Product Overview
- Description - The Wedge tuba mouthpiece line was developed with the assistance for Sasha Johnson of the National Ballet Orchestra of Canada. The H2 is based on a Schilke Helleberg II mouthpiece with slight modifications to the cup and a Wedge rim.The H2 retains a very similar feel to the Schilke, but provides improved core and clarity in the sound along with a more even response in all registers and better flexibility.
- Material - These mouthpieces can be made in either Delrin or Acrylic plastic. Here is a comparison of their characteristics:
- Delrin:
- Feels softer on the chops because it has more give than metal. This is a great advantage for players with braces.
- Not as slippery as silver, giving more grip.
- Added grip makes Delrin mouthpieces feel smaller than their metal counterparts with the same size designation.
- Not as smooth as metal, so some players may feel slight chop irritation for the first day or two while they adjust.
- More comfortable to play in cold weather because they feel warm on the chops.
- Plastic mouthpieces are more responsive than brass, making soft entries more secure.
- Articulation less crisp with less point at the front of the note compared to brass.
- Darker sound than brass.
- Less core in the sound compared to brass.
- Sounds darker than brass mouthpiece when used with brass or stainless steel backbore.
- Acrylic:
- Feels softer than brass but less soft and Delrin on the chops.
- Less slippery than metal but more slippery than Delrin.
- Grip intermediate between Delrin and silver.
- Feel slightly smaller than the metal counterparts.
- Smoother than Delrin, very similar to silver.
- Comfortable to play in cold weather.
- Responsive to soft articulation.
- Articulation is clearer than Delrin, very similar to metal.
- Sound is slightly darker than brass and brighter than Delrin.
- More core in the sound than Delrin, but not as much core as metal.
- Sounds very similar to brass when used with brass or stainless steel backbore.
- Acclimatization - Acclimatization time varies, but most players find they have fully adjusted to the new rim shape within a few days. Most players are able to alternate between a Wedge rim and conventional rim, although the vast majority of players will convert all of their mouthpieces to the Wedge design because of its obvious advantages once they have adapted. We do offer discounts to players who need to purchase a number of Wedge mouthpieces for various instruments.
- Guarantee and Return Policy - Most Wedge mouthpieces come with our 90 day money back guarantee. The mouthpiece can be returned for a full refund if it is not clearly superior to your regular mouthpiece, provided it is still in new condition (minor insertion marks are accepted). Exceptions are custom mouthpieces and discounted mouthpieces.
