Sidey MB or MBL?

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:13 am

One suggestion for your Besson Eefer: Wick 3.

eaborst · Post by **eaborst** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:28 pm

I have use a PT 72 on both the 981 I owned in the past and the 983 I am currently playing and that seems to be a good fit.

Alex

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:50 pm

I have said it before, but the one mouthpiece that seems to work best for me on my 983 is the LM-15. I was using the Wick 3, but it wasn't as free blowing as I like. With the LM-15 I get the sound I want, good intonation, and it facilitiates an easy range from pedal to the high end. Other mouthpieces could provide the range or give a good tone, but intonation was inconsistent. Since I got the LM-15 I haven't found anything that works as well for me. Of course everyone is different and your experience will probably not be the same, but it's probably worth a try.

cjk · Post by **cjk** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:40 pm

I don't own a Besson 983 or the mouthpieces in question, but here's my educated guess....

Compensated instruments like your 983 have a bit more resistance in them than non-compensated instruments.

A lot of British tuba players who play Besson E flat tubas use mouthpieces with very large throats to help compensate for the the extra resistance. Look at the throat sizes on most Denis Wick mouthpieces, they're huge. http://www.deniswick.com/dw_leaflet_06.pdf

The Sidey MB has a 7.5 mm throat, that's about the same size as a stock Miraphone C4 (TU23) or Laskey 30c. I call that small. If you like a C4 on your tuba and hate the rim, get the SSH-MB.

The Sidey MBL has a more normal 8.15 mm throat, just a hair smaller than Miraphone Rose Solo or Conn Helleberg or Laskey 30h.

So if it were up to me, I'd get the SSH-MBL because the larger throat will likely work better with your tuba.

I think you should get both and send the one you like least back or sell it on Tubenet.

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:47 pm

cjk wrote:I don't own a Besson 983 or the mouthpieces in question, but here's my educated guess....

Compensated instruments like your 983 have a bit more resistance in them than non-compensated instruments.

A lot of British tuba players who play Besson E flat tubas use mouthpieces with very large throats to help compensate for the the extra resistance. Look at the throat sizes on most Denis Wick mouthpieces, they're huge. http://www.deniswick.com/dw_leaflet_06.pdf

The Sidey MB has a 7.5 mm throat, that's about the same size as a stock Miraphone C4 (TU23) or Laskey 30c. I call that small. If you like a C4 on your tuba and hate the rim, get the SSH-MB.

The Sidey MBL has a more normal 8.15 mm throat, just a hair smaller than Miraphone Rose Solo or Conn Helleberg or Laskey 30h.

So if it were up to me, I'd get the SSH-MBL because the larger throat will likely work better with your tuba.

I think you should get both and send the one you like least back or sell it on Tubenet.

Maybe that's why the LM-15 works for me. It has "Throat Bore: 8.25 mm." The bore on the LM-9 is only 7.823mm. The Wick 3 has a bore of 8.78mm, although the 3SL is 7.62mm. You can get the Helleberg rim for any of the loud mouthpieces if you really like that feel too.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:44 pm

Yes, you sent me the 3L, and I turned around and sold it to Schlep, who loves it for his eefer helicon. It has just never worked out for me playing eefer.