King Tuba Mouthpiece Question

[Uncle Markie]

I don't the specs off hand, but I'll bet a "King 2" is identical to a Conn 2, which is in turn still made by Conn-Selmer - probably under a different model number just to confuse everybody. It is the only "heritage" tuba mouthpiece they continue to make - everything else is a Bach clone since they own Bach too. Too bad since many other King and Conn mouthpieces were pretty good too.

The King/Conn 2 was good enough for Harvey Phillips, and might be suitable for you. Easy to control although you'll have to really support the breath to get a lot of sound out of it. Very predictable and easily replaceable.

FYI Kings - back in the day - came with H.N. White #26 mouthpieces. Quite a few fine players used these - William Bell, Don Butterfield (his signature Giardinelli mouthpiece was a "skeletonized" King 26), and Lew Waldeck among others.

If you need specs look "Conn 2" - it's out there.

Mark Heter

[Donn]

a Conn 2, which is in turn still made by Conn-Selmer - probably under a different model number just to confuse everybody. It is the only "heritage" tuba mouthpiece they continue to make

Still made? Where do they sell them?

I would have said the Conn 2 hasn't been made for decades, maybe since the '70s or something.

Post-merger there was a 2-____ mouthpiece - some longish number that looks like it was designed to prevent any recognizable identity - with a different exterior, and I'm guessing that's the King 2. Commonly believed to be the same as Conn 2 inside, but if there were small changes I'm sure no one would have noticed. I believe this too is no longer in production.

On the other hand, someone's still making the Helleberg 120S and 7B models, aren't they? If not Conn, who?

The Conn 2 and 7B have roughly similar interior dimensions.

[Ferguson]

On the other hand, someone's still making the Helleberg 120S and 7B models, aren't they? If not Conn, who?

Conn still sells these two Helleberg models. I believe they are made by Lausmann in Germany.

F

[tofu]

a Conn 2, which is in turn still made by Conn-Selmer - probably under a different model number just to confuse everybody. It is the only "heritage" tuba mouthpiece they continue to make

Still made? Where do they sell them?

I would have said the Conn 2 hasn't been made for decades, maybe since the '70s or something.

Post-merger there was a 2-____ mouthpiece - some longish number that looks like it was designed to prevent any recognizable identity - with a different exterior, and I'm guessing that's the King 2. Commonly believed to be the same as Conn 2 inside, but if there were small changes I'm sure no one would have noticed. I believe this too is no longer in production.

On the other hand, someone's still making the Helleberg 120S and 7B models, aren't they? If not Conn, who?

The Conn 2 and 7B have roughly similar interior dimensions.

I got a new one with my new style King 2341 back in 2002 labled UMI 2 and it is exactly the same as my old Conn 2 from back in the 60's both in exterior and interior dimensions/look. So they were made past your statement of last being made in the 70's and at least as late as 2002.

[Donn]

So even though you can't find the later UMI version for sale, with the different exterior, maybe it's still made to be shipped with Cing/Konn tubas, including the 2370 sousaphone as proposed above.

[Heliconer]

FYI Kings - back in the day - came with H.N. White #26 mouthpieces. Quite a few fine players used these - William Bell, Don Butterfield (his signature Giardinelli mouthpiece was a "skeletonized" King 26), and Lew Waldeck among others.

Mark Heter

If you want specs on one of these, I've got one