 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-01-31 20:30
I have a question about a stock mouthpiece and its usefulness for a beginner after I made some modifications. Here Goes:
Several months ago I bought a student model Olds clarinet for outdoor use. The stock mouth piece was chipped a little on the tip, but the rails and table were nearly perfect. So what the heck, even tho I have never done this, I have nothing to lose. So I gently sanded the facing tip until the chips were gone, and blended it into the rails by sanding for the length of approximately one cm from the tip <edit>. I also had to sand gently accross the top of the tip to eliminate a chip there. I took care to preserve the original shape/ curve of the tip. All sanding was done by dragging the mouthpiece across 350 and 600 grit paper laying on a flat Isurface (the same one I use for sanding reeds). It is clearly a little more open now than before.
Final specs (I am not sure I am always usiIng the correct terms):
First: NEMC is stamped on the back, B45 is stamped on the side.
Tip opening:Reed distance from tip is approximately 1.5 mm
Facing: From tip of mouthpiece to where reed meets the rails: 20 mm
Beak length (top): 34 mm
Window opening length: 32 mm, width 8 mm
Rail width varies, 1 mm +/-, left side appears to be a hair wider
Table length: 41 mm
Bore: 45 mm
I put an easily playable Mitchell Lurie 3.5 reed on it (probably adjusted down to a 3), and it played very easily, and very loudly on first blow (I am used to a more closed facing) . The tone was above average, much better than I expected from a beginner mpc. Running through the scales I got all the notes, the notes above upper C (above the staff) took a little more mouth adjustment, but I was able to play them. My first thought it that it might be a good mouthpiece to start my 8 year granddaughter on until she's ready for a Fobes or Hite beginner piece.
First, what does it appear I have after my amateur modifications? (Any comparisons come to mind?)
How likely is it that this is still a good beginners mouthpiece?
What would be a good reed strength to use with this mouth piece - for a beginner? for myself? (I generally use 3 -3.5 on 5RV lyre or M13 lyre).
Does this mouthpiece imitate the Vandoren B45? If not, to what can it be compared (before my modifications)?
Thanks for any response
Laurie / LJ
(Mr. Laurie J. Braaten)
Laurie (he/him)
Post Edited (2012-02-01 15:30)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: donald
Date: 2012-02-01 01:27
1cm?????? or 1mm? One centimetre is a huge measurement in mouthpiece land...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-02-01 02:45
Donald, that would be some open mouthpiece! I see how it could be read tbat way. What I meant is that when I sanded the rails, I only sanded on the top 1 cm. By "down" I meant length (down) from the top, not depth. I probably took less than .5 mm depth off the rails. I'll edit to try and clarify.
LJ
Laurie (he/him)
Post Edited (2012-02-01 16:31)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2012-02-01 16:07
IMO if it works , you did a good job.
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-02-01 22:44
You may wish to buy the facing gauges and the glass from babbit. Nice folks there. Maybe ask for Jim Green.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
