 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bill
Date: 2006-08-30 13:10
I have two Wells-Chicago mouthpieces.
One is a B2 with a traditional window, and the other is a B1 with that "keyhole" window.
My question is, were these made concurrently, or was the "keyhole" style older (or newer)? They both play about the same, with the B1 having, perhaps, a bit more dynamics.
Anyway have any experience with these two models?
Thanks.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-08-30 13:18
Bill,
I recall the keyholes as Frank's attempt to address a more acoustically sound design. These were current in the late 70's. I'm not sure if he reverted to a standard rail later than that or not but the keyhole came "later" than other standard Well's rails.
They played great. Funny thing is, at that time, in Chicago, it was a toss up between these and the Kaspars.
..........Paul Aviles
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-08-30 13:25
TKS, Bill, I asked the ?, on the mouthpiecework@Yahoo site, a couple of times, re: F W's keyhole window design [shown in US Patent 4,449,439 {I'll post its date later}], since I never knew that he actually made any of them !! I had a B2, given me by Dan Oberlin's mother/father, quite good , but too close for my taste, so perhaps he knows more of Well's history. Knowing about the B1, I'll look around ! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-08-30 13:56
Also TKS , Paul, for more info. I took a quick look at F W's pat, it was issued 1984, filed Sept 1982, very likely developed/tested several years earlier. His pat can [and should be] read at USPTO.gov [Databases] as he has several para's. of discussion of interest to at least a few of us. Four US pats and 4 foreigns were cited by the pat examiner as prior art, the latest was to Chance, # 2,525,523 [in the "old file, "reader" req'd], if anyone wishes to pursue it. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2006-08-30 14:11
In 1982, Frank Wells was in his last years of mouthpiece production. Most Stowell, Wels, Schneider mouthpieces and the later Wells mouthpieces were from the 50's through the late 70's. The blank was changed, "improved" several times, but, as I recall, was always a Babbitt blank that was custom designed, reviewed by first Stowell and then Wells and then into production. The U shaped window was somewhere in the middle of the production time frame, traditional window before and after. The only pat. that Frank might have applied for so late would have been a taper to the side walls which he had experimented with for many years. And yes...it was pretty much a toss up as to who made the better mouthpiece at the time, Wells or Kaspar. How times have changed!
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Author: martind
Date: 2006-08-30 15:56
Bill,
I was not aware that Wells had added a key hole window to his standard window. I purchased a SWS B1 in 1966 from a good friend/clarinetist who recommended the mpth. The lack of response and tonal color was not to
my taste. I have since had the B1 refaced by W. Grabner and fits my personal preference. This mouthpiece has the widest rails of any mpth
in my collection. Why the extremely wide rails?
martind
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Author: CEC
Date: 2006-08-30 16:06
I'm curious about rail width myself. I've never seens a Wells mouthpiece, but my old Marcellus M08 seems to have wider rails than the norm.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-08-30 16:16
CEC,
You'd know one of these if you saw one. The bottom of the window is MUCH narrower (the window is shaped kinda like a tornado). So the rails are super wide at the bottom, flaring out half way up and tapering quickly to a normal thinness at the top. The theory Frank was working is taking the resistance (vibrations) of the reed into consideration as you work from the top of the reed on down.
Pretty cool.
He also designed a trumpet mouthpiece that had an ovate opening leading into the shank, more or less for the same reasons.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: CEC
Date: 2006-08-30 16:40
Paul,
Very interesting! You gotta love folks who'll put the status quo aside and approach the design process fresh!
Chris
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Author: Bill
Date: 2006-08-30 21:58
Attachment: wells.jpg (63k)
Here's a photo of the two - sorry's it's a terrible shot. The one on the right is a B1; the left is a B2.
Bill.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2006-08-30 22:38
Attachment: B.Behn_mpc..JPG (39k)
Bill,
I didn't have a lot of experience with SWS mouthpieces. I had refaced several B2s. I think, the most significant detail was the shape of the side walls. Looking down from the tip the side walls was 'egg' shaped. This shape did not affect the side rails in any way at all. Just the sidewalls and the baffle. I do not know if all B2s have this future but these I've seen definitely had it.
