Klarinet Archive - Posting 000232.txt from 2005/04

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Plastic mouthpieces in reply to Tom Henson
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 00:36:30 -0400

Tom Henson posted in reply to Clark Fobes:

<<<I think the Wurlitzer mouthpieces clearly demonstrated to me that a high
quality plastic mouthpiece can play very well, but I was curious to see what
your opinion about hard rubber and it's sound characteristics were.>>>

I've tried Clark's Debut - couldn't help it; he forced one on me for free at
the ClarinetFest in New Orleans a couple of years ago.

(OK, that's hyperbole. He gave them away free to teachers.)

What this shows is that Clark is pure evil - what an excellent example of
viral marketing. The little gem easily outplays a drawer full of
mouthpieces that cost five, and in some cases ten times as much as he
charges retail. I've recommended to every student I come across that they
can get a *big* upgrade for way cheap.

I don't think that the material matters much on the sound. I can't tell the
tone of the Debut from other rubber ones that are similar in the Kaspar
style.

. . it's not just student mouthpieces, either. As it happens, both of the
mouthpieces I regularly use on alto sax are plastic. The Brilhart 5* is a
fine piece for jazz/commercial music that costs almost nothing, thirty bucks
maybe. (Tons of great players have used it too, from Johnny Hodges to Maceo
Parker). For concert work, I use a Rascher. In neither case did the
material factor into my decision - they both just work.

One downside to plastic is that you have to use mouthpiece patches or
double-lip, lest your teeth dig right through the material. I use patches
all the time anyway, so this wasn't a problem for me.

YMMV, of course.

kjf

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