 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jan
Date: 2003-01-14 17:07
Hi.
I am fairly new to the clarinet. I bought my first "brand new" mouthpiece on ebay the other day and got it yesterday. It was advertised in new condition and appeared that way when I got it. I had been playing for about 5 minutes, when I licked my lips. I got an awful taste. Yuk. Anyway, I wasn't sure whether or not that was normal. It tasted rubbery. The mouthpiece is advertised as a steel ebonite rubber mouthpiece. I looked at the mouthpiece, and it had turned brown where my mouth was. Also, it had a place that looked like a toothmark. I took it off the clarinet and washed it under warm water. The whole thing turned brown. As of this morning, it had not regained its black color. I wasn't sure if this was normal, since I haven't had a new mouthpiece before. None of the ones I have played before did that. I'm concerned that I may have messed it up. Are there special care instructions for new mouthpieces that I am unaware of?
Thank you for your responses. Any ideas you have would be appreciated. I'm still learning about these things. 
jan
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Author: Hank
Date: 2003-01-14 17:23
Hi Jan,
What you have experienced is not a common occurance with a new mouthpiece. I'd get right back to the seller and discuss your problem and ask for either a mouthpiece as was adverised or a refund.
Hank
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Author: Hank
Date: 2003-01-14 17:29
Hi Jan,
What you have experienced is not a common occurance with a new mouthpiece. I'd get right back to the seller and discuss your problem and ask for either a mouthpiece as was adverised or a refund.
Hank
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-01-14 18:05
Hi, Jan;
It has a toothmark? Well, that's a pretty sure indication that it's not new. I'd follow Hank's advice... now :|
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Author: brenda siewert
Date: 2003-01-14 18:25
I agree that the mouthpiece is not new and should be returned asap to the seller. If you haven't given a feedback rating yet, I would hold off until he/she takes care of this problem for you. And, I wouldn't buy fromthem again because this is probably a standard method of doing business--unless it was an oversight and you were sent the wrong mouthpiece. Go at it like you're certain he/she must have sent the wrong mouthpiece since this one has tooth marks and other tell tale signs of use. Don't tell them you're a novice player and insist on getting what you paid for.
Any reputable seller should be happy to do this for you.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2003-01-14 19:03
Jan,
I agree that you should certainly try to return the mouthpiece for a refund. The seller has an excellent feedback record and will, I hope, be accomodating.
The taste and the fact that it turned brown in your mouth suggests to me that the mouthpiece may have been buffed to make it look new. However, even new old stock that has sat around in a box that is less than airtight for a number of years may have reacted with chemicals in the air. While it's always hard to tell with pictures, it appears to me that there is some hint of discoloration visible in the seller's ad. Also, there is a line that could be a scratch (or simply could be the light) on the beak. Does it match up with the mark you found?
Please also be aware that, unfortunately, there is some contributory negligence on your part. Washing a hard rubber mouthpiece, particularly an old one in warm water can cause discoloration. One should always use cool water as has been noted many times on this board.
The amount was small and the seller's record suggests s/he is honest so you can probably get (at least most of) your money back. Best of luck.
Best regards,
jn
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Author: Jan
Date: 2003-01-14 19:07
Thanks, guys. I e-mailed her last night to ask about the brown color. I didn't realize this board was here until today. All of her feedback is excellent. She listed this mouthpiece as...
This is a Woodwind Steel Ebonite K7 Steel Ebonite hard rubber clarinet mouthpiece. This is a new old stock mouthpiece in excellent condition, it was never played. The inscription is barely readable, there are no scratches or marks of any kind on this mouthpiece.It has a tip opening of 1.14mm and a medium facing length. This would make a very good mouthpiece for someone.
Like I said, it looked brand new before I played it. Could the color, taste, etc. be from the age ("old stock")? It says "All sales final" on the auction. I didn't think it would be an issue, since all her feedback was good, and the pictures of the mouthpiece looked excellent. She hasn't replied yet, and I haven't left feedback. I didn't pay that much for the mouthpiece, and it sounds GREAT...but I don't think I can play it if that taste doesn't go away. Hopefully, she'll write soon and I'll be able to return it.
Thanks for the advice...and for listening.
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Author: Jan
Date: 2003-01-14 19:23
Hi. Thanks for your comments. Everything I have seen for care of mouthpieces says to wash out mouthpiece with mild soap and warm (not hot) water. I appreciate your advice to use cool water. I haven't seen this board before, so I just went with what I had read (websites and books). I don't believe that the temperature of the water is what caused the problem. I didn't wash it until after it had turned brown in my mouth. Oh well. I looked at the pictures again and I didn't see any kind of mark that looked like what I observed last night. The mark wasn't there when I received the mouthpiece...only after I played it for about 5 minutes. My other mouthpiece (borrowed from a friend who played several years) does not have a mark like this, and I have played it many times. I have washed it in warm (not hot) water also.
Just curious...did you find the auction that I bid on, or were you just making general ebay comments?
