Klarinet Archive - Posting 000553.txt from 2000/01

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Reeds extending out over table, was: Vandoren Mouthpiece
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 10:39:25 -0500

<< > Interestingly, the Vandoren reed doesn't really fit, either! Just took
it
> out and looked. There's a fair amount of reed extending over the sides of
> the table bottom. > >>

Caution! Caution! (Danger, Will Robinson).

At first, when I read these posts, I thought "Big deal, so a little portion
of the butt of the reed is extending over the table. Means nothing."

Then a thought occurred to me. Perhaps this narrowing is caused by an upward
curve of the table toward the butt of the mouthpiece, there fore causing a
narrowing of the table as it intersects less of the curved surface of the
outside of the mpth.

Many blanks come off the "assembly line" this way, and the rise must be
removed by the "finisher".

There is a way to check on this. Those of you who have observed this, take
your mouthpiece and lay something totally flat and rigid against the table.
Look up at a light source to see if any light is "leaking in" between the
table and your straight edge.

I personally prefer a totally flat table. Some mouthpiece techs leave a
slight dip to achieve more of a spring to the reed. (Tom Ridenour dicusses
this well in his website). However, a dip left there by accident, or poor/no
quality control is probably harming the playing characteristics of the
mouthpiece.

If the is a large dip, or it extends out past the beginning of the window,
you're in trouble.

Just a thought

Walter Grabner
ClarinetXpress
Mouthpieces & More!!!!
http://www.clarinetxpress.com

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