Klarinet Archive - Posting 000247.txt from 2006/08
From: Patton Hunnicutt <bass9396@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] $650 mouthpieces???
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 08:38:55 -0400
Honestly,
Let's keep it real. $650 is beyond ridiculous. If
you can't make enough money to support yourself on
mouthpieces alone...then get another job. Sob stories
aren't helping your cause. I might spend $150 on a
mouthpiece.....but that's as far as I'm willing to go.
Moreover, we're not interested in the amount you
spent developing the mouthpiece....we want quality
product at a GOOD price. When I see these exorbitant
prices I just laugh because I know it didn't cost you
$325 to make a $650 mouthpiece.
--- kurtheisig@-----.net wrote:
> 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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