P.E.T.E.
The Pencil thing works well, but if your pencil is too heavy use a smaller one, I have three different sizes sat by my computer ready to use....
I got a PETE a little while back and believe it has tightened my chops up well for the upper range, but best done at the end of the day or your chops are noticibly tierd when you are practicing.
The pulling excercise is good for me as I tend to roll my lips in as I play higher rather than just pushing them together, and this is a good exercise for this movement. However I hate the metal touching my front teeth, you can get a plastic one but then I presume the wieght will be too little for the 'pencil excercise'. The button on some string sounds a good way to do it too, but being perdantic (& possibly wrong!)- I wonder if it won't get you used to leaving a resonable apertuer for you air stream as the string will be thinner than the neck of the PETE.
The silver PETE which I have is a bit heavy for the 'Pencil Excercise' but Walburton suggest supporting it to compensate for the wieght.
I was scepticle but then thought why not it is handier than a pocket full of pencils and buttons! And it does strengthen your chops/ face muscles up, just don't over do it before playing. By the way I found it for sale for £24 from Thoman Cyberstore, a good reduction from anywhere else I could find them.
Dave
Current Euphs:
York Eminence
Boosey & Hawkes Sovereign (Round Stamp/ Globe)
Boosey & Hawkes Imperial
Plus an attic of old classics in various states of repair!
Previous Euphs:
Besson Prestige (German)
Geneva Symphony
Wilson 2900 with Eminence leadpipe
Sterling Virtuoso (300 mm heavy red brass bell)
Cortios 167 II
'Gob Iron': Doug Elliott Euph 104 I 9s (plus a few others!)