Klarinet Archive - Posting 000287.txt from 2006/08
From: "Sheri Rolf" <slrolf@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] $650 mouthpieces???
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 10:06:45 -0400
Questions about the price of Brad Behn's Vintage Collection mouthpieces seem
to crop up periodically on the BBOard, andperhaps here as well. I am happy
to offer my humble opinion on this subject. I play a Behn Vintage
mouthpiece. The reason? I find that it is nothing short of incredible.
Brad was delightful to work with and really took a personal interest in
creating a mouthpiece for me that would give me the sound and playing
characteristics that I desire. I might add that he also refaced my Charles
Bay Ithica Old Ched copy at the same time, and it is an amazing mouthpiece
as well. What about the price? Yes, $650 is a chunk of change. But, I
would venture a guess that most folks who blanch at the price probably have
a drawer filled with less expensive mouthpieces that they don't --or can't--
use with a sum price tag totaling well over $650. IMHO, Brad Behn has
created an incredible mouthpiece that plays and sounds like no other that I
have tried. Is it worth $650? For me, the answer is most definitely yes.
That won't be the answer at which everyone arrives. But the best way to
determine the worth of the product is to give it a try. Ipse loquitor.
Thank heavens that we live in free society in which we are free to make
these independent decisions and have the luxury of discussing our thoughts
and views publicly.
(Please know that I have no business or financial association with Behn
Mouthpieces International.)
All Best,
Sheri Rolf
-----Original Message-----
From: Bryan Crumpler [mailto:crumpletox@-----.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 12:33 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: [kl] $650 mouthpieces???
Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone has tried or had any credible reviews of the Behn
International's clarinet mouthpieces (http://www.clarinetmouthpiece.com).
From the website, I think he had a booth at Clarifest, but I was not in
attendenace. I'm curious about the mouthpieces, but as it seems, they only
expect to sell about 50 of them worldwide - ever. Why? Because they are $650
a piece... and to my knowledge, have no established reputation on the
market.
I'm having a really hard time trying to justify why this guy, and his
company, expects anyone to pay $650 per mouthpiece, regardless of how good
the mouthpieces may be. There is something to be said about labor... but the
company's business model is a tad flawed, especially their sales policies.
The company requires full payment in advance on all orders, and they do have
a trial period of 14 days. If you return any mouthpieces within that trial
period, they charge a 5% restocking fee... which is already ridiculous. Fred
Weiner does that too, and their restocking percentage is higher... and Fred
Weiner is rather bootleg tossing everything in old business papers and
newspaper with crappy boxing as opposed to what would normally be considered
"professional" packaging.
So... let's say I want to try 5 mouth pieces... That means I have to have
$3250 up front to pay for the things??? And what if I don't like them? I end
up spending $162.50 in restocking fees, or at least if I keep one... I spend
$650 + $130 in restocking fees for the rest of those mouthpieces? I'm not
even going to let you do the math. That's 780 bucks for 1 mouthpiece. And we
ALL (at least I hope most of us) know that no mouthpiece is the blow all be
all of mouthpieces. What's up with that?!
So I'm just curious if anyone has ever actually tried the things, and if so,
what their honest opinion is.
Thanks,
Bryan
www.whosthatguy.com
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