Adult “Beginner” Mouthpiece?

[WC8KCY]

I wouldn't overthink this too much. About the only common mouthpiece I'd avoid starting with is the aforementioned 24AW.

I would suggest getting a Bach or Blessing 18 to compare with the Schilke Helleberg that you already have. Give them both a fair trial, and then stick with the one that works better for you.

Also..I think it's a fool's errand to select a tuba mouthpiece based on what works on euphonium, trombone, or trumpet. I play a large Bach 7 on my sousaphone, medium-small Schilke 66 on my E-flat tuba, medium Yamaha 51B on euphonium, largish Schilke 11E on cornet, and a tiny Schilke 7B4 on trumpet.

[bloke]

I guess I read past "Schilke Helleberg already owned".

Please buy nothing. Money is worth half of what it was less then four years ago, and "a mouthpiece that you likely won't use for very long" is something (I'd wager) you don't need.

[pompatus]

I guess I read past "Schilke Helleberg already owned".

Please buy nothing. Money is worth half of what it was less then four years ago, and "a mouthpiece that you likely won't use for very long" is something (I'd wager) you don't need.

This is really good advice, bloke. The Schilke Helleberg I have is on loan to me, but I have access to it indefinitely. Every time my wife and I go grocery shopping one of us always comments on how expensive things have gotten. A dollar does not seem to go as far as it did pre-pandemic.

(Edited for formatting)

[Stryk]

Bach 18 - good for beginner, fine for pro.

[donn]

A tuba player should have a dozen or so mouthpieces, but for a beginner or doubler, a half dozen will do. Every mouthpiece out there is the best, for someone; the worst for someone else. There's probably even someone who loves the G&W Diablo. Only when you have them all, will you know.

[pompatus]

A tuba player should have a dozen or so mouthpieces, but for a beginner or doubler, a half dozen will do. Every mouthpiece out there is the best, for someone; the worst for someone else. There's probably even someone who loves the G&W Diablo. Only when you have them all, will you know.

All collections start with just one! I’ll get there someday, perhaps, but for now I’m just focusing on the “baby steps”.

[bloke]

Have someone make you one of those $40,000 tables out of one huge slab of wood, put it in the middle of your great room, purchase about $15,000 of mouthpieces, cover up that beautiful wood with a white Belgian lace tablecloth, and place all of those mouthpieces in a beautiful rectangular design after exquisitely polishing each one.

From time to time, test each of those mouthpieces with your Jupiter fiberglass sousaphone and your Conn 20K.

[pompatus]

@bloke you flatter me, sir!

[WC8KCY]

A tuba player should have a dozen or so mouthpieces, but for a beginner or doubler, a half dozen will do. Every mouthpiece out there is the best, for someone; the worst for someone else. There's probably even someone who loves the G&W Diablo. Only when you have them all, will you know.

In the world of clarinet performance, having a shoebox full of mouthpieces is de rigueur. Why should brass players be held to a lower standard than clarinetists when it comes to mouthpiece acquisition? Lower standards beget lower expectations.

[donn]

Well, it's a truism (a myth that you can reasonably believe true) that whatever mouthpiece woodwind players may switch to, they will eventually sound like themselves. That is, there's some learning that happens, as they adapt their technique to the mouthpiece. Thus, in order to enjoy the real benefit of having a selection of different mouthpieces, one must rotate through them regularly to avoid this effect.

[bloke]

...so a budget version of the previous would be to buy an off-brand/used 24AW and go back-and-forth between it and the "probably OK" Helleberg borrowed mouthpiece as a form of "weight training"...

[TriStateFans]

I say get a plastic Helleberg from Kelly.
Or one of their other standard size plastic mouthpieces.

It's what I did going from euphonium to tuba as an adult. Then I bought a stainless Kellyberg when they were on sale.

I'm no expert but I do love the Kellyberg plastics, I play one on my sousaphone which has been my main horn for the last 3 months (outdoor mobile type gigs). My main mouthpiece right now is a Stofer-Gieb which I first tried out at Lee Stofer's shop and fell in love with. I'll get one of his Air Corps one of these days.

You might give the Kellyberg a try (plastics are inexpensive) and if you love it you can upgrade to metal in the same mouthpiece.

[pompatus]

I say get a plastic Helleberg from Kelly.
Or one of their other standard size plastic mouthpieces.

It's what I did going from euphonium to tuba as an adult. Then I bought a stainless Kellyberg when they were on sale.

