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I want to build my own 4/4 to 5/4 Bb tuba straight+PRACTICE mute, and have access to fiber carton, plywood, various brass and plastic tubes, and machinery.

I once tried the Voigt Bbb tuba straight mute, and it worked quite fine. I would like to build a similar mute. Only problem is: I have lost my paper where I dotted down the dimensions.

Can some of you in possession of such a mute tell me the important dimensions:

- base diameter
- hole diameter
- height of mute from base to hole ( just measures along the conical stratch, without handle)

Please feel free to send a PM - thanks!

Dimensions of my H&B Stonelined straight 4/4 tuba mute - the traditional one white with red trim:

Length along seam: 18 7/8 inches
Diameter of base: 8 7/8 inches
Diameter of small end: 4 5/8 inches
Diameter of adjustable tube: 2 3/4 inches
Length of adjustable tube: 7 1/2 inches
Wall thickness of adjustable tube: @ 1/8 inch
Width and thickness of the three corks spaced at 120-degree intervals: 1/2 inch wide; 3/4 inch thick

My mute functions with the best tonality and intonation with the tube pulled as far as you can.

Hope this helps.

Perfect, thank you very much. Much appreciated!

seems like the most important measurements would be the one taken from YOUR TUBA

if you're making something custom, now is the time to do it right.

Yes. My tuba is a 4/4 B&S GR51 model, but with a slightly smaller bell diameter than the modern ones (probably because it's an old model ...)

I specifically asked for the dimensions of the Voigt Bb-tuba straight mute, because it worked just fine.

By the way, the imperial measurements translated to metric system would be:

H&B Stonelined straight 4/4 Bb tuba mute - the traditional one white with red trim

Length along seam: 18 7/8 inches = 480 mm
Diameter of base: 8 7/8 inches = 226 mm
Diameter of small end: 4 5/8 inches = 118 mm
Diameter of adjustable tube: 2 3/4 inches = 70 mm
Length of adjustable tube: 7 1/2 inches = 190 mm
Wall thickness of adjustable tube: @ 1/8 inch = 3 mm
Width and thickness of the three corks spaced at 120-degree intervals: 1/2 inch wide; 3/4 inch thick
= 13 mm wide, 19 mm thick

By the way, I also found the dimensions for the wooden Dennis Wick mutes here:

https://www.blowwinds.com.au/product/de ... oden-mute/

https://www.blowwinds.com.au/product/de ... oden-mute/

Metric EE♭ Version (DW5564) BB♭ Version (DW5566)
Height 57.7 cm (577 mm) 60.0 cm (600.2 mm)
Bottom Diameter 31.2 cm (312 mm) 31.2 cm (312 mm)
Top Diameter 10.7 cm (107 mm) 10.0 cm (100 mm)
Opening Diameter 6.3 cm (63 mm) 5.3 cm (53 mm)
Length Along Seam 59.0 cm (590 mm) 61.2 cm (612 mm)
Net Weight 899 grams 865 grams


Both are larger than the above mentioned H&B Stonelined straight 4/4 tuba mute ...

How luck I am .... one of my collegues had a biig H&B mute for me, so I don't need to make my own. Dimensions as follows, for the curious mind:

H&B New Stone Lined straight tuba mute - the traditional conical huge white with red trim
Model 190 (Upright Bell 22"-28" long): 559 - 711 mm 6/4 Bb and C tubas long models ??

Height: 787 mm
Length along seam: 796 mm
Diameter of base: 320 mm
Diameter of small end: 78 mm
Inner diameter of small end: 75 mm
Thickness of base wood: 5 mm
Thickness of fiber wall: 2,5 mm
No adjustable tube

This one is biiig. Actually, probably too long for my B&S PT6 C tuba precessor, or my B&S GR 51 Bb tuba precessor, both having a slimmer bell than the modern versions. But it sits fine in the bells, manly because the small end diameter is only 7,8 cm ~ 3 inch

And another one in my ownership:

Wessex wooden straight mute

Height 49,5 cm
Bottom Diameter 28,0 cm
Top Diameter 8,0 cm
Length along seam 50,5 cm
Opening diameter 5,6 cm
Length of opening 4,0 cm

Modification of my own, build from PVC water tubes, located in the in-side of the mute
Length of tube 9,0 cm
Inner tube diameter 5,1 cm

The mute is too small for my M&W 5/4 Eb tuba, and has some unpleasant wolf tones in the low register. But after adding said water tube, it works OK with the dimensions as indicated. The tube does lower the rolling tone frequency enough to push it down where it seldom clashes with what an Eb tuba is expected to play.