 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarinetist
Date: 2004-05-10 19:45
Hi guys!
I would like to have some honest opinion to my question. What are your experiences, does it really make a difference to the tone whether you play a cheap "stock" mouthpiece or an expensive handfinished one or is it just the comfort?
People often says that it doesn´t matter, and that they can always sound the same on any mouthpiece, but what do you think, honestly? Many people are, however playing with those expensive ones.
I´m asking this, because I haven´t, yet, got the chance to try the difference.
Any answer would be appreciated
Thanks
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-05-10 19:53
The short answer:
Many expensive mouthpieces play quite well, some do not. All will make your wallet smaller. The good ones will help you play better and get you a higher percentage of good reeds out of any given box.
There are cheap mouthpieces that play well, you might just have to try a lot more samples to find the 'diamond in the rough'.
Regardless of price, you must try as many as you can, until you find one that really works for you.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-10 20:32
Personal experience:
In my opinion good mouthpieces take more time and care and cost more to make than ones that're popped out of a mold. They play wonderfully well and, when you find one that suits you, are worth every penny. In the long run you're likely to actually save money, considering the time and effort you might spend searching the scrap bins and not find anything worthwhile.
I've found that it's possible to find a good one at the rumage sale, so to speak, if you're in no hurry and have lots and lots of patience. I buy, sell, trade instruments so mouthpieces are a natural by-product over time. Consignment sales of reconditioned instruments often go to someone who already has a mouthpiece or perhaps someone who prefers a new one. The horn is priced accordingly (with or without mpc), by the way.
Lately, I've been playing an old Goldentone 3 that plays about as well as any of my former good ones have; and still do. It was in a box of 'I'll-have-to-check-these-out-someday' mouthpieces that one day I decided to try out. It worked so well *for me* that it's taken up residence with my other two "keepers". I did, as David says, try out a lot of mouthpieces before stumbling onto this one. As near as I can figure... it probably cost me two to three (US)dollars.
It happens. I know 
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: Topher
Date: 2004-05-10 20:33
This is how it was always explained to me:
A professional musician can take any instrument setup and make it play beautifully, assuming it is all mechanically correct and not of extremely unusual design or tuning. This means that Eddie Daniels could take my B-12 with a M13 mouthpiece and sound like Eddie Daniels. He, as well as other professionals, uses his expensive name-brand equipment because he finds it most comfortable and easiest to play.
I am assuming that you are not a musician of Mr. Daniels' caliber, in which case expensive equipment has another meaning to you than personal prefrence. The learning muscian is much more susceptible to equpment quality as we are not refined enough to "force" equipment to play beautifully. For example, two years ago I purchased a Vandoren B45 for my bass clarinet to replace the old stock Selmer I had used all my musical life. The moment I started playing it my tone opened up, many intonation problems I had struggled with fixed themselves, and some reeds I had found unplayable suddenly became decent reeds. Now, this was only with a Vandoren mouthpiece. While trying a Charles Bay mouthpiece once the ease of playing with the most amazing tone I had ever had made me feel like I was singing my soul instead of playing a clarinet. In conclusion, you could survive with a stock mouthpiece, but you can thrive on an excellent one.
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-05-10 20:49
hey, these are all great posts with good advice
i'll only add one thing
if you have played for some time on a mouthpiece
when you look for another you are most likely to prefer the ones you try that are similar. There may be other mouthpieces that will help your playing and produce a great result, only you may not initially like them because the facing is too different from what you are used to.
This can happen even if you are an experienced player, but in my experience especially influences "learner" players. i have see players of all ages etc turn their nose up a mouthpiece because it "feels wierd", despite the fact that other people in the room are amazed at the improvement they can hear.
donald
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-05-10 20:59
Assuming you mean a positive difference, an expensive mouthpiece will only make a difference IF it is a good mouthpiece. There are mouthpieces out there that are relatively inexpensive and play great. Don't be fooled into thinking that the price is the determining factor. It also varies tremendously from person to person. What plays great for me may not work for you. Find what works for you.
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Author: claclaws
Date: 2004-05-11 00:04
Topher,
Thanks for the good analogical explanation.
Will it be the same with the barrel?
Lucy Lee Jang
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Author: Topher
Date: 2004-05-11 01:17
I would assume that it is a similar situation with the barrel, but I have never had the necessary funds and/or desire to experiment. I may start playing with them over the summer, but my teacher is a firm believer in me spending that time playing my instrument instead of playing WITH my instrument.
