 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2003-01-24 11:46
I play a morgan on sax and love it. Im wondering what you guys think of the Morgan Clarinet mouthpieces. I am currently playing a B45 and am not thrilled with it. I will double on the clarinet mostly in orchestras but will also play the occasional pit and swing band show. Would a Morgan fot this bill? What facing works well for you?
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-01-24 11:52
Ralph has a 'tone model' in his mind when forming mouthpieces of a certain family. He actually plays (or has played) most of the instruments for his designs.
His J-6 and RM-15 designs are pretty good choices for a doubler familiar with his Excalibur line.
I think the 'J' series a little to forward, due to a high baffle.
Beware the larger tip openings, if you want to have some range in your sound... they're built to be LOUD.
Dave Hoskins is selling these as well as most of the major houses.
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Author: Frank
Date: 2003-01-24 12:41
I love them. I play an Excaliber on tenor....great edge and control over metal mouthpieces....for me anyway. Play a rm-10 on clarinet for years....including shows/jazz...am planning to try one slightly more open
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2003-01-24 12:50
Its interesting that you both mentioned the excaliburs. I play an excalibur on alto and absolutely love it. Is the morgan clarinet RM model versatile enough to blend in an orchestra one night and cut through a swing band the next? My B45 is just real stuffy and not very colorful.
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Author: Bryan
Date: 2003-01-24 13:38
I was about to try a Morgan mouthpiece, as I'd heard good things about them and my instructor thinks they'd work well for me. I was thinking of trying an RM10 first, since that's about the same opening as the mpc I use now. But I was wondering if there were any significant design differences between the RM and J series, beside tip opening, that anyone here knew about.
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2003-01-24 14:42
I see a lot of people posting that the J model has a higher baffle to make it bright for jazz.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2003-01-24 15:48
I play a J7 on my LL. It does play loud but that suits me fine since I'm a sax player doubling on clarinet in jazz and big bands. A very easy and free blowing piece.
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Author: Frank
Date: 2003-01-24 16:13
According to mouth piece charts I've seen, the "classical" model 28 is more open than the jazz j5...so I assume there is more differences in the two models than simply the tip opening
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Author: Josh Schultze
Date: 2003-01-24 18:56
I use the RM-06 and have tried the RM-10. Like most clarinetists I am continually looking for the ideal mouthpiece. For me some have come quite close to dethroning my Morgan but when I ask other clarinetists to listen to me doing a comparison, they always say the Morgan sounds better. I like the sound because there is a noticeable lack of "air" behind the sound. I like that. I don't think you can return the mouthpiece once you've tried it so I recommend ordering one from woodwind and brasswind and paying a restocking fee if you don't like it. His mouthpieces are $125, so you certainly want to try one.
Take care
Josh
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2003-01-25 17:03
I find the B45 to have a "big" "spread" sound. The M13 seems more "focused." I also have a Larry Coombs which seems to have a more "focused" sound as compared to the spread sound of the B45. Where does the Morgan RM mouthpieces fit in terms of tone? I am also curious how well a morgan projects. I feel like i really have to push the B45 to get it to project when I haave to.
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Author: Bryan
Date: 2003-01-25 17:24
I just got an answer to a query from the guys at Junkdude.com, who are Morgan's web resellers. According to Ralph Morgan, the RM and J mouthpieces are the same internal design, only the tip openings are different.
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2003-02-01 21:40
I ordered a Morgan RM28 from Dave Hoskins as Synonomous Botch recommended. I am very excited to get this mouthpiece. He is selling whts called "B stock" morgan mouthpieces which are slightly cheaper. Appearantly, Ralph recieved a flawed batch of blanks which he fixed up to his normal standards. The flaw is cosmetic only which you can not find unless you are really looking for it. Normally his pieces are $128 but the B-stock pieces are $95. I am currently using a B45 and wanted a morgan that would feel the same. The RM15 is the exact same facing as the B45. However, Ralph told me that he is very familiar with the B45s and that a RM 28 will feel more similar to a B45. I should recieve this piece next week. I'll let ya know if it fits the bill as a legit, pit, and swing doubler's piece.
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2003-02-22 02:41
Well, the RM-28 arrived yesterday. It is so different from my larry coombs LC1 and B45. The Morgan has a duckbill beak and an open facing. I was using vd blue box 3.5 reeds on the B45 and I may have to use 2.5 on the Morgan. Ralph Morgan designs his pieces to work with softer reeds. The piece has a huge dark tone. It is much louder than any of my other mouthpieces but it is not brighter. What reeds are working for you on your Morgan Mouthpieces?
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Author: David
Date: 2003-02-23 22:42
I really like them. RM10s on a pair of Boosey & Hawkes 926 Imperials. Gave me lots more dynamic range (I'm actually audible now...) and strengthened the throat tones a lot. Mr Morgan suggested more mp in the mouth and slackening the embouchure a tad.
I use Vandoren 2s.
For some reason, the Morgans also sorted out the tuning. With the original 926 mouthpieces, they were B-very flat, and A-very sharp. To the extent that I was toying with the idea of getting the barrel shortened, and scratching my head about how to lower the A. The barrels are already 67mm long.
I wish I'd got an Excalibur, but I'd just got a Link Metal Super Tonemaster for the Tenor. (Again in search of volume.) Started with a Meyer. Very close and quiet, then a Link rubber Tone Edge, now full metal jacket. I gave each mp a few years to get settled in.
David
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