POLL ADDED !!! TWO prototype Sellmansberger mouthpieces...PRODUCTION MODEL PICS: PAGE 2

[bloke]

OK...
I just don't know if I'll use one of these (maybe...sometimes...or maybe more than sometimes...??) but I will personally use the other one a LOT.

I'm considering producing BOTH of them and offering them to the public (??)

One is (and I've NEVER offered ANY SORT of "Helleberg" type of mouthpiece before...) a "Helleberg 2" style of cup, YET with my (most popular RIM PROFILE in my mouthpiece line) #2 profile rim. Further (as I just have always found this style of mouthpiece to sound slightly too "terse" for my personal taste - I altered (NOT the throat, but) the back-bore to subtly "tame" its sonic characteristics.
(I personally neither care for the flat rims on the 120-style Helleberg mouthpieces nor the wide/center-pointed-into-the-face rims on the Hb2-style mouthpieces.)

The OTHER one is a very shallow cup mouthpiece (shallower than my "Solo" cup) which I will use (immediate decision after very briefly testing ) on my cimbasso. Some (who own cimbassos, or perhaps as an F tuba mouthpiece, or for a whatever-mouthpiece - even a "biting" NOLA sousaphone sound" mouthpiece...??) may really like this one.

I'm thinking that (if produced...??) the H2 style mpc will be offered with standard and euro shanks, and that the shallow up one will be offered with small and standard shanks.

I'm also considering ONLY making these as a NO OPTIONS - other than two shank sizes - (simply) one-piece silver-plated brass mouthpieces.

The exterior of the possibly-to-be-produced ones will be more like the exterior shapes on my other mouthpieces (and NOT the old-school "German-or-1930's-Helleberg" exterior shape seen on these prototypes.

If (??) I explore production, I'm probably going to offer an introductory "first run" price (lower than the price of subsequent runs), the "catch" being that there will be no "trial" offered and if "you buy: you keep".

Again, I've NEVER been a "Helleberg" fan, but I like THIS one (rim profile + slightly smoother sonic characteristics) much more than any of those various Hellebergs in my sock drawer.

the shallow cup one...WOW !!!
With my self-built F cimbasso, I've been able to play a "trombone" high-B-flat/C (perhaps a bit higher?), but this mouthpiece offers (at least: me...and I don't consider myself any sort of tubagoddhh) "no-strain" execution in that range, YET still full access to the very-very low range... ALSO, it helps the cimbasso to sound EVEN MORE like (well...) a trombone.

LOL...There's still a trace of buffing dirt (see pics) on the shallow-cup mouthpiece...I'm going to see about plating it, today.
I'd obviously like to use it on my just-before-Valentine's-weekend pops (big-band-plus-strings-and-solo-vocalists) concert, whereby I'm covering the 4th trombone book on the F cimbasso.

Whether-or-not there's any interest (??) in these, I'm probably ONLY going to discuss them (prior to any possible production) on THIS website.

[bloke]

Call the shallow one a "Loud 2.0" and reap the benefits!

Kinda not kidding, as there's been a bit of a vacuum since Loud stopped production of those shallow pieces and it seems like demand still exists.

[arpthark]

I'd probably order one of each just for kicks. Sell 'em!



What do you have in mind for price?

[bloke]

Call the shallow one a "Loud 2.0" and reap the benefits!

Kinda not kidding, as there's been a bit of a vacuum since Loud stopped production of those shallow pieces and it seems like demand still exists.

GRRRRRRR.

no...It's NOT a "crazy" shallow 'piece - with the rim actually hanging over the cup.

It's a NORMAL mouthpiece.

...and I REALLY like Joe Murphy...I actually taught him for a short time - when he was in high school, and he and I pick up EXTREMELY good vibes from each other - in person, and via social media.

...and you wouldn't want me saying/asking, "...so the 2165 is sort of a C version of a Conn 20K sousaphone, then...??...so shouldn't they market it as such...??" (mostly: because it isn't, and because they shouldn't).

Depending on where people view the "throat" as beginning, cup depth is measured in different ways by different people...but this shallow cup is still over an inch deep.

[the elephant]

I want one of the shallow ones, but I *like* the outer style it has. Am I SOL?

[bloke]

I'd probably order one of each just for kicks.

If I decide to do this, for first runs, I'll probably try to offer them (again, less than subsequent runs) for at least enough to cover set-up, the cost of the run, buffing/plating, and one each for myself.

I would likely include a coin-purse style pouch and (as a "thanks") maybe a K&M fits-on-a-tuba-slide-tube pencil holder.

shallower one: The throat size is also pretty conservative.

[bloke]

Call the shallow one a "Loud 2.0" and reap the benefits!

Kinda not kidding, as there's been a bit of a vacuum since Loud stopped production of those shallow pieces and it seems like demand still exists.

GRRRRRRR.

no...It's NOT a "crazy" shallow 'piece - with the rim actually hanging over the cup.

