I bought a Mahillon top action Bb tuba a while back and just got it back from a major restoration (Thanks Beeman Brass works). Now that it's time to play it, any mouthpiece recommendations out there from other Mahillon owners? I'm going to try some of the mouthpieces I already have but any suggestions would be welcome to save time/effort/$$
Thanks
Mouthpiece recommendations for Mahillon
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Mouthpiece recommendations for Mahillon
Andy Pasternak
Hirsbrunner HB7
Conn Naked Lady 14K
1918 York and Sons 33
Hirsbrunner HB7
Conn Naked Lady 14K
1918 York and Sons 33
-
bloke
- Mid South Music
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Re: Mouthpiece recommendations for Mahillon
I have a four-valve here that is languishing in almost-ready-to-sell condition…
it has never been playable since I acquired it, so I have not been able to test it with mouthpieces… These are, then, ideas:
It’s an unusual instrument with a full 4/4 size body yet only a very slender 5/8-inch bore size.
Considering those factors, I would probably look towards no more than a medium depth cup, and a small throat.
I wish I had the bell and mouthpipe (which are awaiting re-nickel-plating) installed, so I could relay some specific experiences with some specific mouthpieces.
EDIT:
Thinking back, I must have stuck it together at least once for a moment, because I remember that it is sharp-natured. I believe I would seek another remedy (besides a deep-cupped mouthpiece) to address this problem.
(I actually fabricated a completely new mouthpipe, which is longer, but main slide extensions would work just as well.)
it has never been playable since I acquired it, so I have not been able to test it with mouthpieces… These are, then, ideas:
It’s an unusual instrument with a full 4/4 size body yet only a very slender 5/8-inch bore size.
Considering those factors, I would probably look towards no more than a medium depth cup, and a small throat.
I wish I had the bell and mouthpipe (which are awaiting re-nickel-plating) installed, so I could relay some specific experiences with some specific mouthpieces.
EDIT:
Thinking back, I must have stuck it together at least once for a moment, because I remember that it is sharp-natured. I believe I would seek another remedy (besides a deep-cupped mouthpiece) to address this problem.
(I actually fabricated a completely new mouthpipe, which is longer, but main slide extensions would work just as well.)
RenoDoc wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 11:23 am I bought a Mahillon top action Bb tuba a while back and just got it back from a major restoration (Thanks Beeman Brass works). Now that it's time to play it, any mouthpiece recommendations out there from other Mahillon owners? I'm going to try some of the mouthpieces I already have but any suggestions would be welcome to save time/effort/$$
Thanks
Re: Mouthpiece recommendations for Mahillon
Thanks! That's a good place to start. Much Appreciated.
Andy Pasternak
Hirsbrunner HB7
Conn Naked Lady 14K
1918 York and Sons 33
Hirsbrunner HB7
Conn Naked Lady 14K
1918 York and Sons 33
-
bloke
- Mid South Music
- Posts: 19369
- Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
- Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
- Has thanked: 3858 times
- Been thanked: 4118 times
Re: Mouthpiece recommendations for Mahillon
You might not care for the exceptionally-wide rim - nor the quite-shallow cup of the Schilke 69C4 (which is a shameless knock-off of the Miraphone C4 / aka: TU-23), but these feature a fairly small throat (ie. sort-of carburetor size vs. displacement thing-ish), and - if the shallow cup is cool with you, the rim could be altered (unless you like wide/rounded rims, and many DO like them).
I'm recommending the Schilke knock-off (if this description seems interesting...??), because (often - new or used) the Schilke thing is cheaper than the Miraphone thing.
Sadly, this is the cheapest Schilke 69C4 currently offered on eBay (unless I missed one...??)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/363626258785
ACTUALLY... (brainstorming...)
These (new/cheap) also feature a small throat...
Formerly, they have been seen on the-bay for under $20 - when sold from China (rather than re-sold from the USA)...but I currently don't see any of these being sold from China, so...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324047078858
I'm recommending the Schilke knock-off (if this description seems interesting...??), because (often - new or used) the Schilke thing is cheaper than the Miraphone thing.
Sadly, this is the cheapest Schilke 69C4 currently offered on eBay (unless I missed one...??)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/363626258785
ACTUALLY... (brainstorming...)
These (new/cheap) also feature a small throat...
Formerly, they have been seen on the-bay for under $20 - when sold from China (rather than re-sold from the USA)...but I currently don't see any of these being sold from China, so...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324047078858