Klarinet Archive - Posting 000313.txt from 2001/07

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: Mouthpieces misconceptions!!!!!
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 11:47:21 -0400

Bill Page said:

<<What we don't know from the short example given: a) how large the sample size was; 2) whether the sampled units were from one or many lots; c) the distribution of the measurements around the nominal target. Ergo, we would be jumping to conclusions to decide that the company named earlier has process control problems.>>

I'm going to jjump in here one more time, then shut-up on this topic.

Minor variations, of, say,.03 mm in a tip opening, are really not a matter of concern. In fact, some variation in a "model" may be beneficial, since differetn people will require a slightly different "spec" due to lip size, jaw position, etc.

The kind of "Out-of-spec" condition that outrages me, however, is when a $100 mouthpiece, with a major players name on it, shows up in a music store and it is SO FAR out of spec that it is unplayable, or will cause major emboushure adjustment to make it play.

I had such an experience last year. As you might now, I test a lot of products, most of which I dont keep. I had been intrigued by comments about the Leblanc Larry Combs mouthpieces. I had sat next to a lady in a rehearsal who play one, and she sounded very fine. The next time I was at IMS, buying reeds and mouthpiece blanks, I saw a LC3 for sale and just bought it, unplayed. How bad could it be? People had been telling me these were great. I never intended it to be my regular mouthpiece, I just thought I would test it a bit, play on it, measure it, and see what I could learn.

Well, the dang thing wwouldn't even play, and I can play on just about ANYTHING, to a degree.

When I pulled out the measuring tools, I found the facing was terribly skewed. THe lowest gauge went ALL the way to the end of the windway (50 +) on one side, while on the other side it stopped at about 32.

We're not talking slightly out of spec, a hundreth of a mm here or there. We're talking about SCRAP.

Similar discrepancies were found elsewhere. Yet, this mouthpiece found its way to a prestigious Music Store, with a prestigious players name on it, selling for over $100.

I have heard enough stories from others to doubt that this is an isolated incident.

(The story had a happy ending, IMS took it back cheerfully, as a return, and I spent the same amount on something else. If the mouthpiece ever got back to Racine, or where ever they are made, I'm sure it was just chucked.)

Anyway, when I discuss lack of QC, that's what I am discussing.

Enough.

Walter
Clarinetxpress.com

PS. Bill, you're close, if you want to stop by some day, I'll be glad to measure your mouthpiece for you.

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