Some of Brad Behn mouthpieces have somewhat similar window. No, it's not a 'keyhole' window, but it's not a regular window either. Check the pic.
Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2006-08-30 23:43
Just so there isn't anyone confused by all this, the windows on the Wells mouthpieces were of several varieties, but those varieties were not tied into the B1 or B2 facings. In other words, one could find the traditional square bottomed window on either a B1 or B2 as well as the other styles of windows on either facing. By the way, Wells and Stowell had determined that the B stood for the length of the facing and the number 1, 2 etc, was the tip opening. Therefore, the B2 was slightly more open than a B1. There were other, not as popular facings from Wells, such as a C3, popular with doublers. At one time I had a B0 facing I liked very much during summer heat...and no, it did not have anything to do with "body odor"! While Frank never really explained the reasons behind the funnel shape of the later side wall model, I had assumed it was to concentrate the air going into the clarinet, much as a reverse taper barrel does.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2006-08-31 12:48
Attachment: Wells2.jpg (138k)
Hi,
I noticed no one has mentioned the SWS became just the Wells during the life cycle. I have a SWS B2 that plays great, an SWS B2 that is terrible, and a keyhole Wells that is just OK (no #). But see the shape of the window and the table on the keyhole one.
HRL
Post Edited (2006-08-31 12:51)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-08-31 18:02
Interesting, Hank, TKS. Looking thru our local music store's "dust bin" for recoverables for "impecunious" families, in an old Dupont cl's case [yes, I've seen the recent thread] I found a ?recent [gold script readable !] shiny-black plastic mp with a B on "table left/bottom" and a 2 on the right. The script says "Accu-Rated by Artie Richardson" [making double use of the caps A and R by two lines]. Any info will be greatfully rec'd. TKS, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: NoradBob
Date: 2018-06-30 20:47
I first met Frank Wells in 1960 when I was in high school. I had one of his B2 clarinet mouthpiece's paired with my then new Buffet Crampon and a #4 opening alto sax mouthpiece, don't remember the model, for my Selmer Mark VI alto. The B2 had a slightly graduated opening with close to 90 degree angles at the base as I remember, flaring out just slightly on both side rails at the tip.
As I got older in both high school and college, my best friend and myself, Les, would visit Frank hoping he could help solve whatever tonal or response issues we were having. He was always there for us, and after a few minutes with one of our mouthpieces, problems would disappear. He was magical. We actually spent the afternoon I graduated from high school in Downers Grove, twenty miles west of the city at Frank's invitation to meet Stan Kenton at his then fairly new shop on Wells Ave north of the loop (no relation). They were close friends. Frank used to supply mouthpieces for Kenton's entire sax section as well as many other bands, and in those days Les and I were huge Gabe Baltazar fans, Kenton's lead alto player. Getting back to Frank, Frank always talked about the physics of sound and new ideas he was working on. He was never content to sit still and remains a huge positive influence from my youth. So when you hear about a Wells mouthpiece, know this guy was a giant.
RJH
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2018-06-30 21:20
RJH,
This makes me want to get all my SWS MPs out for a reunion. As I recall, there is a repair tech in the suburban West Chicago area that was an apprentice with Wells. I can't remember his name. Perhaps someone else can recall who I mean?
HRL
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2018-07-12 15:49
Hi Noradbob, Am I correct that there wasn’t a facing curve on your mouthpiece? It was just a straight gradual opening that increased towards the tip? I’m not sure what the 90 degrees refers to. Thanks
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: NoradBob
Date: 2018-07-12 16:47
Hi Arnoldstang,
My memory fifty-five years ago when I was very young lacks perfect clarity, but with that said, I would guess there was a facing curve. The description was only mentioned as I had not seen the keyhole shape others described Frank doing twenty years later -- wish I had. The purpose of my posting was aimed at my recollections of Frank Wells the person, whom I respected a great deal.
RJH
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2018-07-13 04:37
RJH,
Thanks for the reaffirmation of Les Olds but that is not the person. Sorry.
HRL
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