 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2008-09-11 15:56
Hi all. Long time no see... I am about to purchase a wooden mouthpiece from Greg Smith, having played on one of his Chedville 1++ for about 3 years. I know my teacher is not fond of wooden mouthpieces for warpage reasons, but I am hoping to convince him otherwise.
My question is to those of you who play on wooden mouthpieces. Do you oil it, and if so how often? Greg Smith has told me he personally does not see the need to oil them, so I am not sure what to do. Should I choose to oil, how often should I do it and what are the benefits? Thanks
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-09-11 16:02
I would think Greg would be the authority on that. I have one.....don't oil it, don't play it.
Bob Draznik
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2008-09-11 17:45
I have one but simply dry it as soon as I finish.
It doesn't seem to have the shape that would warp.
But if these shapes are so good, why aren't they made in hard rubber?
What's the advantage of wood?
Steve
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-09-12 01:12
I've been playing a wooden Pomarico mouthpiece for about seven years. I oil it once every couple of years, whenever the wood starts to look dry. I recently got a Smith and a Grabner, I haven't had them long enough to consider oiling them.
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2008-09-12 04:15
Greg told me to either oil it regularly, or not at all. Nothing in between.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-09-13 01:48
Well, that should answer the question. Walter Grabner mentioned oiling his Cocus wood mouthpieces on his site, as I recall. Walter says, "Care is minimal but important. An application of a light organic oil, twice a year, especially in dry conditions, will keep it playing at its best. It is also important to keep the wood humidified, just as you should your clarinet, in extremely dry conditions."
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: Gregory Smith ★2017
Date: 2008-09-13 04:03
What has not been mentioned in this discussion is that the oiling of hardwoods creates a raising of the microscopic "burr" of the wood. This possibly may result in the way the mouthpiece plays IF one alternates between oiling and not oiling. Consistency is key.
I have found that oiling clarinets or hardwood mouthpieces does not preserve or necessarily stabilize the hardwood in the short term in any way. If one believes the need to preserve hardwood over many years or decades then perhaps the Doctor's Products would help in that matter.
But on a day to day, month to month basis, there is no evidence that it is necessary to oil hardwood except for cosmetic reasons. This assumes that the hardwood is of very high quality and has been aged properly over many decades before manufacture.
Gregory Smith
http://www.gregory-smith.com
Post Edited (2008-09-13 04:03)
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Author: Gregory Smith ★2017
Date: 2008-09-13 05:05
Not to belabor the point, but Rico is soon to be marketing the same "osmosis" vitalizer technology now utilized with their reed vitalizer packs - this time for clarinet cases. They have purchased this technology from the same company for exclusive use with musical instruments/ accessories.
The stabilizing effect for clarinet hardwood of such a technology is promising and should help to serve in stabilizing the humidity of hardwood mouthpieces in a similar fashion - especially when they are kept in a reasonably airtight clarinet case.
The days of orange peels, sponges, and damp-its are soon to be out of fashion if the technology proves to be anywhere near as effective as it is for reeds...at least it would seem so from my perspective here in quite a variable climate just north of Chicago.
Gregory Smith
http://www.gregory-smith.com
PS. I have no affiliation with RICO.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2008-09-13 18:01
I played for several years on a Grenadilla wood mouthpiece that Greg Smith made for me on the platform of my favorite Kaspar Cicero 13. Great mouthpiece and great guy.
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