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Contra Mouthpieces


micfiygd

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I've been playing on a Perantucci 36 for a while now, which I consider a mid-size mouthpiece at least for my face. It's got a somewhat-rounded rim and good response for what I like, and has moved well between drum corps, wind ensemble/orchestra, small ensemble, and now playing sousaphone in my band. I will say this: you have to be careful with rounder rims in corps, especially if you're playing a G bugle, it can make for muddier articulation, which is part of the reason that a lot of corps want their lines on Hellebergs as opposed to Bachs. For the record I've never liked the 24AW; my first mouthpiece was an 18 and the 24 has always been too small for comfort to me. Bottom line, though, is that you just need to spend time trying other mouthpieces if you feel like you need to move on to something else, it's the only way you'll know what works.

I've always liked the 18. It felt almost perfect for me, but for some odd reason I bought a Helleberg instead of the 18. When I get some $ I think I may try to find a megatone 18. The 24AW was just what was laying around, and I didnt know one mpc from another at that time....

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I used a Megatone 18 for a while at the very beginning of my juniors career, but as I said, it was way too woofy on a G contra. With a little sharper rim it might have been better, but I ended up using what was called at the time the Canadian Brass Arnold Jacobs mouthpiece, essentially a copy of the original Helleberg (not a Conn Helleberg, which is different).

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I used a Megatone 18 for a while at the very beginning of my juniors career, but as I said, it was way too woofy on a G contra. With a little sharper rim it might have been better, but I ended up using what was called at the time the Canadian Brass Arnold Jacobs mouthpiece, essentially a copy of the original Helleberg (not a Conn Helleberg, which is different).

I really don't play G contra anymore, sadly. I play it once a year for the Renegades Chinese New Year parade, but I used my plastic Kelly 18 this year just to be festive, and it worked fine. My primary instrument is a BBb contra (Dynasty 875) and it really doesn't sound that good with the Hbg. When I was comparing, the sound seemed pinched and smaller with the hbg, as opposed to wide and open with my long lost Dillon PS-01. But, I'll just have to adjust....

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Disclaimer: I'm a euphonium player.

I had a Helleberg 120S / STD / II / whatever the bigger one is. The inner rim was a bit too narrow for me to honk low.

I got the G&W Caver (PT-88 -ish) and it's huge and works well on most horns with no warmup.

I tried a friends Schilke 69c4 at a parade on a Yamaha (probably 201) and it was well matched and easy to blow.

I got the G&W Alan Baer because it spec'd close to the 69c4. I got it as a gift, but I ended up buying one for myself afterwards.

In short, there's really only been two pieces that I've had one of those magical playing days where everything just works. And you can ALMOST play anything. On Euph with a 51D. On Tuba with the Alan Baer. I have some pretty good days on most other pieces, but not those magical days. And for the lack of time that I've put in on Tuba, that says something about the Alan Baer.

I also have an LM-10 Tommy Johnson and it's a nice piece. It's just not well suited for playing louder than mezzo-forte for me. If I was a studio guy with chops, that'd probably be the piece for me. But I'm not. It has a nice sweet recordable sound, but you just can't honk on it. Or at least I can't.

Disclaimer II: Some of it depends on the horn. I played a Deg Bb 4 valve Tuba for a short period last year and the Caver was better matched to that horn than the Baer. And some of that depends on how often you play too. A larger piece can help compensate for a stuffy horn, or lack of time on a non-native horn.

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Disclaimer: I'm a euphonium player.

I had a Helleberg 120S / STD / II / whatever the bigger one is. The inner rim was a bit too narrow for me to honk low.

I got the G&W Caver (PT-88 -ish) and it's huge and works well on most horns with no warmup.

I tried a friends Schilke 69c4 at a parade on a Yamaha (probably 201) and it was well matched and easy to blow.

I got the G&W Alan Baer because it spec'd close to the 69c4. I got it as a gift, but I ended up buying one for myself afterwards.

In short, there's really only been two pieces that I've had one of those magical playing days where everything just works. And you can ALMOST play anything. On Euph with a 51D. On Tuba with the Alan Baer. I have some pretty good days on most other pieces, but not those magical days. And for the lack of time that I've put in on Tuba, that says something about the Alan Baer.

I also have an LM-10 Tommy Johnson and it's a nice piece. It's just not well suited for playing louder than mezzo-forte for me. If I was a studio guy with chops, that'd probably be the piece for me. But I'm not. It has a nice sweet recordable sound, but you just can't honk on it. Or at least I can't.

Disclaimer II: Some of it depends on the horn. I played a Deg Bb 4 valve Tuba for a short period last year and the Caver was better matched to that horn than the Baer. And some of that depends on how often you play too. A larger piece can help compensate for a stuffy horn, or lack of time on a non-native horn.

What did you think of the Dynasty 4 valver? Was it the 4/4 or 5/4?

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What did you think of the Dynasty 4 valver? Was it the 4/4 or 5/4?

I'm not sure which it was. It had 4 valves. It was a lot more marchable than the King 1141 that I sold. Kind of weighted to the outside though. It was a good horn, but kind of stuffy relative to the others that I've briefly been exposed to. It was black with tarnish, so I guess it was an older one. Probably a 4/4 if I had to guess. My only real comparison is the Deg 4 valve G horn, which seemed bigger to me, but not much. And that was over 3 years ago. The King was sold by X-mas last year. And the Conn 20-J went shortly before that one. (Did I really sell that many horns these past couple of years?) Just a Euph and Trumpet left and a closet full of P/R's and valveless clunkers. Strange that I got rid of all of the big horns. To include my beloved Kanstul Euph. I'm even considering selling my Trombones. I already sold the Bass Trombone. But that's not my main. I can almsot stand up in the bedroom again.

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I'm not sure which it was. It had 4 valves. It was a lot more marchable than the King 1141 that I sold. Kind of weighted to the outside though. It was a good horn, but kind of stuffy relative to the others that I've briefly been exposed to. It was black with tarnish, so I guess it was an older one. Probably a 4/4 if I had to guess. My only real comparison is the Deg 4 valve G horn, which seemed bigger to me, but not much. And that was over 3 years ago. The King was sold by X-mas last year. And the Conn 20-J went shortly before that one. (Did I really sell that many horns these past couple of years?) Just a Euph and Trumpet left and a closet full of P/R's and valveless clunkers. Strange that I got rid of all of the big horns. To include my beloved Kanstul Euph. I'm even considering selling my Trombones. I already sold the Bass Trombone. But that's not my main. I can almsot stand up in the bedroom again.

wow.....I'm in the process of selling stuff too, but nothing worth much. Anything left for sale? PR stuff, etc? I have that Dynasty tuba people have been urging me to sell, but the best offer I've had on it was one I'd never consider, for a horn that retails $4300 brand new....I could use a concert tuba though....we'll see...

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My local music store is a dealer for Mike Finn mouthpieces. I haven't had a chance to try one yet, but they are about the classiest, heaviest mouthpieces I've ever seen. Does anyone know anything about these, or could recommend them?

Thanks

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I had one for a while, I liked it. It's a heavy mouthpiece but it's good some good response.

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I had one for a while, I liked it. It's a heavy mouthpiece but it's good some good response.

Had one for a while as in, moved on? How come? What to?

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