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Re: Vintage, or Vintage Clone?

Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2006-01-02 03:03

I'm afraid that I do not attach the same spiritual significance in the use of the tools in my job as Greg Smith but my observations, first hand, of some of the great modern mouthpiece makers - Gregory Smith, Richard Hawkins, Michael Lomax, Grabner, Redwine, Pyne, Behn (not an inclusive list to be sure) leads me to believe that they have a special talent. I have studied the mouthpiece variables - some of which I probably have not discerned - and have come to the conclusion that at present there is not way of modeling, in a mathematical way, the interactions of these variables in mouthpiece performance. I call it black magic because I have no way to explain it with my knowledge, but it is a true art form taken to a very high level. Perhaps there were masters of old that did it better or had rubber formulations unavailable to current makers to make classic mouthpieces. Perhaps aging of the rubber has given it special acoustic properties? For the great majority of players these current masters perform a great service and offer the best available mouthpieces in our time. Most of us will not be able to afford or even adequately evaluate a great classic mouthpiece.

I have seen these mouthpiece artisans sit across from a player and sand a little here, gouge a little there until the mouthpiece was the best for the clarinetist sitting across from them. There are measuring tools to be sure but those final adjustments are pure art and some talented and experienced judgment decisions.

I believe those seasoned and talented professionals that say that the classics are the best but can not help but wonder if it is nature or nurture - is the sound and familiarity with a given mouthpiece patterned into their minds so firmly that others never quite match the same pattern? I have a good ear for tone but not the talent or proficiency to make a judgment myself.
L. Omar Henderson

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Vintage, or Vintage Clone? new

Brenda Siewert

2005-12-29 15:16