Klarinet Archive - Posting 000116.txt from 2005/04

From: X-MailScanner-tom.henson@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Plastic Mouthpieces
Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 17:10:28 -0400

Clark,

I was hoping to elicit your opinion the other day when I posted about the
plastic Wurlitzer mouthpieces.

I responded to a post by Jim Lytthans where he had forwarded a message from
Michele Zukovsky about looking for a hard rubber Wurlitzer mouthpiece and
the fact the they now only seem to make plastic ones.

The plastic ones that I tried when at their workshop were very enlightening
in that they played very well. As well as any hard rubber mouthpiece I have
ever played on. The plastic they use could be some form of Lexan which has
many good properties, one of which is very durable and heat resistant.
Probably also UV resistant. If it is Lexan, I would be curious as to your
thoughts on this.

I would also be curious if you felt that using hard rubber instead of
plastic would have any inherent benefit such as sound, or perhaps in
perceived resistance. I am really not trying to start any kind of material
discussion here, but I feel these are really good questions since we don't
seem to see more of the high quality plastic ones available.

Have you heard of any other types of plastic being used other than acrylic
which you use for your Debut line? I would imagine that using something like
Lexan would require just as much work setting up the mold as if you are
using hard rubber and I do not see this being done to save costs like in the
case of using acrylic.

I wonder if there really could be a valid substitute for hard rubber which
would allow a more precise molding, have less shrinkage (or none) as it
cools, which in the end may make a more consistent blank which will require
less chamber work on the inside. In addition, you would not need to worry
about the mouthpiece discoloring or tarnishing the silver keys.

Tom Henson

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