Klarinet Archive - Posting 000364.txt from 1995/02

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: An interesting mouthpiece problem
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 1995 10:53:48 -0500

The subject is bass clarinet mouthpieces.

I noticed for the past several months that my b.c. mouthpiece was not
behaving in the ways to which I had become used. The sound quality
(or I should say sound character) had deteriorated to the point where
I did not find it pleasant. It was not that it was less pleasant than
it was (which was true, but not relevant), it had become UNpleasant.

I was also having difficulty finding reeds and playing at extreme
dynamic ranges was troublesome.

I drove up to see Clark Fobes who suggested that the table of the
mouthpiece was no longer flat. He discerned this by actual measurement
and his glass device (under which the measuring guages are slipped) could
not be placed on the table without a wobble.

I have no idea how "the bulge" that was now there got there in the first
place because the mouthpiece was superior for aa number of years. Only
in the last year had the condition I described begin to occur.

The net result of the problem, as explained to me by Clark, was that the
reed no longer sat flat on the table and therefore moved to one side or
the other as I played (thought the movement was not noticeable by me),
and also the reed was warping itself to accomodate this non-flat table on
which it was obliged to sit.

Clark took some sandpaper and carefully worked a little of the table away.
I doubt if he gave the m.p. 10 strokes. They he tried it and gave it
another 1/2 dozen gentle stokes.

Boom: flat table, problem has diminished. I have to work with the m.p. for
a while to see if I can recapture the sound that I thought I had, but one
thing became noticeable at once: the reed I had been using before he
sanded down the bump, would no longer function effectively. I had to put
on a brand new reed.

If I learn anything, I'll mention it.

Has anyone had a m.p. go south on them after a long time of proper
functioning?

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