Klarinet Archive - Posting 000243.txt from 2006/08

From: kurtheisig@-----.net
Subj: RE: [kl] $650 mouthpieces???
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 01:29:19 -0400

Michael,

Very well said.

We mouthpiece makers pour our lives into helping others to meet their dreams. The endless years of research don't get paid. It is certainly done more for passion than profit. I know of no mouthpiece maker that ever got rich, even when we sell mouthpieces at "high" prices.

If my clarinet mouthpieces were $650 each, just to "get by" in my area, I'd have to make 21 a month EVERY month and sell them all. If I lived in Dan Leesons area add at least 5!

In my area, when I mention a price of $350 for one of my models, I am often insulted and demeaned. That kind of treatment for long hours and great skill to HELP the person?

Thank God their are great pros like Pharoah Sanders, Bert Wilson, Mauro Di Gioia, who are humble, polite and THANKFUL!

Kurt

Kurt Heisig
Master Mouthpiece Maker

-----Original Message-----
>From: Michael Norsworthy <m.norsworthy@-----.net>
>Sent: Aug 19, 2006 3:49 PM
>To: Klarinet <klarinet@-----.org>
>Subject: RE: [kl] $650 mouthpieces???
>
>Bryan,
>
>I like the fact that you always ask questions but find the accusatory tone
>to be completely un-necessary and your pre-formed opinions to be quite
>ill-informed at this point. Regarding the questions you posed, I'll try to
>answer a few of them.
>
>Yes, Brad Behn did have a table at the Clarinet Convention in Atlanta AND he
>sold a lot of these mouthpieces. (they're called the Vintage Collection for
>future reference) People were pleasantly surprised at their reactions to
>playing these mouthpiece for the first time and it was a joy to watch people
>smile and say, WOW! I was privileged enough to be invited by Brad to assist
>him at his table and watch him work in a completely unobtrusive and helpful
>manner with each and every customer that walked up to the table.
>
>Regarding the price... Brad gets this a lot from various people and the
>explanation is always the same. Brad has endeavored to create something
>special and UNIQUE by bringing back the old 1930's Henri Chedeville rubber.
>He's spent an enormous amount of time, years in fact, as well as large sums
>of his own money developing the rubber mix, dimensions, blanks, etc and has
>built the mouthpiece quite literally from the ground up. Involved are
>numerous fees from labs, chemists, rubber manufacturers and other incurred
>expenses. This translates into a MUCH higher cost to manufacturer the
>blanks that Brad works from and it's worth mentioning that he's the only
>mouthpiece maker that I know of that's actually manufacturing his own
>blanks. After he gets them, they require quite a bit of work on the facing,
>chamber, baffle, etc. Put this all together and you have your $650 price
>tag.
>
>Next question: is it worth it? You'll have to make up your own mind about
>that. However, in my opinion and many others, absolutely. I have a large
>collection of vintage mouthpieces (Kaspars, Cheds, Bettoneys, etc) and can
>tell you that, from my standpoint, the rubber sounds and vibrates in a way
>that suits me better than any modern material I've played on. The advantage
>to this, I get the sound and feel of the old rubber (which I prefer) and the
>mouthpiece can be easily replaced by a living maker that I can talk to and
>work with to create something special for me.
>
>This is a high end piece of equipment made by one of the master craftsman of
>our time. If one were to look at any other field or profession, $650 for a
>piece of equipment is quite cheap, and our mouthpieces usually far outlive
>expensive electronics and gadgets by years or even decades.
>
>I'd like to issue you an invitation to try them for yourself and make an
>informed opinion rather than an educated guess about Brad's products. Also,
>for the record, Brad is one of the MOST honest people in the market today.
>He, like everyone else, does need to make a living, but his policies and
>ethics do not lend themselves to making a living at someone else's expense.
>If you're not completely happy with anything you purchase, Brad will work
>very hard to get you there.
>
>AND, if you're interested in Brad's products and do not want to pay for one
>of the Vintage Collection mpcs, try his other lines, you may find something
>that you will like.
>
>The complete story of his Vintage Collection is available at Brad Behn's
>website: www.clarinetmouthpiece.com Please take a look and see or judge for
>yourself, that's the way Brad would want it :)
>
>All the best,
>Michael Norsworthy
>www.michaelnorsworthy.com
>
>P.S. I am NOT paid by Brad to endorse his products nor was I paid to work
>his table at ClarinetFest. I am simply a good friend and clarinetist who
>highly respects his work and accomplishments.
>
>
>
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