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Author: Tara
Date: 2004-05-11 01:56
I played on an "expensive" mouthpiece for years with what I thought was a good sound. I recently switched to an inexpensive one that sounds great... (Vandoren M30) I would've never thought... I agree however, that there is more of a search involved. I played on five or six, and a few of them sounded horrendous. I might have just gotten lucky with the one I settled on, but it's definitely a keeper!
Good Luck!
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Author: mw
Date: 2004-05-11 16:25
The M-30 is a nice addition to the V/D line. I wonder if they were on their "best behavior" when creating their initial supply, or even subsequent runs of manufacture. M-30 Profile 88's seem to fit the R13 & Festival very well. Manasse may get to pick between 2000 - but we got 5 or so from Weiner & they were all quite good, a couple were excellent.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-05-11 16:51
The cost of a mouthpiece is absolutely meaningless. The only criteria that counts is, *how does it play for you?*
FYI--I have played on a $12.50 mouthiece since graduating from college. It is a Kaspar (Chicago) #14 and plays very well, thank you.
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2004-05-11 18:49
Would posters on this topic address whether expensive-inexpensive is a matter of design or of production. Are expensive mp's of a particular make and model more consistently similar to each other or (generally) better designed than inexpensive ones?
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-05-11 20:36
Of the more expensive items, I've found significant differences between different individuals of the exact same model. The less-expensive ones (not handcrafted), I'd imagine, are much more similar to each other.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-05-11 22:00
Alex,
From my experience, differences between individuals with the same nominal facing notwithstanding --- one will get a far greater percentage of playable mouthpieces from the handcrafted models --- if the mass-produced ones are more uniform from one to the next (which is debatable), one thing's for sure --- they tend to be uniformly BAD more often than not -- most machine-applied facings are uneven from side to side and the lay is generally too short, of the wrong curvature, and with a poorly-defined transition to the flat table (which is often not even flat on commercial mouthpieces).
Reminds me of a clarinet teacher's remark years ago -- "practice makes perfect" is not necessarily true, only "good practice makes perfect".
Uniformity is a worthy goal only when the benchmark is correct.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-05-11 23:24
A few elements that some people are misled by is the idea of price being the primary factor in getting a good quality mouthpiece. In the world of the clarinet this is certainly true...for mouthpieces are indeed very much like individuals. Certain types of players prefer resistant set ups and others are into open tips, etc. As to which way an individual should steer has to be balanced with what kind of "driving" you intend to do with your clarinet set up. Are you a pro, student, part time amateur etc..
I play solo clarinet in an orchestra and generally find the open tip tiring and leads to a shrillness in my tone. As to others this may not be the case. I have a few students who have very dark sounds on their B45s and if this is the case I have no leg to stand on in terms of complaints.
That being said I do like a mouthpiece which affords even resistance through the entire compass which is focused and gives easy 12ths with good tuning tendencies. I have used Hite mouthpieces in Orchestra for about 4 years now and don't forsee changing my equipment. I have about 4 D facings from various years and they all play quite different from one another. One is quite dark, one is bright and the other two are somewhere in between. In regards to performing this is wonderful because it means I can achieve a variety of tone colours without having to change tip openings...however, I generally stick to the darkest one which has a very nice round sound. I play on V12 4's and 4 1/2 reeds..
In terms of cost Hite facings are certainly among the lowest priced and are a good deal. In regards to Vandoren I do like the B40 13 and the M30 although I have not heard much input from pros on the difference between the M30 13 and the normal higher pitch alternate M30///...I have only tried the normal M30s...however, for me they are a bit resistant and somewhat shrill in the altissimo depending on the reed etc.
I really think individual players have to try a bunch of mouthpieces before settling on any one facing...many players swear by the 5RV Lyre 13 as truly a beautiful sound as well...so choice and having time to choose is just as important. I think a good mouthpiece will always be what the player find responsive but giving hold and "focus" to the sound. A spready sound is tiresome to control... keep in mind a good mouthpiece will also sound good in all acoustic settings!!!
David Dow
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2004-05-12 05:10
That is a very good question! I think like most issues with playing a clarinet the answer is "depends." Personally I think MP preference depends on so many factors that any generaliztion is nearly wothless. If you think of it in terms of evolution as in your playing evolution, then it is a series of progressions as you learn more and more about your likes and dislikes. Certain MP's fit your playing style, while othrs do not. Once you reach a certain level of playing, you might very well find a fairly cheap and stock MP that suits you perfectly well.
Some, me included, took the custom route and in my case mainly because I didn't want to spend weeks and months looking. The cost of that is fairly high, but then it is a no compromise situation.
As far as tone, yeah, it can make a difference, typically not a mojor one but a good MP will make your tone better. As to whethr it is worth the investment, that is a personal choice.
Best
Rick
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