 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-04-23 23:18
I have an old Buffet from 1928 that plays quite nice. I am using the original mouthpiece with it and am wondering if a new one would make any difference. The clarinet seems to have a smaller bore then most new ones so I don’t have a clue as to what would be best for it. Unfortunately I don’t know of any music stores around my area that stock mouthpieces so testing is out of the question. I was thinking about trying a Vandoren 5RV or M15. Any suggestions?
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-04-24 00:04
Ken, you have asked for the key to Pandora's Box. What kind of "music" do you wish to play? What mouthpiece are you using now, with what kind of set-up (reed ligature). I have for my Bass clarinet three mouthpieces and three separate ligatures. Depending on the soft/hard ratio of the reeds used, I can produce about five or six (to my jangled ears) six diffferent tonal combinations suitable for Jazz or orchestral. "You pay's your money and you takes your choice." I think the "guru's" here would like more details before they open the box.
Bob A
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-04-24 00:50
I do realize that this is a Pandora's Box type of question! I play classical and hymns for church. It can sound a little harsh up high and I am looking to mellow out the sound a bit. I am using the original Buffet mouthpiece that came with the clarinet made in 1928(will not play right with a softer reed), a Peter Spriggs floating rails ligature, and Rico 3.5 reeds because they are available locally. It’s just that I have never really done any experimenting with different setups in the past so I am not sure where to start. I am now playing again after an 18 year layoff and really enjoying myself but as a result I am kind of out of the loop here on things such as this. I could really kick myself (guess where) for not playing for so long but in my school days I didn’t seem to have the nerve to play in public so I gave up after about 8 years of playing. Since I don’t know of anyplace around here where I can try different mouthpieces I am just looking for a push in hopefully the right direction because I don’t know where to start.
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2002-04-24 01:41
Ken...
I recently acquired an old Buffet wooden MPC. I usually play crystals, but thought let's give it a try. I'll tell you what. If you're looking for an easy to blow, mellow sound that (for me) works every time, try and find one. I believe there's one on ebay now. Nevertheless, if you've not tried a wooden MPC, please do.
I'm sure one or more of the SNEEZY sponsors have them if you can't find an older BUFFET.
John
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Author: Joe O'Kelly
Date: 2002-04-24 03:26
I would first use better reeds. Ricos are ok for basic beginers but unsutable for anything above. Try Vandorens in perhaps a 2.5 or 3 strength before moving on to the mouthpiece.
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Author: earl
Date: 2002-04-24 03:27
Ken:
I own a 1928 Buffet A clarinet that is a true gem. The bore is so smoooooth that it is
practically a fine mirror in appearance. The mourhpiece that I use is a Borbeck 13 and it's
his most expensive model. I don't know what material or "blank" it is, but it's a great
mouthpiece. I've used nothing but Borbeck 13's and Cicero Kaspar 13's on that Buffet;
likewise, on my 1936 B-flat Buffet. Both instruments are to die for: (not the least "blown-out" -
whatever that means other than being a plea for merchandising, in my opinion.
Anyway, the 5RV lyre is a great mouthpiece, but I think Borbeck's 13 is the best.
All the best to you in your search.
Sincerely,
Earl Thomas
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-04-24 03:38
Ken, I don't know how much money you are willing to throw at this, but here is one thing you might try. My (Bass) Peter Spriggs floating rail is much brighter and crisper in the highs then eith of my other two ligs (but I use 2.5 softer reeds) and when I want a "darker" tone or to dampen it down I switch over to either my Eddie Daniels Rovner (inverted with the rails resing alongside the edges of the reed) or just a basic Rovner (Dark-1-basic velcro.)If you were to get a Eddie Daniels lig there are about six adjustments you could make with it-two plate inserts with or without the velcro "fins" flipped over or under. Look around (where-ever-it-is-you-are) and see if you can "borrow" a Rovner (either type) fron anyone. Cheapest way to go for a start as picking a new mouthpiece is a bit of a chore "long-distance."
I was away from it a lot longer than 18 years. So NEVER GIVE UP. Hope this helps.
Bob A
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-04-24 13:57
Look in your favorite repairer's mp junk box, try any well-weathered [brown-green] HR mp, which matches your barrel's bore. Hope you may find a Woodwind [G8] or O'Brien [3 or higher] glass [good in that time period] , should play well. Don
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-04-24 16:41
Ken -
Any mouthpiece will fit your 1928 Buffet. There's been some discussion that certain mouthpieces were designed to work well on the pre-R13 Buffets, but those who know (such as Greg Smith) say that's not so. I have Buffets from 1908 and 1929, and they play fine with modern mouthpieces.
The wood Buffet mouthpieces can play very well, but most of them have warped and need refacing, particularly if they've been sitting in the case for many years.
You'll do OK on Vandoren mouthpieces, but quite a bit better, and for not a lot more money, with a handmade mouthpiece from one of the Sneezy (oops - woodwind.org) sponsors.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-04-24 19:53
Thanks for all the advice. It helped me to make a decision in which direction to go. I ordered a Vandoren 5RV and a box of each Traditional #3 and V12 #3.5 as well as a Rovner Dark Lig. The first step will be to play with the reeds, next the lig, and last the MP. I don’t want to make more then one change at a time so I can evaluate each step. I’ll see how this goes then I will probably take Ken Shaws advice and check out a handmade MP from one of the woodwind.org sponsors, that sounds like a good idea to me. The thing that started this is that I also have an Olds plastic clarinet that sounds very fuzzy. When I put the Buffet MP on it the sound cleared right up. Out of curiosity I tried the Olds MP on the Buffet clarinet and guess what it sounded fuzzy. I hadn’t realized that a MP could make such a difference, the Olds is at least usable now and I wouldn’t be embarrassed to play it in front of somebody. The stuff should be here soon and I'll post back how I make out. Thanks again guys!
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