It's a NORMAL mouthpiece.

...and I REALLY like Joe Murphy...I actually taught him for a short time - when he was in high school, and he and I pick up EXTREMELY good vibes from each other - in person, and via social media.

...and you wouldn't want me saying/asking, "...so the 2165 is sort of a C version of a Conn 20K sousaphone, then...??...so shouldn't they market it as such...??" (mostly: because it isn't, and because they shouldn't).

Depending on where people view the "throat" as beginning, cup depth is measured in different ways by different people...but this shallow cup is still over an inch deep.

I was in agreement with your “NOLA/biting sound” reference and simply saying that given the amount of people making real money playing sousaphone where a lot of “front” to the sound is needed implies that a market for mouthpieces with a shallower bowl/cup exists. Not saying your product is equivalent to the Loud LM-12 or whatever the most extreme version is, but rather that that line of mouthpieces had some shallower cup offerings that tended to add some zing for people wanting that particular effect.

[bloke]

mostly, just giving you some crap...

I'm VERY grateful for this site, and for the ability to sell stuff here (used tubas, my personal instruments that I decide to release, etc.) without having to go to facebook or eBay.

I DO suspect that - if this ends up happening...(??) - some of y'all will really like these 'pieces.

[JRaymo]

That small one with the small shank might be the ticket for this little York master I’ve acquired.


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[bloke]

OK...The shallow cup one is now silver plated, so I can really start practice my 4th trombone parts on the cimbasso for mid-February's concert - without ending up with a green stain on my face.

As I said, this features the same rim (Sellmansberger #2 profile - 32.3mm embouchure opening) that I was using with my Sellmansberger Solo cup and Sellmansberger Solo #1 small shank to play the cimbasso...but this sounds more "trombone-like" and the really high range is more accessible (without having to do that Emory Remington-recommended "MMM" thing with my embouchure, quite so much.)

I didn't do any polishing/re-cutting/resurfacing on the shank exterior (you will notice that the shank is scratchy-looking), because it's already "right there" at the size I need (bass trombone/small/English/whatever-someone-chooses-to-call-it).

...so it's definitely a "tuba players' " mouthpiece and not some contrabass trombone thing (imo: cb. tbn. mpc's are too small for F tuba or F cimbasso) .

I suppose (??) I could record a 3-octave (more?) B-flat scale (or something...) on the cimbasso with this mouthpiece, but what would that really demonstrate (not you playing: just a bloke, crappy cell phone mic, sound compressed for upload by youtube, probably listened to on cell phone speakers, etc.) ? Maybe (??) I will anyway.

[iiipopes]

Rim I.D. and throat size on the larger mouthpiece?

[bloke]

Rim I.D. and throat size on the larger mouthpiece?

Helleberg 2 prototype:
> forgot exact rim i.d., but larger than with the shallow cup prototype...something under 33mm
> best guess at throat opening is (run-of-the-mill) 8.2mm, but I'll re-check that as well
> I'll go re-measure and get back.

======================================

high range response with the shallow cup prototype: (with F cimbasso)
The "high range focus" test was (likely) limited by my own personal/accessible range, but I got really clear/singing C's and D's out of this mouthpiece:
(I already know that those same pitches would have been more "wispy" with the mouthpiece I was previously using with this instrument.)

high range.gif (1.8 KiB) Viewed 8573 times

[bloke]

The "crazy low" range (down to the farty F-sharp off the end of the piano keyboard) are all still fine, but I can't quite "rattle the walls" on them as loudly as with the other mouthpiece I was using...

That having been said - being a cimbasso - playing those pitches with this mouthpiece can still "rattle the walls", but (re: previous sentence) just not quite as much.

To me...
This mouthpiece is clearly preferred and more suited to this instrument. So far, I have not plugged it into the F tuba.

[BuddyRogersMusic]

I'm in for one of the larger ones with a Euro shank. Sounds like a good fit for me.

[bloke]

This shallow small throat one is a pretty amazing cimbasso mouthpiece, at least regarding me using it playing my cimbasso. I don't think I could hope for anything much better.

It will play my f tuba, but I wouldn't personally choose it for that. YMMV

That having been said, I just played through two hours of big band 4th trombone charts with this mouthpiece and my F cimbasso. The last tune/finale chart is just about the easiest - as far as reading, but also features a really high A flat. After all of that playing (and I'm no superhero at all, I was getting pretty tired), I was able to play the A flat with this mouthpiece.. just sayin'.

[cjk]

while I'd rather they be two piece, I'm in on one of each with American shanks.

[York-aholic]

I'll take one of the shallow ones with standard shank, and left handed threads.



Kidding about the threads, serious about the mouthpiece.

[matt g]

I’d likely be interested in the BlokeBerg

[Tuba1153]

Color me interested in both (and you might as well make sure the box is big enough for a second set for @Doc )

[bloke]

I’d likely be interested in the BlokeBerg

Selleberg 2