Klarinet Archive - Posting 000134.txt from 2007/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] Kaspar mouthpieces
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 13:29:50 -0500

I was sent a recent posting about the Kaspar mouthpieces - and I read
with great interest the discussion regarding Ann Arbor Kaspars vs.
Cicero Kaspar mouthpieces.

First - should there be any confusion - know that a member (former?)
member of the list, Clark Fobes, can answer many questions regarding
Kaspar mouthpieces and the history associated with them. In fact, he
used to have an article about them up on Sneezy..........but, honestly,
it has been many years since I have frequented those pages - I don't
know if they still exist.

I own an original, 1954 Kaspar mouthpiece that was made and purchased in
Ann Arbor, MI. It is a good mouthpiece with problems. I can tell it
was voiced properly, and the facing is quite good. However, the
purchaser spent $20 on it rather than $30 for the more expensive blank.
As a result, the blank is probably a Babbitt blank rather than the more
popular Chedevilles that were still available at the time.

Let me just tell you this - the blank makes all the difference in the
world!

I personally feel that there are many mouthpiece makers who are creating
mouthpieces today that put the majority of Kaspar mouthpieces to shame.
This is not because the Kaspar mouthpieces are inferior - to the
contrary - many play wonderfully. However - clarinet playing has
evolved - as has equipment, reeds, etc. Mouthpiece makers such as
Fobes, Pyne, Johnstone, Hawkins, Smith, Lomax (just to name a few) put
out many models and are capable of creating mouthpieces that easily
match or surpass even the best Kaspars. The Chedeville was a great
blank. However, the newer blanks made by Babbitt and Zinner are very
good - and with the correct blank - a beautiful mouthpiece can be created.

I've played on many, many Kaspars - Cicero and Ann Arbor, and while the
Ciceros tend to be a little better, there are many great Ann Arbor
mouthpieces also. I wouldn't pay $400 for one however. In fact - $400
seems a bit steep to pay for any mouthpiece. A Zinnerblank costs
between $45 and 75 (depending on how many you purchase at a time). A
finished JJ Babbitt blank costs about $20. A Zinner blank can be turned
into a very fine mouthpiece within 10 minutes. A Babbitt requires a bit
more work, but 10-30 minutes is a good guess. Even if a $300 reamer (or
several) is used - that doesn't change the cost of the blank and the
amount of time to create the mouthpiece.

The mouthpiece is expensive because you are willing to pay that.

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

--
Roger Garrett
Clarinet Professor
Director, Symphonic Winds
Illinois Wesleyan University
School of Music
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
(309) 556-3268

http://sun.iwu.edu/~rgarrett/RogerGarrett/Welcome.html

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