Posted by Lee Stofer on February 11, 2004 at 08:59:21:
In Reply to: Re: What inner diameter for high range? posted by JayW on February 11, 2004 at 06:41:57:
Jay (as usual) is right on the mark, as one's facial structure makes such a difference in what works well.
There are several mouthpieces out there that are considered standards, and that work very well for others that do not work well for me. Conversely, I have this brass bird bath of a mouthpiece, an antique "Gebruedern Hablowitz" (no numbers or other markings) that is off the size charts, but feels so comfortable for me and works - even in the high register. I've owned this mouthpiece since I found it lurking in a small side room of a music store in Walldorf, Germany in 1987. It had been basically discarded and shuffled off to a shelf because it had been the stock mouthpiece with some tuba in the past and the purchaser had not wanted it. I paid DM 20,00 for it, about $12.50 at the time. Since then that mouthpiece has become such an essential part of my playing that I paid over 10 times that much to have a copy of it made, because the company is no longer in business and a replacement is simply not available. You just never know when or where you are going to find that special mouthpiece!
Lee Stofer