 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2025-05-27 14:14
Attachment: Backun Protege bass mp.jpg (110k)
Attached is a picture of a Backun Protégé bass mouthpiece, with two small dents on the tip rail. As can be seen, they go from the outer edge to about half of the width of the rail, and thus not all the way to the inner edge.
Would you at all be concerned about these scratches, in terms of possible effects on playability or causing other practical issues - either in short or long term?
This mp accompanied a new Backun Alpha bass.
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Author: Michael E. Shultz
Date: 2025-05-27 14:48
I would be. The dents are half the thickness of the tip rail, and the reed needs to seal perfectly on the tip and side rails.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2025-05-27 16:06
I'd say there is no cause for concern. I am not in agreement with the notion that "perfect seal" is a concept that has meaning for a mouthpiece/reed system. The reed's vibration sets the air column within the instrument into vibration. It is THERE, within the instrument that you want "leakless" containment. If a seal where required at the mouthpiece, any leak around your embouchure would shut down the sound and we all know that's not the case.
I'm solidly in the "how does it play?" camp
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-05-27 16:07
They can always be flattened down, but have someone experienced in refacing mouthpieces do that before taking a bastard file to it.
The whole point of the rails being free from defects is to allow the reed to fully close against the facing when the reed is set in motion to work at its most efficient. Any nicks or bumps on the rails will cause a leak which will make things harder work and won't do your reeds much good.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2025-05-27 16:12)
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Author: RBlack
Date: 2025-05-28 04:20
It will certainly be playable. I personally feel like any issues caused by this small defect will be overshadowed by the fact that it’s a student mouthpiece. Play it for now, and then try out some intermediate/pro mouthpieces when you’re ready for more.
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-05-28 14:45
Yes of course those will negatively affect playability, but luckily they can be easily flattened using plain copy paper, no need for files or sandpaper. The mouthpiece will play better once the rails are flattened though the difference will be slight. If those nicks were more out to either side they'd be more likely to create squeaks and whistles but in the middle they'll mostly compromise the clarity of tone at lower dynamics (and make your response uneven).
What does need a bit of work with a file is that right hand side rail- it doesn't match the left side and needs the rail thickness/profile to match the left. Again, how it is now it will make only a small difference, but there will be a negative effect on response.
Remember- the better you get, the more you're chasing small improvements, and big results will culminate from a collection of smaller results.
Post Edited (2025-05-28 15:50)
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Author: Doug Leach
Date: 2025-05-29 04:43
I've seen videos of Brad Behn removing, or smoothing, dents such as these by flaring the flame of a Bic, or similar, lighter back and forth over the dents. Smooths them out completely. Unfortunately these videos were on his Facebook site, where unfortunately older video seem hard to find.
Doug
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Author: paulyb
Date: 2025-05-29 12:31
Very careful application of heat can work to remove dents in hard rubber mouthpieces but it doesn't usually work with plastic or resin (which can char under the heat depending on the composition).
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-05-29 22:52
You're safest having it burnished out than using any other method.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-05-30 00:07
Yeah no real advantage to the heat method here, a simple "smoothing pass" (but using either paper or the back of the sandpaper) will do the trick in 30sec. Any competent refacer will know what I'm talking about. If you don't know don't do it (don't want the tip rail rounded etc)
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