 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Joeri
Date: 2025-12-20 19:43
Hello fellow clarinetists,
My current clarinet mouthpiece is a Zinner 418K (1.03/18 mm facing).
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to try my teacher's mouthpiece, a Zinner 418*K (418 ‘star’ K, 1.09/18 mm facing), and was very impressed. Since then, I've been searching extensively for this mouthpiece.
Since Zinner mouthpieces are no longer manufactured, this has been very difficult.
Does anyone happen to have a Zinner 418*K? Or does anyone know where I could still get this mouthpiece?
I hope someone can help me. Thanks in advance!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2025-12-24 05:06
For lack of a source for the extinct Zinner line, here is a mouthpiece facing chart from Clark Fobes who is one of the best custom mouthpiece guys around. He has a mouthpiece with a 1.08mm tip opening and a lay length of 18mm called the 3L. His mouthpieces used to be all created from Zinner blanks so he'd probably even be familiar with the 418*K. At very least he'd be able to make it the extra 1mm more open if you wish.........talk to him.
https://www.clarkwfobes.com/pages/mouthpiece-chart
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-12-25 16:27
Copying that facing is relatively easy, i had a Backun "Traditional" which i refaced to those specs (Joshua Rubin now has it), but the challenge is matching which model blank Zinner used (while 3 main designs were readily available in USA, in reality Zinner had dozens of blank designs)
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Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2025-12-26 02:00
donald wrote:
> Copying that facing is relatively easy, i had a Backun
> "Traditional" which i refaced to those specs (Joshua Rubin now
> has it), but the challenge is matching which model blank Zinner
> used (while 3 main designs were readily available in USA, in
> reality Zinner had dozens of blank designs)
Furthermore, some makers like Clark Fobes have extensively reworked his own specs onto the Zinner blanks he once used(whether or not this is ideal depends on personal preferences), while others like Walter Grabner preserved a bit more the original dimensions of whichever Zinner blanks he used. So this is something else to take into account of.
Josh
Post Edited (2025-12-26 02:11)
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-12-26 04:37
Have you tried the D'Addario "Evolution" mouthpiece? it has a facing similar to that (basically, 5RV Lyre with a longer/flatter curve). If you're keen to find a Zinner blank 2nd hand and get that facing applied, try looking for an old "Backun Tradition", they had a 1.09mm tip opening and were basically an unfinished Zinner blank (with the stupid scribe lines carved across the table- this doesn't affect refacing). Flatten the table (don't have to eliminate the scribe lines, just ignore them) and with a good curve these come to life.
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2025-12-26 12:52
Donald. Would you say the lay of the D'Addario Evolution or the 5RV Lyre is 'better'?
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-12-26 23:45
For me personally the 5RV Lyre is a bit stuffy and serves mainly as a blank for refacing. That said- the extra resistance that for ME is a hindrance, for others may provide a helpful level of security against overblowing. The steeper curve makes reeds feel a bit more "springy", helping get a more core in the sound for many students.
For me personally, the Evolution is a more responsive and flexible mouthpiece, but I believe it suits a more "old school" embouchure with less pressure on the reed, rather than the "man vrs reed" style of Sir Williamson and the '90s Pyne revolution. If you like a BD5 you probably won't like an Evolution.
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Author: graham
Date: 2025-12-26 23:46
As you’re in the Netherlands, it may be feasible to go and see Ed Pillinger in North London. In facing terms he does a couple that look similar https://pillingermouthpieces.co.uk/clarinet-facings (though the opening and length are only a part of the equation). Not sure he uses the materials you are interested in, but that may not change the result very much.
graham
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