Mouthpiece Similar to Laskey 30 H

[cjk]

The original LOUD LM-7 mouthpiece was manufactured by Dave Houser. IIRC, it was based on the Laskey 30H/Schilke HII.
After LOUD and Houser went their separate ways, Houser produced the same mouthpiece which he called the Mouthpiece Ordnance MK-7. The MK-7 is compatible with the Sellmansberger/ Houser rims still produced today. The original LM-7 was not. The threads match and the new rims screw onto the old LM-7, but the cup width at the junction is smaller than the rim width. You could have a machinist fix that.
If I remember correctly, the exterior on the MK-7 was fairly heavy. As long as that's not a turnoff to you, what you need is a MK-7 backpart with a rim of your choice. Bloke offers an HLB2 rim which is SHII/30H-inspired in 32.6mm, 33.2mm, or 33.5mm embouchure openings. Either the 33.2 or 33.5mm HLB2 rim on a MK-7 backpart sounds like it would satisfy your requirements. You'd also have the choice of many different rim profiles if a similar one is not required.
I hope this helps.

[ckalaher1]

The Ferguson 30H is as close to the Laskey as anything else that I’m aware of, and it might be ever so slightly wider than the Laskey, but I don’t have specs in front of me.

Ordered one last week and played on it all weekend. Very happy with it.

[cjk]

The LM-7 featured a much larger throat (at least, to my eyes and played...as I owned one for a bit) than a Laskey 30H/Schilke Helleberg II.

I have a LM-7, a SHII, and a 30H. I was interested enough, so I measured. The throats are all approximately "P" drill bit sized (.323"/8.2mm). The "P" bit IS slightly looser in the LM-7 than the others (maybe just a smidge bigger?), however the next larger drill bit I have 21/64" (.328"/8.33mm) does NOT fit through the throat on the LM-7. The LM-7 throat DOES have a reverse taper which might explain the looseness.

The mouthpiece chart here http://www.dwerden.com/Mouthpieces/tuba.cfm" target="_blank says the LM-7's throat size is 8.35mm which google converts to .3287". Not at all what I expected based on my actual measuring. So then I checked, double-checked, and triple checked my LM-7 and my 21/64" (.328"/8.33mm) drill bit still doesn't quite fit. My LM-7 is clean and straight. So are my drill bits. All I can say is that the throat on the LM-7 is maybe a bit larger than .323" but definitely smaller than .328".

I have never owned or measured the later Mouthpiece Ordnance MK-7. Some googling found that they were available in both Euro and American shanks which the LOUD LM-7 was not. The LM-7 only came with one shank size which was Euro iirc.

There was also a LM-6 which was a SHII style cup with a great big hole in it, something like 8.6mm (.338"). Definitely not for me. To each his own. I'm a normal sized human. There may have been a MK-6 if this appeals to you.

Out of all of these, I prefer the original SHII. I hope this helps.

[Donn]

There was also a LM-6 which was a SHII style cup with a great big hole in it, something like 8.6mm (.338"). Definitely not for me. To each his own. I'm a normal sized human.

Maybe a tangent here, but you wouldn't happen to have a Bach 18 handy? Their "Mouthpiece Manual" seems to be saying .354 (on page 9.) It's like there's no way to really make any sense of mouthpiece measurements, you just have to find out by playing one whether it works or not. If I had to guess, there could be an inverse relation between throat and cup size, as illustrated in the Conns anyway, but then the Bach system doesn't seem to roll that way.

[cjk]

There was also a LM-6 which was a SHII style cup with a great big hole in it, something like 8.6mm (.338"). Definitely not for me. To each his own. I'm a normal sized human.

Maybe a tangent here, but you wouldn't happen to have a Bach 18 handy? Their "Mouthpiece Manual" seems to be saying .354 (on page 9.) It's like there's no way to really make any sense of mouthpiece measurements, you just have to find out by playing one whether it works or not. If I had to guess, there could be an inverse relation between throat and cup size, as illustrated in the Conns anyway, but then the Bach system doesn't seem to roll that way.

I do have a Bach 18. I thought I had gotten rid of it. A 21/64" (.328"/8.33mm) drill bit fits. Nothing larger than that does. The next incrementally larger bit I have is a "Q"(.332"), but it doesn't fit.

[Donn]

Ha, some mouthpiece manual. Seems to be the same as my Schilke 67, which passes a 21/64 bit. Rim interior is roughly 1.28.

[cjk]

I remember seeing some mention of a Laskey 32H. I never actually saw them for sale. I don't know if they were ever made.

this link:
https://www.gallerytrumpets.com/articul ... -2502.aspx" target="_blank
says:
"Used by Gene Pokorny in the Chicago Symphony when playing tuba in Bb.
New Laskey model next in numbering of larger diameter than 30H."

[Bill B]

There was also a LM-6 which was a SHII style cup with a great big hole in it, something like 8.6mm (.338"). Definitely not for me. To each his own. I'm a normal sized human.