Jan
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-01-14 19:30
The worst that could happen, Jan, is you may have a mouthpiece (all sales final), you didn't pay too much for. In that case, post back and we'll throw out some suggestions on how to fumigate it :]]]
Steel Ebonite mpcs are generally pretty good, even good condition used ones (you say it plays okay) -- I'd still prefer you get the right mpc or your money back.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2003-01-14 20:11
Maybe the seller was under the impression it was new and it was an honest mistake. If so I would think you would have no problem getting a refund.
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Author: dennis
Date: 2003-01-14 21:00
jan
If you are happy with the mp and through assistance from within this BB, you feel the 'taste' can eliminated , then perhaps you may consider a partial refund. That is, if you sincerely feel the item was misrepresented. Unfortunately, if the seller is not receptive to your chosen path, you have little recourse......not because it was sold 'as is/final sale' (that verbage does not preclude misrepresentation) but the refund policy dictated by EBAY is a lengthy, drawn out process requiring numerous efforts on your behalf and documentation.
regards
d
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Author: Clarence
Date: 2003-01-14 22:00
I have bought mouthpieces through eBay that where bad. In all cases, the seller refunded my money. If everything else fails, you can and should leave negative feedback.
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Author: charlene
Date: 2003-01-14 23:04
I wouldn't be too hasty to blame the seller. I've a few very old hard rubber mouthpieces that have that faint whiff of sulphury rubber, especially if you lick them. I also recently bought a very old "new" Selmer Paris alto mp from my local music shop (I could tell that it was very old based on the ancient looking price sticker plus the price which was SIGNIFICANTLY lower that even the discount houses offer today for the same mp), in perfect unplayed condition. When I tried it I was pretty shocked by the foul taste - just like described. A tooth patch certainly helped and now after playing it for a while I no longer get that wierd taste. Maybe you got a new "vintage" mp - the kind that some ebay vendors get quite good money for. I believe that the sulphur in the old hard rubber reacts with air over time - the Selmer mp has no playing flaws, is in perfect condition, and I got it for an amazing price - congratulations if you had the same luck!
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2003-01-15 01:18
Hi Jan,
I looked up your specific auction.
I can't guarantee that the taste will go away but I can tell you that my experience is similar to Charlene's. I bought an old Stowell, Wells, Schneider mouthpiece on eBay from someone who sells alot of vintage mouthpieces. It looked mint in its picture and also when I got it. It has never changed color on me (knock on wood) but when I first played it, I noticed a sulfphur taste and, given that the logo was not "fresh" looking, I suspect that the mouthpiece had been buffed. It took awhile but the taste has gone away.
My guess is that the friction from the buffing heats the mouthpiece enough to release some sulphur compounds. One way to distinguish a hard rubber mouthpiece from plastic is to rub it vigorously for a few seconds on your sleeve then perform a smell test. A hard rubber mouthpiece will usually give off a faint sulphur odor (but I'm no chemist so maybe someone else can give an accurate explanation).
In a later conversation with the seller, I asked him if it was possible to make older mouthpieces look like new. He said it was a piece of cake if one had a buffing wheel. (The trick is first to eliminate the discoloration, usually with chlorine bleach. That leaves the mouthpiece a dull black where it was discolored. Polish it with a buffing wheel and voila, new mouthpiece!) But, I will reiterate what I said before. It's not necessarily the seller's fault. I agree with Charlene, that it could simply be a matter of the mouthpiece reacting to something in the air over time.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-01-15 06:19
The mouthpiece at the link in Jack's response looks pretty good to me. I mean, for twenty bucks I'd rub the blemish out by hand if it bothered me too much
You should never machine buff a mouthpiece hard enough to cause it to get hot. The hot spot becomes like soft putty, until it cools again; then you'll discover you really do have a gouge problem.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2003-01-15 13:57
If you like the mouthpiece and have gotten it to where it doesn't taste too bad, forget about it. It's not a bad price for the mouthpiece. But, I also had the same experience with a 5JB mouthpiece from this seller a year or so ago that had a tooth mark and other indications that it had been used when I got it. I just don't bid their auctions anymore.
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Author: Walter Grabner
Date: 2003-01-15 16:31
eBay is definately a "buyer beware" marketplace, and you have to be careful to read the descriptions warily. I NEVER bid on anything unless there is a picture. I also check the seller's feedback, although this is only a help.
In this case, you bought a mouthpiece that is quite old, and the sulfer is leaching out of the rubber. That's what causes the discoloration and the bad taste.
To eliminate the bad taste, try washing the mouthpiece in white vinigar, sometimes this helps eliminate the bad taste, temporarily anyway.
I sell a lot of stuff on eBay, and I have never refused a refund or exchange (less eBay costs and shipping) it just makes good business.
Politely ask for your money back, if you don't want to keep the mouthpiece. If a refund is refused, threaten bad feedback, most eBayers will hate that. Be aware, however, that the seller can post negative feedback on you too.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetXpress.com
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