Arnold Jacobs Adjustable Cup Tuba Mouthpiece

Description

A Remarkable Piece of Arnold Jacobs History

Arnold Jacobs had three adjustable-cup tuba mouthpieces made for him. The design allowed him to change the depth of the cup—and therefore the tonal character of the instrument—without changing mouthpieces.

After Jacobs passed away, the three mouthpieces were given to some of his closest students. Unfortunately, one of these was subsequently stolen.

The CHI Brass Arnold Jacobs Adjustable Cup is a precision reproduction of the surviving example belonging to Brian Frederiksen, author of Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind. This project was undertaken in collaboration with Windsong Press.

Each Adjustable Cup mouthpiece is individually handcrafted in the United States.

Performance Characteristics

• Adjusting the cup allows the player to alter the balance between fundamental tones and overtones, offering an exceptionally broad range of tonal possibilities from a single mouthpiece.
• A deeper cup setting produces greater breadth and fundamental tones.
• Reducing the cup volume results in a lighter, more overtone-rich character.

Recommended For:

• Professional orchestral players
• Musicians seeking multiple tonal characteristics from one mouthpiece
• Collectors and students of the Arnold Jacobs tradition
• CC, BBb, EEb, and F tubas

Specifications:

• Overall Length: 3.22″ fully inserted to 3.58″ at approximately 75% extension
• Maximum Outer Diameter (OD): 1.88″ / 47.752 mm
• Inner Diameter (ID): 1.29″ / 32.766 mm
• Throat: 0.330″ / 8.382 mm
• Shank: 0.520″ with a faster taper designed to work with a broad range of modern receivers

This mouthpiece is a faithful tribute to Arnold Jacobs’ legacy, offering unmatched versatility and craftsmanship for tuba players of all levels.