Klarinet Archive - Posting 000106.txt from 2008/02

From: "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Oxidized mouthpieces
Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:39:20 -0500

Gary,

If the mouthpiece is a good player...don't throw it away! You are seeing the
effects of time on bar stock rubber. Rubber compounds have a good deal of
sulfur in the mix and over time the sulfur leaches out of the mouthpiece.
That's why the mouthpieces turn a dull green or appear to have a yellowish
cast. If the mouthpiece is put back into service...the daily handling will
be enough to keep the surface, at least to some degree, a bit darker in
appearance...and the bitter taste (the taste of sulfur) will slowly
disappear.

Looks are a lot less important than the way it plays.

Forest

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Yakima Valley Community Band
> [mailto:yakimavalleycommunityband@-----.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 11:30 PM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] Oxidized mouthpieces
>
> Not sure that this is the correct way of saying it,
> but I'm finding on some older mouthpieces, even after
> cleaning them, they can be quite bitter tasting and
> rather offensive to the taste buds. The mouthpiece
> even looks like it has oxidized and along with bitter
> taste it has a chalky feel to it, not the smooth slick
> feel of a new mouthpiece.
>
> I'd say it is time to throw the mouthpiece away and
> get a new one.
>
> Have you all had this experience and had to part with
> a mouthpiece you liked or is there a way to salvage a
> mouthpiece like this when it gets to be in this type
> of condition? Is common for a mouthpiece to oxidize
> over time?
>
> Any others with experience would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Gary in Yakima
>
>
>
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