Mouthpieces for a Neptune?

[arpthark]

What has worked for you guys on the rotary Neptune 6/4 CC? My old standards, PT-50 and Deck 3, don't fit this horn very well. PT-88 is better but still a bit too big. I've been using a Helleberg II but it's a bit too small. I guess I'm looking for the Goldilocks mouthpiece here.

I'd prefer something around 33mm diameter with a sharp/flat rim, medium depth, and a bowl shape. Tighter backbore would be nice. I might just end up getting a Sellmansberger Symphony model. If anyone has any suggestions that even remotely meet this criteria, lay 'em on me, or offer up something completely different.

Thanks!

Blake

[jeopardymaster]

Wick 3L. Works well with either leadpipe, but better with the medium.

[Allen]

The Stofer Geib mouthpiece works well for me. I have tried a big mouthpiece, such as the G&W Bayamo -- the low end gets somewhat bigger, but at the cost of much more air. I like the idea of using a not so big mouthpiece with a big tuba. I get a maximum of sound (and control) with a minimum of effort.

To put things in context, I'm a serious amateur, and use the big horn in band. I use a smaller horn for quintet.

Allen

[Mark Horne]

Sounds like a Laskey 30G may be the ticket. I currently use a PT88 as my primary because I like the increased depth of sound and the comfortable rim. The Laskey is a little flatter with a sharper inner rim and more "life" to the sound, but a little less bottom compared to the 88. When clarity is more important than depth I go with the Laskey.

[Wyvern]

I have found the PT-90 works well, but of recent have used an MF H which seems to warm the sound nicely while still maintaining clarity

[Peach]

As usual, plenty of different opinions =)

+1 Laskey 30G (I happen to have a pristine Euro version if you want one...).
Stofer Geib works great for me but doesn't have the flat rim you want.

Wick 3L & Finn H both have c.31.5mm opening so I suspect much to narrow for OP.

I've recently been having surprisingly great results with a Houser MK5 which is modelled after one of the Decks. Tried it on a whim and I love it! Low G still doesn't respond quite as well as other notes but it's pretty darn good.

Good luck,
MP

[Locky]

Ah it’s a journey I recognise! There is an F in the month so for flavour I am rather enjoying blarting on a borrowed
PT - 84 – S.

The Symphony works pretty well but the PT has a little less 'edge'.

Just my two-penneth

Good luck

John

[niconitram]

How about a Schilke Geib?

Nicolas

[joh_tuba]

You are describing the Parke Offenloch.

I went through a similar journey.. did the PT thing.. liked the Laskey 30H(essentially the same as your H II)... craved something similar but a bit bigger and similar flat sharp rim.

You won't find the rim you are looking for in the PT line and Shilke and Laskey don't make a big version. The Laskey 30G isn't a step in the right direction sonically for these horns.

I play a PT6 which is similar enough to your Neptune that I feel comfortable saying you will most likely prefer the Parke over a Stofer Geib(excellent mouthpiece) on your horn. I have no personal experience with the Bloke Symphony.

Good luck!

[Ace]

Uh, what mouthpiece does the Neptune manufacturer ship with this tuba? Their choice might be something to consider. Or, maybe not.

Ace

[Wyvern]

Uh, what mouthpiece does the Neptune manufacturer ship with this tuba? Their choice might be something to consider. Or, maybe not.

Ace

It is supplied by B&S with Bach 18 copy

[arpthark]

Oy! I bought her used, so unfortunately there was no stock mouthpiece with the horn. Thankfully, the universe is still in alignment and hasn't produced a resonance cascade of antisound (as long as I play in tune, of course). I've been wanting to try a Parke Ofenloch for a while, but they are a little pricey. Maybe if I stumble across a used one that will be an option. For now, it works with my Helleberg II, but I'd like something just a smidge larger and "cuppier" that is better suited to my big tuba-playing lips, which are used to 33 - 33.5 mm rims.

I'm thinking of trying a blokepiece w/ a cup extender and also trying the aforementioned Stofer Geib, and selling whichever doesn't suit my fancy.

Thanks. If you have more ideas, keep 'em coming.

[chronolith]

I play a Neptune as my main big horn. Owned one in the past and quite foolishly got rid of it a few years ago. I managed to get another Neptune about a year ago and I love it, though I admit I went through a journey to try and find a decent mouthpiece for it.

When my main horn was a PT6P, the most common mouthpiece I used was a PT88. Really nice combination that gave a lot of depth and breadth to the sound, so naturally I took it straight to the Neptune. It was certainly sufficient but never did truly identify the real core sound of the instrument. I tried some others including my Mike Finn, Bach 7, Bach 12, GW MMVI just to name a few. Each offered one or two really good points while sacrificing other parts of the sound. The MMVI was the frontrunner, but really just sucked the air out of me. At the same time I also got hold of a Bloke Symphony. It was the single best option I had played to date because I finally had that A-HA moment where I really found out what the Neptune sounds like at the core. Best option but still not quite right.

I then came here and asked the exact same question you did. Got some opinions and a really excellent recommendation from one of the senior TNFJs to hunt down a Geib copy. In this case it was a copy of the original Conn Geib mouthpiece. This ended up rivaling and even surpassing the Blokepiece on some important points and became my main mouthpiece for the Neptune, even though it was still not quite what I was hoping for.

In the end I decided to look at EXACTLY what it was about each of my best mouthpieces that I really liked. In the case of the Bloke Symphony it was the funnel cup shape and the metal it was made from. The Geib on the other hand offered me the exact rim and embouchure interface I really wanted for clarity at soft dynamics and perfect articulations.

The answer then became obvious to me. I went and got a hold of Dave Houser's excellent mouthpiece diagram PDF, got out some measuring tools and decided to hunt down a rim for my blokepiece that most resembled the Geib copy. With some more TNFJ advice through PM I looked at the PT88 rim and the "Modified Helleberg" rim. Previously using the #2 rim for the Blokepiece, the PT88 rim was a major improvement (maybe that is what I loved about the PT88 all along...). When I tried the Modified Helleberg rim I was completely blown away though.



This rim was the one that I identified as most closely matching the aspects of the Geib copy rim that I liked and finally gave me the mouthpiece that I wanted for my Neptune.

A couple of points:

- Do a room test with a friend. In discussions with other Neptune owners, we found that you really don't have to push the thing all that hard. This huge tuba will do much of the work for you and you should not try and drive it too hard. This is something that you might not get sitting right behind it and under the bell. Get some impressions from another person out in the hall. This may be something you want to factor in to your choice of mouthpiece for your Neptune.

- Don't feel like you need to find the largest mouthpiece in the world to match with the horn. I agree with others that a midsize mouthpiece makes a good option for this horn if it fits you well.

- Go on your own journey. Sit down with all of your favorite mouthpieces and try and come to grips with the specifics of what you like and dislike about them. Make measurements. Create your own formula and then go find the mouthpiece that best matches that formula. I learned that hunting for a mouthpiece is not unlike getting an eye exam and then getting fitted for glasses. The doctor puts the contraption on your face and does some switching back and forth asking you "which is better" each time. After a few iterations he/she can drill down to the best possible prescription for you.