Kelly Lexan mouthpieces as your main mouthpiece...

[iiipopes]

I still have to get myself a Kelly 25.

Do it now if you're gonna. They're being discontinued.

[The Jackson]

http://www.kellymouthpieces.com/hotdeal/index.asp" target="_blank

Kelly is having another one of their awesome sales. Get in on it!

[toobagrowl]

^
My new Kelly Lexan mouthpieces arrived yesterday and they are wonderful!
I was curious, so I bought a few ( the 3-for-1 deal ). I am pleasantly surprised at how responsive and easy they are to play on compared to my metal mouthpieces. The sound is every bit as resonant as my metal 'pieces and MUCH LIGHTER. I don't even think 3 Kelly Lexan tuba mouthpieces is half as heavy as one small metal tuba mouthpiece.
These mouthpieces are perfect for outdoor/hot/cold weather. Or even just to practice on. I even plan to use one as my main mouthpiece .....I just need to decide which one. Very happy with my new 'pieces and plan to buy more products from Kelly in the future

[Lew]

FWIW I find the impact of the material out of which a mouthpiece is made to primarily be related to the friction of the rim on my lips. For this reason I do not really like using lexan mouthpieces. I find that I gravitate towards stainless steel or gold plated mouthpieces because they feel a little slipperier. I don't really like using silver plate either, besides the fact that I have had a reaction to some of the silver mouthpieces I have used. In terms of sound there doesn't seem to be that much difference, but I do get a sense that I lose some projection when using Kelly mouthpieces vs. my others.

[Donn]

Yeah, I think some years back I remember a well known mouthpiece maker stopped by here, saying something to that effect. He said he was experimenting with rim textures, with some interesting results though I don't know if anything came of it.

[toobagrowl]

@ musica

I don't see anyone here leaning "strongly ONLY in one direction when it comes to modern materials and manufacturing". I just gave a good review of my new Kelly mouthpieces because I am happy with them, nothing more, nothing less. They work well for me, your PT-88 works well for you.
It's funny you mention Jacobs. He sure preferred his York tuba most of the time, didn't he? There is a reason for that. Yes, he could sound good on most anything, BUT he sounded his best on his York CC. You buy tubas and mouthpieces through trial and error and use what makes you play and sound your best.

[iiipopes]

There are manufacturing variances in the Lexan just like anything else. I have two Kelly 18's, a blue one and a marching maroon one, purchased at separate times, so from different manufacturing runs. The maroon one has a smoother throat, and sounds smoother and darker on all of my tubas. The blue one has a slightly sharper throat transition, and sounds grainier on all of my tubas, with one exception: the blue one sounded the best of all my mouthpieces on a Conn 2J I borrowed for a small gig earlier this year.

I have also noted that over time the "spec" diameter for the Kelly 18 has grown from 1.28 (when first introduced) to 1.285 (a few years ago when I got mine) and are now advertised as 1.29. Hmm. Finally, remember that Kelly is going for a general reproduction of the tonality of the mouthpieces which are the inspiration for their line of mouthpieces, so specs are secondary. But this migration of the cup diameter is very interesting.