 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LC007
Date: 2017-10-09 20:36
Hello again clarinetists,
Just wondering how many mouthpieces you have AND do you use all of them.
I now have 3. (I do not count the plastic cheapo that came with my plastic horn - I never play it anymore). I upgraded to a VD B45. Then to experiment, I recently got a more closed mp: the Daddario Reserve X5. And now I also have a Selmer hard rubber mp (don't know the model) that came with my Selmer USA CL201 clarinet.
There's a difference in tone and ease of playing between all 3. So far I like the X5 the most. It is easiest to play but may be a tad brighter. Sometimes I switch to the B45 just for the fun of it - but it seems harder to play after the X5. It does however seem to be a bit warmer sounding. I don't like the Selmer. It is very finicky about reed and lig placement and it is the hardest one to play.
So generally would you say you now play this or that mp exclusively, or do you have certain songs you prefer with a different one and swap back and forth?
Thanks to all that reply.
Luc
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2017-10-10 00:38
I have 6 mouthpieces for my Bb/A. I keep 3 in my clarinet case and the other 3 in a drawer, rarely getting played. Of the 3 in my case, I mostly play on two of them, the Gregory Smith for orchestral playing and the Backun Traditional for lessons and small ensembles.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-10-10 01:03
I have collected well over 200, but only use 1 all of the time. It is a combination of a Robert Marcellus Kaspar and an Iggie Gennusa Chedeville. The Bob Marcellus is actually a Chedeville, Kaspar Cicero, 13. Kaspars bought Chedevilles for many years. Something I designed recently. 1.05 tip opening with a 33 1/2 length. I have a few Chedevilles and Kaspars, but this plays best. Somewhat thin rails, not too deep of a chamber/baffle like the dead Zinners, and a fairly large bore. The length is smaller than the Vandoren M series to keep you from going flat. Reeds vibrate well and there is that ping I often talk about which will fill any orchestra hall.
For the money the new Selmer mouthpiece is EXCELLENT, but needs rail work. For $100 it is the best mouthpiece on the market. The bore is the same as the old Chedeville's. It plays so much better than the Vandoren M series as far as tuning and sound projection. Contact me off-line and I'll fix the rails and free up the stuffy mouthpiece.
[ edited - GBK ]
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Author: LC007
Date: 2017-10-10 01:29
You have collected well over 200!!!! ??
I know we tend to accumulate gear as time goes by, but I am astounded! I am just a beginner in this and my evaluations need to be taken with a grain of salt. I suppose as my skills develop, my assessments will become truer.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-10-10 03:34
I have at least a couple of dozen, but generally only use one and keep one other as a backup. I am currently using two slightly different facings of the same blank, one for Légères and the other for cane reeds. The closer-tipped facing just seems to work better with the Légères. The one I use for cane is .03 mm more open. I have a third, a twin of the one I use with cane, that I keep handy but don't carry in my case. As for the other mouthpieces, they sit in a drawer and occasionally I get one out to see if I still prefer what I'm using. When it turns out I do still like my current one better, I put the other back in the drawer.
I do use some of the more standard ones as trials when students need a mouthpiece. If we find one the student likes, he or she orders a new one and I keep mine for future reference.
Karl
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Author: KenJarczyk
Date: 2017-10-10 07:25
I have a difficult time getting rid of stuff. I always hold out that I shall find use for the mouthpieces I pick up, and quite often I am able to help someone with a mouthpiece that really fits the bill!
I’ve been playing clarinet for over 50 years, sax over 40.
I am proud to say I own ZERO Vandoren, Rico, or D’Addario mouthpieces.
Saxophones 6 Soprano, 19 Alto, 11 Tenor, 1 Baritone. Current mouthpieces played have been the same one on each for quite a long period.
Bb & A somewhere around 50. The last dozen were pairs of matching Fobes of different models.
Eb 10.
Bass 3.
There you go.
Ken Jarczyk
Woodwinds Specialist
Eb, C, Bb, A & Bass Clarinets
Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo
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Author: gwie
Date: 2017-10-10 11:37
I have a couple dozen, but only use one on a daily basis (Behn Epic HCV).
I keep good ones that I've used extensively in the past, as well as "sample kits" of a range of mouthpieces from the different major brands so that my students can easily try out a number of good representatives of each. The thought of sending my junior high kids out to the local band store and let them filter through piles of inconsistent shelf stock...no.
So when a student needs a mouthpiece, I look at what they are working with, and start from there.
If the student has the crappy stock mouthpiece that came with their clarinet, I have them try:
1. Behn Overture
2. Fobes Debut
3. Yamaha 4CM (I buy lots of Yamaha clarinets so always have extras of these...a bit of work and they play very well, and they're hard rubber)
If they've already had a decent acrylic for awhile and want to upgrade:
1. Vandoren M13, M15, M30, 5RV, B40, BD5, CL4
2. D'Addario Reserve X0, X5, X10
3. Fobes Nova CF+
Beyond that, they are welcome to try the other more unique pieces I have in my box...but I generally dissuade them from spending so much money on a mouthpiece.
