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What Kind of mouthpiece

Hi All,

I am new to playing the clarinet. Well new as in I haven't played for 40 years. I just got a buffet R13 used and it came with the Buffet f3a. I've hears references to it being as good as a door stop and I tend to agree.

I always used an O'Brian mouthpiece in the past and will probably purchase a used one of a new Selmer. My problem is in the meantime I have to find out which opening I need to use to get my chops back. The f3a seems to closed for my liking. I remember I used to use a 2 1/2 or 3 reed on the O'Brian.

Can anyone give me an idea of a decent (cheap, less than 20.00) that I can get? I've seen some for 12 dollars and I'm in the mind to buy a medium to large opening so I can see what I really like. I'm sure the small opening is too small for me but i'm not sure. It could be that if the f3a is a small opening maybe that is what I don't like about it.

I was, in the past a strong player. Lot's of wind available. But 40 years later who knows eh? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I should add, does anyone have any experience comparing the O'Brian to the Selmer Crystal mouthpiece

Thanks,
Steve
 
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Not exactly in the 20$ range, but very close - contact Brad Behn about one of his Ouverture mouthpieces, tell him about your woodwind background and he'll ship one with a suitable facing.
Another option would be Fobes Debut or Hite Premiere. Plus a Mitchell Lurie Hard Rubber M2 for ~30$.

These are my budget hints. I play all of them. All are under 40$.
 
I'm going to look at them tonight

Not exactly in the 20$ range, but very close - contact Brad Behn about one of his Ouverture mouthpieces, tell him about your woodwind background and he'll ship one with a suitable facing.
Another option would be Fobes Debut or Hite Premiere. Plus a Mitchell Lurie Hard Rubber M2 for ~30$.

These are my budget hints. I play all of them. All are under 40$.

I'm probably going to go up to Dillon music tomorrow. I want to get one ASAP. After a week with the f3a I need one quickly. I just brought up Brad's site and I'll take a look.

My main question is what do most people use. A small (probably not), Medium (most likely the popular), or the open one?

Thanks,
Steve
 
Steve Sklar has a number of good pieces for sale very reasonably. I don't think you can do better than getting one from him.
 
Steve: Take all mouthpiece recommendations with many grains of salt. A mouthpiece choice is VERY personal because we all have different embouchures (bone structure, embouchure strength) and even more importantly, we all have different tonal concepts.

It doesn't matter what someone else's experience has been - yours will likely be different. I rarely, if ever, have had success playing mouthpieces others recommended.

I play a Vandoren 66 on my Buffet Prestige, and also have had success with Vandoren 5JB and B45, Rovner #5, and a few Claude Lakey mouthpieces. On my newly acquired C-Albert System, I found an old Selmer HS** in my box and it worked fine.

But that doesn't mean anything when it comes to what will work for you.

This is another one of those situations where only you can make the choice. So, find a dealer with a good selection and spend some time at the store trying them. If you buy over the Internet, make sure you have return approval.

Even after you THINK you have the right one, reed choices will change your result. AND, after you've played your favorite for a while, you may find it lacking, as your chops develop. DAVE
 
Mouthpiece decision

Steve: Take all mouthpiece recommendations with many grains of salt. A mouthpiece choice is VERY personal because we all have different embouchures (bone structure, embouchure strength) and even more importantly, we all have different tonal concepts.

It doesn't matter what someone else's experience has been - yours will likely be different. I rarely, if ever, have had success playing mouthpieces others recommended.

I play a Vandoren 66 on my Buffet Prestige, and also have had success with Vandoren 5JB and B45, Rovner #5, and a few Claude Lakey mouthpieces. On my newly acquired C-Albert System, I found an old Selmer HS** in my box and it worked fine.

But that doesn't mean anything when it comes to what will work for you.

This is another one of those situations where only you can make the choice. So, find a dealer with a good selection and spend some time at the store trying them. If you buy over the Internet, make sure you have return approval.

Even after you THINK you have the right one, reed choices will change your result. AND, after you've played your favorite for a while, you may find it lacking, as your chops develop. DAVE

Yes, I agree that it is a personal decision but with suggestions I can see what is more popular and what is not popular. I'm sure that I will be getting a few until I find what I want to stay with.

My ultimate is going to be a crystal mouthpiece but I really need to see what reed and mouthpiece opening I prefer. Actually I remember when I was playing on a regular basis I would have a reed and use rush and clipping to make it play the way I want. Perhaps I just made my reed match the O'Brian that I owned. I didn't know about different sizes then and perhaps that is what I'll do now. However the Buffet mouthpiece that came with the clarinet is not what I want. It is too small an opening and find myself not able to get the sound (embouchure is still weak too) I'm looking for. I'm actually squeaking which I never did even when I first played in the late 50's. But there is also an issue with the adjustment of where the two bodies go together. I'm going to Dillion Music today and will most likely purchase 2 mouthpieces (very open and medium open) so I can find what I want.

Afterwards (perhaps in a month) I will most likely purchase one from Steve. He, I believe has a few O'Brians available.

Thanks
Steve
 
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