Custom Mouthpiece

[Keith TANK Sharples]

I am considering having a custom mouthpiece made that will allow me the flexibility to play ALL the kinds of music that I do. I playfull EEb Tuba, in Brass Bands and also in Jazz. My Brass Band work requires depth of tone, full dynamic range etc etc, then my Jazz work requires a FULL range up to ULTIMATE Bb, with heaps of attack in the lower & mid range...still with a good solid tone. What I'm looking into is a Cup size similar to a Bach 22, Throat of a 24aw (or just slightly narrower....but only slightly) Backbore of a 24aw and a semi-helleberg rim. What would be your ideal custom mouthpiece & why???

[iiipopes]

First of all, no one mouthpiece can do it all. Most players who play a wide range of pitch and/or styles and/or repertoire have at least two mouthpieces, if for no other reason than one optimized for bass tuba and one optimized for contra bass tuba.

That said, play as many mouthpieces as you can. Take careful note as to what you like and don't like about each. After you've played, oh, say, at least fifty different models of mouthpieces, then you can start comparing your notes to see what you like about each so that you can see trends.

For example: I am a community-style band player, and my main instrument is an old 186 that has the stock detachable 22 inch recording bell and a retrofit St Pete 16 1/2 inch "point-and-shoot" bell. I like the feel of a Mt Vernon Bach 18 rim. I don't like the large throat of an 18; but too small a throat and I can't push enough air avoid being flat in the upper register. So something @ .325 in. or 8.25 mm with a smooth backbore and not too long a throat so it won't slot so tight I can still lip a couple of pitches into tune is preferable. And after playing many mouthpieces, the cup i.d. that seems to give me the best overall blend of range and flexibility is 1.28 in. or 32.5 mm. I love the tone, but not the wooliness of a Wick 1 on my 186 with the St Pete bell. Conversely, I like the presence, but would like a little more depth of tone, than an 18 on my 186 with the recording bell.

So I started looking. I found Curry makes a rather deep "hybrid cup" in my preferred cup diameter. Vladimir @ Dillon Music turned down the wide rim, and it's been my #1. I'm set for the upright bell. Then I found Kanstul makes a "deep 18" with a .328 throat (close enough), which Jim said could be made in a 1.28 cup. So I have my #2.

For outdoors when the weather edges too hot or too cold, Kelly makes an 18 with a 1.285 cup. Again, close enough: wrapped a piece of golfer's lead tape around the throat for stability, and I have my outdoor bad weather mouthpiece.

"Designing" and acquiring a custom mouthpiece takes time, research, commitment, clarity of criteria, and the ability to communicate that to a maker. Usually, a modification of an existing mouthpiece will be much less expensive than designing one from "scratch." But if done correctly, like I did, you will get a mouthpiece or two that will be practical and serve the player/repertoire/mouthpiece/horn combination.

[thattubaguy]

We are all looking for those perfect pieces,and a really nice low-register piece would be a Canadian Brass AJ piece made by Warburton(see my for sale post), and I really like a miraphone TU 23 F/Eb piece for jazz(yes, I know that it's German-made),but possibly the best really high/solo piece ever invented is the Warburton 25S, it is simply astonishing.

[opus37]

The best choice for me has been a Sellsmanberger Solo #2 with a 4mm ring to add depth. The rim that allows me to get the range you are suggesting is the M.O. 32.0 mm. I play a Kanstul Eb with really likes a cup shape. The solo seems to have a smaller bore than the symphony. Anyway, this is what works for me to achieve what you are after. If you need a narrower rim, try the 2A. That seems to work well, but I loose a little upper range with it.

[Frank Ortega]

Having a mouthpiece made to your own specifications can be a very satisfying experience.
I have had 3 or 4 mps made, and have always found that the results were about 95% of what I was hoping to get from it. The first one I had made was stolen in college, so I know it must've been good! I've been meaning to have Mr. Stork remake it ever since but just haven't gotten around to it. Actually, one of the benefits of working with Mr. Stork is that he still has the template and specs, 20 yrs later! I have had several made by Dillon Music and have found Vladimir to be a great artist with a mouth piece. Just remember to be very specific about what you want in a mouthpiece, right down to the outside dimensions as well as inside.

Best of Luck!

Frank

[Donn]

Ever try a Wick 3L? I haven't seen one myself, but have the impression it may be a step in the right direction for Eb brass band players who've been using a 24AW.

If you can find the desired dimensions within Doug Elliott's system, that might be more economical than a custom piece - and of course an even better deal if there's some experimentation in the process.

[Keith TANK Sharples]

We are all looking for those perfect pieces,and a really nice low-register piece would be a Canadian Brass AJ piece made by Warburton(see my for sale post), and I really like a miraphone TU 23 F/Eb piece for jazz(yes, I know that it's German-made),but possibly the best really high/solo piece ever invented is the Warburton 25S, it is simply astonishing.

With regard to High notes, I can hit well above SUPER Eb on almost any old piece of rubbish...so that's not an issue. The issues for me are having that extra touch of attack/more precise attack I find I get with a Heleberg rim, but I don't like the sharpness of the inner edge of the rim...I find it restricts lip movement when doing fast double octave slurs, say from SUPER Bb sown to Bb 2nd line for example, so would like what a guy I met in Denmark called a "Semi-Heleberg" rim...a little softer on the inner edge. I love the cup & diameter of the Bach 22, along with the narrow rim...a 24aw rim feeling a little too wide, but like the larger throat for the big soft sounds in the lower end. I suppose I could buy a spare Bach 22 and have it altered!!??

[iiipopes]

Yes, if you really like the way a 24AW responds, Vladimir can turn down the rim for you. That's what he did for me on the Curry, which came with a really wide 24AW-ish rim. But that's also about what a Wick 3L is. It will feel like it has a larger rim, because the Wick 1, 1L, 2, 2L, 3, & 3L are all made on the same blank, turned the same on the exterior, and only the internal geometry is different.