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What is correct Bb Mouthpiece Length?

Author: JimV
Date: 2003-12-03 15:14

I am only familier with Bb clarinet mouthpieces (have a few). I'm still looking for a better O'Brien (and backup) than the one I have. I found one for sell but it looked to long from the pictures so I had them measure it. They say it's 3 9/16" long. I measured some of my Bb mouthpieces and they are all right at 3 3/8" long. Could this be a Bass Clarinet mouthpiece? What is the normal total length of a Bass Clarinet mouthpiece.

Thanks
Jim (from Hampton, IL watching the Mississippi go by)

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Re: What is correct Bb Mouthpiece Length?

Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-12-03 15:43

Jim,
Both my bass mouthpieces (a refaced Pomarico crystal and a refaced hard rubber Bundy 3) measure at about 1/16" under 4" in total length (i.e. 3-15/16") of which about 5/8" is tenon.
But why not use bore diameter as a better test? Any bass clarinet mouthpiece will have a bore in the .920"-.945" range, while any Bb clarinet mouthpiece bore will measure around .575"-.590" (obviously ALTO clarinet mouthpieces will be somewhere in the middle).
Good luck!
DS (at work in Sterling, VA watching the stop-and-go traffic TRY to go by)

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Re: What is an avg. Bb and Bass MP Length?

Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-12-03 16:41

To help in pitch "matching", for soprano cls, I have routinely been measuring [in mm, not "s] the lengths of barrels [end to end] and mps, body [table] to tip [not tenon], and "stickering" them on the pieces, since the total length of barrel+mp is a determining factor of a particular cl's pitch. My mps generally run from 70 to 73 mm and barrels [depending on the cl's make, if original, of course], 62-68 mm. Many "combos" are 72+ 66=138 mm total. I have had some mps [body and tenon] shortened, rather than shortening an original barrel, to protect the cl's integrity. Hope this may help on sops. Dave's advice re: the other [larger] cls is VG! My best Bass cl mps, 2 Pomaricos and a Selmer C* are 83 mm, when "made-up" on the neck, which is adjustable [havent had to change it for some time!] . Good luck, Don

Thanx, Mark, Don

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Re: What is correct Bb Mouthpiece Length?

Author: JimV
Date: 2003-12-04 05:09

Thanks Dave and Don for the help. Your right Don about toal length of mp and barrel for a given clarinet to play in pitch, I just didn't want to get an other barrel as I have 4 right now. Just for your info I play a Pete Fountain big bore with all the goodies, gold keys, forked Bb and articulated G#. I have an other PF with nichol keys and a R13.

Thanks jim

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