Klarinet Archive - Posting 000955.txt from 1998/04

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Mouthpiece Facings & Reed Strength
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 19:19:19 -0400

On Sat, 18 Apr 1998, Brian Catchlove wrote:
> Dear Roger,
> You used the following to describe a mouthpiece in a reply dated April 17.
> >The M13 mouthpiece has the following schedule and tip opening:
> >104 tip opening (1.04)
> >4
> >10
> >21
> >33
> I am unfamiliar with this format for mouthpiece measurements. Could you
> explain it in more detail or show me where I might get this info.
> Thanks
> Brian Catchlove

Brian,

Here is information (I have adjusted slightly) directly from the
instruction book that came with the measuring kit.

The points at which the facing curve is measured consitute the "schedule",
and are 5 in number for saxes, 4 for clarinet mouthpieces with a tip wand
measureing the actual opening. Each feeler guage will determine a number
representing its stopping place on the glass gauge and the highest number
is the tip opening. This measuring system was perfected by Erick Brand
while he was foreman of the Selmer woodwind shop, and is the most accurate
method devised (according to Morgan Enterprises which sold me the tool
kit). In dealing with hundredths of a millimeter (not thousandths as I
mentioned earlier), we are measuring 2.54 times more accurately than when
using thousandths of an inch. The glass gauge is marked off in such a
manner that the line marked 10, for example, represents 5mm distance form
the end or first line. This method increases the accuracy twice over and
provides us with a way to face the piece with an accuracy of .0001" The
tip wand is marked off in lines to show .01mm increments.

Roger Garrett
IWU