[maddenma]

Mojo's suggestion that I start another thread on this.

Is is really possible to wear down the tip just from the vibrating reed? I'm not talking about breakage or tooth wear on the bite plate, but can the reed actually wear the tip over time?

 

[Nefertiti]

I have no proof nor scientific background but my guess would be "No"

 

[AhCheung]

Of course Mark yes it is, ever heard of wind erosion? ;-).
Seriously, if you look at how thin the mpc tip of an old rubber Meyer 5 is (or an excellent replica thereof -- cf my signature) it will wear out, just a question of time, how much playing, what reed type you are using (downside of the synthetic reeds I'd say). Tip and rails too I'd say. Refacers who deal with heavy playing pros can chime in here...

 

[LateNiteSax]

Mouthpieces get worn out all the time. Brass and Rubber wear like crazy. The vibrating wears out the tip rail. I would say with hard, loud, frequent playing, the tip of brass mouthpieces need restoration after 3-4 years, rubber after 5-6 years. Thats not to say guys don't go for many more years than that, they are just not playing an optimal setup as it wears, they work harder and get less out their pieces. the tips on Plastic/Ebolin and stainless steel, I think are the most durable and should last a lifetime. Just my personal experience, watching my mouthpieces wear over time, and then be restored.

 

[Ed Geddes]

Recently got a Mouthpiece Cafe piece and was admiring the delicate, thin edge but now I'm thinking it's a cunning ploy as when I get through that there won't be anything to reface. It's a cunning ploy to wear out the pieces so we have to buy new ones LOL.

 

[Sigmund451]

Everything wears over time. If you have GAS it will never happen. If you play one piece a lot for a long time it will.

The good thing is that facings can be freshened up when needed.

 

[Nefertiti]

Wow, I would not have guessed that. A wood reed can wear out a hard rubber and even metal mouthpiece?



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[Sigmund451]

Most definitely hard rubber. Metal would certainly take a lot longer.

That does not mean it is unplayable by far. It just may lose a little in the quickness of response.

The everyday user would likely be unaware since it occurs slowly and gets compensated for through the long term relationship with the piece.

 

[Little Sax]

Wow, I would not have guessed that. A wood reed can wear out a hard rubber and even metal mouthpiece?

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Not "a wood reed" - I imagine it would take several reeds...

 

[maddenma]

Most definitely hard rubber. Metal would certainly take a lot longer.

That does not mean it is unplayable by far. It just may lose a little in the quickness of response.

The everyday user would likely be unaware since it occurs slowly and gets compensated for through the long term relationship with the piece.

So, I've been playing the same Strathon HR piece on tenor for 40 years. It's certainly a different color than I remember when I bought it, but I really haven't noticed that it's significatly worn or developing issues that affect playability. I've bought a few other similarly old pieces that don't present problems.

My tenor Strathon not withstanding, should I consider myself lucky that none of these "vintage" pieces is worn out? Or is the consensus that these are all closet queens we've been buying as vintage pieces?

Just curious.

 

[milandro]

I was incredulous about this and said the same thing (It cannot happen) some time ago and I was rebuked by all the refacers so I bowed to superior knowledge.

I also think that if you play a piece for a very long time you might be adapting your embouchure to the changing piece ( which of course would change very gradually) and might not notice it.

 

[bruce bailey]

I have been using a Selmer D on alto for over 30 years and I think it plays better every year. I think about twice I just smoothed the table with some #2000 grit to see if I detected any odd points. I think most mouthpieces wear more from bad handling than from playing. Keep it capped!

 

[mfry]

It happens, I've seen a few. It can take quite a while, though, and depends on how hard the material is and how hard it's played. Good hard rubber takes many hears of hard playing, brass even longer. Seen Links that have taken 30+ years of casual playing, also know a guy who used to go through a Meyer a year.

 

[Sigmund451]

Yes, when I say a lot of playing...I mean a LOT.

Face facts, most players dont hold on to a piece that long much less have consistent extended careers.
Most of our gear, if cared for, outlives us. Bruce is right that most the problems come from bad care.

The question was can it happen...yes.

Is it likely to be an issue...No.

 

[JohnGalt]

All mouthpieces, especially if you play ALOT every day, wear out from playing.
Buy two identical mouthpieces, play the snot out of one for 5 years, then play the one you havent touched. Then you'll know.
This is why I laugh my arse off when people pay big $$$ for unrefaced vintage Guardalas, especially ones that were played heavily.

 

[MojoBari]

Several refacers have some before/after photos of worn mouthpieces that they restored. I do not have any photos of tip rail wear, but I have worked on a number of them. Gerber has a photo of a Broadus MP with wear he restored:

http://www.jgerber.com/services.htm

I have seen similar wear in heavily played Link STMs and HM Guardalas.

 

[Stan]

Tip rail, rails and even the table... it is incredible but true! I saw it personally I can absolutely confirm it. Here I am speaking about a professional player (he is one of the top ten) who played with the same HR Link for a long long time. Maybe he swapped too many reeds

Stan

 

[betelsax]

I agree that mouthpieces can get worn away, some more, some less; it's just hard to tell what, exactly, does it. In the J Gerber pictures of the Broadus mouthpiece, there is no way to know what went on in the life of the mouthpiece that would cause that wear... did it knock around in a drawer for a few years? Did a child use it as a missile?

I wonder if testing has ever been done on mouthpieces to see, scientifically, how they wear relative to time, type of reed used, and material of mouthpiece. A quick Google search turned up nothing on the subject.

 

[EZ]

I have seen plating and mouthpiece wear at the tip due to reed contact. Not sure it made any difference in how the mouthpiece played.

 

[avan]

I play an easy and selected Berg SS 110-2-sms (+-105) for around 20 years and suddenly it stop to work, I have to take out rewet and replace the reed all the time and at a point it work only with very tight lig. I suppose it was worn out. It was my first tenor piece and I practice a lot a this time.