 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Rale
Date: 2016-03-13 15:25
I am considering to buy a Rico graftonite cl B5 clarinet mouthpiece. I need your opinion about this type of mpc, and if it is good, which one i should buy. B3, B5, or B7.
Thanks
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony F
Date: 2016-03-13 16:10
Personally I find the Rico Graftonite mouthpieces to be almost unplayable. That being said, the B5 is, for me, the least unplayable. I'd suggest either a Fobes Debut or a Hite Premier. Neither will cost you a great deal and they are both vastly better choices than the Graftonites.
Tony F.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2016-03-13 17:23
The Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces have to be the ABSOLUTE WORST clarinet mouthpieces ever offered for sale, anytime, anywhere, any century.
When first marketed in 1986, they were given out by the thousands - free to band directors, most of whom immediately threw them in the trash.
(I had thought I got rid of all of mine - but just noticed I still have 4 new ones on the shelf in my studio. I truly hope they are not multiplying)
They were Made from Graftonite™ - a graphite/rubber compound.
They should have left the graphite in the pencils.
Thick rails, thick tip, very resistant blowing, badly designed facings (the A7 had a tip opening of 1.40 and a facing length of 20mm), raised reed table, thin sound - nothing good whatsoever about them, except that they were (sadly) indestructable and impossible to reface.
Toss it in the landfill where it belongs.
I think that the the half-life of lead is 22 years.
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Rale
Date: 2016-03-13 17:44
Thank you for answer. I will skip this mouthpiece.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mojo
Date: 2016-03-13 21:17
They can be refaced. But I would not recommend the cost or effort.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2016-03-14 00:25
The Rico Graftonite for clarinet is absolutely terrible. Avoid it!
If keeping costs to a minimum is your primary concern, the Bari Esprit is a much better choice than the Graftonite, and costs even less.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2016-03-14 05:54
How come GBK is allowed to reuse an old post of his but when I tried it some time back I was informed that it is not allowed and it was deleted.
However , his comments concerning the Rico mouthpieces are spot on.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2016-03-14 06:32
Barry -
I used my comments from 5 years ago since newer bulletin board users probably never saw them before.
Yes, I could have linked the entire old thread from 2011, but often we find that users never click on the link and/or read older thread.
Just like they often fail to search the archives for previous answers.
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-03-14 10:39
Laughing here... Arnold Brilhart designed it. Took perhaps 15 years. They are indeed unplayable. Here's the good news. When I was at Rico, the owners at the company asked me if I could get them to play after 15 years. Long story short - yes. I have to reface them and fix the baffle behind the tip and they become a decent student mouthpiece. The problem for Rico was they would need to make a new facing machine and make new molds. I think the molder was kind of a creep. The cost to start over was just too high.
I'm actually playing on an alto sax mouthpiece which I worked on for a few weeks. I like it! The Meyer mouthpieces are darker sounding, but this mouthpiece is bright and a screamer for jazz and rock playing.
[ Edited - GBK ]
My buddy Arnold had good intentions and interesting ideas, but the people involved failed to make designs correct. He did OK, wasn't his fault. He was a good man and we had lots of great lunch breaks at work. His wife was also a sweetie. We all had dinner a few times. He wouldn't ever let anyone pay for the meals. He didn't drink booze. Died around 95 I think. Even in his early 90's he could sight read with the very best. He never made a mistake!
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
