 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-09-27 16:14
Does anybody know what facing Hite would have made with no D,J,M, etc marking on it.
It looks older than the marked Hite's that I have (it has the name
David Hite instead of J&D hite on the back of it.
Any guesses what facing it would be similar to? I don't have a mp measuring device so wondering if anybody has personal experience with that kind of Hite (John M - do you know?)
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Author: mnorswor
Date: 2005-09-27 16:32
I have one of these too an would love to know myself. The rubber is of much higher quality than the J&D Hite's that I've seen. It plays well but is a little more open than I'm used to at about 1.11mm. More info would be appreciated for my knowledge as well. Sorry not to have answered your question Dave!!
--Michael Norsworthy
www.michaelnorsworthy.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-09-27 16:39
I'm going to Windworks on friday to get it recorked so I'll know the measurements of it then.
I'll bet it's the same as yours.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2005-09-27 16:58
I used to have one of these that played great. I believe when I once asked Hite about it, he told me it was likely late 70's and similar to a D. It was nice blowing, great center and focus, great response, very good blank.
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Author: RodRubber
Date: 2005-09-27 17:41
Blumberg,
Hite's personal facing was the D. He modeled that facing off the lelandais style mouthpiece. While the J+D Hite all had the same insides, the original Hites were had a slightly different throat i think. They are all made from Babbitt rubber. Consequently, Seems like babbitt rubber is always getting a bad rap, but it is more similar to the old style rubber than any of the Zinner blanks, which are mixed with plastic. I think they hardening agent in babbitt rubber is sulpher.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-09-27 17:57
That's why I also thought it would be similar to a D.
Was wondering about the history of the mouthpiece.
btw - the one I bought from you is good! 
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2005-09-27 18:25
Attachment: IMG_2276.JPG (997k)
I have one too - no idea on the facing either but it plays well. I like it and use it with a Rovner. Just says "David Hite USA" in script. Picture attached.
Sorry for the "me too" post but I'm interested in any information you might find!
Michelle
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Author: Ed
Date: 2005-09-27 19:02
From my recollection, the model that Michelle posted is from the early '80s.
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Author: redwine
Date: 2005-09-27 19:33
Hello,
I'm not familiar with that model (I must have measured some before, but just don't remember). However, Iggy Gennusa always said that he and David Hite and Everett Mattson agreed about the best facing curve--34/22/12/6, with a 106-108 tip opening. That being said, Iggy's mouthpiece was a 112 tip opening, so there's no telling how Mr. Hite's tip opening or facing curve, for that matter, really measured, unless someone has his mouthpiece.
Of course, many fine mouthpieces are made with a longer facing and different numbers. I happen to like the numbers mentioned above best, but many people I have run into (especially Gigliotti students) like the longer 38 length.
I'll make this offer to anyone on this bulletin board. If you'll pick up the postage, I'll measure anyone's mouthpiece free of charge and report the numbers to you. Of course, you'd have to be without your mouthpiece for about a week and would have to trust the postal service.
I recommend knowing what your numbers are in case you drop your mouthpiece and it breaks.
From this refacer's viewpoint, the rubber from Babbitt is more like the old Chedevilles (although not the same to be sure) than many other company's blanks. They are much easier to put accurate numbers on for me than some other blanks, like Zinners (with plastic in the rubber) because the rubber without plastic is softer.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-09-27 20:04
Mine has the printing in straight caps not script.
So it looks very different than yours Michelle (did yours get put in the sun or was the discoloration from rubbing alcohol?)
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2005-09-27 20:43
Attachment: IMG_2282.JPG (211k)
The discoloration on mine is very exaggerated from the flash. There is a minor discoloring on the bite area from an alcohol wipe but the rest of it is a nice dark black. The shiny mpc must have washed out against the black velvety background.
Michelle
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Author: redwine
Date: 2005-09-28 10:20
Hello,
Yes, the rubber for Zinner, VanDoren, and Selmer mouthpieces (these are the only brands I've seriously looked at) has plastic as a hardening agent. This is why the rubber is so shiny as compared to Babbitt blank mouthpieces.
Babbitt rubber has sulphur as a hardening agent, like the old Chedeville blanks. If you rub one of these mouthpieces, an acrid smell is quite evident and if left in the sun, or if cleaned with certain chemicals, the mouthpiece will turn brown/green/red. This is the sulphur.
All rubber needs a hardening agent during the vulcanization process, whether the mouthpiece starts as rod rubber and is machined, or it is a molded blank.
