CHI Brass James Gourlay Signature Tuba Mouthpiece

A Proven Design Refined for Today

The CHI Brass James Gourlay Signature Tuba Mouthpiece is based on a custom mouthpiece that internationally renowned tuba soloist, conductor, and educator James Gourlay has used for decades. Rather than beginning with a new design, this signature model brings a trusted, long-established part of Maestro Gourlay’s playing equipment into the CHI Brass collection.

Designed primarily with the EEb tuba in mind, the James Gourlay Signature features a heavyweight shell that adds mass to the mouthpiece, helping produce a centered, stable sound with exceptional depth, resonance, and projection.

The mouthpiece combines a generous 32.74 mm cup diameter with an 8.00 mm throat, producing a broad, resonant sound while maintaining the clarity, response, and flexibility demanded by the modern professional player.

The heavyweight construction provides substantial tonal weight and presence for ensemble playing while retaining the immediacy, control, and flexibility needed for solo and chamber performance. Its balanced proportions encourage an even response throughout the registers, with a full, authoritative low register and a clear, singing upper range.

Like all CHI Brass Signature mouthpieces, the James Gourlay Signature receives our resonance-enhancing treatment, designed to further enhance the natural resonance, tonal color, and response of the mouthpiece.

The model features a special 0.518″ shank, making it a perfect fit for compensating tubas and other small-receiver instruments. This smaller shank allows the mouthpiece to seat properly in these receivers while preserving the design and playing characteristics of Maestro Gourlay’s original custom mouthpiece.

The result is more than a signature model—it is the continuation of a mouthpiece concept that has been part of James Gourlay’s playing for decades, now faithfully produced by CHI Brass in a heavyweight design for today’s tuba players.

Sound Characteristics

• Rich, resonant tonal character
• Strong and centered tonal core
• Added stability from the heavyweight shell
• Enhanced resonance and tonal color
• Broad sound with excellent projection
• Clear, immediate articulation
• Excellent response throughout the registers
• Full and powerful low register
• Singing, controlled upper register
• Excellent dynamic range
• Balanced warmth and clarity

Recommended For

Ideal Applications

• British Brass Band
• Solo Performance
• Chamber Music
• Wind Ensemble
• Concert Band
• Orchestral Performance

Ideal Instruments

• EEb Tuba
• Compensating Tubas
• British-style EEb basses
• Other small-receiver tubas requiring a smaller shank

Specifications

• Construction: Heavyweight Shell
• Overall Length: 3.818″ / 96.98 mm
• Maximum Outside Diameter: 1.894″ / 48.11 mm
• Cup ID at 0.060″ into the cup: 1.289″ / 32.74 mm
• Throat: 0.315″ / 8.00 mm
• Shank: Special 0.518″ — optimized for compensating and other small-receiver tubas
• Treatment: CHI Brass resonance-enhancing treatment

About James Gourlay

James Gourlay is internationally recognized as one of the leading figures in the tuba world, with a distinguished career as a soloist, orchestral musician, conductor, educator, and brass band musician.

His collaboration with CHI Brass has included contributing to the development of the CHI Brass EEb Bass 1 and BBb Bass 1. The James Gourlay Signature Tuba Mouthpiece takes that relationship a step further by making available a design based on the custom mouthpiece that Maestro Gourlay himself has relied upon for decades.

It represents a rare opportunity for players to experience a mouthpiece concept refined not simply through development and testing, but through decades of professional use at the highest levels of tuba performance.

Ordering & Return Information

• A $25 cleaning, polishing, and restocking fee applies to any returned mouthpiece.
• For gold plating, please email CHI Brass for current market pricing.
• Gold-plated, special-order, marked, or damaged mouthpieces are not returnable.