Posted by Klaus on July 26, 2002 at 19:48:07:
In Reply to: What can a mouthpiece do? posted by Leland on July 25, 2002 at 21:59:48:
When I hunted for an Eb tuba, I tested the Sovereign 983. I kind of liked it with my then Conn Helleberg mpc. But I was not convinced. Neither by the combination of the generic DW3L and the 983.
I asked if I could try the 983 with the DW 1L and was told, that the 983 was very mouthpiece sensitive and the 1L would make it play way flat. True to my nature I insisted. And played the 983 well above the 440 mark, which is the standard here. That I ended up with the 981/DW 1L combo is just the morale. At least for a few months.
I soon shifted to the PT-50. On which I opened up the backbore considerably.
Other aspects of that story to be read at:
More on my principles can be read by following the link below.
Of course one should not play trumpet on a tuba mpc. But within each category/size of brasses one should mostly choose a mpc, that allows the player to be in command of the instrument. I do not believe that there are optimal combinations of one certain instrument and one certain mpc. I disagree with Jay B on this, and he is the guy making the money by means of his approach. But I could not face myself, if I did not stand by my own hard earned experiences.
To make things worse: I use my PT-50 on all of my often cited four piston basses in Eb and BBb. And I would use it on a PT-10 F rotary, if I ever should include a such one in my collection. I have tried it and never understood the fuzz about low range problems on German F's. I find that range a bit too lean for my taste, but it speaks.
Klaus