Klarinet Archive - Posting 000341.txt from 1994/11

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Bay mouthpieces
Date: Thu, 24 Nov 1994 12:48:56 -0500

Charlie Bay is an excellent mechanic. Like any mouthpiece maker he is
going to have some successes and some that will not be as successful. I
used one of his b.c. mouthpieces for years and it is still my main backup
mouthpiece. I found another that I preferred but I will not part with his
because it is so good. On the other hand I have an E-flat mouthpiece that
for me at least, was not as successful. But that is not necessarily
Charlie's fault. I have a half-dozen E-flat mouthpieces and none of them
work particularly effectively for me. The problem may be me more than the
mouthpiece and I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that I don't
play that instrument well and probably will never be able to. Some per-
formers are better at high instruments than low and I am not one of those.
I play the low instruments much more effectively than the high ones. I
don't know if this is personal preference, body shape, or psychiatric
disposition.

I have two basset horn mouthpieces made for me by Bay and I will use nothing
else on my two basset horns. Whenever both are in use I always suggest to
the other player that the Bay mouthpiece be used because it tunes better.
That person invariably ignores me, tries their own mouthpiece, and then gives
the Bay a try, almost always sticking with it.

Charlie's only significant problem is that it is a one man shop and he is
very, VERY busy so one may have to wait a long time to get what one needs.
I have also found him reliable in his willingness to take back things that
don't work. For example, he made an angled bocal for my A bass and
it did not work at all. The instrument went out of tune instantly on
its use (and we don't know why). Charlie took it back, refunded my money,
and that was that.

Just be patient when dealing with him.

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