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Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 9:53 am
by edfirth
It's got a different number now but Mirafone C4.From what I've heard Tommy Johnson was in on the development of it and used it on his Mirafone 185(Bonanza and Gunsmoke era)I don't have tools to measure it but I do still have one with a shaved down shank. It's my favorite small mouthpiece. Best, Ed
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 11:41 am
by Mary Ann
donn wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 6:06 am
JK Tuba "Exclusive"
If I'm reading the right line, that's 30.5 mm cup inside diameter, 8mm throat bore.
What's interesting to me is that a very small difference in the ID is the thing that has the cup either "on" my face or my face "in" the cup. With this 30.5mm ID, the cup is "on" my face, which makes it easier to play on than the PT64 32mm ID, which feels like my face is "in" the cup. Less feel of free buzzing the entire range of the instrument.
And, BTW, the only reason I even dug this cup out of my box of them, is because
@bloke looked at a picture I posted about leadpipe angle, and observed that that PT64 looked too big for my face. He was right.
Also interesting is that the 7B is 31.5mm, just one mm larger, and I can tell the difference, although it was working fine on the 183. And a Yamaha Jim Self, which is 32.86, is very difficult for me to play on.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 12:10 pm
by bloke
Mary Ann wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 11:41 am
donn wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 6:06 am
JK Tuba "Exclusive"
If I'm reading the right line, that's 30.5 mm cup inside diameter, 8mm throat bore.
What's interesting to me is that a very small difference in the ID is the thing that has the cup either "on" my face or my face "in" the cup. With this 30.5mm ID, the cup is "on" my face, which makes it easier to play on than the PT64 32mm ID, which feels like my face is "in" the cup. Less feel of free buzzing the entire range of the instrument.
And, BTW, the only reason I even dug this cup out of my box of them, is because @bloke looked at a picture I posted about leadpipe angle, and observed that that PT64 looked too big for my face. He was right.
Also interesting is that the 7B is 31.5mm, just one mm larger, and I can tell the difference, although it was working fine on the 183. And a Yamaha Jim Self, which is 32.86, is very difficult for me to play on.
Nicole Curtis analogy:
Just because you can, doesn't necessarily mean that you should...
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:16 pm
by tubanh84
Bobo Solo is tiny.
Miraphone TU28 is also pretty small.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:27 pm
by tylerferris1213
Someone remind me to take a picture tonight of what is probably the smallest rim on an american shank mouthpiece I've ever seen. It's comparable to a euphonium/trombone rim. It's in my shoebox of strange mouthpieces lol
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:53 pm
by 2nd tenor
tylerferris1213 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:27 pm
Someone remind me to take a picture tonight of what is probably the smallest rim on an american shank mouthpiece I've ever seen. It's comparable to a euphonium/trombone rim. It's in my shoebox of strange mouthpieces lol
One of the EEb’s I was lent to play came with a Bass Trombone mouthpiece (IIRC it had a 28mm dia cup). It fitted the small shank receiver on the instrument and worked just fine for me, larger was more appropriate and worked better but on some instruments small can (I find) be OK.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 2:14 pm
by 2nd tenor
Mary Ann wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 11:41 am
donn wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 6:06 am
JK Tuba "Exclusive"
If I'm reading the right line, that's 30.5 mm cup inside diameter, 8mm throat bore.
What's interesting to me is that a very small difference in the ID is the thing that has the cup either "on" my face or my face "in" the cup. With this 30.5mm ID, the cup is "on" my face, which makes it easier to play on than the PT64 32mm ID, which feels like my face is "in" the cup. Less feel of free buzzing the entire range of the instrument.
And, BTW, the only reason I even dug this cup out of my box of them, is because @bloke looked at a picture I posted about leadpipe angle, and observed that that PT64 looked too big for my face. He was right.
Also interesting is that the 7B is 31.5mm, just one mm larger, and I can tell the difference, although it was working fine on the 183. And a Yamaha Jim Self, which is 32.86, is very difficult for me to play on.
30.5mm is the size of a Denis Wick 4L and (having done it) that’s more than big enough to drive an EEb - I prefer something bigger though for a better voice through the fourth valve and compensating loops. A Bach 25 is pretty much the same size at 30.6 mm, I like them too - tireless to play - but again bigger allows me a better sound in the lower register.
Brass instruments are lip reed instruments, surely the reed that you can make is limited by your mouth size as well as the mouthpiece size. Small faces don’t necessarily work (as well as lip reeds should) with large cups - you need a match. We’re all a bit different and having accepted that we use what allows best or better results for us.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 7:24 pm
by LeMark
I'm pretty happy with the bloke solo with the new york Eb, but I'd like to find something else with a thicker rim and yet a narrow diameter.
