Son is going to begin playing a contra alto clarinet need a mouthpiece ?

[cmcaceres1]

The school is lending him the Selmer Paris Model 40 contra alto clarinet but he need to buy the mouth piece. Unfortunately. I have only seen the selmer paris standard model which is over my price range at this moment. Can you please tell me if the Bundy Contra-Alto Clarinet Mouthpiece model 204 #3 is the same size as the standard. I know the quality is not the same but I cannot afford the selmer brand and this is the first year he starts playing this instrument. He has played a normal clarinet since 7th grade.
I don't know anything about music and I am afraid it might not fit.

 

[Gandalfe]

Last I heard it did, but I don't have one to confirm. Is this at a local store or will you be buying it online? Can you ask the teacher?

 

[SOTSDO]

I theorized that this "use the horn but buy your own mouthpiece" stuff was the reason behind the plethora of harmony clarinet mouthpieces on eBay. Bad news for parents overall, but a good deal for those of us who would like to pick one up at a substantial discount.

 

[jbtsax]

The answer is "yes" they are all a standard size. The cork may need to be sanded to fit the neck. You might also consider the Fobes Debut Conta mouthpiece $78 or if you can afford it the Leblanc B5 $165. Both are available at WWBW.com.

 

[pete]

I agree with jbt: unless you have an excessively odd contra alto -- and the Selmer isn't "excessively odd" -- any standard contra alto should fit.

(The "excessively odd" one I'm thinking of is the Linton.)

I would also agree with jbt to try to get a better mouthpiece, if at all possible.

 

[Gandalfe]

Well the Leblanc paperclip CBC and CAC take larger pieces than the standard straight ones.

 

[pete]

Well the Leblanc paperclip CBC and CAC take larger pieces than the standard straight ones.

Really? I wasn't aware of that and I played a Leblanc contrabass. With a Leblanc mouthpiece, tho.

Then again, someone might consider Leblanc "excessively odd" .

 

[Gandalfe]

Yup, my first one from Walter was the 'standard' size even though I'd spec'd it as a paperclip. The replacement was bigger and fit.

 

[clarnibass]

Yup, my first one from Walter was the 'standard' size even though I'd spec'd it as a paperclip.

I assume you mean it was too small? In that case, did you try it on a non-paperclip and know for sure it would fit that, and not be too small on that too?

 

[Gandalfe]

Actually no, as Walter told me about the different mouthpiece sized for the standard, if a CBC can ever be considered standard, and the larger mouthpiece required for the Leblanc.

 

[Heckelphone]

Contra experience

Basically, there are three different bore diameters, in ascending order: the Selmer (& Bundy) Eb contra, the Leblanc & Vito Eb and Bb contras (they're all the same), and the Selmer Bb contra. My experience is that the Leblanc mpc will *fit* on a Selmer Eb contra, but that it won't work as well as a mpc designed for the Selmer bore. I use a Clark Fobes mpc on my Buescher Eb contra (a Bundy stencil), and another on my Leblanc Bb contra: it just happens that Clark makes his Eb mpc to fit the Selmer Eb contra, and the Bb contra mpc to fit the Leblanc (probably the most popular versions of each horn). My understanding is that the Debut mpcs are the same dimensions as the San Francisco line, just made of a different material. I think you'd be perfectly happy with the Debut.

Enjoy!

Grant