 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: musicgirl
Date: 2002-07-14 02:45
Hi,
I had this mouthpiece which worked very well for me, until it broke. On the front it says H-COUF and above that the word special and a star and the number 2. Every clarinet teacher or band teacher that looked at it said they never saw one like this before. I've even had that comment " wow, that's the strangest mouthpiece I have ever seen." Anyone here ever see or play a mouthpiece that is similar to this? Ever since I broke this one i've been having trouble finding the right mouthpiece, so I may be thinking of getting another like this one if i can find one. thanks a lot!
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Author: lynn
Date: 2002-07-14 02:54
I'm not sure who makes them, but H-Couf is a plastic mouthpiece that accompanies most Armstrong beginner clarinets. They are not all that swift, I find that most of my beginners can't use anything stronger than a size 3 reed on them, their intonation is awful.
I think you should keep looking - what kind of mouthpieces have you tried??
Lynn
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Author: musicgirl
Date: 2002-07-14 03:05
Lynn,
You're right about that i should keep looking. I used to play a size four reed on mine but that was also the first mouthpiece i ever had and played on it for4 and a half years. i'm guessing that it seemed good at the time because that was what i started on and all i knew of. i think that mouthpiece is way below my playing ability now.
I recently started another post on which vandoren mouthpiece was most similar to my hite premier. i've been told that i need to be playing on better mouthpieces but i was desperate at the time since my old one broke. I have tried a B45 for a short period of time( about 15 minutes) but i'm not exactly sure if that's the right one for me. I kind of like the size of my hite and want to go somewhere closer to that opening. i know the 5rv lyre is the closes thing. i guess what i really need to do is go to a local music store and try out some mouthpieces. thanks
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Author: madvax
Date: 2002-07-14 03:46
musicgirl wrote:
> I recently started another post on which vandoren
> mouthpiece was most similar to my hite premier.
> i've been told that i need to be playing on better
> mouthpieces
I'm not sure who told you that you need a better mouthpiece than the Hite, but the Hite is a wonderful mouthpiece. In my opinion much better than the Vandoren B45. If it works well for you, then don't worry about what others say.
For some strange reason, some people believe that the more you spend on equipment, the better it must be. If it only costs $25 it must be junk! Of course, the same people that say it is junk have usually never tried one.
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Author: Crystal
Date: 2002-07-14 03:56
Ah, guilty as charged. I've had Armstrong beginner clarinets, and your description of your mouthpiece is the same as mine was. The intonation is horrible on them, I know. I upgraded to a Gigliotti, and it's so much better. Happy mp hunting
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-07-14 06:08
I think I'm not following this very well or I'm just very tired or something. Musicgirl says, 'I had this mouthpiece which worked very well for me, until it broke'. Then folks chime in and tell her how bad the mouthpiece is and why she should upgrade to something else. Madvax seems to be on my wavelength. If the mouthpiece cost twenty-five cents right outta some back alley junkbox and it works wonderfully for you - so? Who cares?
As I understand the post, Musicgirl wants to find a replacement, not a 'better' one. She already found the Better One; An H. Couf, Special #2, with a star.
(dismounts soapbox....)
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-07-14 13:47
First, why don't you just superglue it? Second: I'm not a professional music theory person but somehow using the term "intonation" to describe a mouthpiece seems strange to me since a mouthpiece only has one "tone". Am I in outer space?
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-07-14 13:54
Well put, Ron, I have an H [for Henri?] Couf Sp. 2 * mp for my C clarinet, very good!! We need Mark C's Langwill help re: his history, I do recall the name as a maker of good saxophones, about the 50's, not listed in Rendall tho. I would guess the facing to be similar to my good VD's, 5RVL and 11.6. Try them. Don
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Author: Larry Liberson
Date: 2002-07-14 14:32
Herb Couf was the principal clarinetist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Paul Paray in the early to mid 1950's. He then left the orchestra to run a music store (Royal Music Center in Royal Oak,MI) that he owned (back then it was more lucrative to go into retail than play in a symphony -- who knows, it probably is now!). He continued teaching (I, for one, studied with him for a couple of my high school years), acting as a Buffet consultant and artist, and putting out his own line of mouthpieces and saxophones. Back when I played on one, they came in several facings and levels of price (and quality!). I believe that they actually were made by Babbitt.
Sorry, but I have no idea what the availabilty is today -- but the next time I run into Herb (which is every so often -- he's quite alive and is doing great!) I will ask!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-07-14 14:51
MANY TKS, Larry, great info, guess I just assumed French!! I left Lansing, Mich in 1941, and his name rang bells, just not quite loud enough!! for me. Can you ask him to join us on this BBoard, please, his expert comments will be very welcome! Don
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-07-14 15:50
Larry Liberson wrote:
>
> He then left the orchestra to run a music store (Royal Music
> Center in Royal Oak,MI) that he owned (back then it was more
> lucrative to go into retail than play in a symphony -- who
> knows, it probably is now!).
Ahah! I knew that somehow the Royal Music Center in Royal Oak had a connection somehow to Buffet, but I never knew how.
Also - the family enjoyed the concert at Kensington last Monday. Nice solo work.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-07-14 18:44
The most recent Woodwind and Brasswind Catalog I have includes Couf mouthpieces in its mouthpiece chart though it doesn't list them among the mouthpieces they actually sell. As a starting point, you might try other mouthpieces from the same (tip opening) column as the 2*. (I notice that the Hite Premier has the same opening, BTW.)
I did find them in an old International Musical Suppliers catalog (I wish Lisa would date her catalogs in an obvious place) but not in the current on-line version. This may mean they were only recently discontinued (if they have, in fact, been discontinued). You could try calling around to some of the mail-order places to see if they have one in the storeroom. Sometimes, when a line is discontinued, they may have a few that didn't sell that aren't worth listing in the catalog. Try Woodwind and Brasswind, International, Muncie Winds, and Fred Weiner, for starters. If their are any large music stores in your area, you might try giving them a call as well. And, of course, there's Royal Music Center. Finally, keep an eye on eBay. Couf mouthpieces turn up occasionally. (Apparently, they weren't very pricey. The ones listed in the IMS catalog were $33.50.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: musicgirl
Date: 2002-07-14 21:36
Bon, it was quite funny that you mentioned super glueing. i did do that for about a week since i had a performance. but that didn't last long. thanks
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Author: John Moses
Date: 2002-07-15 19:23
Herb Couf lives (or lived) in Southfield, MI.
I studied with him in the late '50's and saw him in MI a few years ago. He had quite a few of his fine H. Couf mpcs around, so perhaps you can locate him in MI or online for a mpc, or a least a way to find one.
I have seen a few available here in NYC at the local woodwind shops, and they are not expensive.
Good luck with your search.
JJM
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Author: John Moses
Date: 2002-07-15 19:41
He's the info on Herb Couf:
37685 Russett Dr.
Farmington Hills, MI
810-489-4234
and say hello for me,
John Moses
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Author: Larry Liberson
Date: 2002-07-15 19:44
Actually, Herb sold Royal Music Center several years ago but is still active in the music trades.
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