More thoughts from a BAT duffer on the Sellmansberger Solo

[Rick Denney]

Last might, I ran through our current book using the Sellmansberger Solo (Blokepiece to you), trying it on the Holton. This was in response to reports from several of the big boys that they are doing the same.

My standard mouthpiece for that tuba is a Stofer Geib, which is somewhat bowl shaped, with a fairly sharp and narrow old-fashioned rim. Joe's mouthpiece is a bit bigger in rim diameter, but shallower, and with the reverse taper backbore. Both mouthpieces are fairly light in terms of mass.

Despite that Joe intended this mouthpiece for an F tuba rather than a BAT, it does work surprisingly well. But in the end, I decided to stay with the Stofer. Part of that is that I evaluate my own sound as being a little strident, and the Blokepiece emphasized that characteristic a bit too much. Hiding that fault causes fuzziness, so people who do so with a funnel-shaped toilet bowl end up with woofy attacks and lack of clarity (been there, done that). The PT-48 removes a lot of the woofiness while retaining the broad bottom end, and the Stofer Geib removes more though at the expense of a bit of the breadth. The Sellmansberger Solo eliminates any trace of woofiness, but with it I was making sounds that reminded me more of a contrabass trombone than a tuba. Oops--too far for me. This mouthpiece exposes a little too much truth. And (for Klaus) I don't think adding mass will bring it back in for me--that's in the range of Too Subtle.

The rim diameter of the Blokepiece felt a little bigger on my lips than did the Stofer Geib.

I could see where it would have particular value in two situations: 1.) a player with the chops, air, and cavities to produce a large, round, mellow tone who desires a mouthpiece that can create a sound that is more crisp and direct, and 2.) for music where the tuba is filling the role of fourth trombone. And it might be better on a rotary kaiser than on an American BAT--my Holton already has quite a lot of harmonic color compared to dark-sounding rotary tubas like, say, the Rudy Meinl. It really seems like a Power Sound mouthpiece, which is consistent with its C4 roots.

This was a BAT test--the F tuba test is still underway.

Rick "who hasn't tried it yet on the little Yamaha" Denney

[cjk]

...
My standard mouthpiece for that tuba is a Stofer Geib, which is somewhat bowl shaped, with a fairly sharp and narrow old-fashioned rim.
....

I've read one or two folks say that the Stofer Geib rim is sharp. That perplexes me. While I do find the rim to be quite narrow, I don't find the inner edge to be sharp.

Perhaps the lip fatigue of the narrow rim is similar to the lip fatigue of a sharp inner edge?


All the best,

Christian

[Rick Denney]

I've read one or two folks say that the Stofer Geib rim is sharp. That perplexes me. While I do find the rim to be quite narrow, I don't find the inner edge to be sharp.

Yeah, I was questioning myself when I wrote that. It seems sharper to me than a Perantucci or Laskey mouthpiece, but that sensation could result from the slightly smaller diameter and the narrower rim.

Rick "thinking it between a 2N and 4N Doug Elliott rim shape, based on how it feels" Denney

[Dan Schultz]

.... I've read one or two folks say that the Stofer Geib rim is sharp. That perplexes me. While I do find the rim to be quite narrow, I don't find the inner edge to be sharp. Perhaps the lip fatigue of the narrow rim is similar to the lip fatigue of a sharp inner edge? All the best, Christian

I picked up one of Lee's 'Geib' MP's while in Louisville for the NAPBIRT Conference this past weekend. It seems to be a very good 'fit' for my Marzan 'slant-rotor'... better than the original Marzan MP. I agree that the Stofer MP does not feel 'sharp' even though the rim is fairly narrow. Good job, Lee!

[winston]

.

[eupher61]

you hadda go and screw up a good thing, eh??

[imperialbari]

The immediate benefit of the two blokepiece-models being supplied with screw rims in my eyes is the chance of having the beer-mug cup with its open backbore combined with the sharp inner edge of the rim from the solo variant.

Apparently ordering cannot yet happen from the Houser website.

Klaus

[stainlessmpman]

The Houser web site can take orders for the Blokes now.

[Tubainsauga]

I do have a question concerning the Sellamnsberger Solo. I can't find much reference to the differences in playing characteristics between the two versions. I'd be moving from a PT 50 (or a PT 72 if I like it on my small horn, though I'm more looking for a large horn mouthpiece) if that helps. I'd be interested to know just how much the wider flare at the end of the back bore effects the sound as well as just how rounded a round rim is. I've always found PT rims to be pretty comfy and not that sharp so I'm not really sure which version would be better to order.

[MartyNeilan]

The Houser web site can take orders for the Blokes now.

This is really great news! Now I won't have to spoil my blokepiece experience with actual contact with bloke! He is too mean for my tastes. And he is such an Internet bully, what with all that evil TRVTH he spews...

I was hoping they would offer the "hand-delivered option" online - Bloke shows up at your doorstep with your new mouthpiece - tied inside a sock - hits you "upsides the head" with it, and tells you to go practice more!

I do have a question concerning the Sellamnsberger Solo. I can't find much reference to the differences in playing characteristics between the two versions. I'd be moving from a PT 50 (or a PT 72 if I like it on my small horn, though I'm more looking for a large horn mouthpiece) if that helps. I'd be interested to know just how much the wider flare at the end of the back bore effects the sound as well as just how rounded a round rim is. I've always found PT rims to be pretty comfy and not that sharp so I'm not really sure which version would be better to order.

I was actually wondering the same...

[MartyNeilan]

bloke "now working on a quite-different 'piece that virtually achieves the opposite of these mouthpieces...something to take a bit of the 'edge' off the sound of 5/4-size tubas (those, in particular, that have incredibly-easy-but-a-bit-barky low registers...Gr./Th./W./etc...) and allow them to produce more "6/4" like sonority without losing any of the power nor the ease-of-playing of the 5/4 size"[/quote]
Beat you to it, but they all laughed (except for those who have played the actual prototype that I use every day.)

[cjk]

bloke "now working on a quite-different 'piece that virtually achieves the opposite of these mouthpieces...something to take a bit of the 'edge' off the sound of 5/4-size tubas (those, in particular, that have incredibly-easy-but-a-bit-barky low registers...Gr./Th./W./etc...) and allow them to produce more "6/4" like sonority without losing any of the power nor the ease-of-playing of the 5/4 size"

Oh my, do tell!

Gr./Th./W./etc...

What's the W stand for??

[cjk]

Waddeson

whoops. duh.

[ztuba]

If you get a mouthpiece made that can be user friendly AND not bark out low E's on say a willson 5/4 CC tuba ... you are the man!!!

[imperialbari]

If you get a mouthpiece made that can be user friendly AND not bark out low E's on say a willson 5/4 CC tuba ... you are the man!!!

possibly 60 days...

Those 60 days are they your expected time range of fame or are they the assumed time of delivery?