fixation on tuba mouthpieces

[imperialbari]

According to my memory the reverse throat concept is anything but new in smaller brasses. I think that Kosicup (?) made double cup trumpet mouthpieces already around 1960. Shortly after 1980 I bought 2 or 3 Jettone trombone mouthpieces at a clearance sale in a music shop. Among these a Buddy Morrow model #1 with a funnel shaped 2nd cup.

15 or 16 years ago I reamed out the cup side of my Giardinelli J4 horn mouthpiece to move the narrowest point down the stem. In turn it of course became less narrow. Worked well on my 28D as 4th horn in Mahler’s 4th, which has a fairly low range especially in the 4th movement (wonderful symphony for low horn, as there are neither trombones nor a tuba).

I also did a bit of that process to my Denis Wick 4AY, but stopped because DW’s bronze material is rather hard to work on for getting a smooth surface. The result doesn’t look pretty, but it plays well on my B&H Imperial Brit style comp baritone, my fake serpent, my Kanstul G marching baritone, my Besson Westminster G bass trombone, my Kühnl & Hoyer helicon shaped valve trombone in low Eb, and probably some other stuff also. Most of these instruments really are too low for a small stem mouthpiece.

The reverse throat doesn’t spoil the upper range. I use the Giardinelly J4 also on my flugelhorns in Bb, B, and C.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

[MaryAnn]

Before my embouchure matured, I jumped around with horn mouthpieces on a frequent basis. Peach is right; once I settled in on a piece that worked with my horn, that was that. If I ever lose it (Lawson) I'm in hot water because Lawson is out of business.

Did a recent change for my F tuba, to a Giardinelli 25. Very narrow cup, works much better for me; less tiring than essentially free-buzzing the high range into a cup that swallows my corners. I don't notice any negative effects. Klaus suggested I try a Wick 4 or 5, but I had the Giardinelli in hand.

MA

[TubaBobH]

fwiw, many of the new stainless steel models seem to employ reverse taper throats...

You've piqued my curiosity. Can you give the names of some stainless steel mpcs that seem to employ reverse taper throats? For example, I own two ss mpcs, the LM-7 and SS Kellyberg, and am curious if you believe either of those two employ reverse taper throats.

[Donn]

You've piqued my curiosity. Can you give the names of some stainless steel mpcs that seem to employ reverse taper throats?

I'm not he, and lacking his legendary discretion, I have no compunction about revealing that my GW Diablo appears to have a narrow, about a half inch long taper reamed into the throat from above. I'm too lazy to saw through all that steel to get a cross section, but it's very visible as the surface in that area reflects differently. Features like that in a brass mouthpiece might not be so conspicuous, after plating.

[Wyvern]

This makes me think of an orchestral workshop I attended earlier this year. The bass and 1st trombone both had a whole bag of mouthpieces and seemed to spend every break comparing and trying different ones. So even trombone players can be obsessed by mouthpieces

Tuba players are always seeking that one which will give that extra depth, breath, range, clarity, etc. I have wasted a fortune trying different models over the years, but have now settled on one (the PT-90) as a good fit for me in >95% of my playing (on both 2040/5 and Neptune) - so like to think I have completed my personal equipment quest (in both mouthpieces and tubas).

Best to find THE ONE for YOU and then just practice to improve, rather than always seeking equipment as means of improving.

[imperialbari]

Donn, I know for a fact, is equipped with a reverse taper.

Bloke, I don’t know how you obtained that very personal information. Neither did I know that you moonshined as maybe a dentist or a proctologist just to fully exclude any homologic assumptions, as I really don’t know whether Donn is m or f, hopefully not mf.

Please don’t be too specific in your reply!

K, who has acted as a midwife, but only in the veterinary sphere, when the “venturies" had too much taper

[Donn]

fully exclude any homologic assumptions, as I really don’t know whether Donn is m or f, hopefully not mf.

I'm sure further discussion of my reverse taper, which I'm not saying I have, would be quite off topic here and far from the interests of most readers, but just FYI that would be "m".

I can also report that this is the first appearance of the word "homologic" on the new Tubenet (and probably the old, though I can only guess without the "search old tubenet" option.) Let's not let it be the last.

For some on-topic content: I don't know all that many tuba players personally, but other than myself they all have few mouthpieces, usually one, and haven't really taken much interest in experimenting. It's kind of the converse of a fixation or obsession.

[imperialbari]

I can also report that this is the first appearance of the word "homologic" on the new Tubenet (and probably the old, though I can only guess without the "search old tubenet" option.) Let's not let it be the last.

Always at your service: homologic wasn’t even meant to mean homologic. It was a euphoniumism.

Going to grab my Yeo Signature to give my Eser - Gütersloh oval Kaiserbariton in C an aerophonic flush.

K

[Wyvern]

I can also report that this is the first appearance of the word "homologic" on the new Tubenet (and probably the old, though I can only guess without the "search old tubenet" option.)

You can still search the old TubeNet at http://www.chisham.com/tubabbs.html" target="_blank
I reference a lot!

[imperialbari]

fwiw, many of the new stainless steel models seem to employ reverse taper throats, and (I suspect) many people mis-assign the cause of improved playing characteristics to the material, rather than to the improved backbore design.

Not stainless steel, but brass, the Mike Finn 3-H that arrived Monday has a pronounced reverse taper above the narrowest diameter. I bought it to get a sharper edge and a flatter rim than the PT-50 that I liked in all other aspects than ease of attack.

The MF 3-H speaks very well in all ranges. Its sound is very compact with a lower band of formants. The PT-50 is sweeter, and I will keep it, even if the main work on the BBb basses and the large Eb basses for a period will be about exploiting the potentials of the MF 3-H.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

[artuba]

It seems to me that just like trumpet players look for the "magic" mouthpiece that will play the music for them, tuba players, in general, seem to look for that special mouthpiece that will "magically" play the low register for them... in tune, without having to pull slides, and without having to use a ton of air. Plus it's just fun to collect. Shapes and sizes of mouthpieces don't help with ADD.