Klarinet Archive - Posting 000012.txt from 2005/10

From: "Penny Ward Marcus" <pennyw@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Mouthpiece search
Date: Sun, 02 Oct 2005 18:05:59 -0400


Well, after years of putting it off, I am planning to go on the great
mouthpiece hunt. I had a lovely Kaspar Cicero that got me through several
years, but was stolen years ago. Since then I have been using various
mouthpieces, by Borbeck, Bill Street, a refaced C* (also Bill), and for the
last few years I went to a stock Portnoy BP1. I really didn't like the
Borbeck, as it was stuffy and unresponsive. (I think it was the individual
facing, but others I tried later felt much the same.) I had trouble with the
Bill Street mouthpieces because they were unstable, though I loved the Eb
mouthpiece we had. (Sold, alas, with the Eb!) The Portnoy is ok, but I chose
it because it was the most in-tune of the stock items I tried. There was no
real love for how it felt or sounded.

I am planning to try the Pyne Signature, Fobes Cicero, Lomax Chicago,
Grabner Kaspar, and Fobes San Francisco Kaspar. (Easy to tell I miss my old
mouthpiece, after all these years!) My Kaspar was an 11, I believe, but I no
longer have the specs as taken by another mouthpiece maker when I was in
high school, and I don't recall it having any facing marking. I know it was
a very closed style, which I have been more comfortable with on other
mouthpieces.

I am interested in seeing a lively discussion about the merits of the
various high-end mouthpieces. They are much more expensive these days, and I
would like to get as much input as possible. What I am looking for is a
mouthpiece that allows for great control at both ends of the dynamic
spectrum, clean articulation, and good pitch. How have others on the list
gone about their mouthpiece searches, what do you look for, and where did
you find the answer, if at all? I am not alone currently in the search to
replace a Cicero Kaspar. My friend Robin has recently lost one to damage,
and I will relay any information to her (a Luddite) as well.

Thanks for your responses!
Penny

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