Duplicating Mouthpieces

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Has anyone tried to have a mouthpiece duplicated?

How good did the copy turn out?

Who offers that type of service?

How expensive is it to duplicate a mouthpiece?

....that’s it, I’ve run out of questions.

Thanks!

[Douglas]

I think Greg Black can do that. His mouthpieces are pretty good but I haven't tried anything he's copied.

[GeoffC_UK]

From an engineering perspective, solely, this is generally termed as "reverse engineering".
Where you take an existing part.
Attempt to find out its base material, geometry, and type of coating.
Then replicate it.

There are lots of methods to reverse engineer something.
You already know that its base metal is brass and it is probably silver/ gold plated.

How to replicate the geometry, though?

Simplest way is to measure it.
You could do this with basic dimensional equipment and some putty, but better with a CMM or non-contact scanner.
This would not be cheap to do and a scanner may struggle with reflective surfaces of your plated mouthpiece.

You may find someone with a copy lathe.
This machine runs a stylus over the surface of your mouthpiece and then cuts a copy at the same time.
It may struggle with the internal geometry, though.

You need to decide what it is you want, because buying a new mouthpiece from the same manufacturer is going to be so much cheaper.

There may be a machine shop out there that already does this, but, if not, and you approach a small engineering company to make an exact replica for you then my rough guess would be 500 to 1,000 USD, but it may be a lot more. - But someone may know someone that......

[Art Hovey]

In 1962 I visited the Alexander factory in Mainz, Germany. They kindlly showed me around and let me try a tuba. Then we started talking about the Conn-Geib mouthpiece which I was using at the time. They said they could duplicate it and send the copy to me in the USA for a total cost that came to about $5. The English-speaking gentleman who was showing me around then called in another man, who pressed a sort of a stiff putty into the cup. I mentioned that the throat shape was important, and that was explained in Deutsch to the second man, who made sure that his putty included that detail. They then handed my mouthpiece back to me, I paid the five bucks, and I received a my copy by mail after a few weeks. They did duplicate the cup and throat very accurately. but the outside and rim had the shape of a stock Alexander, with a European shank size. It was un-plated nickel silver. More recently Lee Stofer has been marketing very good duplicates of that same Conn Geib, and using one of them himself.

[iiipopes]

I believe Jim New did some duplications when he was at Kanstul. I don't know if he does duplications now that he has his own business, http://james-r-new.com/ . My supposition is an extrapolation of the laser traces he did of various trumpet mouthpieces and backbores, called the "Comparator," http://www.kanstul.com/MPcompare/Mouthp ... 90831.html http://kanstul.com/MPcompare/BackboreComparator.html . I know they used a CNC machine, because some years ago I asked Jim for a Kanstul 18 in 1.28 I.D. instead of stock 1.26, and he sent me a trace for approval before making the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece works great on a Conn or other .730 + bore souzy, as it has the smaller .323 throat, as opposed to the larger .348 Bach throat. At least is does for me, helping manage air. YMMV.

[Norm in Bellevue]

Ivan Giddings copied a brass mouthpiece for me in stainless steel. It plays better than the original, but it wasn't cheap!

[brendanige]

Jim New does amazing clones for about 350. I had it done for my mouthpiece! Amazing work!