 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Gouffre
Date: 2016-12-22 21:53
Based on recommendations I recently bought a Clark Fobes Debut for my Selmer Bundy bass. It wobbled in the tenon and I took it to a wind repair shop for recorking. I forget the details of what the tech told me but the gist of it was that the mouthpiece was designed for a different type of tenon (he mentioned a manufacturer) and there was not much he could do. He recorked it but it's still a little loose. Is this a common issue and how does one negotiate it? I couldn't find any search results here on mouthpiece tenon "standards", as it were.
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2016-12-22 21:59
There is nothing wrong with recorking a mouthpiece that is too loose. If your repairman won't recork it then find one who will.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: Gouffre
Date: 2016-12-22 22:16
He did recork it. He expressed his doubt on whether it'll work out, I told him to do what he can, he did, and the result doesn't quite work out.
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2016-12-22 22:17
I've never heard of different sizes for bass mouthpieces. Try wrapping some teflon tape around the cork.... the kind used in plumbing to see if that tightens things up.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-12-22 22:25
Most bass mouthpiece tenons are a lot narrower in diameter compared to the sockets on most basses and they have a considerably short tenon relative to their size, so the result is they often rock in the crook sockets on basses. Same can be said for most mouthpieces so they will fit the majority of clarinets.
One thing you can have done is have the cork left straight sided but chamfered at the front edge so it won't get torn off during assembly. The straight sides will help stability but won't eliminate it.
The only real solution is to sleeve the tenon to make it a better fit in the socket so it no longer rocks, then the cork strip can be made much narrower and barrel shaped. But that will be expensive.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2016-12-22 22:34
When you say it's a little loose do you mean that it rocks in the socket or that it falls out easily?
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2016-12-22 22:35
I tried a Forbes bass mouthpiece in my Vito Bass and it wobbled also. It was 1 mm smaller in diameter than the socket, and I doubted that a thicker cork would help. I was able to return it to the retailer who swapped it for a George Bundy no. 3 hard rubber piece which fitted perfectly.
Alan
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Author: Gouffre
Date: 2016-12-22 23:00
Attachment: fobes.png (792k)
jdbassplayer, it rocks in the socket. Attached is a picture of how much. Frankly I don't know if it's anything to be bothered about!
Post Edited (2016-12-22 23:01)
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2016-12-23 00:12
Attachment: BayBassCork.JPG (1235k)
My Bay bass mouthpiece, as seen in the photo, has the cork covering more of the tenon than usual. I believe I have seen other Bay bass mouthpieces done this way. Should be a pretty straightforward modification that would reduce wobble.
John
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2016-12-23 00:47
Thanks for the picture, I understand the problem now. You could have a repairman fashion an endcap for the mouthpiece, either out to metal or a plastic such as Delrin. For a less permanent solution I've also seen a strip of cork glued around the very end of the socket.
Whether it's to be bothered about depends on wether it's affecting your playing. If the mouthpiece is moving and causing you to play poorly then it might be worth modifying the mouthpiece. But if it works and it isn't affecting your playing then it may not be worth the trouble to fix it. To be honest my first bass clarinet was a Selmer Bundy and I also remember having trouble finding a mouthpiece that fit. Eventually I just decided that I would live with the mouthpiece I had until I upgraded my instrument, which I did a few years later. Ironically my new instrument had the exact opposite problem where the socket was to small... but I digress.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2016-12-23 00:48
Have you tried asking Clark Fobes what he can tell you about this? He advertises here on woodwind.org - click on the link to Mouthpieces and Barrels along the right side of this web page to find him. If you email or phone him, he may have something to suggest. Clark is a very knowledgeable, personable and helpful guy.
Karl
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2016-12-23 02:02
Sand the tenon cork even with the mouthpiece and put another (thin) layer over the entire tenon.
Steve Ocone
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2016-12-23 02:30
I've used a Fobes Nova on a Bundy and didn't experience any anomalies - maybe the Debut has slightly different dimensions. I think I'd go with Steven's suggestion to glue a thin layer of cork over the whole shebang.
If you want a more permanent solution (the cork will inevitably tear one day), use 2-component epoxy, drench some sewing thread in it and then wind it in clean adjacent rounds around the mouthpiece's (uncorked) tenon shoulders (degrease them first and rough them up with some sandpaper so the epoxy binds well). Cure thoroughly, then sand down as needed (with an 1mm gap there shouldn't be much to sand).
--
Ben
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2016-12-23 19:42
Thicker cork.
Or Teflon (plumbers/pipe) tape around the existing cork.
Jeez, folks, it ain't rocket science!
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Author: Gouffre
Date: 2016-12-23 21:14
Aye, it's plumbing! And I'm not a plumber... Thanks to everyone for the advice!
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Author: jbutler ★2017
Date: 2016-12-24 05:57
I second Steve's suggestion. Did you take the mouthpiece and the neck to the repairer so they could make a correct fit? I would not cork a mouthpiece without the barrel or neck to make sure there was a correct fit.
Jbutler
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2016-12-24 17:01
Steve's suggestion is good and inexpensive. With so much play in the tenon itself, thicker cork would likely be very difficult to assemble and you'd still feel some wobble.
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-12-25 08:20
I've had that problem too. If teflon plumbers tape comes off, try "blue" masking tape once or twice around the very end of the mouthpiece tenon where there is no cork. Wipe the cork grease off the uncorked end of the tenon first with widow cleaner or something. Use regular blue tape, not the kind with the "no bleed" edges. Match the edge of the tape to the edge of the cork, and let the rest hang off the end of the tenon. Pull as you go around the tenon, wrapping it tight. Cut the excess off with a razor blade (carefully). You may have to try a couple times to get the right fit. Blue tape has less adhesive than regular masking tape. It doesn't get messy or "permastick" when you leave it on. It also has a waxier surface, and will stretch a bit to make it tight. It will fall off after a while, but it's easy to re-do, until you have a permanent solution.
- Matthew Simington
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