Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on April 22, 2001 at 07:48:18:
In Reply to: What mouthpiece for Conn fiber sousa? posted by Jeff G. on April 21, 2001 at 19:06:26:
Starting with Bill Bell's advice to start with the mouthpiece the manufacturer provides with a horn, try a Conn 2, which others have suggested.
The Conn 2 was a 1930's 'modernistic' design that looks like a funnel on the outside. The rim is larger, but the inside rim diameter and the cup shape (funnel) is that of the smaller Conn Helleberg 7B.
The King Mouthpiece you have may be a King 26, which was standard on King tubas and sousaphones until UMI took over. That is a more cup shaped mouthpiece. It plays ok on Kings, although I would rather play a Conn 2 or, better, a Schilke Helleberg II on a King upright.
Another 'piece widely used on generic sousaphones is the Bach 24AW and its copies. Pretty easy to play, cushion rim, deepish cup. Popular with students, though as I recall from the mouthpiece survey someone did a couple of years ago (see the archives here somewhere) there are a few pros who use it.