Tilz Mouthpieces & Schlipf Mutes

[Lee Stofer]

Hello all,
I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and weekend, wherever you are! I'm taking a breather for a couple of days from the repair shop, and wanted to give a quick update on a couple of products.

Many of you have inquired about the Schlipf mutes, manufactured by Johannes Schlipfinger of Vienna, Austria. I sampled his wares at the ITEC in Cincinnati, OH this summer, and bought two practice mutes and a straight/cup combi mute. Herr Schlipfinger's mutes have a very good reputation internationally, but no one has ever established North American distribution of Schlipf mutes. He and I are now working together to change this, and hopefully I'll soon have my first shipment of Schlipf mutes to offer in the US. The two practice mutes that I had sold quickly, and I think the straight/cup mute will soon be gone. It is the nicest, best-made tuba mute I have ever come across, with three sets of interchangeable neoprene "corks" for an accurate fit. The mutes come in approx. 15 different sizes, so that virtually any upright-bell tuba or euphonium can have a properly-fitted mute.

In response to customer request, I have just received several Bruno Tilz M-2 tuba mouthpieces. These mouthpieces are stenciled as Rudolf Meinl RM-2 mouthpieces, available as either the RM2, or the RM-2. , the dot after the number indicating that it has a slightly larger (.2mm larger) backbore. These are available while supplies last for $149.95 each, with shipping in the US included in that cost. Lee Stofer Music can accept checks, money order, VISA/MC or PayPal. If you send in a payment to PayPal, please include a message with your request that includes your name and shipping address.

I want to thank all of my customer/friends out there for your continued support, and the opportunity to serve you throughout the last 9 1/2 years. We will be celebrating 10 years in business starting in April, 2009. I plan to do more custom work in 2009. The offerings will include a Cerveny compact kaiser CC tuba, a custom Mirafone lacquered 4-piston BBb helicon, a silver Buescher BBb helicon, a 1932 York monster BBb sousaphone, and a vintage Mirafone 186 BBb recording bass with both recording- and upright bells, and a vintage Besson 3+1 compensating euphonium. If time permits, there may also be a couple of custom piston F tubas, one Buescher and one full custom of my design, and a custom 4-piston, 5th rotor large Yamaha CC of my design. Feel free to call or e-mail if you are particularly interested in one of these project instruments. If one purchases a project instrument, I will customize it and finish it to your specifications. If there is a particular instrument that you are looking for, feel free to contact me, as I might have it, or know where it can be found.

Thank-you,