 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: PaulW
Date: 2023-02-05 01:21
Attachment: Mouthpiece GJ1.jpeg (719k)
Attachment: Mouthpiece GJ2.jpeg (747k)
Attachment: Selmer HS**.jpeg (750k)
Hello to all. Can someone share their general knowledge of this mouthpiece. I am now rediscovering the clarinet playing fragment of my life; I played from age 12 to 30. I never really knew or cared much about the model of mouthpiece I used (50 years ago), I just used whatever my mentor recommended (required).
Now that I am reawakening, I am interested mouthpieces I have, not the value, but just a little history if there is one. I did play (and am now playing) a mouthpiece labeled in script "Geo Jenney" and Penzel-Mueller, New York. I remember migrating to this from a Selmer HS**, but I don't know why.
Thanks to all,
Paul
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Author: NOLA Ken
Date: 2023-02-06 07:42
Search this bulletin board for George Jenny. There's quite a bit on him. You can start with:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=336816&t=336796
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Author: Chris Sereque
Date: 2023-02-06 21:49
Robert McGinnis (ex-Principal NY Phil) sold me one of these when he taught at Indiana University around 1963 or so. He knew George Jenney, a NY mouthpiece guy. The one you have is probably older, since it appears to have been made by Penzel-Mueller, a clarinet maker. I remember it as being a free-blowing mtpc with nice response.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2023-02-07 02:02
I have one around here someplace, it was a step-up mouthpiece for me courtesy of my teacher at the time (late 50s, early 60s). I haven't played it in ages, but it served me very well till I bought an R13 and moved to a Borbeck.
I don't see George Jenney mouthpieces showing up at all among the auctions for the real classic mouthpieces (Kaspars and the like) but for a young student it was what the doctor ordered.
George Jenney, I believe, was a well known reed player in & around NYC. His brother, Jack Jenney, played trombone in the legendary Benny Goodman band in the 30s.
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Author: PaulW
Date: 2023-02-07 05:47
Thanks for the info Doug. I use/d the Geo Jenney with my BC20.
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Author: PaulW
Date: 2023-02-07 05:51
Hello Ken. My goodness - there is a wealth of information at that link! Thanks.
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Author: NOLA Ken
Date: 2023-02-07 19:32
Paul,
I actually have one like yours but with the guilding still intact. I also have one that I'm guessing was made after he went out on his own, as it simply has "Jenny" in very small script inscribed on the side. Both are inscribed with 3L on the side, and both were bought off of that auction site during a GAS attack. I must admit that I haven't done much with either but will get around to trying them shortly. I'm having another fit of experimentation, and this may motivate me.
- Ken
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Author: NOLA Ken
Date: 2023-02-08 20:44
Paul, I'm a late-life returner like yourself. This bulletin board has been a great guide to my re-developing my acquaintance with clarinets.
I'm curious about what clarinet you were playing the Geo. Jenny mpc on.
I tried both of my Jennys on three clarinets: a Ridenour Lyrique Libertas and an old 1961 R13 (both small polycylindrical bore), and a Leblanc Pete Fountain model (large cylindrical bore). I don't have the tools to measure the facings to know what the 3L markings mean (although the auction listing for the Jenny 3L stated that it has a 1.27mm tip). But both of these mpcs seem to play better for me on softer reeds than my usual 3-3.5. They will sort of play with max #3, but much better with softer reeds. The Penzel Mueller model seems very unrefined but played best on the Pete Fountain and poorly on the Libertas and very poorly on the R13. The one marked simply "Jenny" in small script on the side turned out to be a real gem on the large bore Pete Fountain with a #2 reed - possibly the best hard rubber mpc I have for that instrument and sound concept (and I have A LOT of mpcs in my drawer). It wasn't bad on the two smaller bore instruments, but it really shines on the Pete Fountain for jazz.
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Author: PaulW
Date: 2023-02-09 01:36
Hello Ken.
The Geo Jenney mpc is used on my Buffet Crampon BC20 clarinet. The clarinet was purchased new in the late 60s at the factory in Paris by my mentor, Herbert Handman.
The long story:
Herb was going back to Paris to get himself another clarinet and he told my dad that I should be playing a professional model - my dad agreed to foot the bill, but refused to pay for a Buffet clarinet case - too expensive! Instead, the clarinet was housed in a LeBlanc student clarinet case (to my everlasting chagrin).
When I was a kid, I often looked at those fancy Buffet attache cases and wished I had one. Now that I can buy such a case, I'm not sure if I want to.
As a young man, the instrument in that clarinet case took me to many places where I lived some astonishing moments. The LeBlanc case has history, my history; it paid its dues as recorded in its scuff marks - a new Buffet case might never earn its place.
Back to the question - the Geo Jenney was used on my BC20. I use a plastic inverted Luyben ligature. The reeds that I still have are Buffet Crampon 3.5 strength and LaVoz MH.
Paul
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