 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Nzb2018
Date: 2018-02-02 06:59
Has anyone tried the Vandoren Black diamond Eb mouthpiece? If so, what are your thoughts? (I am looking for an Eb mouthpiece to as an upgrade from my school's stock mouthpiece, so any suggestions would be helpful in general)
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2018-02-02 07:25
It really depends on your budget. I’m not a fan of the facing styles used by Vandoren on a large number of their pieces. Certainly with Eb it is good to have a closer tip opening, as close as is comfortable, to make it as responsive and predictable as possible. It also makes the mouthpiece more free blowing, which is nice.
If your budget is flexible, meaning spending a few hundred isn’t out of the question, call Brad Behn and he will be able to help you. He offers many options, from a zinner based mouthpiece costing about $250, to his own blanks that are $375 ad $780.
If money is a little tighter and your budget is in the $100-150 range, then your options are much more limited for Eb. You can always find a Vandoren on eBay and have it refaced and stay in budget if you send it to someone who is less expensive. Depending on where you live, you can find a music store to try different models.
Response, comfort, and adequate flexibility without losing focus is what you should look for in Eb.
Hope that helps some.
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Author: Yador
Date: 2018-02-03 05:07
For me is the best vandoren Eb clarinet mouthpiece. I try B44, B40, M30 and BD5.
Good tuning, good sound and easy blowing. You can play very loud with a lot of proyection and also you can play a clean piano.
M30 is very similar but it sound brighter than BD5.
Truy before you buy.
tukaram2000@hotmail.com
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2018-02-06 20:39
Let s face it..the bd5 while a great sound over long practice sessions is quite resisitant. With me the problem on the Eb clarinet is getting reeds that are soft to stay consistent through a concert. Changing reeds during a concert not so good..so have returned to the b4o with a slightly harder reed. The facing on the Bd5 is short as well with wide rails!
David Dow
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Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2021-05-09 02:09
I just ordered a BD5 Eb mouthpiece on a whim and am really impressed.
I was the Eb player in the San Diego Symphony from 1975-1985 (just before they went bankrupt). At the time I started on a Vandoren 5RV and later got a Kanter Eb mouthpiece. Since then, I found that the Redwine Zinner (1.05) and the Vandoren M30 play well for me, but I'm not fond of the Vandoren B44 (which is very popular).
At this point in my life, the BD5 outplays them all. Great sound, intonation and response up the double-high A (A6?). It feels more like my Bb setup than others do.
My immediate goal is determining which reed I want to play. With my cutout barrel, I "can" play my Bb reeds (Pilgerstorfer Dolce 3.5-4.0), but I think it would work better with something else. Vandoren Traditional Eb 3s work fine (probably 3.5s too but they might be a bit heavy). I tried Vandoren White Master 3.5 reeds but they are a bit heavy, so I'm going to try 3s. Back in the day, I think I played V12 #4 on my 5RV and Kanter, but on the BD5 I think I would be happier with a 3.5.
If anyone has suggestions about reeds for it, I would welcome them!
Anyway, if you're looking for an great (and inexpensive) Eb mouthpiece, I think it's worth a try.
Bob
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Author: EricBlack
Date: 2021-05-09 03:32
Quote:
My immediate goal is determining which reed I want to play. With my cutout barrel, I "can" play my Bb reeds (Pilgerstorfer Dolce 3.5-4.0), but I think it would work better with something else. Vandoren Traditional Eb 3s work fine (probably 3.5s too but they might be a bit heavy). I tried Vandoren White Master 3.5 reeds but they are a bit heavy, so I'm going to try 3s. Back in the day, I think I played V12 #4 on my 5RV and Kanter, but on the BD5 I think I would be happier with a 3.5.
I play on the Eb BD5 mouthpiece as well. While its been some time since I've had a reason to play the instrument, the 3.5 V12 was my preferred choice!
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2021-05-09 04:37
I play Eb as well as principal in my orchestra. I have not tried Brad Behn's Eb mpcs, but the BD5 is the best Eb mpc I have played.
There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, the window is wider and takes unadjusted narrow Bb reeds (aside from the butt cut off, if you do not have a modified barrel).
Secondly the sound is warmer and wider, without any loss of focus.
Thirdly, the high notes come out well and in tune (not always the case with a mpc sporting a deep baffle.)
