 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SBlomgren
Date: 2004-08-31 15:49
How do you know if your mouthpiece requirings refacing.
Is this determined by how long and often you have played on the mouthpiece.
Post Edited (2004-08-31 15:50)
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-08-31 16:23
It also may be determined by whether you like the way yours blows for you, Steve. Does it sound good, feel good; is it easy to blow? If not, most folks just try several different ones until they find one they like better, rather than refacing one you don't like.
If your favorite mouthpiece is chipped or worn, or almost but not quite does what you'd like it to, you may wish to ask an expert to re-face it for you. Several BBoarders do mouthpiece re-facing and repair and I understand it usually improves things.
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2004-08-31 16:38
Walter Grabner is a true mouthpiece genius. He will be happy to help you. You can contact him at www.clarinetxpress.com.
jmsa
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-08-31 17:21
A mouthpiece can need refacing as a result of a number of problems...however, generally the way it plays factors a good
deal in to the final decision.
1. You will notice with the mouthpiece some notes simply do not
respond as well as others unless you exert a good deal of embourchure
chewing.
2. The mouthpiece has definitely a problem with chirping or with squeeking...especially on some notes over others.
3. The mouthpiece is either too lively or uncontrolled or either too dull or lacking response...remember a mouthpiece should react to air pressure in a predictable and controlled manner.
4. A problem begins to come up with some notes beginning after you have put the air through the horn....quite different from playing on a reed that is dead...for example you can tell this problem with a facing gone astray when you use the same reed with a different mouthpiece with no fuss or trouble.
5. the sound becomes brittle and prone to cracking!
Walter Grabner did a superb job on an old David Hite mouthpiece of mine and he also improved on the sound that it had originally. His work is first rate...however, give him time and let Mr. Grabner do his job ....I think he can access what the problem is with the mouthpiece very well.
With the particular David Hite piece that I had(from the mid 80s) it's basic problem was a tendency to lack response on the low d/to clarion 2 and a strong tendency to seem over alive. It also appreared to have alot of rail wear and the table was certainly in my opinion suspect....Mr. Grabner refaced it from 1.06 to about 1.04 mm and redid the table. Now it plays with a very focused sound and responds and tunes beautifully.
David Dow
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-09-01 12:53
I'd like to offer the opinion that under "normal" amateur playing conditions you could play with the same mouthpiece all your life without it needing to be refaced.....assuming you didn't chip it and cared for it properly. Tell me I'm wrong.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-09-01 13:13
I agree, Bob, that is the basic reason why I like the glass mps, they hardly seem to wear/change, [if they even survive the first dropping on a hard surface], just be VERY careful! As of now the only crystal I have which has not been refaced [by several experts] is my newest, a Pomarico for my alto cl. Its quite good from Pom, but, I just want to get better acquainted with it when I resume Tulsa Band playing. An unending search for perfection?? I'm now doing a bit of tweaking on a student cl, which has a Portnoy mp !! for me to try out , my first! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-09-01 16:20
I do have tremendous respect for the mouthpiece experts who can turn a poor mouthpiece into a good one...and who do reface those for professional players ..hope no one got the wrong impression from my post above.
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2004-09-01 21:34
Ooh, Don, another person that has ventured to the lands of the alto clarinet. I used to own one, but I sold it to buy a bass. Does owning/playing the alto clarinet define clarinet geekdom? (I was told that once, but I was also told that all alto clarinets should be burned).
Rachel
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-09-01 22:27
Ahhh, yes indeed, Rachel --
Lotas folks who drop in here... well, I mean [ahem...] maybe a few, are alto clarinet owner/operators. Don't know that any of us are licensed Geeks or bona fide bonfire tenders but we do love to simulate having fun.
It just doesn't take much to amuse some people 
- ron b -
(A/Cl owner/operator)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-09-02 00:26
Hi Rachel - I pretty well echo Ron, in that A Cl players may be a bit nerdy, whatever that means, but when I play my Sel-Paris, I fantisize that I am playing a Basset Horn, and try to emulate that "peculiar" tonality. I'm really the/a bass cl player in our Tulsa Com Band and here/there as well, but, earlier, in a good cl choir, plenty of basses, no altos to play transposed viola parts so I got one , a mediocre, wanted better so now have one of the best, small bore, good tone quality. Now, our band has another competent B C, so our cond. Dwight Dailey [Cl prof at T U] suggested I go to the A C [not another Bb], which I'll do after a few weeks surg. recovery. It does have a few individual parts in some of our charts, mostly dbls A Sax, UGH. Try it, its not an ugly stepchild, but a challenge to play it WELL. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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