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I borrowed a mouthpiece from our community band director last night because I forgot mine. It was marked A. Eastman and looked like a Bach/Conn hybrid. Looked like a Bach, the rim felt like a Bach, but the cup looked more like a Conn 2. I came home and looked for one online, but couldn't find one. I'm assuming it's a Chinese something that was crudely stamped with their name. However, it was one I would buy if I ran across one. It is just funny when something you think should really suck, is actually really good.

That would be interesting to compare with. There are lots of really cheap knock offs on amazon that would be fun to review. It would be neat if somebody just did tuba mp review videos.....

They came with the earlier Andreas Eastman tubas. I’m pretty sure I had one that came with a used Eastman 632 I bought and sold. I never unwrapped it (neither had the first owner). The “pro line” tubas first had those generics, then Shires mouthpieces, and now I think they include their take on a “Laskey.” I included it in the sale of the tuba with the original care kit, etc. or I would send it to you. Ask around and see if someone with an older Eastman has one they’ll part with.

MiBrassFS wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2024 5:04 pm I included it in the sale of the tuba with the original care kit, etc. or I would send it to you. Ask around and see if someone with an older Eastman has one they’ll part with.

I appreciate it - maybe one will pop up! If so I will probably grab it. It just intrigued me that it played as well as it did!

Speaking of weird mouthpieces that are actually not bad:

- bloke sent me this weird thing only marked "BBbB" (yes, four B's), but it's small. It's been working decently on my F tuba as something to just grab off the shelf and plug in.

- My plastic Kellyberg is my normal go-to for any outdoor concert, especially in this weather, and it sounds great. I don't know if it counts as weird, but I wouldn't mind using it indoors.

- "All * Star E-Bass" does pretty decent in turn-of-the-century E-flats.

- A mystery ancient mouthpiece simply marked "TROMBONE" is pretty nice in several small tenors I have here.

Kellyberg is a pretty decent mouthpiece, especially glow-in-the-dark. I have some doubts about manufacturing precision, and I think there may be some places around the throat where the manufacturing process dictates a rounder contour that affects the tone, but it seems to me well within the "listeners will hear no difference" zone. The tone on mine isn't super brilliant, which could be good or bad depending.

Kelly 51D is my go to for the marching baritone.

I had a Weril mouthpiece marked 25C VBB that was a pretty good sousa mouthpiece.

The only Kelly I own is glitter-gold.
It offers the color-in-the-sound that I'm looking for.



topic: mouthpieces included with new tubas

Though I'm not a person who would play an 18 (other than in an emergency situation), they're not terrible, and many seem to like them...so why don't manufacturers all (simply) stick *Chinese 18 knock-offs in the cases with their instruments?

For those who don't own mouthpiece "collections" (for what...?? When I see that I have a bunch of stuff I'll never use, I sell 'em off...or - if cheapies - stick 'em in cases with used tubas that I sell to schools) an 18 knock-off - at least - makes an ok sound, and also (yes?) makes a good glove-box/emergency mouthpiece.
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*According to eBay, there really don't seem to be any Chinese knock-offs of 18's...I've only seen 22's.

I kinda assumed they all WERE 18 knock offs…

MiBrassFS wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 9:59 am I kinda assumed they all WERE 18 knock offs…

If the "Eastman" ones are 18 knockoffs...good on 'em.
The eBay ones seem to be 22 knockoffs (not "bad", but not as useful by as many players).

I really don’t know. The one I had here I never unwrapped!

I got one today from a friend. It is truly a mullet of mouthpieces. For those of you not from the south, a mullet is a haircut that is short in the front and long in the back - (business in front party in the back). This thing is a Bach shape, rim(medium wide/not flat) clone of a Bach and a cup (funnel) clone of a Conn. I've always liked a Bach 18 and a Conn 2 - this is half of each - whether it is the best half of each, I have no idea.

Glad you found one!

Sounds kinda like a “if they mated” scenario, only they did!