Fourthly, the twelfths are good and the throat tones are not flat.
Fifthly, and this is HUGE point, the BD Eb mpc sounds excellent with the Legere Euro Eb reed. The previous Legere Eb reed was so wretched, I never thought I would see a good synthetic Eb reed in my lifetime!
We were playing Till Eulenspiegel and I was playing Eb. A colleague was extolling the virtues of the Legere Euro Eb reed but I was skeptical. He brought in his Euro Eb reed the next day and I tried it. It blew all my cane Eb reeds out of the water!
I bought three Legere Euro Eb 3.0 reeds. One is excellent, one is very good, and the other doesn't play at all.
Simon
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-05-09 05:07
waiting for my legre euro to arrive. looking foward to it. hope its as good as every noe says. i have a older model legre eb is horrible. i have a bunch of good eb mouthpeices so one is bound to work with the euro reed
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2021-05-09 07:26
Dan - Be prepared for the fact that the Legere Euro Eb reed is wider than standard Eb mps. On all my Eb mpcs, with a Legere Euro Eb reed there is considerable reed overhang on each side of the mpc (Kaspar, Chedeville, Broadus, Pyne, B40/44, 5RV, M30).
With the BD5 Eb mpc, the Legere Euro Eb reed is the perfect width, since the BD5 Eb window is wider (outside rail to outside rail).
Often, when an Eb reed is too wide for the mpc, response and pp control can suffer.
Simon
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Author: Hurstfarm
Date: 2021-05-09 16:49
My experience reflects some of the comments above. I’m a regular Eb player in situations ranging from orchestras to quartets, and have tried various mouthpiece/reed setups. Over the least few years I’ve been happily using a Grabner mouthpiece, usually with cut-down Pilgerstorfer Morre Bb reeds.
On a lockdown whim last year I ordered a BD5 and some Legere European Cut reeds. This was more out of curiosity than because I thought I’d like them, and I checked that the mouthpiece was returnable! In fact I was astounded at the results, and had a very similar experience to Simon. The sound was full and rich, and particularly with a 2.75 reed (the softest I’ve ever tried on Eb), the ability to hit high notes softly, reliably and in tune was on a par with the very best cane reeds.
The BD5/Legere 2.75-3 is now my preferred setup, and the predictability of response has removed some of the stress often associated with Eb playing. I’ve tried hard to love synthetic reeds on Bb, but still prefer cane. On Eb it feels like there’s no going back.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-05-09 17:15
wow thanks for the info guys. i hope there isnt too much overhang. if there is i will try cutting some of the sides of the reed with a dremel tool. i ordered a 2.5 and it wasnt easy to find that strength.
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2021-05-10 07:42
>i hope there isnt too much overhang. if there is i will try cutting some of the >sides of the reed with a dremel tool.
You could also narrow the reed with sandpaper. When I narrow Legere reeds, I do so with 400 grit sandpaper, finish with 600 grit, then cut off the rail threads with sharp scissors like Henckel sewing scissors.
Simon
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-05-11 01:52
thanks simon. sandpaper is an option. the legere euro arrived today and its everything i hoped it would be. the width may be an issue. this looks exactl like a soprano reed. it fits a soprano mpc perfectly. is this the same reed just advertised for 2 different instruments? i am going to try it on my soprano and report back
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Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2021-05-12 04:05
Thanks to all for the suggestions on reeds. I’ll let y’all know how the White Master3s work out.
Bob
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Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2021-05-25 21:30
I tried both the Vandoren White Master Bb #3.5 and #3.0 on all my Eb mouthpieces. Although the 3.5s were simply too hard, the 3.0s seemed like they might work. However, none of the White Master Bb reeds felt right to me on the BD5. I was hoping for good sound (which they produce) and good altissimo response (which they don't really provide). Perhaps, they need to be broken in before I can give them a fair evaluation.
However, I did find some old, broken-in Vandoren Traditional Eb 3.5s and 3.0s and these seemed to work well on the BD5 as well as my Kanter. Even a couple of 4.0s seemed to play well and would probably be my choice for Till Eulenspiegel or Rite of Spring if I was playing my Kanter--for me the BD5 doesn't need a reed that hard.
I've now ordered a box of V12 Eb 3.5s based on several recommendations and will see how they do.
