 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2004-12-23 21:39
Or.......just an opinion concerning the Doc's idea.
Many custom mouthpiece makers already know how to remove colored compounds from old HR mouthpieces. It doesn't matter which method (chemical formulation or the other) is used it ALWAYS removes some material from the mouthpiece. For the body of the mouthpiece it makes no difference, but the facing, bore and the chamber, where the measurements as small as 1/100 of the millimeter counts, this is unacceptable. Mouthpiece maker can easily adjust the facing but what is going to happen to the person who is not familiar with this procedure?
In my experience B. Parnoy mouthpieces are the once to experiment with first as they are the most resistant to this type of treatment.
If the formulation is based on bleach I wouldn't even bother. The bleach (especially high concentration) does more harm to HR mouthpiece than good.
Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2004-12-23 23:41
I am an unabashed fan of both Vytas and the Doc (Omar Henderson)
I have -and enjoy-several of Vytas' items, and I also use and recommend Doc's products.
But I am also a fan of old green mouthpieces.....Patina, if you will.
Once the facing is great and the mouthpiece is reed-friendly, provides good intonation, and produces favorable coloration holds a pianissimo, and is stable in altissimo with ease of articulation and projection,.....then Franky Scarlet, it can be colored scarlet, or green, or irridescent purple.
Nothing pleases me more than to clamp a reed onto my old green
Guidetti-refaced Bettoney QS.....hey, the green makes it easier to identify in my case.
NONETHELESS....Doc, here is a suggestion.....Dunhill makes a pipe stem polish, available from tobacconists, which converts old green hard rubber Charatan on GBD (No, not GBK) etc stems into shiney new ones. It goes on foggy, smells a bit ammoniacal, and polishes up with a simple cloth. I havent used it in years (public opinion makes enjoying a pipe a bygone pleasure) but it might still be available in less restrictive countries.
(USA: home of the free.....you are free to do what you want as long as the government and PC snoopy sniffers allow it)
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Gandalfe
Date: 2004-12-24 16:25
I really don't care about the color of the mouthpieces so much. My mouthpieces accumulate spittle in an off white color. The older ones seem to get to this icky but functional state faster than the new pieces. I'm wondering if some sort of wax would make the older mouthpieces (the ones I really like to use) stay clean longer.
I end up taking a tooth brush, tooth paste and some warm water every month to clean them off. As I play four different woodwind instruments, each with a plubber and metal mouthpiece, this can be a fair peice of work.
Jim and Suzy
Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-12-24 19:56
Vytas wrote ".... It doesn't matter which method (chemical formulation or the other) is used it ALWAYS removes some material from the mouthpiece. "
I don't think that is fair, without knowing exactly what the treatment is.
Sure, most cleaning processes involve removal of material, but is it not posssible that Doc's treatment actually RE-polymerises the surface, hence not removing materials?
We have not as yet been told, so assumptions should not be made.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2004-12-24 21:11
Vytas wrote ".... It doesn't matter which method (chemical formulation or the other) is used it ALWAYS removes some material from the mouthpiece. "
Yes I did and I'm going to write it again.
It doesn't matter which method (chemical formulation or the other) is used it ALWAYS removes some material from the mouthpiece.
Colored compounds are not on the top of mouthpiece like let's say calcium deposits on the baffle. Colored compounds are/became part of material itself that sometimes can go as deep as 1mm. So keep fantasizing.
Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-12-24 21:35
Vytas wrote:
> Vytas wrote ".... It doesn't matter which method (chemical
> formulation or the other) is used it ALWAYS removes some
> material from the mouthpiece. "
I am not a chemist but I must point out that I do know of reactions that would ADD material to the mouthpiece.
Vytas, at this point you have exactly no idea of what this formulation will do or not do to the mouthpiece. You may very well be right.
You may very well be wrong.
It would behoove you to either reserve judgement, or perhaps measure a mouthpiece, send it in to the "Doc", and re-measure it when you get it back.
Unless or until - it's wild speculation.
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