Author: RWodkowski
Date: 2021-11-11 00:15
I have worked with more pre-war 1010 and post war mouthpieces than most, so I think I can comment here.
Pre-war mouthpieces made by B&H had a variety of markings. Those that came with a clarinet had that instruments serial number stamped on it. Some did not and were purchased individually, and had their facing number. Others had nothing, just the old B & H script.
The facings that were standard with the pre-war designs were BM1, BM2 and BM3. I have seen others but forget what they were. According to the adverts, which I can safely say is mostly true, they had the same sort of tip openings, but different lengths. These early mouthpieces were very different designs compared to the later post 1950 mouthpieces.
Around the time of the B & H makeover, near to 1950, we started to see different facing styles, and eventually the 1, 2 and 3 as they came to be known. Those had very different facings from each, from close to more open. Boosey stopped stamping the serial numbers into the mouthpieces, and were using French made blanks.
Graham is correct, the 593 was a cheaper version. Some earlier examples were just like a 926 mpc, while others were made from cheaper materials.
From my many years living in London, working as a professional player and working with many with their mouthpieces, I can safely say that very few if any use the B&H mouthpieces today. The quality of facing was quite haphazard, and internal work could be horrendous. But, in good working order they are fine mouthpieces, you just have to find one and have it worked on properly. I believe the last major professional to use B&H mpcs in London was Tony Lamb, principal of the ENO. I worked on many of these for him, for use with his 1010 clarinets.
R Wodkowski
Post Edited (2021-11-11 00:16)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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