Klarinet Archive - Posting 000809.txt from 1999/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarification/was Bay cost
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 04:39:32 -0500

On Fri, 19 Feb 1999, James Pyne wrote:
> Pyne/Clarion Signature mouthpieces are not re-faced blanks as Mr. Garrett
> implies. The bores (~M, Pk, Jx, Bn, Bc) of the Signature mouthpieces I
> produce are cut/reamed at my studio workshop here in Columbus.

My apologies to Jim Pyne. I was simply passing along the information
provided to me by Jim Green at J.J. Babbitt who claimed that the 183 blank
is one of those you use with your premium mouthpieces. If that
information is incorrect, please understand I did not mean to imply
anything other than what I was told by the largest supplier of mouthpiece
blanks. However, your post above does not dispute what I have said,
simply that you cut and ream some kind of blank (?) at your studio. Or,
did I misread the post - and you actually pour the hard rubber moutpieces
into molds of your own design? Please clarify so that I don't
misinterpret information that has been provided.

> Additionally
> the tone chamber, windway and baffle are hand-filed and finished to work
> optimally with each given bore shape. The specially shaped reamers I use
> for the different bores are of my own design and, to the best of my
> knowledge, unique. Also unique are hand-finishing processes (and tools)
> used to complete the dimensions of the tone chambers. It is very difficult
> to imitate all of this. So unless Mr. Garrett has completed successful
> measurements (a daunting task in itself), duplicated my tooling and taught
> himself how to use it, he cannot, as he implies, provide equivalent
> products.

I don't believe that I have implied or stated that I produce a like
product, equivalent product, or anything of the kind. Please re-read my
post. I believe that I said the feel is different and that you skew the
rails. I don't do that, so I am not seeing where I made any of the claims
you have made to the contrary. But - if it seemed that I implied that,
again, my apologies - I certainly did not mean anything like that.

> If someone tells a clarinetist, like Mr. Garrett, that Pyne has
> gotten his raw blanks from "so and so" (and I have gotten them from many
> sources) it doesn't say much about Pyne mouthpieces --- except that they
> are produced from hard rubber.

I clarified what I meant above. I hope that will be satisfactory?

> I believes that by "skews" Mr. Garrett means producing an asymmetrical
> facing. While it is fairly easy to put on a conventional facing the
> asymmetrical type is quite difficult to apply. For many years I have
> explored and documented asymmetrical facings. It is not commonly known, but
> true, that both Harold Wright and Robert Marcellus played asymmetrical
> facings.(I personally measured the mouthpieces of these players many years
> ago, Marcellus in his first years at Northwestern and Wright at the
> Marlboro Festival).

And if you ask anyone I have spoken to about your mouthpieces, you will
find that I have said exactly the same thing. I actually play on your
mouthpieces - so I am not sure what your point is. I am aware of your
work at Michigan and your work in the labs studying the physics, etc. of
sound. I think your mouthpieces are quite good - I have played on them
for 18 years. However, the problem with making mouthpieces with
asymmetrical facings is that they are difficult to match. If you recall,
we discussed this when I visited your booth at ClarinetFest in Arizona -
where, by the way, I purchased three mouthpieces (M facings) and you gave
me one of your reed knifes - which I still recommend to students.

> Yes, I can face at least 10 mouthpieces in an hour. I've been at this for
> so many years that I can do it quickly... even with asymmetrical facings.

This simply reinforces what I have already said. It was not meant as
anything other than a compliment.

> Almost all mouthpiece "makers" really re-face blanks. Facing mouthpieces
> and making baffle adjustments are straightforward tasks that can be done
> quickly, as by the Zinner (and other) blank enthusiasts. This should not be
> confused with a more comprehensive approach that requires machining and
> hand-finishing of the critical internal dimensions of the mouthpiece (bore,
> tone-chamber, windway, ramp etc.) as well as the facing and baffle. I do
> not use Zinner blanks. Scribed on each of my Signature mouthpieces is a
> letter set that describes its unique bore/chamber shape (~M, Pk, Jx, Bn,
> Bc). All of these internal-shape models are in use by very prominent
> clarinetists and have thereby "proven" their ability to support a high
> level of artistry. The variety of bore/chamber configurations, along with a
> broad range of both asymmetrical and symmetrical facings, has provided
> exceptional versatility in meeting the individual physical and artistic
> needs of a large number of clarinetists.

Mr. Pyne has not said anything that contradicts what I said earlier.
However, I am sure the rest of the list, as well as I, appreciate the
additional information clarifying more of what he does to prepare
mouthpieces for professionals. I highly recommend visiting Mr. Pyne
personally and having a mouthpiece made individually - I have recommended
this to several students in the past, and I am aware of a few who have
made the trip.

I hope my repost to Mr. Pyne's post makes clear my initial post.
Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director - Concert Band, Symphonic Winds & Titan Band
Advisor - Recording Studio
Illinois Wesleyan University

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