 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ray
Date: 2001-09-11 03:29
My 11 year old son broke the mouthpiece on his clarinet at band practice today.
The music teacher recommends replacing with a Vandoren 5RV lyre. Estimated cost $100.
A Leblanc 2540p cost $16
What is the difference? Is it worth it?
Note:
My son has been playing for 3 weeks now, has learned 4 notes and can play most of them without sweaking noises. I fully expect him to persevere with the clarinet until the end of term!
Ray.
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Author: Jessica
Date: 2001-09-11 03:41
I have recently been reading up on old posts about beginner mps, and while the 5RV has a great rep, I have no idea about the LeBlanc 2540, but if you want to go less expensive than the 5RV the Hite Premier is supposed to be excellent, though I have no personal experience with it.
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-09-11 04:46
That's great advice on the Hite mouthpiece. Also would want to look at the Fobes Debut & the Vandoren 5RV. It's hard for a beginner to go wrong with these. My daughter & son both started on the 5RV (it's required by our school district)
The 5RV or 5RVLyre (or any Vandoren mouthpiece in that series) should cost $48 - $52. The $48 is from an eBay seller who is terrific. Great feedback. Same day shipping. Returns with no questions asked. Click below & you'll be at his "door". As I statwed he has impeccable feedback. You could have the mouthpiece in 2 days.
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1464177983
I never heard of the Leblanc 2540, so forgive me. If it came stock with an instrument, it might have been a throw-away all along -- so this "twist of fate" might actually be a good turn.
Everybody drops a mouthpiece on it's head sooner or later. We're all human in that regard. The best players always have backups for that reason.
Actually, mouthpieces which are chipped can be fixed (if one is game), the cost on a student model can greatly outweighs repair cost, shipping & how well the repaired mouthpiece works after the epoxy repair (which is dependent upon the nature/extent of the damage done).
best,
mw
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2001-09-11 05:36
I have personal experience (and so does my daughter) with both the Hite Premier and the Fobes Debut. Both are designed for beginners and both are under $30 (plus shipping -- the Hite appears to be about $20, the Fobes about $27) but for an absolute beginner, I would give the nod to the Hite Premier (a little easier blowing). Try Muncie Winds (800-333-6415) or Woodwind and Brasswind (800-348-5003). Either can get one to you in a few days.
jnk
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-09-11 12:04
Ray, we feel your pain.
I just visited the local repair shop, they have the "Deer in the Headlights" look
that appears every Fall.... waiting for the rush of damaged band instruments.
This sort of thing happens, and could happen again.
If you deal with Phil and Jan Muncy, please explore some possibilities;
1) Buy two of the Fobes or Hite beginner mouthpieces (one for insurance).
2) A claricord or other neckstrap, to help secure the clarinet and carry some of
the weight (these are pretty heavy for kids to handle).
3) Investigate the Legere synthetic reed. It outlasts natural cane 10:1 and will
play very well straight out of the box. Strength #2 1/4 - 2 3/4 for most beginners
these cost about the same as a box of reeds, but eliminate many of the hassles
starters face.
4) Tylenol, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Scotch, chocolate for you and your family.
Congratulations on supporting your son's musical beginnings!
anji
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Author: clarinetgrammy
Date: 2001-09-11 16:00
Ditto on the 5RV or 5RVLyre for a beginner. Our school district requires this mouthpiece as well, and has had excellent results for the kids. If you can get one as mw suggested for $48.00, you should jump on it because that's about as low as you'll get. I was a seller for Vandoren mouthpieces for a while and my cost on them was $41.00.
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-09-11 18:52
Brenda, I KNOW that's right. With the eBay listing & final value fee, Paypal or BillPoint credit card fee, the cost of packaging/materials, & the wholesale cost of the Vanforen mouthpiece --- this fellow is making (max) $3-4 bucks profit ... and probably less. The catalogue sellers (WW&BW, IMS, Muncy Winds, Weiner) show this mouthpiece in the $52-56 range. mw
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Author: clarinetgrammy
Date: 2001-09-11 19:40
Yes, that's right. When I was selling these (as recently as 6 mos. ago), if I sold them for 48.00 plus shipping, I only made a couple of dollars on them after paying PayPal and eBay fees. When my supplier went up to $44.00 I had to stop buying them. My friend owns a Brook Mays store and his cost on them is $45.00. I finally decided that there wasn't enough profit to validate the frustration of dealing with people who sent them back damaged, etc.
So, as long as this guy will sell these for $48.00, we should encourage people to buy from him. This may be the last batch he can get from Vandoren for such a good price.
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Author: Nicki
Date: 2001-09-11 22:19
Check aroud the internet and around your town for prices on the price of the 5RV Lyre. I know someone that paid only $56 for one for their kid!!
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Author: Luanne
Date: 2001-09-12 01:44
Another really good beginner mouthpiece is the Pyne Poly Crystal for about $25 at woodwindandbrasswind.com. All fo the ones I have played and ordered for my beginners last year were well worth it!
Luanne :o)
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Author: Robert Gifford
Date: 2001-09-12 03:44
I'm going to have to echo the Fobes "Debut" Its a great mpc that has qualities some mpces twice the cost don't. (No I don't work for the guy.... I just the mpc)
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-09-12 03:50
I like the Pyne polycrystal MPc too. Got one for my daughter and tried it on my horn. I have a good selection of mouthpieces including a couple 5RVs and I'm not really that impresssed with it for the price. I think he will be better off for now with a Pyne or Hite begginers model. Later when his chops are more developed, he could step up to other models.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-09-12 04:55
Provably the price difference will come from the materials. Vandoren is of hard rubber, and the other of plastic. Tone quality of hard rubber is far better. More decent. Not cheap tone. If you look at a such shop like http://www.wwandbw.com, you can find they sell Vandoren far cheaper. (But 45$ is very good price! ) Besides, some shops have students discount policy.
If you pay 100$, even hand made mouthpieces made from Zinner blank are sold at 95$ a piece here in a Sneezy sponcer URL. http://www.clarinetxpress.com/
They are better than off-the-shelf mouthpieces.
Every hard rubber has a different ingredients and it is a trade secret. Zinner is famous blank manufacturer in these days. Many hand made mouthpiece makers use his blanks.
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Author: Ray
Date: 2001-09-12 12:26
Thanks to everyone who responded on this subject.
It transpires that my local music store has quite a large collection of good condition 'used' mouthpieces.
So I got the recommended Vandoren for $15.
Thanks again.
Ray.
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2001-09-12 16:18
Oh! English as it should be writ. Ray said...in part.."It transpires that...." All of you should take a lesson from this. You must transpire before you can transpose, or somit lik dat.
Bob A
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-09-13 01:39
Yah, shor waddev-vah.
A man after my own heart.
As we, of the clan MacFrugal say..."Thou shalt not pay retail."
anji
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