Posted by mjg on September 10, 2003 at 13:39:34:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Schilke Hellebergs posted by :) on September 10, 2003 at 09:59:16:
I would say to talk to Joe S. about $90 being too much for a mouthpiece.
While you can pick up a Conn Helleberg for circa $50 at any reputable store, a Schilke HII cost around $130, Mr. Laskey's mouthpieces are in the same range, and at the extreme end of the range is a $350 Monette.
All of this pales in comparision to what the average college sax player has. They usually have at least two mouthpieces (jazz & legit) and those cost about the same as ours. Compound that with the perpetuation of buying reeds, and it looks like us tubaists come out pretty well.
Do your local music store a favor. Show them on paper, i.e. internet advertisement, how much that mouthpiece is worth. Not that they have to meet the price, but that they should understand, that at least you as a consumer are no longer fooled by their pricing strategy. If they have any business sense, they will thank you for the information and either offer you the same mouthpiece at a comparable value or possibly (doubtfully) change the price in general.
FWIW, Conn mp's seem to have a little less plating on them, but not a lot less. Schilke puts on a pretty good plating on average. But the brass underneath will still ding and dent just as easily if dropped.
In my experience, I haven't "worn out" a mouthpiece yet. That is to say, I don't drop them, I always keep them in a pouch, and I don't play outside (marching band). Even in college, I used a Miraphone C4 for marching, and sold it after I was done. I have owned a few Conns and own one now. All I can say about them is that the rim is too sharp for me to create enough risk for them to be damaged or enough wear to be used up.