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Tuba/Bass trombone Double mouthpiece
Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 8:10 pm
by Elow
Ive been using a helleberg on my miraphone for the longest time and dont play tuba much, but lately ive been asked to play it in a group so i had to pull it out and realized that the mouthpiece doesnt really suite me. I play a symington 1.5 on bass so i would probably like something on the small side on tuba as well. Not really involved in tuba gear too much so hopefully someone here can help
Re: Tuba/Bass trombone Double mouthpiece
Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 8:39 pm
by BGuttman
There are a variety of sizes of Helleberg mouthpieces. The nice thing about a Helleberg is that it has a relatively small diameter rim but a very deep cup.
There are 4 different Marcinkiewicz Hellebergs, H1 to H4. I think H4 is the smallest.
When I haven't been playing tuba for a long time I will use a Mirafone H2. It's a relatively small Helleberg style mouthpiece.
If you want something more Bass Tromboney, look into the Marcinkiewicz 105, 106, or 107. I find them to work great on my 125 year old Eb tuba.
Re: Tuba/Bass trombone Double mouthpiece
Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 9:10 pm
by Kevbach33
What model Miraphone? And just a normal Helleberg or is it a Helleberg 7B? There's a decent difference between the two, with the 7B being smaller overall (smaller diameter and throat, shallower as well). This is assuming it's the Conn and not some other make.
Rotary valve tubas typically like mouthpieces of a different style as compared to pistons, bowl shaped versus funnel or pear shaped like a Helleberg. Of course, every tuba is different, and there's no hard rule.
For example, on a Yamaha 641 (a rotary tuba) I found I liked a Perantucci PT65 the brief day i played that combo. I don't remember it being too big overall (more to the design than rim diameter alone, particularly it not being too deep with a smallish throat) and it really helped wake those tubas up. This was sometime after I was daily driving a Helleberg 7B in high school, and getting good results from that combo.
Cheaper? A Bach 25 might be up your alley, or maybe a Kelly equivalent if you don't mind lexan.
And I like BGuttman's idea of a Marcinkiewics contrabass trombone mouthpiece for doubling on tuba if the need is that extreme.
I hope this helps. Good luck!