 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sam
Date: 2001-11-25 22:56
I'm looking into buying a new professional mouthpiece. I have heard great things about the Fobes pro mouthpieces, and have played a couple of Pynes. I know the price difference isn't that much, so I'm not concerned about that. Has anyone played on both mp's...if so, could you submit your opinion on them? thanks!
-Sam-
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Author: Mike B.
Date: 2001-11-25 22:56
Darn, I thought this was about boxing . . .
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Author: Peter
Date: 2001-11-26 02:17
Call Carl Fobes. He's a good guy to deal with. Find him in the Sneezy sponsor's section.
I recently tried two of his student-grade mouthpieces while looking for some relatively inexpensive mouthpieces for some wind ensemble students, and was very impressed with the quality of his student grade mouthpieces.
I would venture to say it would likely be worth your while to give him a holler before you make up your mind on what to purchase. Can't hurt.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2001-11-26 14:25
Pyne mouthpieces have bores redone (from the blanks) with a proprietary design, they have carefully skewed side rails that increase resistance, and they have a remarkable tone quality that (if you like it) emphasizes the fundamental tone. Some say "tubby" sound, some say "gorgeous." The Fobes? Played one for a year---finally sold it. Never figured it out.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-11-26 14:52
Sam -
Fobes and Pyne use top-grade blanks and finish them by hand. Both are highly skillful and produce consistently excellent mouthpieces that are used by well-known players.
At this level, it's not what's somehow "better" but what works for you. Either of them will work with you to make a mouthpiece that fits your instrument and way of playing. That's part of what you pay for, and you get the best results by going to either the Pyne or the Fobes workship and having the final adjustments made interactively, or going to a workshop where they display their mouthpieces and do the final work.
Most Pyne mouthpieces are deliberately made slightly asymmetrical, I believe that Fobes mouthpieces are symmetrical. In general, asymmetrical mouthpieces have higher resistance and a somewhat different sound. The difference is hard to define, and some people prefer one or the other. Again, it's a matter of what works for you.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ed
Date: 2001-11-26 16:23
Ken makes good points above. Last I know Clark made one model with a slightly assymetrical facing.
This topic comes up regularly- "Which mouthpiece is better?" The real answer is whatever works for you. Both makers here are very well regarded.
I personally prefer symmetrical facings, but that's me. It doesn't matter what I like I also think Clark makes some superb mouthpieces, definitely worth trying. But Greg Smith, Charlie Bay, Dan Johnston, Iggy Gennusa, Chris Hill, Ralph Morgan, Walter Grabner etc, etc, have good stuff that people are playing and like. Try a number of things (without going nuts) check articulation, response, tuning, etc. Use a few different reeds and not ones that have settled in or been adjusted to a different mouthpiece. Find what seems to work and do what you want, then go practice and get used to it.
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Author: Blake
Date: 2001-11-26 17:37
Best way to find out is to try some. Several proprietors in the retail section will let you try out mouthpieces on trial for a couple weeks and return the ones you dont like for a small restocking fee. thats the best way to find out. I found it a good idea to have a tuner handy and print out the tuning page from sneezy to "plot out" the effect each mouthpiece has on your horns pitch. Once I narrowed the choices down to a few, i had a friend listen to me to see if my own "internal ear" matched what he was hearing in terms of tone quality etc. I'm sure there might be other mail order retailers that do this but ive used muncy winds and brasswind/woodwind for their trial service for both mouthpieces and barrels. I also had the other members of my clarinet quartet try out the mouthpieces and one i thought wasnt as good worked great on one of the other members horns so ended up buying 2 of them. Oh. also, make sure you buy a few extra patches/pads to put on the tip and where your ligature goes on or use that blue painting/masking tape so your teeth and ligature dont scratch the mouthpiece and you wont be able to return it and give it a good work out with Rose studies or Baermann to make sure your loud/soft stacato/legato altissimo/chalameau registers are all to your liking. Happy clarineting! Blake Arlington, VA
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