ISO perfect mouthpiece

[Donn]

My guess is - yes, there's a mouthpiece with the attributes you're looking at, but no, it won't be what you're hoping for and neither will a custom piece based on those attributes. That's because I think the properties of those mouthpieces include too much that you can't see or measure, mostly in the throat and back bore. What's the closest thing in your shoebox, and how do these three mouthpieces fail to satisfy? (24AW, "Helleberg" (Conn 120?) and closest intermediate)

[happyroman]

I would check out the G&W mouthpieces, especially the Bayamo and the Taku. They allow a full refund (less a small restocking fee) if returned within 14 days, so you have nothing to lose. In fact, you could order two or three models, and keep only the one you like best (or return them all).

Looking at their Facebook page yesterday, it appears that they are having a 25% off sale going on.

[TubaRay]

G&W are good mouthpieces. Another thing to try: BLOKEPIECES. With the various components, it is likely you can get the combination you are looking for.

[MikeW]

You seem to be looking for a piece that makes a sound similar to a 24AW, but has a bigger cup with a narrower rim.

The Bach 18A or one of its knock-offs may work - it has a similar interior cup-shape to the 24AW but is bigger, with a narrower and flatter rim. The Blessing 18 or the Faxx 18 are clones of the Bach 18; They both have excellent reputations and cost a lot less than the Bach.

If you just want to get rid of the cushion rim, you could try a Denis Wick 3L, which is essentially a Bach24A, but with a normal rim.

[barry grrr-ero]

Just one person's opinion: Blokepiece. Call up Joe Sellmansberger and tell him just what you want. I think he can make you a very good match.

[Billy M.]

Just one person's opinion: Blokepiece. Call up Joe Sellmansberger and tell him just what you want. I think he can make you a very good match.

+2

[Three Valves]

I've been using a Lexan Kellyberg.

It's making me interested in their stainless offering...

[pgym]

I would check out the G&W mouthpieces, especially the Bayamo and the Taku. They allow a full refund (less a small restocking fee) if returned within 14 days, so you have nothing to lose.

Hmm … unless GW is providing free shipping both directions:

Cost to try mouthpiece = cost of mouthpiece + shipping

Amount of refund = cost of mouthpiece - shipping - restocking fee - return shipping

Cost to try mouthpiece - Refund > nothing.

[happyroman]

I would check out the G&W mouthpieces, especially the Bayamo and the Taku. They allow a full refund (less a small restocking fee) if returned within 14 days, so you have nothing to lose.

Hmm … unless GW is providing free shipping both directions:

Cost to try mouthpiece = cost of mouthpiece + shipping

Amount of refund = cost of mouthpiece - shipping - restocking fee - return shipping

Cost to try mouthpiece - Refund > nothing.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. For $10 plus shipping each way, you get to try out their mouthpiece for 14 days. To me, that is a pretty good deal, and eliminates the need to speculate whether a particular mouthpiece will work for YOU with YOUR instrument. A rather small investment will provide a lot more helpful information than random opinions posted on an internet forum.

In the future, instead of playing with semantics, why don't you try making a helpful suggestion to the OP?

[pgym]

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Horse feathers. Brick-and-mortar retailers that stock GW like TubeNet sponsors Baltimore Brass, Dillon, Horn Guys, will allow you to try in-stock mouthpieces in-store, free.

For $10 plus shipping each way, you get to try out their mouthpiece for 14 days. To me, that is a pretty good deal, and eliminates the need to speculate whether a particular mouthpiece will work for YOU with YOUR instrument. A rather small investment will provide a lot more helpful information than random opinions posted on an internet forum.

WWBW/Guitar Center/Music123 offer free shipping and allow you to try mouthpieces, including GW for 45 days, AND they sell them for less. And they only charge $4 for restocking. Lower price + 3x longer trial period + 60% smaller restocking fee + 50% less shipping is a helluva lot better deal than you get from GW.

In the future, instead of playing with semantics, why don't you try making a helpful suggestion to the OP?

In the future, why don't you just make a suggestion and dispense with the inflated, inaccurate claims?

[happyroman]

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Horse feathers. Brick-and-mortar retailers that stock GW like TubeNet sponsors Baltimore Brass, Dillon, Horn Guys, will allow you to try in-stock mouthpieces in-store, free.

For $10 plus shipping each way, you get to try out their mouthpiece for 14 days. To me, that is a pretty good deal, and eliminates the need to speculate whether a particular mouthpiece will work for YOU with YOUR instrument. A rather small investment will provide a lot more helpful information than random opinions posted on an internet forum.

WWBW/Guitar Center/Music123 offer free shipping and allow you to try mouthpieces, including GW for 45 days, AND they sell them for less. And they only charge $4 for restocking. Lower price + 3x longer trial period + 60% smaller restocking fee + 50% less shipping is a helluva lot better deal than you get from GW.

