Klarinet Archive - Posting 000683.txt from 2003/10

From: CBA <clarinet10001@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpiece Suggestions for Alto and Bass
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 04:49:03 -0500

As a non-Bass/Alto player, I don't know much about Bass and Alto
clarinet mouthpieces, except they are way too big for my mouth
(with as "big" as my mouth is when I get in a heated
conversation, the irony is there...run with it.) I do know from
my experience with different soprano instruments (Bb/A/C/Eb)
that Clark Fobes has a great (and well deserved) reputation for
making mouthpieces that speak well and project, two things very
important on the lower clarinets. He makes a bass mouthpiece
that has gotten rave reviews on this list. He has mouthpieces in
a variety of price range. Hand finished mouthpieces really make
a difference, IMHO. Definitely worth a try.

Clark's website is

www.clarkwfobes.com

Another klarinetlist guy who makes mouthpieces is Walter
Grabner. He also is a clarinetist/bass clarinetist with a great
deal of expertise in both playing and making mouthpieces. I have
(once again) heard great things about the playability of his
mouthpieces, soprano and bass alike. His mouthpieces are very
reasonable. Also hand finished.

Walter's website is:

http://www.clarinetxpress.com/

Roger Garrett, yet another "lister" who has been quiet in recent
months makes mouthpieces people rave about. He also is the only
maker I could find with a reputation I have heard about that
makes an Alto clarinet mouthpiece. Not to sound like a broken
record, very reasonable prices. Once again, hand finished.

His website is:

http://www.iwu.edu/~rgarrett/mouthpiece_info.html

Lastly, a very good mainstay is the Vandoren line of
mouthpieces. These mouthpieces are fairly inexpensive, and are
as consistent as any machine made mouthpieces around. They have
all sizes to choose from. These are NOT hand finished, and you
may have to try 10 or more to get the one you want, but if you
are in a store, you will probably have more access to these than
any other ones.

Whereabouts are you? There might be a shop nearby where you
could try out many mouthpieces in the store. Just make sure you
use a non-metal ligature and put tape on the top to not scratch
the sides or the beak, otherwise you have bought a mouthpiece,
unintentionally.

Need more help? Drop me a line directly, and I will see if I can
direct you to a place nearby to try out multiple mouthpieces in
one setting.

Kelly Abraham
Clarinet and Saxophone - New York City
--- John Hansken <hanskenj@-----.net> wrote:
> Hello all
>
> I'm looking for suggestions on what mouthpiece to look into
> for an Alto
> clarinet and a Bass clarinet. My current set up on my Bb and
> A Clarinets
> are a Blaymen (E) with a Mitchell Lurie Premium (5 str) Reed.
> What I'm
> interested in is getting a set-up for the Alto and Bass that
> is as close my
> current set-up as possible. I'm new to these instruments so
> I'm not even
> sure that this is possible, but any suggestion or information
> would be
> appreciated and looked into.
>
> Thanks
>
> John Hansken

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