 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Shizzam
Date: 2006-03-20 03:10
I've been playing clarinet for a few years, I'm currently using a 20+ year old Selmer Signet with 3.5 Vandoren reeds. Anyways, when I first bought my clarinet on ebay, I was told by clarinet instructor to just chuck the mouthpiece that came with it away. I kept it as a backup, and I was instead using a Debut mouthpiece that was like 35$ at a local music shop. Well finally, yesterday, I took out my old mouthpiece for the very first time, and there just engraved (it's not even gold anymore) was "Vandoren" and under it was B45. Surprising I guess. I have a few issues with it...
- It smells, I don't know why, there's no mold or anything, it just kind of like burning rubber in a way.
- I noticed the top part is actually slightly wider than my reed, and this is a huge difference compared with my Debut mouthpiece. It just seems that the reed doesn't fit as well onto the mouth piece. It's rounded at the top and everything, but the seal I'm getting with the air doesn't look visually right.
- My tone quality significantly drops in the notes just in higher than lowest C, and lower than middle C. I'm getting a much duller tone, and not matter how hard I try, I can't get nearly as shart as my Debut mouthpiece. Also, to reach the same tone I was getting on my other mouthpiece, I have to put much more pressure on the reed to get that fizzly noice away.
And finally as an unrelated question, is it just me, or do like half the reeds I get in a Vandoren Box of 10 suck much more than the Mitchel Lurie counterparts? I'm not really experience with sanding or cutting, maybe I should begin to learn.
Anyone get similar experiences as me? Than help me out please. Thanks
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2006-03-20 03:35
I personally would prefer a Fobes Debut to a B45. I'd say to follow your teacher's advice, and play the Debut.
If you do decide to play the B45, you could try "The Doctor's Products" mouthpiece cleaner- it will sometimes get rid of that terrible taste/smell. It's what I use when someone sends me a smelly mouthpiece to reface.
Chris
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-03-20 13:48
First of all, based on your comments, you are probably using too hard a reed. Second, not all B45s are identical and since yours is used there might be wear issues involved. I have several B45s and all play, for me, better than my one Debut....go figure. If you really don't care to pursue using the B45 I'd be happy to take that smelly old thing off your hands and I'll give you my relatively new Debut. Oh, Third, perhaps your horn needs servicing.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Shizzam
Date: 2006-03-21 00:47
Too hard of a reed for me, or for the mouth piece? I've been using Vandoren 3.5's for over 8 months now(they are actually a tad stiffer than the strength 4 Mitchel Luries), and they work perfectly fine on my Debut mouthpiece. It was hard to begin to play with them at first when I started the reeds, but now, after a few days of breaking them in, they are just perfect for me. I don't think it's the issue, the notes come perfectly easily. Maybe the mouthpiece makes me percieve that the reed is stiffer, I dunno.
I also agree, that there may or may not be wear on the piece. It is obviously very old, as the gold on the engraved words Vandoren has already dissapeared... No chips on it though, whereas my Debut mouthpiece has two little bunny teeth marks on it...
Yeah, my horn probably does need servicing, I take good care of it, but it hasn't gotten it's little check up for over a year now, minus the cork replacements I a few months back.
Oh well, thanks both of you for the responses.
Shizzam
Edit: Ironically, I found this thread from a while back
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=85658&t=85637
Some of the descriptions of some of the bad mouthpieces kind of match what I've been experiencing. Perhaps I just got a bad nut?
Post Edited (2006-03-21 01:28)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2006-03-21 03:47
For most people, a B45 (which is a more open, resistant mouthpiece than the Debut) will take about 1/2 strength less reed than a Debut. I have both and, while I don't use either regularly, a regular Vandoren 3 1/2 is about right for me with a Debut. With the B45, a regular Vandoren 3 is most comfortable for me.
Best regards,
jnk
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