Bob
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2021-05-27 22:32
Hello Bob, Like you I tried WMs on the Eb BD5 mpc. I cannot help think that the reason they did not work for us is the fact that they are much too narrow for the BD5's wider window. The first thing one loses is the high register.
I once had a Pyne Eb mpc that he made with a wider window to take Bb reeds. The mpc was stolen, along with my Eb clarinet while a student, but I remember it being head and shoulders above all stock Eb mpcs, both in tone and response. Subsequent Pyne Eb mpcs were made on narrower Eb blanks.
The BD5 approaches what Pyne made in terms of the wider window producing a less narrow, "child-like" Eb sound.
Simon
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Author: donald
Date: 2021-05-28 01:47
I have an E flat mouthpiece Brad Behn made for me in 1996, a Zinner A frame Eb blank (so less resistance than usual from the insides) and (like the BD5) a wider table and rails that accommodates a Bb Reed perfectly. Several times over the years I've had people borrow it and then offer to buy it (and/or try not to return it because it is the best eefer 'piece they've ever played). The first three people to come to mind who did this are all currently pro players in Europe/Australia,i don't lend it to people anymore....
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Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2021-06-05 00:53
Well, I finally got a box of Eb V12 3.5s and tried them on the BD5 and all my other Eb mouthpieces. The first one was great and I thought "My search is over!". Unfortunately, the others I tried were consistently too hard.
So, I ordered a box of VD Traditional 3.5s and a box of 4s. After trying 8/10 of the 3.5 Traditionals, they are definitely the cut/strength for me on the BD5. They also work well on my M30 which is now my backup. The 4s are too stiff, but play well on my Kanter and my 5RV should the occasion arise to play those mouthpieces.
I'm still puzzled as to why the V12 3.5s (which are supposedly softer than Traditional 3.5s) feel too stiff on the BD5 and other Eb mouthpieces. My only thought is that the tip is 0.10 mm rather than 0.09 mm. As the BD5 facing opens more quickly at the tip, perhaps this difference in thickness yields a perception of greater resistance.
Bob Barnhart
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2021-06-05 01:44
Bob, Try a Legere Euro 3.0 Eb reed. You might just find that your search is indeed over.
I was sceptical that the new Legere Eb Euro would work, yet 2 of the 3 Eb Euros I bought sound much, much better on my BD5 than any of my cane Eb reeds.
Simon
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2021-06-10 08:16
I've played Eefer for over 50 years and for 20 I've played a wonderful Smith mouthpiece but have flirted with both Grabner and Fobes. All are good.
Hadn't used a VanDoren for probably 35 years and that was the old 5RV that I played in college.
However, I have to say this BD Eefer mouthpiece is really amazingly good, especially for the price. I used 3.5 Behn Berio reeds with a Silverstein ligature and the sound is really strong and pleasant throughout the range of the instrument. I was knocking out the death scene in Til Eulenspiegel and the high G really sings and is right on in tune on my Buffet Tosca. The intonation improvement of the throat tones is impressive and the altissimo notes are right in tune, with the exception of the D, which is sharp when the Eb/Ab key is added. I think it might be my new go-to mouthpiece.
Thank you all for bringing this to my attention.
Eefer guy
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Author: Musikat
Date: 2021-07-15 07:43
Those of you using BD5s with Legeres on Eb, what ligatures work for you? I just ordered a BD5 to try with a Noblet Eb (I don't have it yet, but will need a mouthpiece and wanted to try the BD5 after the comments on this thread), and I ordered an optimum ligature, thinking it had the three plates to try, giving me some options. But now I am wondering if that wasn't the best choice? What Eb ligatures work best with Legeres? On the borrowed one I am using now (with a Legere Euro 3.5) I have a Hite metal ligature that holds it in place nicely, but maybe compromises the tone. There was also a BG Revelation (with the metal plate) in the case, which sounds better, but doesn't hold the reed well at all. It can move all over the place and even be pulled out while the ligature is as tight as it will go.
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Author: JamesOrlandoGarcia
Date: 2021-07-16 04:45
Hi Bob,
I play on a Bd5 as well have largely the same experience. What I have settled on are v12 3.5s that are on the soft side.
I recently switched to traditional Bb reeds with my m30 and thought they may be freer on the Eb. What I found was they fared about the same but lacked the support I needed in the alitissimo.
Though they play, I don’t like any eb reeds on the bd5. The sound is a little nasty.
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