 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: as9934
Date: 2014-11-03 22:38
What is you guys' opinion of the old brilhart mouthpieces? Im considering getting one either for clarinet or tenor sax exclusively for jazz playing. What should I look out for? Can I try and get one from the evil auction site that shall not be named?
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Wind Ensemble
Buffet E11 clarinet , Vandoren Masters CL6 13 series mouthpiece w/ Pewter M/O Ligature, Vandoren V12 3.5
Yamaha 200ad clarinet, Vandoren B45 mouthpiece, Rovner ligature
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-03 23:11
Brilhart made several models of mouthpiece, such as the Ebolin, Tonalin, Tonalite, Personaline, Hard Rubber, and Level Aire. Which one(s) are you interested in?
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2014-11-04 17:32
I often use old Brilharts for jazz. If they work for you, they can be great--but a lot of it comes down to how you play, what horn you use, etc.
I've never tried to use a Brilly on a small bore clarinet like a Buffet or Yamaha--the vintage 'pieces were made during the large bore era--Selmer BTs, CTs, and Albert systems; Leblanc Dynamic H, etc. Not sure they would work very well on small polycylindrical bores, but you might give it a shot and see for yourself.
Beware that you don't buy one without a serial number (those are Selmer USA made, and are cheap and terrible, IMO).
Also, beware serial numbers that read like dates in 1967 (example #101167 would indicate the 'piece was made on Oct 11, 1967--this was apparently after Arnold Brilhart sold the design and name to Selmer, who did this type of serial number for a year or so, then dropped it).
5 digit pieces tend to be very good, IMO (some internet sources suggest these were made in Great Neck, NY). The 6 digit mps are said to be from after Brilhart's move to Carlsbad, CA. I have good playing examples from both eras.
There are a (very) few four digit Brilharts as well. I have a couple that are excellent players.
My favorite models are the Ebolin and Tonalin--but I've got a "Special" that plays well too.
Hope this helps a bit. Good luck.
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2014-11-04 17:35
The standard and cheap Special (problably Tonalin and not vintage) does a good job for me.
Always beware when buying mouthpieces without testing them.
Facings vary widely.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2014-11-04 18:26
see Theo Wanne's website:
http://theowanne.com/knowledge/mouthpiece-museum/brilhart
Although the comments are concerning sax mpcs they also pertain to clarinet mpcs. As Theo points out the numbers on these mpcs don't mean much. You will have to try out each one if you can. Also be aware that there is no such thing as a jazz mouthpiece (or a jazz clarinet).
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2014-11-04 20:33
I have a Tonalin that I use on Alto. Works well for me. I also have an old Brilhart that works well for me on big bore clarinets.
Tony F.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-05 04:36
I have two Brilharts for clarinet: a Tonalin 4 with the 4 on the table and a serial in the 21000 range, and an early Selmer-made Ebolin 1 with no serial number that I was able to find in new-old-stock condition.
Both of them work best for me on my slightly resistant, polycylindrical-bore Ridenour 576BC. The lack of inherent resistance in the Brilharts opens up the 576BC, enabling it to project very well with a resonant, sparkling tone. The Tonalin I have is somewhat darker-sounding than the Ebolin.
Altissimo on the Tonalin 4 is a truly risky affair with inconsistent response. The Ebolin 1 is generally well-behaved. I find the response on both to be more squirrely on big-bore, free-blowing instruments such as my Pruefer Festival, Bundy 1400, and B&H 8-10. Seems as though a resistant clarinet evens out the response to some degree.
Being made of plastic, Tonalins and Ebolins are subject to wearing more quickly than hard rubber pieces. I use mouthpiece patches and Rovner ligatures to keep wear at bay.
I haven't tried a Brilhart on sax, but if looking for a Tonalin, inspect the shank carefully for cracks.
Although I find the Brilharts in my collection to be useful pieces for jazz, it's much less work for me to use a modern hard-rubber mouthpiece that presents no ciphers in terms of response.
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