 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: allencole
Date: 2009-11-07 19:24
Over the last 10 years or so, I've really settled into the Portnoy BP02. I really like its focus, particularly in the throat register and its reed friendliness. But now that Bernard Portnoy is no longer with us, I'm concerned about quality and availability over the long term.
Have any other Portnoy users looked around and found anything with simlilar characteristics? Sooner or later, I'm going to be in the market for something...
Allen Cole
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2009-11-07 20:38
Allen -
I studied with Bernard Portnoy at Interlochen in 1961. He was finishing up work on his mouthpiece, and I got a prototype, which I played for several years. He told me it was designed by Robert Miller and that the prototypes were hand-made by Miller.
I'm 99% sure that when the design was finished and started being sold commercially, they were machine-made and not hand-finished, or at least not finished by Portnoy, who, as far as I know, did not work on mouthpieces himself.
Thus I don't think BP's death will have any effect on the quality of the mouthpieces. They'll be sold for as long as people buy them. If you want to stick with the design, I'd buy half a dozen or so.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2009-11-08 00:30
Allen and Ken,
I have an original BP02 that still plays great; the sounds is huge. It is one with the two ligature lines. I also have several others and as you probably guessed, each plays a little differently. As backups, I had several Stowell Wells Schneider 2s from about the same period. Very nice MP but not quite as reed friendly.
Currently, I play a VD B45 that I got off a $25 clarinet at a wholesalers closeout. Although it has a very tiny chip in the tip, I really projects and has a nice ring.
I know both of us are doublers and I would pretty well stand by both of these MPs as backups for your BP02. A Buffet C Crown is also in my case if needed. I really do not see the need to spend a whole lot of money on a mouthpiece
HRL
PS I have several Portnoy ligatures. Too bad that they are not as good as my old Luyben or customized Gigliotti.
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Author: Pappy
Date: 2009-11-08 02:15
I studied with him at Indiana. His mouthpieces were definitely machine made. Still love them today - I have some students who use them as well. I don't see any evidence that the quality has diminished. He regularly corresponded with many of us old students by e-mail until his death. I never knew him to work on mouthpieces either.
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2009-11-08 04:11
I own an old BP02 that I paid $25 for, it was one of two that I tried. The newer BP02 was definitely inferior to the older one. There are no ligature lines on mine and the BP02 is barely visible.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-11-08 15:10
Though I no longer have it I did play a Portnoy for about a year while in college. He was our coach for the National Orchestral Ass. when it was in NY and rehearsed twice a week. We met with Portnoy a few times a month with just the clarinet section for a sectional. That was the year he began making his mouthpiece and at one of our sectionals he received a shipment of his mouthpieces and asked if we want to try them. He played about a dozen of them first and put most of those in his "rejection" box. Then he let us try the few he thought good. He didn't actually make them or even tweak them once they were done. I think that's common practice for many "personal" mouthpieces not actually made by the person whose name is on it. They help develop it to their specifications and that's pretty much the end of it, in most cases at least. I also used a Blayman mouthpiece at one time, he too began making his when I was a student, he was my woodwind quintet coach for a year. I believe he did it the same way. Once it went into production he had nothing, or very little, to do with them unless you ordered them directly from him in which case he would put any tip opening you requested. Look at what happened with the Marculles mouthpiece. Everyone had such big expectations for that when it came out but there seemed to be very little quality control. I doubt he play tested or adjusted them before they were put it the stores. Larry Combs is still with us, someone should ask him how many he play tested and tweaked before allowing them to be sold through the stores.
ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: William
Date: 2009-11-08 16:05
I once bought a mouthpiece from Robert Miller (Milwaukee) who said, "This is the only mouthpiece you will ever need". I sold it opting for my Chicago Kaspar.
Bernard Portnoy told me that "eventually, you will always sound like yourself no matter what mouthpiece you play." At his Chicago Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic booth.
The last time I met Larry Combs, he was playing a mouthpiece made for him by Richard Hawkins. He said that he quit using the LC mouthpiecies because of "bad quality control" by Leblanc.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2009-11-08 18:02
Ed,
Larry Combs is "still with us." Wow, I'm older than he is so you better ask me any question while I am still around. LLLLOL.
Anyhow, I do not know of the two ligature lines make any difference in the production period. But my guess is since I got this MP in the late 60s or so and it had the two lines and now there are no ligature lines, that may be a de facto date stamp.
HRL
PS Pappy, I will start working for that new employer soon so we will be able to grab a bite at Shapiro's sometime.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-11-09 01:14
Hank, what I meant about Larry still being with us is that the others I mentioned in my post are not, I'm no kid myself. Let's hope you, me and Larry are around for a long time to come. He only has me beat by a few years. We played together many many years ago in a summer job. I've even done the Brahms Trio with his daughter a number of years ago, she's a cellist. I don't know what that has to do with anything but I thought I'd throw that in anyway. Take care, ESP
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2009-11-09 02:43
Ed,
No explanation needed and I got a good laugh out of it. I do have long life on both sides of my family so I'm hopeful that I'll be a round for a long time.
L'chaim!
HRL
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