trying to locate a mouthpiece

[Casey Tucker]

hey guys and gals,
I'm posting this in this section and not the for sale more to find out the whereabouts and possible purchase locations of a particular mouthpiece. it was recommended to me as a grade school student because of my large chops by my previous teacher David Allen in houston. the markings on the side were Dillon R-1 but after looking at dillon's mpc. selection i noticed it wasn't on there. does anybody know anything about this mpc? thanks a lot!

-casey

[Nick Pierce]

it was recommended to me as a grade school student because of my large chops by my previous teacher David Allen in houston.

I don't know what's more impressive, getting your own mouthpiece or having such large chops while still in grade school. Bravo!

[pgiampi1]

I would just call them. I switched to one of their euphonium mouthpieces recently, which are also absent from the website, etc. They could shed some light on whether or not they still have/make them.

[Casey Tucker]

Nick Pierce: lol thanks! in school they made us personally own a mouthpiece by our 2nd or 3rd year. (7th or 8th grade) usually what was recommended was a Helleberg 7b but i was bigger than kids my age and needed a larger mouthpiece. And since i learned that i loved tuba from such a young age i mowed lawns and such to buy it.

CKtuba: good description. i happen to like rounded rims quite a bit. it's VERY delightful mouthpiece. i think i'll try giving them a call.

thanks for all the action so far. if you know anything else, chime in!

-casey

[iiipopes]

If you like rounded rims and a larger diameter, try something in the PT line.

[Casey Tucker]

i played on a pt88 for a really long time. i liked it but this mpc was just a little better (from my p.o.v.).

-casey

[iiipopes]

Well, contact Matt @ Dillons. They probably have the specs, and somebody could duplicate it, even if Terry Warburton is not quite up to doing tuba mouthpieces yet, though he may be.

In the meantime, also try one of Dan Stofer's new Geib's. They are having unanimous acclamation.

[Casey Tucker]

lol thank you. i think i'll shoot him an email. i currently play a Stofer Geib and i love it but looking for something 'different'. i can't put my finger on it.

-casey

[iiipopes]

lol thank you. i think i'll shoot him an email. i currently play a Stofer Geib and i love it but looking for something 'different'. i can't put my finger on it.

-casey

OK, start analysing every aspect of your playing. Start with the physical aspects of the mouthpiece itself:

Do you like the way it feels, or are you always shifting it on your embouchure?
Does the cup feel like you want it deeper, more shallow, different shape, get more lip into it, put less lip into it? Air flow -- do you feel like your air expenditure is fine, or do you feel "backed up" or "stuffy," or the other way, do you feel like you need more air all the time?

Then to the actual tone: deeper tone? darker tone? brighter tone? more or less core, projection, breadth, consistency of range? a deficiency in one range verses another? Remember what you feel behind the horn is probably completely different as to what someone 10 feet away, or 20 feet away hear. So get someone to help you describe where your actual tone is now and where you might want to go.

Intonation: tight or loose slotting? More or less bounce or edge? more or less definition? faster or slower response to the mouthpiece?

And what kind of tuba(s) are you wanting to play it with?

Only when you can start quantifying variables in the context of how you play and what you play can you start a reasonable mouthpiece safari, along with the help of someone knowledgable who can translate your feelings and descriptions into hardware.

For example, for me, after I got my 186 and a Wick 1L, since my Wick 1 was doing so well on my Besson, I loved the broad tone, but lost some definition to the low register intonation, and I felt like I was always needing much more air. And all this in a community band setting. But I liked the general feel of the rim and cup. So for me, and sending Matt @ Dillons that information, he was able to recommend the Curry 128 D for me, which with the rim modified to suit my chin (Mt Vernon style 18), I have exactly what I need.

Matt, Dave @ Baltimore Brass, Roger Lewis, and others I can't think of right now -- pick one and email them for a dialog about you and your playing so one of them can help narrow the universe of mouthpieces to a few viable choices.

But if you're happy with the Stofer Geib, there's really not much place else to go. You're already on a mountain top. Get a Kellyberg and appreciate the difference.