 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-12-03 14:03
I just got the mouthpiece that was on my wish list for over 2 years, a pro grade Borbeck 13. Mr. Borbeck personally cut a mouthpiece exactly to my requested specifications. Plus, it was delivered right on time (4 days after receipt of payment, even over the Thanksgiving holiday). I'll give Mr. Borbeck my personal BRAVO!! cheer for his way of doing business. Okay, enough about the quality of the business relationship. Now, I need to hear from the clarinet playing public about the product.
I'd like to know what other folks think of their Borbeck mouthpieces from the student, intermediate, and pro grade, and for whatever model they have.
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Author: Mary Beth
Date: 1999-12-05 05:21
Hi,
I have been in Colorado for a few weeks but am usually a regular on this board. You must have missed my praise for Robert Borbeck. He also supplied me with two mouthpieces and I could not be happier! I stuck with an 11 over the 13, but i was happy with both to be perfectly honest.
Mary Beth
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 1999-12-05 07:14
I play a Borbeck with a .046 tip. Very nice playing piece, at least for a jazz bari sax player who only doubles on clarinet.
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-12-06 21:09
A couple of years ago, my highly experienced pro tutor let me check out his Borbeck 13 that he got decades ago. It blew the doors off my mass produced Vandoren 45. Both mps appeared to look exactly the same and they played remarkably alike. I barked and squeaked on the Vandoren 45, especially in the altissimo register. The Borbeck 13 played with predictable resistance and was oooh sooo smooooth. What a tone! Much more woody and rich. The Borbeck 13 was incredibly playable and smooth, even for an adult novice like me. So, I waited and saved up my spare nickles and dimes for my own custom made mouthpiece. That's what Mr. Borbeck promised, and from what I can tell, the hardware held up to the promise. [Fair warning: I fetched a pro grade custom made mp directly from Borbeck himself. He offers three grades of mp: student, intermediate, and professional. Typically, the Borbeck mps you will find in the commonly available catalogs (such as WW/BW, etc.) list the student grade mp (and the student grade price) only. You have to work with Mr. Borbeck directly to get the intermediate and pro grade mps. And yes, the higher grade mps cost more.]
I've only had one practice session with the new Borbeck mp. I've had only one practice session this last week. That's because I had painful bruises on both corners of my lower lip the next day. For a couple of days, I looked like I had a couple of cold sores, but the spots are now healed. Perhaps an hour on the new mp with a stiffer reed (1/2 strength higher) was a bit much, but it was so much fun, and I sounded great. The problem could have been caused by the harder reed that I was using at the time. I'll try a softer reed tonight and see what happens. I guess I'll have to take the time to migrate to the new mp (and maybe a slightly stronger reed) at a much slower pace. Bruises or not, I'm not giving up my Borbeck 13 mp.
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-12-07 16:22
I used my usual strength reed for the usual playing time. No bumps or bruises. My wife noticed the great tone. Now, that's a tough audience. 
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Author: earl thomas
Date: 1999-12-15 22:34
You cannot go wrong with the Borbeck Pro Mouthpiece. Of course, it's nice to order three or four of them and pick the one you like best and then very carefully return the others. I think he will do that for you if you have a VISA card - but, please don't abuse that rare and wonderful privelege. His mouthpieces are consistently responsive and have no problems of which I've ever been aware. They're expensive, but they're worth every penny! My preference has always been the 13. Incidentally, life's too short to play or try to play a "hard" reed. That's like having the tail wag the dog. ET
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Author: vicky guerra
Date: 2000-01-09 18:41
how can i get a hold f borbeck. i want a professional model mp made. thanks. please email me.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-01-09 21:17
vicky guerra wrote:
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how can i get a hold f borbeck. i want a professional model mp made. thanks. please email me.
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Please come back here to get answers! Check right in the Resources/Retail section; in fact, always check there first. I keep it updated as I learn new names and addresses.
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