In the future, instead of playing with semantics, why don't you try making a helpful suggestion to the OP?

In the future, why don't you just make a suggestion and dispense with the inflated, inaccurate claims?

OK, so maybe it would have been better to say "very little to lose" instead of "nothing to lose." And that assumes that one has actually "lost" something. Since one has paid a small fee in return for the ability to try the mouthpiece for up to two weeks, I consider that an exchange of value, my money for their time and there is nothing "lost." At least I was trying to make a helpful suggestion to the OP, instead of simply picking apart someone else's post with which I did not agree.

As for your suggestions, at least you made some this time. However, for those of us who do not live near Baltimore, New Jersey, or LA, it is not possible to try out the mouthpieces in stock for free (at the stores you listed). And while it may be helpful to be able to try out a mouthpiece in a store, it is not the same as having it for several weeks or a month, in the privacy of one's own practice studio, with the ability to play it with various ensembles, or take it into a lesson (assuming you are a student). Still, you are correct. It is free and better than not having an opportunity to try it out.

As for the other online resources with more liberal trial periods, that is helpful to know. Still, I would say that there is not much difference between the GW policy ($10 + shipping each way, or ~$25 total) and those you mentioned ($4 + return shipping, or ~$11). Forgive me if the extra $14 seems like an inflated claim. As for the 45 day trial vs. 14 days, It seems to me that 14 days should be plenty. After a short period to get used to the different mouthpiece, I think it would be obvious rather quickly whether the new mouthpiece is better than what you are playing now. Unless the new mouthpiece is obviously and significantly better, you send it back for the refund. It shouldn't take 45 days to figure that out, so I see very little value in the extra 31 days.

And finally, I did make a suggestion to the OP (in fact, I made two, something you have yet to do). As for whether they were inflated and/or inaccurate, I apologize that my suggestion might have cost someone a whopping $14 extra.

[aqualung]

i have a shoebox full of mouthpieces i've accumulated in search of perfection.

Brian Fredericksen ended up with Arnold Jacobs' mouthpieces.

They had all been kept in a shoebox-sized container.

So you're probably on the right track.

[bill]

Here's a bit of what I did when I was in your situation. take it foe what it is worth. I know yu have tried Miraphone mouthpieces and it may well be that what I did could apply to you. Again, fwiw.

I have a M-W-182, 5 valve and the fifth valves is 2 whole steps. I found a mouthpiece that worked well with it that was a Miraphone 5 (doesn't matter what numbering system - "5" is the same in both the old and new systems) but it had an American Shank. I have always known about Josef Klier mouthpieces and their spec chart so I looked at http://www.dwerden.com/Mouthpieces/tuba ... pare=31.25 and found the Miraphone then clicked on the link in the rim diameter section and looked at the Josef Klier suggestions. I am pretty sure JK makes Miraphone mouthpieces and this has been confirmed by people I know who are in the retail industry. Since I wanted the equivalent JK because it has a Euro shank I found a JK T7B was the same mouthpiece as the Miraphone 5 but I wanted a larger and slightly deeper bowl with a larger hoke in the shaft so I selected the JK T7A. I have it now and it really is the correct mouthpiece for me on that horn.

Now, I have about 40 tuba mouthpieces and I have played and tried most of them. Not only does the experience with the horn make a difference, the conditions of my embouchure really affect the choice. So, different mouthpieces work well at different stages but, when my chops are solid, as now, I can usually get the right one this way.

Now, the chart shows a Bach 24AW as a wide mouthpiece rim but gives no dimension. The JK Chart lists a 24AW with a Throat slightly different than the Bach but the rim widths are about the same. At any rate, the advantage of the JK chart is that they show mouthpiece dimensions in an orderly, graduated manner so you can find what you might like by comparing what you have to what they sell and this site will show you all the other mouthpiece dimensions for all the other manufacturers that they have measured. It was a monumental task but it is a valuable resource. Just as an example, using the URL I supplied will also indicate that a Yamaha 66D4 could be a good choice for you.

Anyway, I hope you get the point. Look at the chart, imagine what you want to change and begin some paper research before you shell out paper money. And one other piece of cautionary advice: I also play an HB-192 BBb with a Conn 1 that i have had for 30 or so years and it works wonderfully well but you will not find that on any list and a Stofer Geib also works well, but has a narrower rim, if I want that, so I own one of each. I don't believe either of these is on the list I mentioned but they work. I just happened to know Lee Stofer and I happen to collect Conn mouthpieces. Go figure.

Good luck.

[Donn]

^ graphic evidence of short life.

[Three Valves]

Without ribs, why live??