Klarinet Archive - Posting 000719.txt from 1997/09

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Mouthpiece tip openings
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 1997 10:46:25 -0400

On Sun, 14 Sep 1997, Frank Garcia wrote:

> Does anyone have a formula to convert tip openings from thousandths to
> millimeters and vise-versa? I am having difficulty comparing mouthpiece tip
> openings measurements, because often they are supplied in one scale and not
> the other.

If the tip opening is given in thousandths, express that measurement as a
decimal and multiply by 25.4 to get the equivalent in millimeters. If the
opening is given in millimeters, divide by 25.4 to determine the
equivalent in thousandths of an inch.

For example, let's take two commonly used mouthpieces, the Van Doren B45
and the Woodwind G8. Both of these should have a tip opening of
approximately 45 thousandths of an inch. Although, one dealer includes a
"mouthpiece comparison chart" which lists the B45 with a tip opening of
.046" - presumably they have measured the mouthpiece and determined that
it is a little more open than it nominally should be. However, a
difference of one one-thousandth of an inch is not an extreme variance,
other things being equal.

In any event, multiplying .045 X 25.4 gives a metric equivalent of 1.143
mm. Conversely, if the tip opening is stated to be, for example, 1.05 mm,
dividing that figure by 25.4 gives a measurement of .0413385267 inches,
which would be rounded to .041.

That should do it.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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