Mouthpiece suggestions - HELP

[michael_glenn]

I do believe it's time to get a new mouthpiece to go with my new PT-20P CC tuba. I'm currently playing on a conn helleberg. However, I can't get ahold of my teacher for suggestions. I was told by another player to get a bowl shaped mouthpiece like one of the Perantucci mouthpieces. Any suggestions?

[michael_glenn]

Bump? I would appreciate any suggestions via a reply or PM.

[emcallaway]

Are you located near a music store? I highly recommend driving (perhaps as much as an hour or so) to sit down and test drive as many mouthpieces as are in stock there. As with horns, there really is no substitution for trying as many as you can and choosing the one that "fits" you the best.

[michael_glenn]

The only music store that is less than an hour away only carries the "low grade" mouthpieces generally for schools. For example, Bach 18, 24aw, conn helleberg.

[TubaZac2012]

For that horn, I would suggest a PT-50. Not the PT-50L or +, but the plain old 50. Those are great mouthpieces and should last you your entire career, with just about any horn you were to get in the future, unless you got a BAtT. Another good piece that some of my friends use is the Laskey 30B, I think or maybe it's H. Regardless those are also good pieces, a lot of pros use them. OR, you could get a Sellmansberger Symphony, new or old. I love the Sellmansberger line, I switched from using a PT to go to that setup, then switched to a Grand Orchestral for my BAT. All three of those have their pros and cons, just depends on what you're looking for.

Hope this helps,
Zac

[Donn]

All three of those have their pros and cons, just depends on what you're looking for.

Same could be said for Conn Helleberg he already has, true?

[SplatterTone]

In the words of DP: Pfffft!

A generalization like get a bowl-shaped MP is just an opinion -- not shared by the many players who use something else. If you want to do some testing, look up the specs on the Helleberg, then find something a little larger, something a little smaller, maybe something with a rounder rim. Then see which direction works better for your face. And then go from there. If that is too general and you want concrete models: I don't have the specs, but the PT44 feels a little larger to me; the affordable Faxx Helleberg feels a little smaller to me (note I said feels); the Mike Finn MF2 is rounded (too much for me).

Just you know where I am coming from: I have a 191 and just about any MP works with it -- even that $19 plastic funnel with a rim (literally) that WWBW sold a while back. So, it's predominantly the face/brain to MP interface that matters.

Consider too that the Conn Helleberg didn't get to be a widely used by being crap. And I have a Laskey 30G which has so far failed to yield a single grain of magic pixie dust.

[Ace]

PT-50.

Ace

[emcallaway]

Do you have any friends that are slightly older tuba players? Many have larger collections of mouthpieces than they would like and would be happy to let you try out a bunch and will probably even cut you a deal.

[Tubaryan12]

Considering you are in N.E. Ohio, you will have plenty of old tuba players willing to let you try stuff out.
If you had caught me a few years ago during the great mouthpiece search, you could have spent hours trying stuff out at my house....lol. Now that it's over for me, I only own 2 that I use regularly. Send me a PM with you city. You might be close to someone that can help.

[SplatterTone]

I was just experimenting around and the Yamaha Canadian Brass MP is good choice for trying out on the smaller side (but not small small) of the Conn.

[Levaix]

Is your location up to date? Take a day trip up to Custom Music and try out what they have. Best case scenario, you find a mouthpiece you love. Worst case, at least you can get a better idea of what you're looking for. The money you spend on gas will be money saved from shipping mouthpieces back and forth for trial.

ps. 50 would definitely be a model to try, but also 48.