helleberg"-style mouthpiece. It has somewhat of a funnel shape, but (unlike any "helleberg") features a "hip" down near the throat area.

- Just like the "Solo" mouthpiece, a "reverse taper" throat greatly improves and assists in focusing low range response without wasting resources.

- This is available with a standard-"American" or slightly larger "Euro" shank exterior. Based on the limited experimentation that I've been able to do, I would currently only recommend the "Euro" shank version for a tuba that actually has a "Euro" receiver...and (possibly for faster low range response) one might (??) use the "American" shank version in conjunction with a "Euro" receiver instrument - provided the American shank version doesn't "bottom out".

- These are TWO-PART lightweight STAINLESS STEEL mouthpieces (not plated, and therefore never requiring any replating), and are expertly and artfully manufactured for me by the master, David Houser.


Thanks!

_______________________________________________________________________________________
*sidebar: Just recently, I had the opportunity to test the "Symphony" on a very large tuba tuba (Rudolf Meinl 5/4 [which is actually 6/4+ size] BBb with a huge 22mm bore). The "Symphony" performed very well on that model, as well some York-style 6/4 tubas (19mm bore) that I've been able to test with this mouthpiece. Getting back to the RM 5/4, (playing it with this mouthpiece) was the first time that I actually sat down for more than a few moments (an hour, actually) and truly enjoyed playing a R.M. 5/4 tuba.

[bloke]

In conjunction with mouthpiece purchases - I'm offering black "coin purse" pouches optionally for $4.00

[bloke]

Dietrich Kleine-Horst, master tuba builder and owner of Gronitz Tubas, just ordered a Sellmansberger SYMPHONY mouthpiece for his personal Gronitz PCK.

[bloke]

If you really enjoy confused/confusing blather, read this post:

If a 33mm cup width seems just a bit wide for any individual, I'm now offering a c. 32-1/3mm interior width rim which will fit both the "Solo" and "Symphony" underparts. The more I experiment, the more I am discovering that most any subtle changes anywhere on the rim or mouthpiece interior (as I'm still not much of a believer that material, exterior shape, or quantity of mass makes much of any observable difference) DO subtly change the potential sonic properties.

I believe with the alternative (narrower embouchure hole) 32-1/3mm rim (in addition to an extra-flat 33mm rim) that are being parenthetically offered, you'll get "just about" the same results, but (just like the sonic differences between the #1 and #2 rims) I predict a subtle sonic difference with any rim change.

In summary , if a player's face is somewhat "narrow" or "pointed" (in other words, you are not the stereotypical "pie-faced" tuba player ) the 32-1/3mm interior width rim might (??) prove to be slightly more manageable...but it will also likely sound slightly different as well.