 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: papergates
Date: 2020-12-19 07:57
I've been playing a Vandoren B50 on bass clarinet for about six years. It's my favorite mouthpiece I've ever owned, to the point where I'd never even consider trying anything else. I had a hole drilled in mine for a Little Jake bassoon pickup which has been filled with poster putty for a few years now (I switched to a pickup which is attached to the ligature).
I recently picked up a second B50, figuring that an unmodified mouthpiece might be better. I've had it for about a week, and... it's terrible.
Comparing it to my old mouthpiece visually, it's pretty different. The rails are much thicker, as is the tip. The window is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. The beak of the mouthpiece is slightly narrower (I can feel the sides of the reed when playing.) The table is narrower overall and shaped differently at the bottom. Also, the rings around the middle- that line up approximately with the top of the ligature- which are painted gold on my old B50 and both of my Bb clarinet mouthpieces- aren't painted.
As far as sound and feel goes, it's much less responsive. It's resistant and just cuts out sometimes. The tone feels harsher.
Anyone know what's up? Have they changed the design? I got it B-stock from WWBW. I don't know if anybody's counterfeiting Vandoren mouthpieces, but if they are, perhaps someone ordered the real thing, put a fake in the box, and returned it?
Vandoren doesn't have an email for customer support and their offices seem to be closed until January 4th. I figured someone here might have some information. It'd be a real shame if this is just how they are now. It was perfect before. And if they did... anybody have a B50 circa 2014 they're not using?
Post Edited (2020-12-21 06:03)
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2020-12-20 18:53
I don’t know whether the design has changed, but with my Vandoren B50 I wasn’t completely happy with it until I thinned the tip rail. It’s a very simple modification but it made the mouthpiece significantly better. Maybe your old mouthpiece was worked on before you got it? If you don’t like the mouthpiece anyway and have no option to return it you could even try it yourself with some fine needle files if you are good with your hands, although for best results I would probably send it off to an expert.
-JDbassplayer
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Author: tdufka
Date: 2020-12-21 05:39
JDbassplayer, would it be possible to post a photo showing where you removed the material, and a description of how much you removed? I have a later B50 and the tip rail is awfully thick...
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2020-12-21 18:52
Yes, when I get a chance I will post a picture of it next to an unmodified B50. I only removed material from the inner edge for the tip rail, I don’t have the mouthpiece in front of me but if I remember correctly the tip rail is now about half as thick as it was. I was careful to match the angle of the baffle, although a rollover baffle may be desirable for some players. For the side rails I only put a very light bevel on the inner edge. The rails are still almost as thick as they were, as I’ve heard that thinning the side rails too much can ruin tone. A bevel on the rail is common on mouthpieces as it is a way to make the rails thinner without significantly affecting the volume of the chamber which is important for intonation. I also opened up the upper edges of the throat where the chamber meets the bore a bit, although this was probably unnecessary.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2020-12-21 23:09
All of these issues can be fixed, matched with your main model. Simply have it refaced, redone.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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