What Mouthpiece Did You Start On?

craigpotter · Post by **craigpotter** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:55 am

-Bach 24AW (was in my high school's tuba case)
-bought a Bach 18, used it on the schools Cerveny 681
-bought a Marty Erickson ME5, used it on schools Cerveney and the bach 18 went to the sousaphone
-Bought a Willson 3050 senior year and got an ME3 with it, flip flopped between that and the ME5
-Freshman year of college used mainly the ME5 on the willson
Bach 18 still on sousaphone
-Sophomore year of college, still on the ME5, Bobo solo on a PT-10, ME3 and helleberg on sousaphone

phoenix · Post by **phoenix** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:49 am

started on 24AW, now on a Laskey 30H
with a helleberg 7B, a Mike Finn 2, and a Miraphone 31TU in between

TubaTodd · Post by **TubaTodd** » Tue May 03, 2005 7:25 am

I started on a Bach 18 (which I still have, but never play on)
Then the order went something like this....

Bach 24W (W ...NOT the AW. VERY rounded rim.)
PT42
Conn Helleberg
Schilke 67
R&S Heavyhelleberg
Pat Sheridan O1 (Gold)
Schilke HII
Dillon G3B
Dillon F2B
Dillon G5B
Conn Helleberg (Gold)
PT83+
Kellyberg (4 colors)
PT88
PT50+
PT88+ (Gold) - CURRENT

There were probably other mouthpieces in that order, but I don't remember.

TexTuba · Post by **TexTuba** » Tue May 03, 2005 9:44 am

My first mouthpiece was a Benge 24AW. I wish I knew what I did with it....

Ralph

ufoneum · Post by **ufoneum** » Tue May 03, 2005 10:06 am

6.5AL man, good stuff... <yeah, right>...

GC · Post by GC » Tue May 03, 2005 10:27 am

I started on a Mt. Vernon Bach 18 that I still have. It doesn't feel like any other 18 that I've ever tried, which makes me think that the old legends about Bach using cutters long after they should have been replaced is true. Lee Stofer replated it and rebuilt the shank, since the old one was too small for the receiver of my King 2341.

Through the years I used:

Bach 18
Conn 2
Conn Helleberg
Conn Helleberg 7B
(26 year hiatus)
HMG 18
Dillon G3
Rudy Meinl 1
R&S Heavywall SH II
Schilke Helleburg II
Bach 12
Rudy Meinl 10 (still my primary)
Kellyburg (for days when the lip just isn't there)
PT-88 (when I need extra definition in low or high register)

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Tue May 03, 2005 10:48 am

I started on a Bach 24AW from the time before there were copies by other makers. I don't think it was a good choice, but it's what the school had and my sax-playing band director didn't know any different.

When returning as an adult, I started with another Bach, but then switched to a PT-2 (old numbering), followed by a PT-1 when I got a new and larger instrument. I think the next mouthpiece I played regularly after that one was a Conn Helleberg, followed by a Miraphone Rose Orchestra, then a PT-48, then a Doug Elliott 132-2nT6 (before the Holton). Since getting the Holton, I've used the PT-48 and a Laskey 30H, preferring one or the other on different occasions. On F tuba, I started with a PT-9 (old numbering), followed by a Warburton custom, and now a Mike Finn 4.

I own and have tried many more mouthpieces, but they now only get used for special occasions (i.e., the Kellyberg for TubaChristmas), or they didn't last more than a month.

Rick "who can hardly make notes on a 24AW any more" Denney

Tabor · Post by **Tabor** » Tue May 03, 2005 10:58 am

I started on a Conn 2 mouthpiece (the famous face-bumper) and on a fiberglass sousaphone without the bell. I sure am glad that I have upgraded since then.

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Tue May 03, 2005 12:19 pm

I really don't know. In those days, to me a mouthpiece was a mouthpiece, except for perhaps its appearance. Most probably it was a Conn 2 or a Bach 22. Maybe even a Holton 26(is that the right number?).

tubarepair · Post by **tubarepair** » Tue May 03, 2005 12:41 pm

I "pre-knew" some of you couldn't help but give a complete mouthpiece history which has turned out to be quite interesting.

