Posted by Tom B. on January 20, 2003 at 18:23:40:
In Reply to: Mike Finn m.p.'s, & m.p.'s in general posted by Barry Guerrero on January 20, 2003 at 17:36:50:
You've probably noticed that I have been buying and selling mouthpieces often in the past year or so. There are two main reasons that I've been going through so many mouthpieces. First, I purchased my own tubas within the last year and a half or so and have been going through the process of finding something that I like that works well for my particular tubas. Second, my job has afforded me with the opportunity to spend a little money on "trivial" items like tuba mouthpieces.
There is no way (for me anyway) to tell if I will like a particular mouthpiece or not without trying it out. With one or two exceptions (Brasswind & Dillons{maybe}), you have to buy before you can try. Tuba mouthpieces are expensive enough that if I can find a perfectly good used one on tubenet, why should I bother ordering from Brasswind or Dillons on a trial basis? Just for the record, I have purchased multiple mouthpieces from Brasswind and Dillons.
Once I make a decision about what I like, the unused or unwanted mouthpieces get put back up for sale or trade so that someone else can have the opportunity to try something new.
There are always going to be people out there that go for the "flavor of the month." This isn't something that has been just with the Mike Finn mouthpieces either...the Parke Offenloch, the PT-88, the PT-50, R&S Heavy Hellebergs, and only recently the Finns.
As far as a truly superior mouthpiece design...the Helleberg concept. Every mouthpiece maker has some version of this and they have all tried to improve upon it rather than come up with a totally new idea.
Specific comments on the Mike Finn 3 that I am selling just down the board...It plays great and is extremely comfortable, but it did some things to my sound that I didn't care for. Basically it does what it is supposed to: dampen the higher overtones to result in a darker sound. The resulting sound is not what I was looking for...maybe someone else is. I feel that those overtones are part of what makes the tuba sound beautiful, and I'd rather not have them cut out of my sound completely. The heavyweight concept in general has not worked for me. The MF-3 was the 3rd heavyweight mouthpiece I have owned. The others include a Deck II and a custom Houser heavyweight based on the SH-II. I believe the heavyweight concept works much better on trumpet and trombone.
Progress in mouthpiece designs? I am inclined to say no...more like "variations on a theme of Helleberg." Yes, I know the Helleberg isn't the only thing, but it is the most often copied and produced design anywhere.