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2017-10-10 17:34
Three Bb/A
Two Eb
One bass
One alto clarinet
One contra alto
One contra bass.
All Grabners of course!
I actually have a bucket full of about 50 vintage mouthpieces. I need to sort through them someday. Might be some real keepers in there!
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
World Class Clarinet Mouthpieces
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Author: sax panther
Date: 2017-10-10 18:10
4 on B flat
Grabner K11* as my main one.
A D'addario X10 as my backup
A Vandoren B40 and an old steelite one that's been refaced. These two I don't really use, should probably get round to selling them. I do like them though, just not as much as the first two.
On bass I've got a woodwind company one as my main one, and a yamaha 3c as a backup. Once I find a decent bass clarinet mouthpiece on the auction site as an upgrade, I'll sell the 3C (if anyone will buy it, it's horrible!)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2017-10-10 19:51
I have around 20 Bb/A mouthpieces. I find it difficult to discard stuff, so these mark my progression to the ones I play now (Clark Fobes San Fransisco CF+ and Ridenour). 2 x Alto sax, 2 x bass clarinet, 1 x soprano sax, 3 x Eb clarinet.
Tony F.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-10-10 20:47
Had at least 50, and tried out maybe 100. I've given away dozens.
I have settled on the M13-lyre and occasionally the Reserve X0 and have several ... I keep a free blowing ones and ones with more resistance in my case ... allows me to use softer and harder reeds, without having to adjust or discard as many ...
Barrels are Scott 65 and 66mm for the VD and stock barrel for the Reserve.
Too old to keep trying out so many new MPs. The VD M13-lyre is used by many pros and this gives me some mental security.
Tom
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Author: LC007
Date: 2017-10-10 21:13
Wow... Very interesting. Replies are all over the map from one, to a few, to dozens, to hundreds. Many of you also have multiple instruments, are professionals and teach. I am an amateur (and an infant one at that). I got the X5 as an experiment and it turns outs that I like it more than the B45. So I am playing it more often but I still pull the B45 out once in a while. I don't like the idea of a $125.00 mp just sitting in my drawer.
I did some research and found out my Selmer mp is a R201. I measured the tip opening and it is very open - in the area of 1.50mm . I'll have to get some thinner reeds and maybe I will enjoy it but with my 3.0 reeds it's just to hard to play.
Ahhh... so many mp's out there!! No wonder we accumulate so much!
Cheers!
Luc
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2017-10-10 22:09
My current mouthpiece count is 9, 6 of the Selmer HS** which is my current favorite, those vary (don't all?) and I have 2 HS** examples I like and rotate. My "non-HS" are junkers with no value even for resale.
Related question- how many mouthpieces have I ever owned? I'd have to guess maybe 25 to 40 max, many of which I had to buy to try and rejected immediately.
If I may intrude upon this thread- I'd like to add the question-
Do you think you have a good handle on the world of available mouthpieces, such that you already own, or have adequately tried, all the mouthpieces that stand any chance of ending up among your personal favorites?
For me, that's an emphatic NO.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
Post Edited (2017-10-10 22:17)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-10-10 22:49
fskelley wrote:
> Do you think you have a good handle on the world of
> available mouthpieces, such that you already own, or have
> adequately tried, all the mouthpieces that stand any chance of
> ending up among your personal favorites?
Of course not. New ones are coming out all the time. It's always possible that something better than I'm now using will be among them.
Karl
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2017-10-11 00:35
Karl, of course I completely agree. But the timeline stretches backwards as well, with the added difficulty of finding good unmonkeyed examples of older less well known MP designs to try without risk. My surprise would be anyone (other than perhaps a Brad Behn) who might answer yes- how could they have such confidence? Unless perhaps they subscribe to the school that, if you've found at least one good mouthpiece, nothing else is likely to be all that much of an improvement anyway. Which of course has some element of truth. Another factor is how much do we really vary- how much can we rely on other clarinetists' opinions on MP (or anything else) to know without trying ourselves whether MP ABC or XYZ is a good candidate for us?
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-10-11 07:25
A undecided model Behn and one of Bob Bernardo's creations are on my short "bucket list" ... machine made or precision molded blanks are great but you have to hand check/tweak each one, even after the best facing machines have their way ... "trust, but verify"
I went thru about 40 Vandoren M13-lyres over 2-3 years to find the two I use ... local music store gets in a big shipment each late August ... I drive them crazy looking at MPs ...
Selmer MPs ... I have an old well-worn C115 that will absolutely peel paint off the ceiling. Sounds horrible, but will kill small animals at 10 yards ...
Tom
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2017-10-11 18:27
I have a 115 in my drawer, but the only way it would harm small animals is if I were to throw it at them. I have been tempted sometimes!
Tony F.
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Author: mproper2009
Date: 2017-10-18 02:18
May be I am stupid, but I have only 1 which I love and play Rico X0.
In previos community band teacher insited on B45 to replace my 5CM that came with my horn, as it was giving me hard times in intonation, but I never get sucess with it.
Now just X0, and I love that MPC, ideal pair with silverstain ligature and my CSG
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