Author: Chetclarinet
Date: 2004-07-06 00:02
Frank Kaspar of Chicago and later Cicero(1963-75) actually made mouthpieces with many different facing numbers,and also some that had letters such as DK, M, and no numbers at all for special order customers. I have seen some 07, 09, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 18 facings---unfortunately most Kaspars these days are not original and the facing indications do not accurately reflect the numbers to the left side. It is true that the majority of Frank Kaspar's mouthpieces had the numbers 11, 13, 14 , and 16 .Most of the original facings that I have come in contact with have medium, to medium open tip openings and medium to medium open facing lengths--many modern well respected mouthpiece craftsmen tend to lengthen the facings of these mouthpieces and also lengthen the facing lengths to accomdate harder reedsand copy the feel and response of older Chedeville and Lelandais mouthpieces.. Unfortunately, because Frank Kaspar did "voice" the chambers of his mouthpieces to match the facings, these closer re-faced mouthpieces, some frankly of very high quality, have a tendency in my opinion to play with a lighter sound, and lack the " dark core" of the original Kaspars--that is why the original facing Kaspars are so expensive and hard to find. The mouthpieces of the older cousin, Frank L. Kaspar also have many different facing numbers on them---I have seen 11,12, 13, 14,108, 112, 113, 114, no facing number etc. In addition, Frank L. Kaspar and Frank Kaspar made mouthpieces with Chicago stamps on them--the oldest of both makers say Frank L.Kaspar, Chicago, bottom logo , and Frank Kaspar , Chicago, bottom logo. After Frank L. Kaspar moved to Ann Arbor in 1951, his mouthpieces do carry the Ann Arbor "Superb" on them, and the mouthpieces of the younger Frank Kaspar during the same time period--1950-62, have the Frank Kaspar, Chicago stamp in the middle. The youger Frank Kaspar in 1962, noved to nearby Cicero--and as Clark Fobes and others state--these mouthpieces had the Frank Kaspar , Cicero label in the middle of the back. I agree that the Cicero Kaspars made in the 1960's are generally of better quality than the 1970's Babbit blank Kaspars--however, I have played on a later Kaspar shorter widow Babbit successfully for the past 30 years.
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