Ancient Clarinet Mouthpiece Thread

[Windsong]

For perusal and comparison, in respective order, are three mouthpieces:

1) An Austro-Hungarian Key of D mouthpiece (1870s-1880s)

2) An 1860s-1880s Austro-Hungarian Key of Eb mouthpiece (the Austro-Hungarians also used this size for Key of C horns)

3) A modern Woodwind Co. "Imperial" Eb mouthpiece, with shaved tenon for fitment in small bore Ebs.

[Windsong]

Here are dimensions of the D mouthpiece, to show how diminutive it is.

[Windsong]

Bore = .483"
Table length 2.25"
Tenon length = .500"
Outer Tenon cork lip = .710"
Window length = .985"
Window width, base = .280"
Window width, tip = .395"

[Jeabrams]

Ok then I have a bit of work to do!
These are the original wooden mouthpiece and the printed reproduction for my Ab Buffet c18xx?
Inside dia. 0.19-0.20
Length.     2.25"
Table.      .765"
Window length.7625
Window base width 0.20
Window top width 0.3285"
Tenon
 height 0.475"
Tenon lip outer 0.602
Tenon lip inner cork dia 0.585"
Reed height 0.0440"

[Jeabrams]

Here are three printed examples-
Bb, Eb, Ab.... I also have printed EbAlto and Bass mouthpieces.

And a photo of measuring the reed height.

[Windsong]

Impressive stuff!

I don't have the ability to take reed height in that fashon.  I had a really nice dial gage,  but the tension spring broke, and it was not cheap(!), so I have been lax about replacing it.

[Jeabrams]

Not an issue really. Nice thing to know but not a problem. Most facings are in a narrow window and depending on reed strength (most of us seem to like the 2.5 or 3's) so I can make a guess at about .043'ish. If you have a way to find the pitch of the Mouthpiece by itself that can help. Voicing is very dependent on the mouthpiece/reed pitch being "right" so everything else falls into place.
My Eb Yamaha mp by itself has a nice 740hz f#5
The Ab mp is 936hz Bb5
Most of the Bb mp's seem to hover around Bb5 as well. Just don't want to make something that looks good but won't work 😉😁

[Windsong]

I typically use 3.5 strength reeds.  The exception is with these C, D and Eb clarinets, where, due to the reduced dimensions, a 3.5 feels way too stiff, so I drop back to 2.5s.

Here are additional measurements:

MP diameter (At base, just above tenon) = .946" (24.03mm)

MP diameter @ table (At base, just above tenon) = .892" (22.65mm)