 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Musikat
Date: 2020-05-23 07:42
I somehow missed the talk about this mouthpiece until just now, but since my birthday is next week and I got the extra discounted price I took a chance. I wasn't in the market for a new mouthpiece but at $88 all in it was hard to resist!
So I currently play on a Greg Smith 1+, which is I believe considered "medium" faced, but based on the thread about these Behn mouthpieces decided to try the close facing Prescott, thinking it sounded the closest to what I am used to. Does that sound right?
Second question, I typically play a strength 4 Behn Aria or Pilgerstorfer Dolce reed. Will that work well with the Prescott close facing, for those who have tried it?
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2020-05-23 15:50
You'd get your best response on this question by asking Brad Behn directly, either by phone or email (see contact info on his website.)
Greg Smith said that all Greg Smith mouthpiece had facings that were relatively close, so the nearest Behn Prescott to a Smith would be the close one with the 1.01 mm 36 lay. Behn's pieces play best with very vibrant and flexible, relatively low strength reeds made from thin cane stock (notably his Aria brand). I use a 3 or 3.5 Aria on my close Prescotts.
Post Edited (2020-05-23 20:11)
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Author: fernie121
Date: 2020-05-23 21:06
I use 3,5 Aria on the closed model. And even that I often bring down a little when balancing the reeds.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2020-05-24 08:16
I also recall Greg Smith's saying that all his mouthpieces have close tips. His Chedeville 1+ is one of his more resistant models (I played one for a few years) so I think the facing is fairly short and I agree the Prescott close/short model is probably the closest to it in design. That said, Brad Behn likes to build some resistance into his mouthpieces so they can work when paired with lighter reeds. The Prescott close/short that I have has a bit more resistance than my Greg Smith 1+. You may be happy with the reeds you are currently using but it wouldn't surprise me if you find you want 1/2 strength less than what you currently play.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Musikat
Date: 2020-05-24 08:42
Thanks, Jack! When I asked Greg Smith about the mouthpieces I believe he described them as not too closed. He optimizes them for a V12 3.5 reed. I tried Vandoren V12 3.5s on it but never liked it. Aria and Dolce 4s work very well on it (they both run soft, so probably are closer to a 3.5). I am very happy with my Smith but have always wondered what the combination of the Aria reeds on a Behn mouthpiece might sound like. And I like the idea of the O rings. So this deal just seemed too good to pass up to at least try. If it doesn't make me happier than the Smith I can always gift it to my son, who is in 7th grade and will soon be ready to step up from his Behn Overture mouthpiece.
I can't imagine playing a 3 (or even Aria 3.5). Every time I try to get away from 4s it is horrible, but I'll keep an open mind. I figure if I can't play in a group for the foreseeable future I might as well have some fun trying new gear!
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Author: gwie
Date: 2020-05-24 09:41
The closed facing Prescott plays really well with the Aria 3.5 reeds. Stiffer reeds cause an unreasonable amount of resistance on these mouthpieces.
I usually play a Behn Epic HCV, but have taken a detour to the Prescott for awhile and have done a couple recordings with it--it's kind of amazing how Brad has managed to produce a mouthpiece that is almost 1/10th the price of his top-of-the-line yet achieve such stellar consistency and results. At his discounted price, it is perfect for students looking to upgrade from their plastic Debut and Overture mouthpieces.
Edit: and I should add, I wouldn't hesitate to play on it all the time either!
Post Edited (2020-05-25 06:33)
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