Are stainless mouthpieces more "sturdy" ?

[ralphbsz]

Are stainless mouthpieces more resistant to mechanical damage than their silver-plated brass counterparts? I would think they would be, as the material is harder, therefore they will get fewer or less serious dings and scratches as they are handled. And there is no soft silver plating to wear or scratch. Right?

If they are more "sturdy", it would seem to me that they are more appropriate to use in school, or for mouthpieces that are moved around a lot. The reason I'm asking is that my son is going to start bringing his own mouthpiece to school every day, or store one at school. And that probably means a lot more use for the mouthpiece, and more opportunity for accidents and abuse. So maybe his school mouthpiece should be a stainless version of his home mouthpiece. Since he uses a Conn Holleberg at home, a stainless Kellyberg might be a good choice for school.

[Donn]

Have you thought about a polycarbonate Kellyberg?

When I read the the title, I imagined that the mouthpiece in question was going to be used as an implement, thus needing to be more durable than the usual plated brass. (Perhaps to be hurled at the conductor, though while I've heard that suggested several times, I don't believe I've ever heard of anyone that actually did it.) If it's just to be used in the normal way, the polypropylene mouthpiece's advantage is that it's not only very resilient, it's much lighter, so impacts are not so destructive - to itself, and to instrument bells etc. on the other end of the impact.

[SousaBill]

Yes, stainless steel is much harder than brass. I was buzzing on a long drive recently and forgot that my MP was in my lap. I got out of the car and sent it bouncing across a parking lot. You really have to look close to see a scratch or scuff. This would have likely destroyed a traditional mouthpiece.

[ralphbsz]

Thanks for the suggestion of the plastic mouthpiece! We already have a Kellyberg sitting at home (even in the school color, by coincidence), and that will make a great backup mouthpiece. It's cheap and indestructible enough that we can keep one at home, one in the locker at school or in the backpack, and be sure to never be without mouthpiece. But they probably shouldn't be the everyday mouthpiece, because my son's teacher says that plastic mouthpieces sound and handle differently from metal mouthpieces, and are only to be used when absolutely necessary (like in freezing weather).

You might watch for a special price on the "original" one of these on eBay...

http://www.angus1.com/ssh/sshphoto.htm

Question: Are you saying that there is a difference between older Paul's SSH mouthpieces and current ones? Are the "original" ones more desirable for some reason (other than finding one for a special price on ebay is obviously cheaper)?

I think I'm going to check with my son's teacher, and then get a stainless MP that's very similar to the Conn Helleberg for a mouthpiece that will do the daily service in school, while the brass mouthpiece stays with the home tuba. And I understand that "Conn Helleberg" describes a whole family of mouthpieces from different ages (all subtly different), and that the various stainless versions are all somewhat different (the SSH web site is full of information).

[swillafew]

Have you thought about a polycarbonate Kellyberg?

+1

+ How cool is it to not have flat spots, dents and trauma?

[MartyNeilan]

If you like the kellyberg, get a stainless steel kellyberg. I recommend those as contrabass tuba mouthpieces for students.