 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dano
Date: 2007-02-17 22:42
I know this question has probably been asked before but why should we want to have a mouthpiece refaced? I see relatively inexpensive mouthpieces being sold as "refaced" at relatively expensive prices. Is this justified? I have been playing for about 40 years but I am very green at customizing anything on my clarinets.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2007-02-17 23:11
All I can say is, when you're having trouble with a mouthpiece and decide to "work" on it yourself, you therefafter understand (fully, heartbreakingly) the value of someone who knows how to reface (i.e., to put a generally used - generally acknowledged - curve onto the rails).
The best artists work not only on the rail curve but try to "match" the baffle and interior as well.
The question of whether or not a mouthpiece that plays well as is should be refaced is a complex one, for it is possible to find a reed for (almost) any facing - therefore all are (theoretically) playable. But often a mouthpiece artist can supply a curve that maximizes the performance of certain standard reeds (4.5 VanD V12, etc.)
I have a very old "O. Schreiber" mouthpiece with a terribly close tip and terribly short facing ... historic and unusable by current standards. Nothing else matches its creamy beauty (if you're willing to put up with zero flexibility). The tone is like nothing else.
Bill.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: mk
Date: 2007-02-18 01:06
mouthpiece facings will wear over time simply from use. Good refacers will attempt to bring things back to original status without making major changes to the blank. Changing the facing drastically can be a risky business with the knoledge that material being removed can never be returned. I think its important to have your ideal facing measured and then later checked over time to possibly correct any deveations that could occur.
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Author: Dano
Date: 2007-02-18 03:37
Thank you. I think I can start to wrap my brain around why refacing might be complex enough to justify the charges. I have favorite mouthpieces that have changed over the years and what I would do is just find another "favorite". I think refacing might be what those favorites might need.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-02-18 07:34
Also, refacing can sometimes help a "very good" mouthpiece become "great".
EXAMPLE: As I was getting back into clarinet after college and taking it more seriously, I purchased a Gigliotti P mouthpiece off the clarinet teacher at my college. It had a very nice sound which I liked, but I had a slight problem with chirping on certain notes. I sent it to someone to have it refaced who refaced it and told me that basically it was very good, and they didn't touch the baffle/bore, just made sure that the table was flat and did something with the rails (which I guess were a little off). And after that, it retained the same sound and tone, but was MUCH easier to control the articulation. I still reminisce about it.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2007-02-18 10:20
-- "just made sure that the table was flat and did something with the rails (which I guess were a little off). " --
I once purchased an old Noblet that I couldn't get to play well at all. When I tried another MP I realised the problem was the old Noblet MP that came with it.
I'd read somewhere that over time, the table loses its flatness and can often be remedied in the same way as the reeds, ie light rubbing on frosted glass or high grit paper.
It worked a dream!
What still surprises me was that to the eye, the table looked okay, but 30 seconds light sanding on a flat surface made one heck of a difference!
Steve
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Author: Brad Behn
Date: 2007-02-18 18:07
For those that find the table an interesting part of mouthpieces, here is a rather inexpensive tool that I use frequently. I would recommend it to anyone before scraping their mouthpiece tables.
http://www.wttool.com/product-exec/product_id/17540
It is used by holding its edge against the mouthpiece table. With backlit conditions, one can easily view the nature of the table (Concave, Convex, or Flat). With concave tables, one can easily view the depth and functionality as well.
An important thing to notice is if the concavity extends into the table that is associated with the window. That is to say, try to determine if the table concavity is functional or not...does it extend into the rails (the rails that are still part of the table and not the facing...down at the bottom).
Brad Behn
http://www.clarinetmouthpiece.com
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