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Author: Evan
Date: 2000-03-20 02:55
I have 5 mouthpieces, three rubber, a b45., a m-13 and an old b45 that has been opened up by my trusty music store. I also have 2 crystal mouthpieces, the pete fountain, and a selmer 2. As far as reed strength, my m-13 uses a 4, my b45. a 3 1/2 and my b45 a 2 1/2. My pete fountain works best with a 2 and my selmer a 3. (all vandoren v-12s)
So my question is this, why do my crystal mouthpieces use softer reeds than the rubber mouthpiece of their equivalent tip opening and facing?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-20 03:04
Evan wrote:
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I have 5 mouthpieces, three rubber, a b45., a m-13 and an old b45 that has been opened up by my trusty music store. I also have 2 crystal mouthpieces, the pete fountain, and a selmer 2. As far as reed strength, my m-13 uses a 4, my b45. a 3 1/2 and my b45 a 2 1/2. My pete fountain works best with a 2 and my selmer a 3. (all vandoren v-12s)
So my question is this, why do my crystal mouthpieces use softer reeds than the rubber mouthpiece of their equivalent tip opening and facing?
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Are you sure they actually do have the same tip opening, facing, and lay? Without detailed measurements, it would be hard to say.
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Author: Tim
Date: 2000-03-20 21:05
It is not the Crystal vs. Hard Rubber, but the cut of the lay and the chamber dimensions. Right off hand I don't know anyone who makes both a Crystal and a Hard Rubber with the exact same lay and chamber, so comparisons about the relative merits of the two are difficult to make.
If you were to find both a Crystal and a Hard Rubber with identical facing and chamber, the differences would likely be very subtle, probably much less than one experiences with different ligatures. Likely there might be subtle differences in response or tone quality, but probably little differences in resistance.
Many people like the feel of crystal and crystal will not warp over time and it does not scratch easily. The constant pressure of teeth and ligature will eventually distort a hard rubber mouthpiece and it's hard to keep scratches and dings from accumulating on the sensitive tip of the facing.
I use hard rubber, but I usually replace my mouthpiece every couple of years.
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Author: connie
Date: 2000-03-23 21:41
Many years ago, when I was in high school, I got hooked on the Selmer HS** crystal, but got tired of chipping it and having to replace it, so I tried the HS** hard rubber. I don't know if it was made to the same specs (one would presume so) but it definitely didn't play the same, and needed a stronger reed. I stuck with my crystal.
The other crystal mouthpieces I've tried have all had pretty open tips (Vandoren A3, to the extreme) and needed really soft reeds.
PS They don't make the HS** crystal any more.
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