Klarinet Archive - Posting 000217.txt from 1996/10

From: CLARK FOBES <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Measuring Mouthpieces
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 1996 02:18:11 -0400

method, there is a less expensive route. The curved tip guage which is
graduated in mm/100 is available through the J.J. Babbitt Co.
1-219-293-6514. They also make the standard glass guage for measuring
the facing.

The combined price of these items might be as much as $100. As for
the standard feeler guages, those are availbale through a good auto
parts store and run less than $10.

The process of measuring is explained in the Eric Brand book
"Band Instrument Repairing Manual" This is available from the J.L.
Smith Co. 1-800-650-6073

One thing to remember is that this particular tip guage has a lot
of variances from one guage to another. It should be used as a
reference point, but not as a necessarily exact measuring device.

I suppose that knowing what type of a curve one is playing on might
be interesting, but the internal dimensions exert much more influence
on the way a mouthpiece works. I can make a mouthpiece with a tip
opening of 1.120 play very similarly to one with a .96 tip opening by
varying the internal dimensions.

The facing is only about 20% of the riddle.

Clark W Fobes