Klarinet Archive - Posting 000146.txt from 1994/05

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Pyne mouthpieces
Date: Fri, 6 May 1994 12:29:00 -0400

Two criticisms have been leveled against Pyne mouthpieces on this board. One
has to do with what is said to be the high price, the other having to do with
average quality for that price. Let me discuss them in reverse order.

There are many excellent players who use Pyne mouthpieces and are very happy
with them. Probably there are other excellent players who have tried Pyne
mouthpieces and did not care for those that they tried. It's hard to say how
many of these exist and what the reasons were for their unhappiness. I think
mouthpiece making is such that you win some, you lose some.

I bought a Pyne E-flat mouthpiece and used it very happily for some time. I am
a lousy E-flat player and it made some of my problems go away, but others
remained. I would still be using it had Clark Fobes not made one for me that
solved a lot of other problems, so I switched. But the Pyne mouthpiece was
excellent.

As for the price, if the Pyne mouthpiece had solved all of my problems, he
could have had whatever he wanted for it. I don't begrudge anyone who makes a
great mouthpiece (and therefore makes my life a lot easier) whatever price he
or she wants to charge. If anyone out there can make an E-flat mouthpiece
that permits me to play the instrument like Stanley Drucker used to play
(when he was E-flat with the NYP), s/he can name their own price. That person
may also have my children.

Pyne is an excellent craftsperson and many people like his mouthpieces. Others
don't, for whatever reason. His prices are at the high end, to be sure, but he
works a long time for every one he produces and, in my opinion, deserves what
he asks for. When I played with him last in Columbus, OH, I would have very
much liked to steal the one on which he was playing that day. I should sound
so good!

====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
====================================

   
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