The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: William
Date: 2002-06-08 14:45
I recently aquired a crystal mpc via eBay that was advertised as a "Pete Fountain" but has no numbers, logo or markings anywhere to identify it. From it's fluted sides, it appears to be an O'Brian, but, again, with no logo or numbers to confirm. Does anyone know if OB put out mpcs without markings or if they sold "seconds" without labeling? BTW, I know that the real test of any mpc is in it's playability--I haven't given it a real good play as yet--but I'm just curious and would appreciate anyone's ideas or info regarding the possible origins of an unmarked crystal mouthpiece such as this. Thank you (for your "crystal clear" info)
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2002-06-08 16:50
William..
First...fluted sides doesn't make it an O'Brien. I have a Selmer with fluted sides. And a Pomarico with fluted sides. Both clearly marked with their names. I do believe Leblanc marks theirs as well.
I had a crystal a while back (also fluted) that had no markings at all. At the time...It was so old the glass had turned a coke bottle green. I got rid of it because I didn't like the "feel" of it, although I really liked the green color. Later read, on sneezy I think, that someone made glass MPSs out of coke bottle glass and marketed them to Buffet.
Try your crystal and see what you think. Let me know if you want to get rid of it.
John
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Author: Lee Wood
Date: 2002-06-09 03:27
I purchased a mouthpiece about 20 years ago which was slightly green which was marked as a Buffet. The marking was by ink on the glass. The mouthpiece had fluted sides as yours does. The ink did not last to long. The shop where I purchased it did sells Buffet clarinets and they had several at the time so I have believe it to have been genuine. It threw my intonation off so I gave it to a friend who loves it. He was told by a music shop that it was made by someone who made mouthptieces out of coke bottles. He could not remember who they said made it.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-06-09 14:37
I have a number of glass mps, 2 for bass, 4-5 for Bb. Several of latter have little or no identification, 2 have etched markings on table and/or back. All are quite or very old, some have high brilliance [may be made of high-lead glass]. My recollections of seller's/player's/refacer's comments are that there are only a few glass mp makers, who supply the quite-a-few seller's needs. O'Brien was [still is?] our major maker, with well developed techniques [diff. from the HR and plastics] . Pomarico is a major in Europe. Others please add/ correct the above. Don
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