Posted by Joe S. on July 26, 2000 at 00:09:29:
In Reply to: Re: Re: What do you want out of a music store??? posted by Chuck Jackson on July 25, 2000 at 22:17:43:
If you want a sharp rim, the C4/69C4 ain't it. It's rim is more like most of the PT mouthpieces (which is what disqualifies most PT's for me).
Schilke, however, would put whatever rim you wanted on it for (again) more bread. They well understand what players want when asking for a Bach-style or Helleberg-style rim. My personal F tuba mouthpiece was custom made by Schilke in 1976. It was made WAY prior to the 69C4. I just sent them a Bach 7 and a C4. I asked them to make a C4 with a Bach rim. They did, but later I greatly enlarged the throat and the backbore. Back in the late '70's, I used it on a Mira-184 and in the early '80's moved it over to my B&S Symphonie F (after I enlarged the throat and backbore).
The answer is YES. I would try this mouthpiece - of all mouthpieces - on most any F tuba. You will pay extra for a Hellebergish rim and more yet for an enlarged throat (if desired), but it will still not be one of those "pricey" mouthpieces and probably still considerably cheaper than a stock Miraphone - unless Miraphone mouthpieces have gotten "reasonable" again.
Another angle: If you really insist on playing Helleberg-style mouthpieces (entire mouthpiece) on all of your tubas, Joe Marcinkiewicz makes a shallow Helleberg - his H4. You could give that one a try. (However, it really doesn't "zing" like a C4/69C4, because it is Helleberg-shaped and still not nearly as shallow as a C4.) I use his H1 on any 4/4 or B.A.T. He also makes an N4 which is sort of bowl-shaped and medium-shallow (again, not nearly as shallow as a Miraphone C4/ Schilke 69C4). The problem for you and me with the N4 is that its rim starts to begin to be vague and PT-like.