Makes me wonder if some of you haven't invested more in mouthpieces then you have in tubas!

At $365 for a special mouthpiece, it seems that 10 or so tries would buy a pretty nice tuba.

Great to see alll of the responses, hope you are having fun reminiscing of days gone by.

DLH

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:27 pm

I "pre-knew" some of you couldn't help but give a complete mouthpiece history

Hey, some of us have self control

p.s. I wanted to but resisted

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:32 pm

tubarepair wrote:I "pre-knew" some of you couldn't help but give a complete mouthpiece history which has turned out to be quite interesting.

Makes me wonder if some of you haven't invested more in mouthpieces then you have in tubas!

You must be psychic. Or is that psychotic? I keep forgetting.

As to have more invested in mouthpieces that tubas...um...no.

Rick "who barely has more mouthpieces than tubas" Denney

Rick F · Post by **Rick F** » Tue May 03, 2005 4:26 pm

Started in school with ?? (what ever was in the case with the King bent-bell euph... 43 years ago).

Then when I started back as an adult 33 years later, I used a Bach 6-1/2AL. I now own a Doug Elliott LT-102 rim; H cup; H8 shank.

ThomasDodd · Post by **ThomasDodd** » Tue May 03, 2005 4:34 pm

6th grade
fall - 12C equivalent ( what ever cam in that yamaha rental horn)
spring - 12C equivalent came with the used Olds horn I got.

9th grade spring, switched to tuba. What ever came with that Conn (12J ?) convertible tuba ( 3 front action valves, right shoulder marching).

Brak for Marine Corps after graduation.
Start college, need a mouthpeice, only thing I could find was a Conn Helleberg.

Some how my trombone case now has a Bach 6 1/2 AL and no 12C, use the Bach since on the bone.(likely to change soon)

Last year got a Deck for the new (to me) Olds tuba. Like it for low/loud stuff.
Recently switched toa Dillon G1B for more lyrical stuff.
Also play a Kellyberg on the contra for Drum Corps.

Gorilla Tuba · Post by **Gorilla Tuba** » Tue May 03, 2005 5:39 pm

Conn 2, I think. In high school we had Mirafone C4s, which I really liked, buit were not available for me to purchase from my local music store so the first I bought for myself was a Conn Helleburg. I mostly use a Mike Finn MF3 now... a PT50+ also gets some milage. Cheapo Yamaha 67B4 on the F tuba.

Charlie Goodman · Post by **Charlie Goodman** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:15 pm

Fortissimosca wrote:Helleberg, represent!

Whoop whoop!

....sorry.

scottw · Post by **scottw** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:38 pm

Wow, what a journey! Whatever out-of-round POC came with the beater I started on was the first, followed by a Conn2 and then a Bach24AW the end of H.S. and through college. When I started back with the tuba 4 years ago I still used the 24AW, but I realised that it wasn't the right choice and switched to a Denis Wick 2 for awhile before deciding a Conn Helleberg suits me very well. I would like to try a G&W, though, in the near future, probably a Taku. Anyone want to buy the Wick?Or the Bach 18, or 24AW?

MaryAnn · Post by **MaryAnn** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:55 pm

Whatever that narrow cup old-Eb one was that Lee Stofer included with the Eb tuba he sold me. I still have both.

Now....PT 64. It fits my face well; it even worked fine on the Besson 995. I use it on everything. Went through Helleberg 7B for a while but really I'm not strong enough or big enough for that one.

I have fewer than 10 mpcs, but I bought all but one used at reasonable prices, so I'm nowhere NEAR the price of a tuba. If I were, I'd sell the lot and buy another tuba!

MA

Billy M. · Post by **Billy M.** » Tue May 03, 2005 8:13 pm

Bach 18... Monette 98 and 94F

daktx2 · Post by **daktx2** » Tue May 03, 2005 8:15 pm

conn helleberg
and ive been faithful to it for 6 years

TubeNet

What Mouthpiece Did You Start On?

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What mouthpiece did you start on?