 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jnohner
Date: 2012-02-27 20:01
I need to recommend to my middle-school clarinetists some new mouthpieces/ligatures. The two choices I am debating between for mouthpieces: Vandoren B45 or Ridenour. Ligatures between: Rovner (my personal choice) and Luyben.
Suggestions? Any other recommendations? I ONLY want to recommend mpc/ligatures that are worthwhile... that will last them through high school. They play well... 
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Author: rtaylor
Date: 2012-02-27 20:45
I have had good luck for my students using the Clark Forbes Debut mouthpiece and the Rovner Dark or MKIII ligatures. The tip opening on the Forbes is medium close so you can graduate the students to fuller sounding vandoren size 3.0 in either regular or V12.
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Author: CuriousClarinet
Date: 2012-02-27 21:34
Although the Clark Fobes Debut is a decent mouthpiece, it strikes me as more of a beginner mouthpiece then a step-up. I'm in high school, and as a step-up mouthpiece a few years back I got a Vandoren M30. Since then I've tried the B45 (worse experience I've ever had with a mp, I'm unsure if it was even manufactured right, all it would do was squeak.) along with the 5RV Lyre and M13. Ironically, my favorite is still the M30. What about the Clark Fobes Nova? Isn't that considered his intermediate mouthpiece? I've never played it, but I play on a bass CF mouthpiece and really enjoy it. I think the best choice for any clarinet player when it comes to mouthpieces is to just go and try a bunch, though. They seem to respond differently to everyone.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-02-27 23:32
jnohner wrote:
> Suggestions? Any other recommendations? I ONLY want to
> recommend mpc/ligatures that are worthwhile... that will last
> them through high school. They play well...
Do you have a particular price range in mind? I suspect that you would probably like to keep the mouthpiece cost <$100. Vandoren mouthpieces can be a decent step-up mouthpiece in this price range but the problem is that like all mass produced mouthpieces they tend to be inconsistent in quality. If possible I would see if you can have your students each order a few mouthpieces and audition them with you so that you can help them pick the best ones.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2012-02-28 01:03
Your desire to see your students make a reasonable (and reasonably priced) upgrade is laudable. But, to paraphrase another member of this Board, you wouldn't recommend they all get the same size shoes, would you? Why then would you think the same mouthpiece might fit them all? Also, if you have to settle on one mouthpiece, why are you choosing the B45 of all Vandoren's offerings? Have you checked out its characteristics on their website?
CC, FWIW and FYI, the Debut and (one of the) Nova (models) both have Fobes' CF+ facing, one of the most popular facings on his professional mouthpieces. The Debut may be a student model in price and material (plastic) but in design and care in manufacturing, it plays well enough to be used by an advanced player. (If you're really curious, you can verify what I've said on his website.)
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-02-28 01:41
For HS students, I think limited budget (not gonna convince a typical parent to shell out hundreds of dollars on a mouthpiece), and decent mouthpieces, and mouthpieces that are "reed friendly". The Vandoren M-series mouthpieces have impressed me. For less than a hundred bucks, I'm confident on picking up any M mouthpiece and making it play pretty well. M15, M13, M13 Lyre, M30, etc. etc. I currently use the M15 and it works well for me, but the others have all worked well.
Other Vandorens I've tried tend to be less consistent, but most M15s are similar, most M30s, etc. etc. and I would be confident suggesting any of those above (maybe not the M13) to a HS student that will typically play a middle fo the road reed. As a bonus, vandoren MPCs are available at MANY stores, and the parent will be able to find one very easily, or find a replacement should something happen to it.
Alexi < - Has tried many mouthpieces, and feels confident that the Vandoren M-series is a good value.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-02-28 11:55
I agree with Alexi's Vandoren recommendations. Others have mentioned the 5RV and 5RV Lyre, and I've seen students do very well with these as well. I have a Gennusa Excellente GE*, a wonderful mouthpiece at a very reasonable price, but they might be a bit harder to find. At times, others have suggested Portnoys--I don't have much experience with them, but they're also nice mouthpieces.
For students on a limited budget, the Fobes Debut is a great choice. You didn't ask about alto sax mouthpieces, but I think the alto sax version of the Debut
is incredible.
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Author: bethmhil
Date: 2012-03-01 03:47
Ben Redwine makes a plastic version of the Gennusa Excellente (the Mezzo model) for $32. My students play on them, a couple of my saxophone friends at school who double play on them... I have played on it, and it's absolutely fabulous.
BMH
Illinois State University, BME and BM Performance
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Author: TianL
Date: 2012-03-04 05:09
i wouldn't recommend B45 to all the middle school kids.. it had a large tip opening and the students already today tend to play on hard reeds. Combine that with a large tip opening mouthpiece would not be good for young clarinetists' development. If you hare to recommend vandorens to young kids, it should be smaller tip opening ones like the M13, M13 lyre and M15.
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