Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on March 23, 2001 at 08:54:21:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Larger Helleberg posted by Mark in Ohio on March 22, 2001 at 22:38:17:
I have been told by UMI reps at the brass conference a few years ago (when the 52/56J was a protoype) that the Conn 2 was a Helleberg 7B with a different outside shape. I've used Conn 2's off and on over the past 40 years and found them a good all around mouthpiece, especially good matched with a Conn 20K, 2XJ or 14K. Definitely smaller than a Schilke Helleberg II, but not by much, and quite a bit smaller than a regular Conn Helleberg and a lot smaller than a Conn Chief (which is the biggest Conn mouthpiece I've seen and works best on a big Holton Helicon a friend of mine owns).
The Conn 1, 2, 3 and 4 mouthpieces were designed as "modern" in the 1930s and existed for most Conn instruments, around the same time King had similarly funnel shaped "modern" mouthpieces for every instrument except tubas -- where King limited itself to one BBb design, the King 26 which was cup shaped, fairly large and good on King Sousaphones and basses (although I like a Schilke Helleberg II on my King 2341 better than a King 26) -- better than the 24AW clones that are now standard.