 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: P4sEnvy
Date: 2012-11-30 22:00
I currently have a 1975-76 Buffet Everette Master's Model Clarinet in repair. Planning on taking this clarinet into this years concert season, and possibly into college. However, my director informed my that I need a new mouthpiece. He suggested a Vandoren 5rv - is this a fine one that would work with my Buffet or would something else be better?
Thanks in advance!
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2012-11-30 23:06
Any standard mouthpiece should work fine with your Buffet.
The Vandoren 5RV is a long standing design with quite a close opening and medium length lay but there are many others from both Vandoren and other makers.
Only by trying them can you really find out what works best for you.
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Author: P4sEnvy
Date: 2012-11-30 23:26
Thanks for the fast reply!
I have a standard ghetto (LOL) mouthpiece.
Trying them could be quite a problem considering the price of them.
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-12-01 02:28
Any more, the Rico Reserve series is my standard recommendation for students. Very good intonation, and very consistent. Over my career I've accumulated some great vintage mouthpieces, and I'm playing an X0.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-12-01 04:03
Sellers routinely send mouthpieces out on approval. You give them a credit card and ask for sample mouthpieces, maybe 3 at a time. They will send them to you for trial.
Your obligation is to keep them in pristine condition so that if you return them, they will have lost no value. Put a rubber mouthpiece pad on the top where your teeth would hit and make certain that your ligature will not scratch the mouthpiece.
You can usually place and remove a mouthpiece patch on a clean, dry mouthpiece several times before its adhesive won't stick any more.
Since you'll be wanting to change from one mouthpiece to another several times, it is a good idea to set them all up with reeds, ligatures and mouthpiece patches. Then you can play a passage over and over with different mouthpieces.
Even though ligatures make only a small difference, it can be around the same size difference as exist between closely matched mouthpieces; so it is helpful to have a couple of ligatures of the same type.
In place of a mouthpiece patch, you can cut a piece of vinyl electrical tape to keep teeth marks off of the mouthpiece --and electrical tape is thin enough to put under a ligature to keep any sharp edges off of the mouthpiece.
Remember that mouthpieces "like" different sorts of reeds, so you want to have a selection of reeds to be sure that each mouthpiece gets a fair shake.
Check the mouthpiece for its responsiveness; is it good for articulation and register changes? For intonation; play some scales and arpeggios and jumps from the low to the clarion register using only the register key. Have help in evaluating the way it sounds. Bone conduction from your teeth through your skull to your hearing system make it hard for you to self-evaluate tone quality.
When you're done, send back the mouthpieces that you don't want to keep. That could be all of them --followed by another order for another set of trial mouthpieces.
Sometimes two mouthpieces of the same make and model will be quite different, so some folks will try out 2 or 3 of the same model.
You will end up paying shipping charges both ways --a few dollars-- for each mouthpiece you've tested; but you won't have to buy 'pieces that you don't like.
Bob Phillips
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Author: P4sEnvy
Date: 2012-12-01 04:47
Wow Bob, thanks so much!
I'm going to have to look into that!
Just on a side note - is my Buffet a fine enough instrument to last me through my college years or should I invest into a higher grade?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-12-01 14:36
I don't really know what an "Buffet Everette Master's Model" is - could that be a typo for Evette? Regardless, if you're planning to major in clarinet study in college, your professor will probably want you to upgrade. If you're only planning to play in a college ensemble for non-majors, cost is an issue and you are satisfied with the results you get with your current instrument, I'd say keep it until you aren't satisfied.
Karl
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Author: P4sEnvy
Date: 2012-12-01 15:34
Yes, an Evette sorry!
Just an ensemble for non-majors honestly
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