 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Terri Quirk
Date: 2022-09-03 20:52
For the awareness of double lip players, there is a Harold Wright replica mouthpiece available; I can say from experience that it plays better than a mouthpiece custom made for me by Kal Opperman in 1973. Here is the description:
HWC – this is a replica of Harold Wright’s Chedeville soprano clarinet mouthpiece, using Everett Matson’s measurements of Wright’s facing. It is a beautiful rendering by Bradford Behn of Harold Wright’s concept sound. This product is exclusive to bassclarinet.net, and is a joint effort between Michael Drapkin (bassclarinet.net), Bradford Behn (who manufactures the product) and Andy Stevens, clarinetist of the Colorado Symphony, who studied clarinet mouthpiece facing with Everett Matson and recorded Wright’s mouthpiece measurements.
It is available at https://www.bassclarinet.net/product/hwc/
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2022-09-03 21:42
Can we publish the dimensions of this mouthpiece?
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2022-09-04 00:19
For example:
My Richard Hawkins R (circa mid 80's) is a 1.04 tip with a 16mm lay OR.......
1.04
4
10
20+
32
For you technical folks
..........Paul Aviles
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2022-09-04 00:34
The selling price for this Harold Wright replica mouthpiece has skyrocketed. I bought one of the same description from the same seller last year, I believe, for a little over $200. Now, without any indication that this might be an improved model of some sort, the price is $699. The one I bought seemed to me to be on a CNC Behn Prescott model blank with the facing recorded by Matson for Harold Wright added. It played like a good Prescott with a good close facing. I did not get the impression that any attempt was made to transfer the INTERNAL measurements of any of Wright's Chedevilles to this mouthpiece. As far as I could tell, the tone chamber, bore, baffle and rails were those of the standard CNC Behn Prescott model. I wonder if, for the increased present price, the internal dimensions of the Wright mouthpiece might also have been replicated in the model that is presently for sale. If not, then what accounts for the large price increase? A CNC Prescott with a replicated Wright FACING is not the same thing as a completely replicated Wright mouthpiece. Behn currently sells his Prescotts for $200.00. So. is the added $499.00 just for the Harold Wright facing?
https://www.bassclarinet.net/product/hwc.
Post Edited (2022-09-04 17:55)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2022-09-04 21:28
Yes, I saw the same thing. At one point they were relatively inexpensive, which would make them a reasonable option for most players. This new price puts it among the highest level premium mouthpieces. I would be interested in learning more about these and what changes were done.
I was wondering the same thing about the facing and internal dimensions. Matson was a master at tweaking those dimensions to bring out the absolute best characteristics of the mouthpiece blank. That can make or break a mouthpiece. Two facings that are identical but on very different blanks can yield very different results. When working on the old Selmer blanks he would adjust the baffle, bore, sidewalls, rails, etc. I remember that was often 2 hours of work to get them to respond the way he desired. That work was where his mastery really showed.
In one of my visits to him we were talking about that process and he said "Anyone can put a facing on a mouthpiece"
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