 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: bbrandha
Date: 2012-07-20 00:54
I have a Noblet metal clarinet that is a decent player. It is still in the same condition as when I bought it from the pawn shop. It will do just fine for what I want it to do.
When I tried the clarinet at the pawn shop, I took my own mouthpiece and reed. All was good. When I got it home, I cleaned the mouthpiece that came with it and about blew a lung trying to get sound out. When I switched by to my mouthpiece, and the clarinet played fine again. Being of a scientific mind, I decided that the Noblet mouthpiece wouldn't work for it and put it away.
The mouthpiece I like is a Brilhart Ebolin Special. The one that came with the clarinet is a Noblet x3.
My question is this: What is it about the mouthpieces that could make such difference? I can see some physical differences, but it doesn't seem like it should make the one so unplayable.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2012-07-20 03:40
In most cases, the naked eye really cannot see the difference. The tolerances are too small. We measure mouthpiece facings in hundredths of a millimeter. This is too small to be able to see the the differences between a great mouthpiece and a lousy one.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
World Class Clarinet Mouthpieces
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: CLongoria
Date: 2012-07-20 03:47
If you were using the same reed on both mouthpieces, chances are that you have to downgrade in sizes to play on the Noblet x3.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: bbrandha
Date: 2012-07-20 04:47
My best measurement says that the beak of the Brilhart is 34-35 mm. The Noblet is 38-39 mm. They have noticeably different angles. The siderails of the Brilhart are wider than the Noblet. The table of the Brilhart has straight sides and is not much narrower at the the bottom than the top. The Noblet's narrows and is a bit rounded on the sides. The window of the Brilhart is about 2 mm shorter than the Noblet. When set on end, the Noblet's table angles back farther.
After staring at them this much, it does make sense that they would need different reeds.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2012-07-20 09:04
Note also that the the Noblet X3 is a very old mouthpiece, dating from around the 1950s. Warpage to the rails and other damage to the facing may have occurred, rendering the mouthpiece less than playable.
I have a Noblet X3 in my collection; it has some wear and needs refacing but has a unique voice to it--sweet, shimmering, and very delicate. Someday I'll get the thing refaced and see what it'll do in prime condition.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: vljenewein
Date: 2012-07-20 15:44
Walter make a WHOLE lot of sense! I have a Vandoren B45 mouthpiece that had a small chip right at the tip of the mouthpiece when I got it (came in a used ebay clarinet). I used epoxy (kind you knead in your hand) and applied to the end of the mouthpiece and painstakingly fine sanded off the excess hardened epoxy to leave just that wee bit that was filling the hole of the chip. Plays very well now. But, it is a precise piece of instrument and many of them vary from one to the other. I measure in digital calipers and you can definitely see differences in thousandth and mm between them.
Vernon
Jenewein Duduks Manufacturing & Research
www.duduk.us American made Duduks
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
