 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: EBC
Date: 2012-07-20 00:11
Hello all,
Would anyone happen to have measurements (tip opening, facing length) for the new Vandoren Masters mouthpieces? I have the CL4, and I'm curious as to how its specs compare to those of my other mouthpieces. It seems by most accounts, and my experience, to be some kind of closed to medium-closed tip opening, but I have no idea for the facing length. Unfortunately, Vandoren seems to be keeping these mouthpieces shrouded in secrecy for the moment... mystery sells, it would appear.
I know that it's possible to find measuring equipment (gauges, etc.), and thereby measure myself, but, really, it's not that important! Yes, so I'm lazy.
Eric
PS: If Vandoren HAS posted the specs somewhere, I'm all apologies for the useless post.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2012-07-20 00:34
I believe that there were some measurements posted in one of the previous discussions here.
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2012-07-20 01:10
CL4: 1.14, 40
CL5: 1.20, 38.
This has been the case for the ones that have come across my desk.
Both are too open for me. I closed one down to 1.00mm and 36 in length and it played nicely.
-Nathan
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Author: EBC
Date: 2012-07-20 17:38
Thanks for the information, and mea culpa for not having found NBeaty's earlier post, which was also very useful.
Eric
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-07-20 19:07
Measurements are highly misleading and highly overrated as the basis for comparison between mouthpieces. Don't forget that the standard ("Erick Brand") mouthpiece measurements represent just a few discrete points along a continuous curve. Besides the inherent inaccuracies in making just those measurements, they don't say anything about what happens BETWEEN measurement points.
Many people complain about (and I have experienced) high resistance and stuffiness from Vandoren mouthpieces, as well as many other brands of stock mouthpieces. This is usually caused by their choice of curvature between the start of the curved facing and the tip; NOT by the tip opening nor the facing length.
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2012-07-20 22:50
I have found most of the vandoren mouthpieces to be stuffy due to overly thick rails, too large a tip opening, and the 13 series chamber\bore can also have negative effects in some mouthpieces.
With the right reed, most of the vandoren line can be playable. Most of them have too many of the above issues to play to my liking out of the box.
Some stuffiness CAN be caused by the curve being too flat or the opposite. Most of the time it is not a big concern compared to closing the tip and removing excessive material on the rails and the deep concavity.
The Masters Mouthpiece facings are on the longer side, to compensate for a pretty tight interior. IMO, the tip opening is causing much of the resistance and won't remove itself as an issue by altering the curvature. If we were talking one or two points in tip opening, the curvature adjustments are more effective.
Also keep in mind that the Brand gauges and tip wands can be highly variable from person to person and from tool to tool. What measures on my gauge as a 1.20 might be a 1.12 on someone else's. My gauges are calibrated to one of the finest makers in the world, which is a nice reference point.
Most mouthpieces I've seen when new measure more open on my gauges than the maker said it was. With such small tolerances, numbers are almost meaningless.
-Nathan
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Author: Ed
Date: 2012-07-20 23:26
To me, the numbers can be at least somewhat of a starting point. I agree that the curve and also the bore, chamber, baffle, rails, etc., can also be a factor.
I have tried some mouthpieces that seem to have a tip opening and facing that I might like, but due to other factors have found them unplayable.
The only way to know is to try the mouthpiece.
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