RPC Bites the Dust

Al Stevens

Al Stevens

My favorite tenor mouthpiece, the RPC 115R bit the dust today. It slipped out of my hand while I was installing a reed and hit the concrete floor.

It's on the workbench now waiting for the epoxy to set up. I don't know if this is going to work.

:cry::cry::cry:
 
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Ooch! :emoji_astonished: :cry:
 
Gandalfe said:
It's like losing an old friend. :-(
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I'll say. I cannot type here the many words I spake when I picked it up and saw the break. T'would make a drummer blush.

Then it took a while to find the broken-off piece on the floor in this dust bin I call a studio. I uttered more words during that search. This close to Mother's Day, too. I was taught better.

The repair seems to be setting up well. I'm going leave it untouched overnight. I'll probably have to fine sand some of the epoxy residue off the bite plate. Or put on a (ugh!) patch. Then the test will be whether it can take the pressures of playing, whether I bite it off during a frantic passage. Maybe swallow it. "Hey, George, the sax player needs a Heimlich!"

That was one sweet-playing piece.
 
I've repaired a few tips in the way in which you are attempting. They're successful more often than not. I would try to remove the epoxy with some 400 grit sand paper that you have made slightly wet. Once you have it removed then move on to 800 or 1000 grit paper (again wet). Use a tooth patch and hope for the best.

I would probably see if Ron can make you a replacement just in case the epoxy doesn't hold long term.
 
I've been playing it all morning, and it seems to be holding up. I take back all those words I said yesterday. For now.

I will always have a spare peashooter in the case, however.

Lesson: Never handle a rubber piece while standing on concrete. I knew that, but, well, one gets in a hurry. Carpet is best. I'm looking for a carpet remnant I can put down in the practice area. Or some of that stuff they foam runways with.
 
Good to hear that the repair took.

I did this type of repair on a Larry Combs LC1 for my tech and he said the piece played better after I fixed the tip than it did before he dropped it.
 
Al, sorry to hear about your mouthpiece bummer. Hope that the repair holds up. I've seen success with this type of repair in the past, so hopefully you will be ok.

My mouthpiece is an alto hard rubber Otto Link 7*. The logo is worn off of the top, but I can still make out the O, and from the angle of it's position, it seems to be a slant signature. I bought it new back in the '70s, and I've been playing it exclusively since 1980 or '81. So I'm very careful about how I handle it. My main concern is keeping the cork well greased so that the thing dosen't crack when I slide it onto the cork. My teeth will probably come through the top at some point, so I have too start checking around for a replacement.

James Carter has greedy eyes for a mint 10* metal Lawton that I own, and tells me that he's got a few nice old Links that may suit me. So I'll see what transpires.



Julian
 
I played a jazz gig with a trio last night. The pasted-together RPC held up just fine.

In anticipation of it not working, I went through the mouthpiece drawer yesterday looking for a likely replacement. I have a Ponzol ML 110 that I'd forgotten about. It would do. It is similar to the RPC in that it can be bright or dark at the player's whim. And it would probably survive a fall.
 
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