Old beater helleberg?

ZACH336 · Post by **ZACH336** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:58 pm

Hello everyone I have an old beater conn helleberg mouthpiece with several large dings in the rim, many spots where the finish is worn off and the shank is a bit dinged up and a bit more. All of these things are the result of my using the MP while in school. I for some reason think it would be kind of neat to have this mouthpiece fixed up and gold plated to give it a second chance at life. Is it possible to fix up an old beater piece like this or would I be better off to go and purchase a new gold plated helleberg?

Also what kind of things do repair persons do to fix up mouthpieces like this one?

Zach

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 3:05 pm

try this:

http://www.mouthpieceexpress.com/catalo ... 87f9b6c7ee

I've never used them but it's what you're looling for.

Daniel C. Oberloh · Post by **Daniel C. Oberloh** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 3:19 pm

I do quite a few mouthpieces a year. It depends on how bad it is. Dings and dents get hammered in or out. The mouthpiece is mounted on an arbor, turned, carefully filed, sanded, polished, buffed and then plated. if it is not to far gone and the person doing the restoration knows what they are doing, it can in many cases turn out quite nice. But like I said, it depends on haw bad it is.

Daniel C. Oberloh

Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
Saving the world, one horn at a time...

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:34 pm

Unless this is one of those old pre-war Hellebergs that seem to go for over $100 in any kind of condition on eBay, why bother?

A new Conn Helleberg in silver will run about $50; a Faxx copy of one, a bit less than $40 and a Conn Helleberg in gold plate about $100 (Music123 prices). Other manufacturers have their own interpretation of the Helleberg design with prices generally within the same ballpark.

Used Hellebergs come up very regularly on the "For Sale" forum here for somewhat less than that.

Of course, if this is a sentimental thing, then anything goes. But if you're just looking for a playable Conn Helleberg, I think there are better alternatives.

ZACH336 · Post by **ZACH336** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 7:43 pm

thanks for the replys all.

ChuckG It is not an old valuable helleberg but instead a new less than ten year old version. It is pretty much sentimental in wanting to restore it because it was the first mouthpiece I ever owned and have had it for over six years now. Seeing how it would cost more to have it fixed up than to just go out and buy a new gold plated one I think I may very well do this however.

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 7:48 am

Tubaryan12 wrote:try this:

http://www.mouthpieceexpress.com/catalo ... 87f9b6c7ee

I've never used them but it's what you're looling for.

They currently have my old New York Bach 7 for a refurb and plating. I know that Bach 7's are available new for about the same price as the refurbishing, but the new ones aren't exactly the same as mine. They seem a little shallower.

We'll see what kind of job they've done when I get it back.

IkeH · Post by **IkeH** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:01 am

Is it urban legend or did Bach keep using the same tooling for their mpc's and through wear & tear/sharpening - whatever, the newer mouthpieces have come out shallower and tighter in the throat?

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:08 am

Sounds like urban legend to me. I just think that the specs were slightly different over time for the same mouthpieces.