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Re: Higher end plastic/acrylic mouthpieces?

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-11-24 06:29

Germans have been at acrylic for a LONG time. I went through what you are experiencing back in 1984 when I received my Wurlitzer 100Cs. They came with a couple acrylic mouthpieces and I was a bit shocked. I wrote back basically saying something on the order of,"Well surely you have hard rubber mouthpieces?" They did not.

It turns out though that despite what some manufacturers say, the material of the mouthpiece plays a VERY small part in the sound (much like the clarinet itself). It is the attention to the detail of the dimensions (how the wave form vibrates within the tube) that is MOST important. Plastic gets a bum rap because it is also the material of choice when NO thought is put into the architecture and finishing and the result is a crappy product (which just happens to be made of plastic).

I have had a few years on the ESMs which are extraordinarily well made mouthpieces. Their greatness is in how constant they are from one to the other. Once you find YOUR dimension (mouthpiece model) in the line up, you can pretty much guarantee that you can go to the store and pick up another and it will play exactly the same (no exaggeration).

I have a clear acrylic Wurlitzer M3+ that is a killer with #3 Legere German cut reeds. If I ever return to the Oehler system, that will be my weapon of choice.

...............Paul Aviles

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