The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wendy
Date: 2001-06-13 23:03
Yesterday my teacher suggested I try out a Larry Combs mp. I haven't seen these mentioned in any of the mp threads. Any thoughts on these mps?
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-06-14 00:01
Its a Woodwind line mouthpieve which is owned/manufactured by the Leblanc Company. A popular mouthpiece.
Teachers have a habit of wanting the buck to stop passing --- to work with a norm --- so they select specific setup equipment --- which they believe to be good --- & they then hope to gain overall familiarity --- to allow for correct diagnosis of the _real_ problems.
My children's teacher likes everyone to play Vandoren 5RV, BG Revelation & Vanddoren V-12 reeds.
[[ Of course, if someone doesn't choose to do so, its not a mortal sin. A studemt who fails to use the recommended equipment is (merely) banished to the scale dungeon for 2,500 repetitions of B Major .... NOT ]]
Best,
mw
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-14 03:25
i used to play on one-I forget what type-it actually was my first "good" mouthpiece-I found though that it was stuffy for me and i couldnt get much of a dynamic range at all-though that could of been my reeds....but I think it all depends on who is playing it, right?
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Author: William
Date: 2001-06-14 14:10
The mp was designed for Larry Combs (Principal--Chicago Symphony Orch) by LeBlanc folks and I understand that he used his for a while until a problem developed with the production (inconsistant quality). Last I heard, Larry was using a Richard Hawkins mp custom-designed to his specs. Larry said, in a recent clinic, that it doesn't really matter what mp you use (given it is made well to acceptable specs), you will always have your "own sound." Bernie Portnoy also said that same thing--"a new mouthpiece will change your sound for about two weeks after which, you will return to the sound that is in our head." I think that Daniel Bonade had the same theory that any well-made mouthpiece would do as long as the reed was matched properly to its lay. Bottom line--it is not the brand of the mp that is so important but rather how well it is made and the care taken in fitting the reed to match its playing characterists. I like my Kaspar #14, but there are a lot of Kaspars that do not play well for me at all. It is the quality of the individual product, not the logo, that is important--TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!! Good clarineting.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-06-14 16:07
You can get a good buy on one on eBay. I think there are several going right now. I would recommend the Larry Combs 3 over the 1 because it has a better tone and is a bit easier to play. They're pretty nice mouthpieces.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-06-14 17:16
I tried a couple of Larry Combs mouthpieces some time ago. One was excellent, and the other was mediocre. As far as I know, they are not hand-finished. For the price, in my opinion you'll do better with a student or intermediate level mouthpiece from Fobes, Hite or Ridenour.
Ken Shaw
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