Klarinet Archive - Posting 000094.txt from 1997/04

From: Brian Ackerman <ackerman@-----.UK>
Subj: curve on mouthpiece facings
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 18:44:46 -0500

I have many hundreds of mouthpiece lays on a computer program. It graphs
out the lay and compares them etc. It was very difficult to compare so many
facings and reach any conclusions. One answer was to compare the amount of
curve in relation to a straight line with the same tip opening and length.
This does not result in any magic answers, as peoples opinions of the
perfect facing will vary, but it does offer a way of measuring and
comparing the degree of curve on facings with the same length and opening.
The point measured is half way along the length, measured in 100ths mm,
compared to a straight line. The larger the measurement, the more curved is
the facing. I call it the curvefactor and have given just a few examples.
MOUTHPIECE TIP(100ths.mm) LENGTH(mm) CURVEFACTOR
Zinner 3 90 25
15
Selmer C85/105 105 16.5
19.1
Vandoren 5RV 105 17
21.6
Yamaha 4c 105 21.5
27.8
Hite (signature) 110 16.8
18.8
Pyne E 110 18
21.3
Vandoren 5RVL 110 18
21.3
Selmer C85/120 120 19
24.4
Vandoren B45 120 16.7
20.8
B&H 1010/2 120 20
31.3

Any comments would be welcome.
Brian Ackerman
UK