I've been having some sucess on soprano with a selmer S80 F I picked up on ebay. The band I sit in with and dep for have been asking for more clarinet and I've been struggling. I recently found a wood Corton which is great but seemed to have more to give than I was getting so I decided to try a different mouthpiece. The S80 opened up the sop for me in way I didn't think possible. Easy to blow and a full rich tone (for me) right up to the top and maybe a wider tip was the way to go with clarinet.
I was looking at vintage pieces of various makes, Vandoren pieces and the Selmer S85 120 but they were a little out of my price range. I noticed an add on Ebay for a brand new Rico metalite M11 which was old stock from the late 1980's. Tip opening 0.065". I've tried them on everything else, sop, alto, tenor and bari so why not give it a try. It was in the USA and it worked out at $30 including shipping. Not much of a risk as they resell easily.
The upshot is that it arrived yesterday. It's the familiar grey plastic with the same high baffle layout. I rooted in the drawer and found a ligature. The £3 chinese, bought on a whim, fit well and finally has a use. The metalites I tried on saxophone were loud, free blowing, bright and fun to play but not my usual style. The clarinet piece is amazing. None of the brashness I found with the saxophones. It's free blowing and sweet. Rich and full at the bottom and refined and sophisticated right up to an overblown G.
I was enjoying it so much I lost track of time and was nearly late for the lunchtime gig. I decided to take it with me and give it a try with the band. I couldn't decide if I was being brave or foolish. Clarinet isn't my first instrument and I don't really play it. I have a small repertoire of numbers I know and can get away with in simple keys.
It performed beautifully. Plenty of effortless volume and character. None of that struggling to be heard against the trumpet and not a squeak or peep. What a lucky find. I'm well pleased.
I was looking at vintage pieces of various makes, Vandoren pieces and the Selmer S85 120 but they were a little out of my price range. I noticed an add on Ebay for a brand new Rico metalite M11 which was old stock from the late 1980's. Tip opening 0.065". I've tried them on everything else, sop, alto, tenor and bari so why not give it a try. It was in the USA and it worked out at $30 including shipping. Not much of a risk as they resell easily.
The upshot is that it arrived yesterday. It's the familiar grey plastic with the same high baffle layout. I rooted in the drawer and found a ligature. The £3 chinese, bought on a whim, fit well and finally has a use. The metalites I tried on saxophone were loud, free blowing, bright and fun to play but not my usual style. The clarinet piece is amazing. None of the brashness I found with the saxophones. It's free blowing and sweet. Rich and full at the bottom and refined and sophisticated right up to an overblown G.
I was enjoying it so much I lost track of time and was nearly late for the lunchtime gig. I decided to take it with me and give it a try with the band. I couldn't decide if I was being brave or foolish. Clarinet isn't my first instrument and I don't really play it. I have a small repertoire of numbers I know and can get away with in simple keys.
It performed beautifully. Plenty of effortless volume and character. None of that struggling to be heard against the trumpet and not a squeak or peep. What a lucky find. I'm well pleased.