Tuba Mutes?

[bud]

Although I don't want one, the music is calling for a mute. Will people please share what they know about mutes...brands, types, prices, etc.?

I play a MW 2000 and PT9. Will one fit both?

[Tom]

Brands, types, prices, etc.?

There are several different kinds of tuba mutes available from a number of commercial manufacturers:

Wood Mutes from Balu
Wood/Fiber mutes from Trumcor
"Stonelined" Cardboard from Humes & Berg
All aluminum from Humes & Berg, Schlipf, Dennis Wick
Aluminum w/ wood end caps from Griffith, Apperson, Tenn. Tech
Plastic from R&S
Electronic Silent Brass from Yamaha

Prices on the aforementioned mutes range from c. $75 to upwards of $200.

Tuba mutes styles are straight mute (most likely what you're looking for), practice mute, and cup mute.

I play a MW 2000 and PT9. Will one fit both?

One mute is not likely to work well in those two different instruments. The bell throat and flare (or lack thereof) have a lot to do with how well a mute will fit and ultimately how well it will sound. Bell diameter isn't a terribly important factor in mute fit in my experience. The plastic R&S mute is made with adjustable rubber feet that are adjustable for a "one size fits all" solution but I've found it to be a compromise and not the muted sound I wanted when trying to match other muted brass.
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My favorite mute is actually an old POS looking mute I bought many years ago used for $20. It's only marking is a sticker on the inside of the top cap that says "Accura Music." It's an aluminum mute with a wood end cap. The mute looks like a crude homemade attempt at building a mute with screen door parts. This thing has been around the block...it's got a lot of dings, the corks are worn smooth, and the leather protector on the small end is brittle and cracked, and even had part of the aluminum near the top cap was crushed and torn in an accident. I've got it patched with duct tape. Yeah it looks "ghetto," but it plays great and fits my F and my Alex CC perfectly. I'd buy another one just like it and retire my current one if I could find one. The most similar readily available mute is the Tennessee Tech mute, I suppose. That's probably what I'll buy when this one gets to be beyond repair.

[jma78]

Mutes from Johann Schlipfinger are fantastic, the best ones I've ever played. I have two different. I've never played a mute that is better in tune.
I've tried some different mutes, I might add. The second best I've played is trumcor.

http://www.tuba-mute.com/index.php?page=index&lang=en

[iiipopes]

H&B
Denis Wick
Tennesee Tech -- that's right, the university makes one of the finest mutes out there:
http://orgs.tntech.edu/tuba/default.asp?page=mutes