 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Jon Usher
Date: 2002-12-15 17:23
Does anyone know what Jim Kanter is using "reed-wise" lately and what he's doing with them?
I have two of his mouthpieces (one older and one "not so old") and I'm not having much luck getting the sound I would like in the upper register.
I've tried V12's, traditional Vandorens and Gonzales FOFs and frankly the Gonzals reeds are the closest to working for me (Their consistency is refreshing though).
With my Gregory Smith mouthpiece I just gradually play the reed in over a few days while sealing the cane and balance the tip if needed. That process doesn't seem to work on the Kanter as well.
Just curious if anyone knew.
Thanks!
-Jon
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: d dow
Date: 2002-12-16 00:08
Dear Jon
Bought two mouthpieces from Jim kanter in the late 80s, if you would specify the facing designation it would interest me very much what reeds streagnth you play...and the results you have...
generally his facings are very reed freindly and my own perception is 3 1/2 V12 Vandoren should work well with slight balancing of the tip....
My personal facing is the A model and this I use with a 4 or 3 1/2 rreed which plays freely...if your mouthpiece is getting older you may need to have a refacing job done to it...as to cost i would not venture to guess....
Much of the work I do is orchestral and show stuff....if your mouthpieces are AA model on the Riffault blanks and are older you may find them somewhat finnicky....I tend to work reeds in slowly and this over a week...I also do alot of playing and tend to find many of my reeds die quickly(after a month or so)///....
if the mouthpiece(s) are warped then you may find reeds impossible to get working
Sincerely DD
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: d dow
Date: 2002-12-16 00:09
Dear Jon
Bought two mouthpieces from Jim kanter in the late 80s, if you would specify the facing designation it would interest me very much what reeds streagnth you play...and the results you have...
generally his facings are very reed freindly and my own perception is 3 1/2 V12 Vandoren should work well with slight balancing of the tip....
My personal facing is the A model and this I use with a 4 or 3 1/2 rreed which plays freely...if your mouthpiece is getting older you may need to have a refacing job done to it...as to cost i would not venture to guess....
Much of the work I do is orchestral and show stuff....if your mouthpieces are AA model on the Riffault blanks and are older you may find them somewhat finnicky....I tend to work reeds in slowly and this over a week...I also do alot of playing and tend to find many of my reeds die quickly(after a month or so)///....as for Mr. Kanter I believe he plays on the A facing(when I spoke to him years ago) and he used #4 reed or slightly lighter at times.)
Jim Kanter is certainly one of the all time great players...
Sincerely
David Dow
if the mouthpiece(s) are warped then you may find reeds impossible to get working
Sincerely DD
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jon Usher
Date: 2002-12-16 00:24
Thanks for the info David,
The older one is an "A" facing and the other is one of his "Zinner blank - angled side wall" based facings.
All I remember from talking to him a few years back was that he didn't like a lot of "resistance" in his set up. I thought he used Vandorens but I didn't recall which.
On the newer mouthpiece I've been using #3 V12s which can still be rather stuffy. I could see using 3.5 or 4s on my set up, but only if I had to allow for flattening the backs a few times (which franky my students and I haven't missed doing since playing on our very good Gregory Smith mouthpieces!).
Just got the Kanters out again and was curious...
-Jon
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Wes
Date: 2002-12-16 06:51
It might be advisable to have a mp expert check the facing to see whether it has changed over time. When mouthpieces are used they are cycled from room temperature to mouth temperature as they are played. It's possible that this temperature cycling could change the facing, perhaps through relieving internal stresses in the material.
As you know, Kanter mouthpieces are valued and are probably worth keeping in best condition. The last one I looked at needed refacing. Good luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: d dow
Date: 2002-12-16 12:25
The two I have play magnificently and are still used orchestrally, I have had also recent success with the Hite D facing which is quite similar in sound, but less resistant than the Kanter facings. I may soon purchase a Hite D if i like it....
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RW
Date: 2002-12-16 23:10
Hi, Jim Kanter currently uses Gonzalez reeds and Vandoren V12s. I would try moving the reed around on the mouthpiece. You'd be surprised how much things change if you move the reed up or down on those mouthpieces. The Kanters are very open, straight, and longer facing mouthpieces, so you have to find a reed the is very balanced and vibrant in the tip area. If you are having problems with the high register, it could be that your mouthpiece is slightly warped or just a bit out with the measurements. I have many of his mouthpieces and find that even if a slight measurement is off, something like the response in the high register or similar could go out. Unfortunately, he no longer makes or refaces mouthpieces anymore, so I would say hold onto your mouthpiece, someone may emerge one of these days that can fix it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jon Usher
Date: 2002-12-17 02:41
Thanks RW,
Do you know if Jim used some sort of method of flattening the backs of his reeds or just balanced them?
-Jon
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: d dow
Date: 2002-12-17 16:33
As a background into what I tend to do with the Kanter A facing:
Generally I use 3 1/2 Vandoren V12 with adjustment of tip and rails where the cane is slightly raised or bumpy. I lightly remove this with a Herder or Exacto knife and then test, if the reed is still not balanced I then proceed to remove some more cane.
As far as flattening the backs of reeds I generally remove imperfection in the cane by polishing the back of the cane with newsprint or leaded paper! This tends to seal the back of the reed and makes it move even...some players don't like this method, but I have great success....
Jim Kanter made the finest mouthpieces in the 80s and I would consider if none of the above helps then move towards the idea of having the mouthpiece adjusted by an expert at refacing...these are superb mouthpieces and certainly as fine if not finer than the Kapspar mouthpieces.....
At the moment Mr. Kanter no longer makes mouthpieces and is active in the Los Angeles Studios and plays Principal Clarinet with the Pacific Symphony. His playing is absolutely first rate, and very few players can compare to his tone and beauty of phrasing....
Mr. Kanter no longer makes mouthpieces and plays on his own facings...he may be fairly easy to get in touch with and may have some ideas and helpful insights into your problems...he plays on his own mouthpieces...
The two Kanter facings I have are numbers no.687 A and 1049 A facing, the blanks are marked with his name- and say made in France beside the lay. I like the way these mouthpieces play and one is slightly more resistant than the other....the tendency I note is play very evenly with stable focus in the sound....If you do have themn worked on be sure you get a very fine job done and they should last quite a long time
The two I have play beautifully still and are excellent in terms of projection and voicing. I prefer these over the Kaspar model 13 and 14s which I currently own.
Sincerely
David Dow
Symphony Nb Canada
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RW
Date: 2002-12-17 17:33
I did notice when I visited Mr. Kanter that he sands the backs of his reeds, what exactly he did, I can't say. Of all the Kanter mouthpieces I have, all are very reed friendly and responsive. I would be very careful with who you send it to for refacing. I have made the mistake of taking a Kanter to someone that refaced closer more traditional mouthpieces, boy that was bad. Unfortunately there is nobody out there that specializes in Kanters style facings. If you really desire it to be fixed, maybe find a good refacer and sit with them in person, tell them the problem and see if they can do some small adjustments without altering the overall facing. I have to say that Jim Kanter is one of the finest clarinetists out there today, and his mouthpieces reflect that. I have never played a better mouthpiece than the Kanters. Its too bad that he doesn't make them anymore.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jon Usher
Date: 2002-12-17 17:42
I doubt there is anything wrong with my mouthpieces. They've both been measured and seem to check out. They're well made and well taken care of. I was just curious what reeds and reed preparation they were designed around so that I can eliminate as much trial and error as possible.
Thanks!
-Jon
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
