Best mouthpiece for Yamaha YFB-621

[ubq]

I'm playing now with a Schilke "66" but it seems to be a bit big for the YFB-621. I'm comfortable with the mouthpiece how it feels, I'm only a bit unhappy with the sound. Ok it depends on me, but we all know the mouthpiece can change the color a lot!

If you have any suggestions, it's kindly welcome!

Thanks

[MartyNeilan]

What do you want to do with the horn?
Solo? - something C4-ish (shallow to medium C cup)
Ensemble? medium to medium-large helleberg (V cup) mouthpiece. With a larger mouthpiece the 621 can have a surprisingly full sound.

[Roger Lewis]

that you stay away from the funnels on this horn. I used a Schilke 66 on mine and the upper register would go flat on it. The TU23 or C4 recommendation is a good one, then perhaps a PT62 or PT89 would work well for the bigger sound and depth for the larger ensemble works.

Just my misguided experience.
Roger

[J.c. Sherman]

I used a Miraphone C4 for forever, until I finally decided to see if anything worked better.

Believe it or not, I'm using a Helleburg now. You can get a LOT of poop out, and the sound and character are even and very much in control. I was and am shocked, but very pleased.

My outdoor mouthpiece is a Kelly 25 for this ax.

I used a Bobo Solo on it for a while too. A terrific sounding mouthpiece for cutting solo work, and not much else. Intonation changes a little on the horn with this mouthpiece.

J.c.S.

[Rick Denney]

For years I played a medium Hellebergish mouthpiece on my 621. Then, when I bought the B&S (primarily to get a better sound and more projection), I bought a Mike Finn MF-4 for it. That mouthpiece just makes beauty on the B&S.

Then, I tried the MF4 on the Yamaha. Guess what? It makes beauty there, too.

I had used (and recommended) contrabass mouthpieces on the little Yamaha F in order to take full advantage of the 621's wonderful low register. I just never realized the price I was paying for a low C that played like a contrabass tuba. Those big mouthpieces rob the upper register of the 621 of its color, focus, and clarity.

That doesn't mean I like the mouthpiece that comes with the instrument. I still can't make good notes with that thing.

The MF-4 is a great, general-purpose F tuba mouthpiece. Using it, the low C on the Yamaha doesn't feel like a contrabass, but it still has all the stability for which the Yamaha F's are famous. And that mouthpiece brings a little color to the mid and upper register, where the Yamaha is accused of being bland.

Buying a B&S F was the best thing that ever happened to my Yamaha, heh, heh.

Rick "who still uses the Yamaha in quintet" Denney

[MikeMilnarik]

Another you could try is a Yamaha Roger Bobo Solo. Works great on the YFB-621, YCB-621 and the YFB-822 (which it was designed for).

Mike

[Barney]

I tried many of the mouthpieces mentioned in this thread on my YFB-621, but nothing REALLY clicked for me. Luckily, I'm in close proximity to Dillons, and had a chance to try a large selection of JK mouthpieces. I found the 5E to be a great fit for that horn. Mileage may vary.

[joshwirt]

I used a Miraphone Rose Solo when I owned a YFB-621. Great, snappy low register with a high register that did NOT go flat like the aforementioned funnel cups.

The C4 and the Bobo Solo would be other options that would fit that horn well.

-Josh

[Dylan King]

I use a Giddings and Webster Bora on mine and it works great. It soars on the high stuff and is still able to pop out in the low register. It's a good all-around piece for that particular horn. I have my old glod-plated c-4 in my case as a backup, which also works well.

[Gorilla Tuba]

I like the one that comes with it. Yamaha 67b4

[J.c. Sherman]

There's a lot I like about the stock mouthpiece. But I can't get much poop out of the horn with it...

J.c.S.