Maybe a tangent here, but you wouldn't happen to have a Bach 18 handy? Their "Mouthpiece Manual" seems to be saying .354 (on page 9.) It's like there's no way to really make any sense of mouthpiece measurements, you just have to find out by playing one whether it works or not. If I had to guess, there could be an inverse relation between throat and cup size, as illustrated in the Conns anyway, but then the Bach system doesn't seem to roll that way.

I do have a Bach 18. I thought I had gotten rid of it. A 21/64" (.328"/8.33mm) drill bit fits. Nothing larger than that does. The next incrementally larger bit I have is a "Q"(.332"), but it doesn't fit.

That is an older Bach 18. When they made the megatone line, they enlarged the throat for both the standard and megatone models. The modern Bach 18 has a throat of .348 by my measurement. I personally feel the Bach 18 is a better mouthpiece with the smaller throat.

[tubazach07]

Pete Link, Tuba player of the Sendai Orchestra, worked with master craftsman Hirotaka Nakai to design his own mouthpiece. It is very similar to a Laskey 30 but with a larger rim diameter, throat etc. They are great mouthpieces! All of Hirotaka’s mouthpieces are hand made, no CNC machine. Hirotaka also makes a 30H mouthpiece using a different mouthpiece blank. I own one and find that the low range is more stable and less diffused then on a original 30H.

Before Scott Laskey passed away he did indeed make a batch of Laskey 32H mouthpieces which had a larger inner diameter than the 30H. My friend in the air force band had and sold one on tube net. I think only one batch was made.

[cjk]

Backun Musical Services, partner of the Eastman Music Company, acquired the Laskey Mouthpiece Company. Maybe one of the many Eastman performing artists or someone from Eastman can clue us in as to when or if they will be relaunching the Laskey mouthpiece line. Maybe a new 32H could be a possibility for you.

[cjk]

You could buy a Laskey 30H and send it to Dave Houser (if he's interested) and have him thread it to fit their current rim line.

[Tom]

Another poster mentioned this early on and my first thought was to look at Karl Hammond's offerings:

https://www.karlhammonddesign.com/tuba-mouthpieces.php

Irrelevant sidebar: Years ago Karl Hammond was a Schilke employee and did some custom work for me creating a threaded SH-II rim for a Doug Elliott mouthpiece. At the time DE did not offer an SH-II rim so custom was the only option to get one for a DE setup. I still use it to this day.

[tbonesullivan]

Backun Musical Services, partner of the Eastman Music Company, acquired the Laskey Mouthpiece Company. Maybe one of the many Eastman performing artists or someone from Eastman can clue us in as to when or if they will be relaunching the Laskey mouthpiece line. Maybe a new 32H could be a possibility for you.

Their facebook page for Laskey shows the delivery of a 9 axis CNC lathe, as well as some test examples of a 30H. That was in october of last year, so hopefully there will be something coming out sometime soon.

https://www.facebook.com/laskeymouthpieces/" target="_blank

[Bill Troiano]

I was under the impression that the Dillon Roylance was a close copy to the 30H? I don’t know if I was told this or I read it someplace.

[Doug Elliott]

I make a copy of the 30H rim now.

[Worth]

I was under the impression that the Dillon Roylance was a close copy to the 30H? I don’t know if I was told this or I read it someplace.

I also learned this through the web and tubenet archives in search of the elusive 30H and about a year ago acquired a second hand gold-plated Roylance from Dillon Music. I agree that the extreme low range of these pieces has a learning curve (compared with a Sellmansberger Symphony), but its responsiveness livens up my horn allowing me to punctuate things and it is quite easy to play in tune. Of note, the rim design does irritate my lip after extended playing. Despite this I keep coming back to it for the responsiveness, note security in the mid and upper registers, and all-around ease of intonation.

[bisontuba]

Were Paul Sidey's mouthpiece rights sold to someone or acquired by someone? Just curious...

[cjk]

Update. After much consideration I ordered a Schilke SHII - CLE mouthpiece. I was pleased to find it to be a great fit for me on my Rudy 3/4 CC. It has the secure feel of the 30 H with a more comfortable rim and roomier cup. The high notes are still secure and I can belt out the low register much more easily. The intonation issues I had in the low A to G range are gone and slurs are much easier.

Schilke SHII - CLE specs from Schilke below.

SHII-CLE 33.27
inches: 1.310
throat: P ( .323″)
Description: **NEW** Developed working with Yasuhito Sugiyama, Principal Tuba of the Cleveland Orchestra, the SHII-CLE features a design which is a modification of the classic SHII. A larger inner diameter, slightly deeper cup, larger throat, and subtly lighter weight combine to offer a vibrant & colorful tone with quick response.

That's very cool! I'm glad you found something that met your needs.

[cjk]

Were Paul Sidey's mouthpiece rights sold to someone or acquired by someone? Just curious...

I'm sure Dave Houser owns the designs to the Sidey stuff. He did the engineering and production.

[jimgray]

Thanks Adam for this really useful post. Based on your comments/experience I ordered a CLE as well, received it today, and am really liking it a lot! Immediately solved some long-standing and frustrating issues for me; hope it sticks!

much appreciated-
Jim