Klarinet Archive - Posting 000781.txt from 1999/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] re: Bay cost
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 20:35:25 -0500

On Thu, 18 Feb 1999, Carl Schexnayder wrote:
> Reply:
> The $90.00 mouthpiece was for Bb Soprano Clarinet. I'm interested in the
> $45.00 mouthpiece. Do you hand-make it? Until now, we've always used the
> Selmer C* on bass. How does your mouthpiece compare to that?
> C.S.

I have two mouthpieces I now use on bass - one is a Clark Fobes which I
paid $195 for last summer at ClarinetFest - it appears identical to the
Selmer blank with the logo buffed off and Clark's logo stamped on in gold.
It is a nice mouthpiece - especially for chamber groups and playing in
more confined spaces. I have difficulty keeping the nice sound at the
loud volumes though. The other mouthpiece is the one I make - I finally
sold my refaced Selmer C*'s (Sayre did the work) because they didn't play
as well - but I have to admit, I really liked them for several years
previous. Frankly, I didn't expect mine to turn out as well or better
than the Selmers, but, since they did for me, I have put them out for
others to buy. Mouthpieces shouldn't cost and arm and a leg for students
(in my opinion). The Bb's I make cost $35 - and they are hard rubber -
same blanks Jim Pyne uses - and his sell for $170. Granted, he skews the
rails and the feel is different, but the bottom line? It takes 20
minutes to make a great mouthpiece from a finished blank. Scott Wright
told me that Pyne made 5 mouthpieces for him to try during a one hour
lesson when he was at Michigan!

The Hawkins and Smith mouthpieces are much, much different than what I and
many others do. Where Pyne skews the rails for the sound, Richard leaves
a dip in the table of the mouthpiece - on a zinner blank. The dip is
located in the best possible place for spring on the reed. This is what
allows his .96 tip opening and a very, very short curve feel like a 1.10
tip opening. These mouthpieces are wonderful for a specific approach of
playing - the problem is, I don't approach the instrument like Richard
does, and I have difficulty on the low end of the instrument with his
mouthpiece. My point? He and Greg Smith make almost identical
mouthpieces (albeit Smith has a couple of facings) - the technique is the
same. The ones I make are flat table mouthpieces with standard or custom
curve schedules - and plenty of work on the inside baffle.

BTW, the Zinner blanks only cost $30 each from International Musical
Suppliers. Yet, the Smith mouthpieces sell for $150. I made two
mouthpieces for students last week from Zinner blanks - for the cost of
the blank (of course, they are my students!) - and those Zinner blanks are
wonderful! The students are happy because they love their new mouthpieces
and only had to pay $34 including shipping for them.
Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director - Concert Band, Symphonic Winds & Titan Band
Advisor - Recording Studio
Illinois Wesleyan University

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