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Re: Facing length

Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2006-03-18 19:41

Interesting thought about moving the butt of the reed down until the wedge of light disappears.

I believe the facing lay length measurement method I gave you as well as yours listed above could yield an incorrect reading because one leg of the facing may be shorter than the other.

For example, I just measured 4 mpcs from a shipment I received the other day from WWBW. Here is what I found:

1) Pomarico Saphire M had a facing length of 33/34. (i.e., the left leg was shightly shorter than the right).

2) Pomarico Saphire B had a facing length of 37.5/38. Both of the Pomarico's are adverstised to have a facing length of 42 or 21mm long.

3) Selmer C85 had a facing length of 26/28!!! This one is advertised to have a facing length of 38 or 19mm long. Would you believe I didn't even bother to try this one out!?

4) Hite M model had an even facing length of 32 or 16mm.

The vanishing wedge of light method along with the ruler method I listed above can only have a fair accuracy, IMO, "IF AND ONLY IF" both of the legs are exactly the same length.

Needless to say I'm getting quite dismayed at what appears to be bad quality control by certain mpc manufacturers. On the plus side, my last shipment of mpcs had 5RV Lyres and both had a facing length of 34 or 17mm. They played with such a consistenancy that it was hard for me to tell any difference between them.

After taking facing measurements of various mpcs for trial purposes, I now understand why certain players try out 30 mpcs or more before they find a good one. Depending upon the quality control of the mpc maker, trying out many mpcs of the same make and model may be necessary before one finds an "acceptable" one.

I highly recommend everyone getting a glass facing measurement tool along with the 4 recommended feeler gauges. Why? two reasons come to mind. First, if a new mpc doesn't play right for you, a quick measurement of the facing may tell you why very quickly. Second, the more mpcs you play of various facing lengths may reveal to you which facing length appears to work best for your type of embouchure and playing style. This, IMO, also has another benefit of saving you a lot of time, grief and $$$$ by not trying out mpcs which you will learn from experience are "too short" or "too long" of a facing for you.

Allow me to explain. Some time ago, Brad Behn introduced me to something that I hadn't thought of before and that was the concept of having a "personal facing". This, I'm sure, included the tip opening along with the facing length. I, personally, believe that Brad is correct... everyone has a specific facing length and tip opening that appears to works best for their embouchure in the style or type of music they are playing. For example, in my short trial period, I have found out that that I prefer a facing length of at least 38 and longer depending upon the tip opening. Anything shorter, so far, appears to be too resistive for me and the tone is too "set" or non-flexible for me. Without having a glass measuring tool handy, I would not have been able to determine this.

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