Klarinet Archive - Posting 000231.txt from 1999/08

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Student mouthpieces
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 13:09:05 -0400

Roger Garrett posted:

<<<Opined?>>>

It's a 10 dollar lawyer word for giving an opinion. One of those verbs
seldom used any more except by people who sell opinions--like 10 dollar
lawyers.

<<<Kevin - what is your opinion regarding markup on plastic mouthpieces
vs.hard rubber? Why do the hard rubber mouthpiece blanks which cost the
maker $17.95 sell for $150+ and the identical blank in plastic, which costs
$12 sells for $25? Just curious what your thoughts are on that.>>>

The cynical answer is that they charge more because they can.

My more reasoned guess is that the hard rubber mouthpieces get much more of
the "artist's touch" tan the plastic ones. I'm pretty sure that Jim
Pyne/Richard Hawkins works on each and every one of the "professional"
mouthpieces that bear their name. While the plastic/student mouthpieces may
be advertised as having been hand-finished, the advertisements don't say
WHOSE hand. Jim Pyne costs more than his minion that does the student
stuff--I would expect to pay for that.

I would also bet that the plastic mouthpieces don't require the level of
finishing that the rubber ones do. My bet is that plastic is more
dimensionally stable as it cools from the molding process--the facing is
likely extremely close (so little hand finishing is needed) or, more likely
(at least for the saxophones), the facing is molded into the plastic w/ no
hand finishing at all. I know from other experience that tolerances for
injection molded plastic can be extremely close--close enough to work with
our standard feeler gauges.

kjf

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