Thinking of a bobo solo, if I can find one for a reasonable price
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 8:24 pm
by WC8KCY
Some time ago on a lark, I stopped by the Kelly Mouthpieces website and found all of the Lexan tuba models (18, 24AW, 25, KELLYberg) on sale in either awful or potluck colors, so I got one of each. The 25 has ended up being the most-utilized of the bunch, and pairs particularly well with my Schiller (JinBao) 520 3/4 BB-flat.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 7:30 am
by jtm
edfirth wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 9:53 am
It's got a different number now but Mirafone C4.From what I've heard Tommy Johnson was in on the development of it and used it on his Mirafone 185(Bonanza and Gunsmoke era)I don't have tools to measure it but I do still have one with a shaved down shank. It's my favorite small mouthpiece. Best, Ed
TU-23
I’m using this for a Miraphone 188 and had no idea it’s a “small”.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 7:43 am
by BramJ
jtm wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 7:30 am
edfirth wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 9:53 am
It's got a different number now but Mirafone C4.From what I've heard Tommy Johnson was in on the development of it and used it on his Mirafone 185(Bonanza and Gunsmoke era)I don't have tools to measure it but I do still have one with a shaved down shank. It's my favorite small mouthpiece. Best, Ed
TU-23
I’m using this for a Miraphone 188 and had no idea it’s a “small”.
It is shallow, but I wouldn't call it small. The rim diameter is 32.5mm
At least on my old C4. I use it on my F tuba
Regarding small mouthpieces, the Bach 25 is pretty small
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 8:47 am
by donn
jtm wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 7:30 am
TU-23
I’m using this for a Miraphone 188 and had no idea it’s a “small”.
When I got mine, '80s, I believe it was a recommended mouthpiece for the 190 BBb. It's hard to imagine, but I think there was an era when the tuba world had no idea how essential it is to play a mammoth mouthpiece. Not that the C4 is small in every dimension, just volume and throat.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 2:55 pm
by PlayTheTuba
Kelly makes a x-small in plastic or (1 or 2 piece , plus heavy wall too) steel variants with both with different shank sizes too.
The x-small is advertised as a euphonium and small tuba doubling mouthpiece. Or even a beginner motive too.
https://www.kellymouthpieces.com/
Smallest, bass bone or old Eb tuba shank link? 1 piece steel version
https://www.kellymouthpieces.com/kmstai ... /index.asp
1 piece stainless steel links
https://www.kellymouthpieces.com/stainl ... /index.asp
Side note. I actually bought a steel XXL, I like it. IT'S HUGE OBVIOUSLY. If I can save some money I am tempted to get the x-small in 1 piece in the future...
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 5:13 pm
by jtm
Shallowberger is certainly smallish (not that I have much to compare it with). Makes my F tuba sound a lot more like a trombone than I’m used to. There’s bound to be a time for that.
I’d kind of like a C4 with a rim like the Shallowberger.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 5:21 pm
by LeMark
I just ordered the x-small in stainless steel
, but wouldn't have without the return policy. Thanks for the suggestion
What I liked about it is the diameter of teh rim was in between the bloke solo that I have and the 32e, which feels a little too small,. Especially with such a thin rim
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 6:35 pm
by bloke
jtm wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 5:13 pm
Shallowberger is certainly smallish (not that I have much to compare it with). Makes my F tuba sound a lot more like a trombone than I’m used to. There’s bound to be a time for that.
I’d kind of like a C4 with a rim like the Shallowberger.
I can build that for you (something close, and with that very rim profile and even inside "cup" diameter) out of three piece stainless steel, but it's a bit more pricey than one-piece silver plated brass.
==============================
The really shallow and really small-throated (silver plated brass) mouthpiece is surely neither the shallowest (and surely not the one with the smallest throat) ever made for tuba, but it offers something that isn't easily found elsewhere, and/yet (pick the conjunction that seems the most appropriate to you) with a really comfortable-profile (and not-blobby) rim.
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 9:27 pm
by kingrob76
This thread makes me ask - is there a functional difference between the Bobo Solo and the Replica Bobo Solo? It doesn't appears as if there is...
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:34 pm
by LeMark
Just the gold rim from the looks of it.
That's some expensive gold plating
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 5:16 pm
by LeMark
This saga is continued right here
viewtopic.php?p=74891#p74891
Re: name some small tuba mouthpieces
Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 9:00 pm
by russiantuba
LeMark wrote: ↑Sun Aug 27, 2023 7:24 pm
I'm pretty happy with the bloke solo with the new york Eb, but I'd like to find something else with a thicker rim and yet a narrow diameter.
Thinking of a bobo solo, if I can find one for a reasonable price
Sometimes they pop up on here—but for F tuba, Bobo used a Miraphone F/Eb mouthpiece on his Miraphone 180 F tuba and a C4 on his CC. Yamaha modeled their mouthpieces after the ones he used. I am not sure if this is what you would want.
I used a Bobo Solo on my Gronitz F. I wanted something with a bit more oomph and power and used a VERY good Mirafone C4 for years (this one was bought new in the 80s by a flagship university tuba professor in the south). I needed some plating work on it and some shank work and I contacted Bloke about what he had, because I did miss the zip of the Bobo solo. I settled on the Solo #0.
It’s a different blow, and did take some getting used to, but it gives me everything out of an F tuba sound wise that I look for.