 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: oian
Date: 2018-06-12 01:34
A couple years ago I purchased an Albert system low pitch C clarinet on Shopgoodwill (Henry Pourcelle Paris, from the case style it's probably from the 1920's) The case is in terrible shape, but the instrument looks almost unused (you have to look at it very close to see that it is really a wooden instrument. It came with a wood mouthpiece that works well and all the pads are functional. Due to the fact that the original mouthpiece is wood I would like to use a plastic mouthpiece most of the time. None of the current mouthpieces I have will fit. The diameter of the socket as is just under 22mm and current mouthpieces seem to have a tenon size of 22mm. I have an old Kholert plastic Bb instrument that has a mouthpiece with a tenon diameter of 22.5mm which is too loose for any of my other Bb instruments but works well in the Pourcelle. My question is: Did some of the older instruments have a smaller mouthpiece tenon (as this one and the Kholert)? The socket is round and the tenon does appear to be out of round when measured. Normally I play a bass clarinet and playing this C seems like playing a little toy but I like it and the Albert system is interesting, and having an instrument this old that plays as well as it does is a real kick.
Thanks for any info, John
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2018-06-12 02:36
You and I have been battling each other for clarinets. I probably lost to you and visa-versa.
I also bought a Martin Albert C with the same problem. Modern C clarinets now have bores that work with either a Bb or an Eb mouthpiece. I am thinking that our 'C' mouthpieces are rare and need to be saved.
My plan is to take careful measurements of the C mouthpiece and with a lathe, take down a Bb mouthpiece that has length and bore measurements close to the C. The C has a bore close to one of my Bb mouthpieces so Eventually I will be making it fit my smaller clarinet.
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2018-06-12 16:31
Hello John,
Originally (in the 18th century) the bore of a C clarinet was notably smaller than that of an A or Bb clarinet. I have several original and reproduction C clarinets from the past and their bores are quite a bit smaller than their Bb/A counterparts.
Because of the early C clarinet's smaller bore, it required a smaller-bore mouthpiece to match it and play in tune. Often the C mouthpiece itself was smaller and required different, narrower reeds. As you can imagine, requiring a different mouthpiece for C clarinet can be a bother, when you switch to C clarinet whose reed is bone-dry (particularly in chamber concerts when you do not have an orchestra to hide behind as you wet your C clarinet's reed for the next movement).
Consequently, period clarinet players often try to find a mouthpiece that works on both their Bb/A and C clarinets. The match is rarely perfect, but sometimes good enough to get by.
Today, some modern C clarinets are made with a bore that accommodates a Bb mouthpiece.
Simon
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Author: oian
Date: 2018-06-12 20:46
Attachment: DSCN1151.JPG (135k)
Attachment: DSCN1149.JPG (136k)
Here's a couple of photos. I finally figured out how to get the file size down to a level that will allow them to be attached. The bore of the instrument and mouthpiece is 14mm, other than that the two mouthpieces seem similar. Maybe Ill try to make up an internal sleeve to fit the kholert MP with the smaller bore and see what happens. This should be fairly easy to do and it can be temporarily without damage. Other than bore diameter the two mouthpieces have almost identical table size and opening.
Post Edited (2018-06-12 20:51)
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Author: John Peacock
Date: 2018-06-13 01:18
I don't think this is a C clarinet issue: even just for Bb clarinets, mouthpieces have got bigger over the years in some cases. I have a 1923 Boosey, where the mouthpiece tenon diameter is 20.95 mm. I have an identical instrument made in 1930, and the mouthpiece tenon there is 21.15 mm. Modern tenon diameters seem to be between 22.15 and 22.3. But Buffet seem to have used about that size even back in the 20s/30s, and so did Boosey & Hawkes in the late 1930s. So it looks like each manufacturer used to have their own tenon dimensions, but gradually things standardised.
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Author: oian
Date: 2018-06-13 05:13
Any suggestions on the care and maintenance of a wooden mouthpiece???
Thanks, John
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Author: oian
Date: 2018-06-13 05:24
Just as an aside here are a couple pictures of the original case, it surely fulfilled its purpose to protect the instrument
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Author: oian
Date: 2018-06-13 05:25
Attachment: DSCN1152.JPG (135k)
Attachment: DSCN1153.JPG (135k)
Just as an aside here are a couple pictures of the original case, it surely fulfilled its purpose to protect the instrument.
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The Clarinet Pages
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