 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: gerardo1000
Date: 2017-09-24 15:13
I have the opportunity to buy on line a brand new Vandoren 5RV Lyre mouthpiece with profile 88 on sale at half the price, but the stores in my area do not have any profile 88 to try. Would it be too "risky" to buy the profile 88 without trying it ? Is there so much difference in feeling compared to a traditionally shaped mouthpiece ? I am quite a beginner and I currently play the standard mouthpiece that came with my clarinet which has a traditional shape. I play the clarinet in the traditional position (not horizontal) with a vandoren mouthpiece patch on top {the thick one). I read that the 88 shape is better if you play the clarinet more horizontal, which I don't. Would this mean that a 88 shape will be bad for a traditional playing position ? Again, I do not have the opportunity to try it.
Thank you for your help !
Post Edited (2017-09-24 15:31)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2017-09-24 19:08
gerardo1000 wrote:
> I have the opportunity to buy on line a brand new Vandoren 5RV
> Lyre mouthpiece with profile 88 on sale at half the price, but
> the stores in my area do not have any profile 88 to try. Would
> it be too "risky" to buy the profile 88 without trying it ?
Well, the risk is more that you won't like the mouthpiece itself than that you won't like the Profile 88 beak.
> I play the clarinet in the traditional
> position (not horizontal) with a vandoren mouthpiece patch on
> top {the thick one). I read that the 88 shape is better if you
> play the clarinet more horizontal, which I don't.
People write all kinds of nonsense - not just about mouthpieces. The "88 shape" is not as different as you may have been led to think it is. The beak is a little flatter. Some players prefer it.
> Would this
> mean that a 88 shape will be bad for a traditional playing
> position ?
No. First of all "traditional playing position" can mean a whole continuum of angles. There is no single "correct" angle of the reed to your lower jaw. It shouldn't make any difference which beak shape you use. Secondly, your comfort with a rounder or flatter beak may depend as much as anything on your bite (under-, over- or what I suppose dentists call "normal"). This is an issue of personal comfort.
Keep in mind that some of the Profile 88 mouthpieces including the 5RV Lyre come in both Traditional Series and Series 13. That does make a difference. Series 13 mouthpieces were designed to play at A=440 Hz, while Traditional Vandorens are nominally 442. Also, the sound quality that each favors is slightly different.
So it really may come down to whether or not you really have a need to change mouthpieces at all. What are you playing on? Would a Vandoren 5RV L(of either profile) be an improvement? Buying a mouthpiece without trying first always carries the risk that you won't like something about it. For the price, you're not risking very much. If you won't miss the $40 or $50 it will cost, then why not?
Karl
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Author: gerardo1000
Date: 2017-09-24 20:35
My current mouthpiece is the standard mouthpiece that came with my Buffet Premium student clarinet. Actually, I did try a vandoren 5RV Lyre, with traditional mouthpiece shape, at my local music store and I liked it a lot. Buy they sell it at over 140 ! I looked on line and the best price I could find for the traditional 5RV Lyre was around $90. That is why I am tempted to buy the 88 version on sale,, which would cost me much less. I guess I'll do it, even if I have never tried the 88 profile.
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2017-09-26 18:02
"Try before you buy" is good advice. But if you think you can resell the mouthpiece for close to what you paid for it, then buying a "no return" mouthpiece for a trial can be justified.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2017-09-29 10:17
That's great to hear! I always find it sad when people don't report back on their results. Thanks for not being one of them.
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