I'm most familiar with the molding process, which is very interesting, I think. If you can run into me at a clarinet convention, I always have my models to explain the process. If you're interested, I can try to explain it over e-mail to anyone that wants to contact me off-line.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: clarinetgirl09
Date: 2005-12-28 16:04
Sorry for bringing this up..after a long rest.
But I do know that when David Hite started making his mouthpieces, he only made one model...(Not really a model. But just his main mouthpiece) which I have been told that he called the original J&D Hite mouthpiece. And If I recall, they were made in the 80s, and then he and his wife came out with the "Artist" line of mouthpieces for clarinets and saxophones. The Hite D model mouthpiece was based off of the Original Hite's facing. I know that they have different internal demensions.
The Originals were discontiuned when the Artist line became very popular. (My teacher plays on Hite mouthpieces, and I bought a couple). And ANY Hite mouthpieces are hard to get your hands on these days.
Once again...sorry for bringing this up when it was probably forgotten about. I just found this thread interesting.
__________________________________________________________
To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
Music is a sory told from your soul; a story of passion, of life. Share your story.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-12-28 17:44
The Mouthpiece was made of Bakelite.
It just played ok, nothing remotely special at all. Supposedly though, the material is worth quite a bit as it is no longer made and is a great mouthpiece material I was told by my repair tech.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2005-12-28 20:13
Revisiting this thread I notice that Ben Redwine states:
"Iggy Gennusa always said that he and David Hite and Everett Mattson agreed about the best facing curve--34/22/12/6, with a 106-108 tip opening."
Matson standard curve was as listed here, but his standard tip opening according to his gauge was a 102. This is what he would put on a mouthpiece as his preference unless someone asked for something different.
I do realize that many people's tip wands vary and have found that among makers they can vary by a couple of points. I recall Matson saying that various people came in and their measurements varied from his slightly.
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Author: redwine
Date: 2005-12-28 21:10
Hello,
You are right, Iggy (who got his numbers from Mattson) always said that his favored tip opening was 102-106 (I must have mistyped in my early post--sorry for any confusion), but in reality, his mouthpiece measured at 112!
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: DaveF
Date: 2005-12-29 21:58
I've been lurking here on the BB for a while, but now have some input on Hite's mpc's. I have two of his early mpc's from the mid-1970's (only marked as "David Hite"), back when I was at U. of Illinois studying with Harvey Hermann, who was pals with David Hite, then at Capitol U. in Columbus, Ohio. I met him a number of times at clarinet choir events. A wonderful mpc, free blowing with even tone. I contacted Mr. Hite about 10 years ago noting that the facing was worn, and asked him which of his current line of mpc's would match the old one I had. He didn't identify his current mpc facing, but then insisted I send him my two old ones. He refaced both, and said he did some work on the bore, and also refused any reimbursement! One of the mpc's played fabulously for me, which I played exclusively until one year ago when I switched to a Brad Behn Chedeville style that I like a little better. David Hite was a dedicated and kind man, and I'm glad I got to know him.
David Frank
ER doc, free lance clarinetist Seattle area
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2005-12-31 16:02
Hi David & All:
Happy New Year...!
"Any guesses what facing it would be similar to? I don't have a mp measuring device so wondering if anybody has personal experience with that kind of Hite (John M - do you know?)"
I'm not sure I can answer your question without seeing your MP.
I have many HITE MPs, from almost all his MP making periods:
Cincinnati
NJ
FL
The "J&D HITE-D" was his own choice, and he played one himself. It was refined over the years and it did change. One big change was to include a "warp" in the lay to allow the read to vibrate more, it was an experiment. I have a few or those, they are not his best stuff. The "signature DAVID HITE USA" MPs were almost always "Ds". The "J&D HITE" also appeared as "L41, L42, & L42", also as just "J&D HITE". I believe the ones, like mine with no other markings are, in fact, the standard "D" facing. Of some interest, my earliest HITE, from the 1970s, just has HITE stamped near the lay running vertically, it's very close, and quite nice.
David and I worked on MPs together for many years and formed a close friendship. I asked him to make a facing that best suited my playing needs, and we came up with a "long, fairly close D type, which he called the 'JJM'." There are a few around here in NYC, and I've had some students show up with them from time to time.
I miss David, his charm, wit, brilliance, and friendship, and his memory will be with me forever.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-12-31 19:33
Thanks John - I remember your name from originally seeing you CC'd on his joke list too (back in the 90's)
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