Caling all who own(ed) a PT-6

ASTuba · Post by **ASTuba** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 4:24 pm

I've been following along on this thread, and this "discussion" (If I should even call it that) over the receiver size on a PT-6 is crazy...

Simple answer is that the original PT-6's had a European shank receiver on them. When the PT line of mouthpieces came out through Custom, they changed it to an American size receiver, that the mouthpiece sits further into, creating a similar gap to the European gap from before. Yes, you can put a Euro shank mouthpiece into a PT if you want a different gap than the standard on an American shank.

Now, enough BS and arguing.

ASTuba · Post by **ASTuba** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:05 pm

MW215588 wrote:
ASTuba wrote:I've been following along on this thread, and this "discussion" (If I should even call it that) over the receiver size on a PT-6 is crazy...

Simple answer is that the original PT-6's had a European shank receiver on them. When the PT line of mouthpieces came out through Custom, they changed it to an American size receiver, that the mouthpiece sits further into, creating a similar gap to the European gap from before. Yes, you can put a Euro shank mouthpiece into a PT if you want a different gap than the standard on an American shank.

Now, enough BS and arguing.
Yea but...the pt6 still has a euro reciever. Thats not saying yuo cant put standard mouthpiece in there, its just saying for better intonation and such, use a euro. Thus hence if you place a helleberg into a pt6, it sits deep a lil too deep.

Incorrect. I talked to Jeffrey Rideout, and this information is straight from his mouth. PT mouthpieces are made with a slightly larger shank than American, but not European. I've had to modify several of these receivers to accept European and/or American mouthpieces in the appropriate spot.

quinterbourne · Post by **quinterbourne** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 2:57 am

ASTuba wrote:PT mouthpieces are made with a slightly larger shank than American, but not European. I've had to modify several of these receivers to accept European and/or American mouthpieces in the appropriate spot.

Very true. The Perantucci mouthpieces do have larger shanks than your standard Helleberg, yet smaller than the Euro shank. A Perantucci mouthpiece is the perfect fit for a PT-6. For a PT-6, a Helleberg equivalent shank will be a little small (will sit a bit too far in) while a Euro shank will be a little too small (will sit a bit too far out). That being said, either would work OK and I don't see how either would be preferred over the other...

quinterbourne · Post by **quinterbourne** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:02 am

MW215588 wrote:the pt6 has a euro reciever period. Just take a look at the difference between a regular standard shank mouthpiece and a pt mouthpiece. Doesn't look slightly larger to me.

No, it is not a Euro receiver and it is not an American receiver. It is a Perantucci receiver!

I have a Perantucci mouthpiece right in front of me and the shank is larger than this Canadian Brass Chuck D mouthpiece I have right beside it. When I stick the PT in the horn, it doesn't go in nearly as far as the Canadian Brass.

MW215588 wrote:So what, the euro shank is slightly larger than the slightly larger version of a american shank

Yes, pretty much.

ASTuba · Post by **ASTuba** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 7:58 am

quinterbourne wrote:
ASTuba wrote:PT mouthpieces are made with a slightly larger shank than American, but not European. I've had to modify several of these receivers to accept European and/or American mouthpieces in the appropriate spot.
Very true. The Perantucci mouthpieces do have larger shanks than your standard Helleberg, yet smaller than the Euro shank. A Perantucci mouthpiece is the perfect fit for a PT-6. For a PT-6, a Helleberg equivalent shank will be a little small (will sit a bit too far in) while a Euro shank will be a little too small (will sit a bit too far out). That being said, either would work OK and I don't see how either would be preferred over the other...

It's all about gap my friend. If you use an American shank mouthpiece, the gap will be less, and you will have a different feel and ease of slurring than you would with more gap (Euro sank).

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:29 am

I wonder if maybe euro and American are not an exact size,but vary with manufacturer.The g&w euro i've got goes in the same distance into my holton as a pt50.Could be that there is no definitive euro or American size...

ASTuba · Post by **ASTuba** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:04 am

MikeMason wrote:I wonder if maybe euro and American are not an exact size,but vary with manufacturer.The g&w euro i've got goes in the same distance into my holton as a pt50.Could be that there is no definitive euro or American size...

That's a big part of it. There are no standards of anything with shank size. I've noticed that the G&W Euro shanks aren't as large as my Sidey SSH euro shank or on other Euro shank mouthpieces I've seen. Truly, it's all an inexact science.

David Zerkel · Post by **David Zerkel** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:13 am

Here's how much thought I put into my mouthpiece selection for my PT6:

Several years ago, a businessman gave me a copy of a mouthpiece to try that he was including with his student line instruments. It felt and sounded better than the mouthpiece that I was on at the time, so I played it for while and liked it. At the time, I did not play a PT6. When I bought my 6, I plugged said mouthpiece into the instrument and played. It made a nice sound. I kept it.

With all due respect to the industry, I think that the very moment you begin to dissect the fine differences between mouthpieces and tubas is the precise moment that you take your eyes off the prize. People do not want to hear what your mouthpiece has to say. They don't want to hear what your instrument has to say. They want to hear what YOU have to say.

Might I sound different if I tried to find the "perfect" mouthpiece for my PT6? Probably. But I'll bet that I would still sound like me, which is what I've spent all of these years in the practice room trying to do. There may very well be an equipment fix for every problem that exists, but I'd rather roll up my sleeves and work through the problem in the practice room, rather than spending X-hundred dollars to hope to find the answer.

Sorry if this ruffles some feathers...
Dave
PT6P- Marcinkiewicz Rose Model

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:48 pm

David Zerkel wrote:With all due respect to the industry, I think that the very moment you begin to dissect the fine differences between mouthpieces and tubas is the precise moment that you take your eyes off the prize. People do not want to hear what your mouthpiece has to say. They don't want to hear what your instrument has to say. They want to hear what YOU have to say.

I am at present trying out a PT-88+ which I thought would be ideal for playing Prokofiev 5 on my Neptune. I was practising this afternoon and thought, this is starting to sound great! - Then I realized I did not have the PT-88+ in my Neptune, but my regular smaller PT-90.

If I had been playing in the concert, I am sure no-one would have known the difference. Yes it is YOUR sound which matters - not the mouthpiece.

Jonathan "who is coming to the conclusion that the best thing is to find a mouthpiece you like - then stick with it"