The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Vandoren White Masters

Author: graham
Date: 2006-01-27 12:11

I have recently bought a box of strength 3.5 White Masters, despite the vendor saying they did not fit "french" mouthpieces. Well, as far as I can see they fit perfectly well, as the blade, at the tip end, is the same width as Black Masters. The only major differences are the length of the actual cut (shorter) and the fact that White Masters are not file cut.

But what struck me was the strength difference. A strength 3.5 White Master seems harder than a strength 4 Black Master. I am aware that White Masters are suited to very close facing Austrian mouthpieces, but I would have thought that Black Masters, being suited to only very slightly more open German mouthpieces would be fairly similar. My own mouthpiece has a long lay and a 1.06mm opening, and I am finding 3.5 White Masters pretty resistant.

I am also curious about the reasons for the design. Non-engineer's common sense seems to suggest that a close and long lay would favour a blade that was itself long and with a gradual tapering to a fairly resistant tip. But White Masters are short, and taper very steeply to what looks like a thin tip. Much of the length of the lay will be in contact with some very chunky cane which I would have thought would not be sufficiently compliant.

I am not sure yet whether I like the reeds despite the hardness, but they seem to make a nice sound. Black Masters are probably better though (for me).

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics