Klarinet Archive - Posting 000384.txt from 2002/04

From: Rick Campbell <ricksax@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Pete Main Custom Mouthpieces cf. B45
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 11:08:15 -0400

About the problems with the Vandoren B45:
Yes, I've had the same problems with commercial mouthpieces, even from
the respected names. So like most of you, I own many, many mouthpieces.
I finally had my friend Pete Main of San Francisco, retired music
teacher and reed man with Devil Mountain Jazz Band, make me a
free-blowing jazz mouthpiece with a 0.60 opening. Amazing, even though
the chamber looks a lot like a B45. A legitimate yet big tone, great
altissimo, and excellent intonation, even at fff, and still a good pp
(yes, we do play quiet in jazz.) Better tone than the Bari Buddy
DeFranco 3 or John Pierce Jazz, both good mouthpieces.
It appears the difference is in the precision of the opening chamber
curve, that is, in finishing and measuring. That explains why commercial
mouthpieces play so differently-- they are close, but all are not really
right, and probably not play tested the way Pete does with each one. It
has made a significant improvement in my playing, based on comments from
this weekend's Long Beach Jazz Festival.
Pete is making mouthpieces for classical players and jazz players up and
down the West Coast, one at a time. Please don't rush to call him until
he has finished my back-up mouthpiece-- there is a waiting line.
Try him at PAPAPETE925@-----.com
Rick Campbell
Oregon Jazz Band, Dr. Jazz and the Interns
Portland, Oregon

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