I'm no expert but I do love the Kellyberg plastics, I play one on my sousaphone which has been my main horn for the last 3 months (outdoor mobile type gigs). My main mouthpiece right now is a Stofer-Gieb which I first tried out at Lee Stofer's shop and fell in love with. I'll get one of his Air Corps one of these days.

You might give the Kellyberg a try (plastics are inexpensive) and if you love it you can upgrade to metal in the same mouthpiece.

The Geib is something I’ve seen and been curious about. Are you able to give a comparison between that style and the Helleberg style of mouthpieces?

[Pauvog1]

Almost anything in the more moderate (not too big) category would be fine to get started. I wouldn't break the bank on the first / starter mouthpiece either.

A Denis wick around 4L, 3L, or 2L could work. A Bach 18, or a Helleberg (either the smaller 7B or slightly larger 120s) mouthpiece could work too. Maybe look around for used pieces. You will likely have a better idea of what works after you've tried a few things and had more time behind the horn.

For what it worth, my "ideal" trombone, euphonium, and tuba set-ups are pretty dissimilar.

[matt g]

I say get a plastic Helleberg from Kelly.
Or one of their other standard size plastic mouthpieces.

It's what I did going from euphonium to tuba as an adult. Then I bought a stainless Kellyberg when they were on sale.

I'm no expert but I do love the Kellyberg plastics, I play one on my sousaphone which has been my main horn for the last 3 months (outdoor mobile type gigs). My main mouthpiece right now is a Stofer-Gieb which I first tried out at Lee Stofer's shop and fell in love with. I'll get one of his Air Corps one of these days.

You might give the Kellyberg a try (plastics are inexpensive) and if you love it you can upgrade to metal in the same mouthpiece.

The Geib is something I’ve seen and been curious about. Are you able to give a comparison between that style and the Helleberg style of mouthpieces?

The Geib cup can offer a bit better/clear articulation than the funnel type mouthpieces.

Not that anyone is asking per se, but Dillon music did start making the G5B again. Those are pretty solid mouthpieces.

[donn]

You might give the Kellyberg a try (plastics are inexpensive) and if you love it you can upgrade to metal in the same mouthpiece.

Have you tried it? Just wondering if the two are really that identical, or possibly a little different due to very different manufacture, like minor differences in throat contours etc. In any case, I don't doubt the brass version is a fine mouthpiece, and the price seems pretty reasonable.

[donn]

I joke around too much, but these were a real thing (which preceded Lexan acrylic mouthpieces).

Coincidentally, another early real thing out of the Conn factory in the '20s:


(This showed up on Oberloh's facebook page a few days ago.)

[bloke]

Mike has a few of those.

In the past, they've been offered on eBay occasionally.

I don't collect stuff.

[WC8KCY]

Well, it's a truism (a myth that you can reasonably believe true) that whatever mouthpiece woodwind players may switch to, they will eventually sound like themselves. That is, there's some learning that happens, as they adapt their technique to the mouthpiece. Thus, in order to enjoy the real benefit of having a selection of different mouthpieces, one must rotate through them regularly to avoid this effect.

That has certainly been my experience. It is also true that whatever difference the clarinetist hears on stage with a different mouthpiece isn't likely to be audible out in the audience. I've heard recordings of myself using various combinations of clarinets, reeds, mouthpieces, barrels, bells, and ligatures and the recordings all sound nearly identical. Armed with that knowledge, I go with the setup that responds well with the most accurate tuning. As with tuba playing, good air support takes care of the rest.

It is also true that, since I play lead clarinet on Big Band music and regularly contend with overmanned, obnoxiously loud trumpet sections, I'm usually playing fff. Reeds vibrate against mouthpiece facings, causing wear, and it's a sad fact of life that playing fff all the time will turn a fine clarinet mouthpiece (that's not made of crystal) into a doorstop in a matter of months. I had a wonderful vintage Chedeville mouthpiece become unplayable in a matter of weeks. Most of the specimens in my shoebox need refacing to be playable again.

[TriStateFans]

You might give the Kellyberg a try (plastics are inexpensive) and if you love it you can upgrade to metal in the same mouthpiece.

Have you tried it? Just wondering if the two are really that identical, or possibly a little different due to very different manufacture, like minor differences in throat contours etc. In any case, I don't doubt the brass version is a fine mouthpiece, and the price seems pretty reasonable.

Yes, I got a stainless steel version. They don't "feel" the same but that's as much material as anything else. They sound the same and play the same, at least for me. Your milage may vary.