 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sean
Date: 1999-11-08 13:17
I recently purchased a used Buffet E-12 which came with two mouthpices - a 5RV and another that simply has the inscription "Esprit". The 5RV has a very small chip out of it while the "Esprit" is virtually intact. I realize that this "Esprit" mp may not be a recognizable model but I am assuming that it originally came with the instrument, and is therfore more "middle of the road". As a re-beginner, which mp would be best to use? Does the 5RV have any characteristics that may make it inappropriate for a new player? Would the "Esprit" be a more general purpose mp suitable for a beginner. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Sean
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-11-08 16:15
The answer to your question is "it depends". Let me explain.
First, where is the little chip in the Vandoren mp? If it's on the tip or rail of the mp, i.e. where the reed makes vibrating contact on the mp, then it's a potentially major problem. Your entire reed/mp performance could be at risk. Here's how you can tell if your Vandoren mp is really any good or not. Keep in mind that this is a simple test for the amateur and it will not fix the problem. It will only tell if you have a problem and potentially how severe it is. Get a piece of good clean paper (clean notebook paper, laser printer paper, photocopier paper, etc.) and lay it down on a perfectly flat surface (like a glass table top). Wet the tip/rail surface of the mp with water and put the wetted mp tip/rail face down on the paper. Your mp may have a very slight angle to the tip, so slightly roll the rail to the tip on the paper, from back to front of the mp. Note the outline that the tip/rail facing makes with water on the paper. Lift up the mp and take a look at the water tracing on the paper. Wherever there are gaps on the tracing, you either have a chip out of the mp tip/rail, or you have a high spot. Your local woodwind tech at the music store can easily fix the high spots, but you and (s)he may have to be imaginative on how to fill in the chipped areas. The professional woodwind techs will use a water based ink and a certified flat surface to do the same trick you can do with ordinary water and an ordinary piece of glass. Leave the fancy tricks to the pros. As a fellow novice, I keep all of my tests and adjustments very minor or simple. That way, I don't mess up my very expensive clarinet and mouthpieces.
As for comparing a well adjusted Vandoren 5RV or 5RVLyre mp versus an equivalently prepared factory mp, I'm going to take a controversial stance and say you should keep the factory mp available at least as a back-up. After all, even a factory mp is better than a severely damaged mp. The Vandoren 5RV series of mps are generally good quality and many folks recommend them for novice clarinetists. You will also find the Vandoren B45 to be a good novice level mp, too. Take the time to look into the other brands of mp out on the market for equivalent specifications for tip/rail dimensions. There are a bunch of them. Also, take a deep inventory of your wallet. If you are like me, that crucial step doesn't take very long at all. You will eventually find that there are lots of good, very good, excellent, and superb mps out on the market, at all price ranges (from about $25 retail to hundreds of dollars each). Get the best you can afford and then have your local woodwind tech check it out to make sure it's going to perform to the advertised specifications.
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