Back to the main page Back to category Mouthpieces
musical instrument details
Vintage A. Goldbeck clarinet mouthpiece (Chedeville blank, pre-Kaspar)
Estimated price for orientation: 500 $
Category: Mouthpieces
Class:
Description Condition: Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition Brand: A. Goldbeck Instrument: Clarinets
This is a vintage Arthur Goldbeck Bb clarinet mouthpiece. From The Clarinet journal:[Goldbeck] opened his own store in Chicago around 1915 and repaired woodwind instruments and made mouthpieces for clarinets and saxophones. Goldbeck was a mouthpiece pioneer and innovator and was an early advocate of metal lined and all-metal mouthpieces. Both Kaspars worked for Goldbeck. In 1932 Goldbeck sold the business to Frank L. Kaspar who ran it with his cousin Frank Kaspar. Arthur Goldbeck continued to work as a woodwind repairman.Golbeck was an old-school craftsman who sold and repaired woodwind instruments. He was also known as a maker of mouthpieces for clarinet and saxophone. At this time in America the saxophone was as popular an instrument as the guitar is today. Major instrument makers such as Conn and Buescher sold them by the thousands. For this reason Goldbeck saxophone mouthpieces are quite common even today. At a time when American saxophone mouthpieces were mainly largechambered hard rubber models, Goldebeck’s metal designs were sleek and futuristic. The SUPERB and star stampings on Frank L. Kaspar mouthpieces are actually trademarks from the Goldbeck era that the elder Kaspar used on his products. Goldbeck mouthpieces were used by many prominent clarinetists, including the late Lorin Levee. The quality and source of blank for Goldbeck mouthpieces is identical from piece to piece, as opposed to the varying sources utilized by the Kaspars and others. This piece is marked FRANCE to the left of the table and Z to the right. Based on my experience and the markings, this is crafted from a Chedeville blank.The interior chamber, bore, and baffle of this piece are in excellent shape. There are two minor nicks in the playing surface of this mouthpiece, one on the left rail and one on the right edge of the tip rail. These would be an easy fix for an experienced mouthpiece craftsperson. There are also some minor scratches on the exterior from ligature use that do not affect playability. The cork is partially gone, but this would be an inexpensive repair for any repair technician. The table is quite smooth and the rails are well-balanced. The A-frame throat (angled sidewalls) contribute to the wonderful tonal flexibility present in this piece. It plays with a wonderful dark color, yet with nice resonance and hold on 3.5 reeds, with clean articulation and steady intonation.
This is a great piece of clarinet history and is playable as is, or it could be refaced to your liking by a talented mouthpiece craftsperson. This plays as well as any vintage piece I have played and already has a functional facing, which is not always the case with pieces dating back to the 1920s/30s.
Description
| Condition: | Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition | Brand: | A. Goldbeck |
| Instrument: | Clarinets |
This is a vintage Arthur Goldbeck Bb clarinet mouthpiece. From The Clarinet journal:[Goldbeck] opened his own store in Chicago around 1915 and repaired woodwind instruments and made mouthpieces for clarinets and saxophones. Goldbeck was a mouthpiece pioneer and innovator and was an early advocate of metal lined and all-metal mouthpieces. Both Kaspars worked for Goldbeck. In 1932 Goldbeck sold the business to Frank L. Kaspar who ran it with his cousin Frank Kaspar. Arthur Goldbeck continued to work as a woodwind repairman.Golbeck was an old-school craftsman who sold and repaired woodwind instruments. He was also known as a maker of mouthpieces for clarinet and saxophone. At this time in America the saxophone was as popular an instrument as the guitar is today. Major instrument makers such as Conn and Buescher sold them by the thousands. For this reason Goldbeck saxophone mouthpieces are quite common even today. At a time when American saxophone mouthpieces were mainly largechambered hard rubber models, Goldebeck’s metal designs were sleek and futuristic. The SUPERB and star stampings on Frank L. Kaspar mouthpieces are actually trademarks from the Goldbeck era that the elder Kaspar used on his products. Goldbeck mouthpieces were used by many prominent clarinetists, including the late Lorin Levee. The quality and source of blank for Goldbeck mouthpieces is identical from piece to piece, as opposed to the varying sources utilized by the Kaspars and others. This piece is marked FRANCE to the left of the table and Z to the right. Based on my experience and the markings, this is crafted from a Chedeville blank.The interior chamber, bore, and baffle of this piece are in excellent shape. There are two minor nicks in the playing surface of this mouthpiece, one on the left rail and one on the right edge of the tip rail. These would be an easy fix for an experienced mouthpiece craftsperson. There are also some minor scratches on the exterior from ligature use that do not affect playability. The cork is partially gone, but this would be an inexpensive repair for any repair technician. The table is quite smooth and the rails are well-balanced. The A-frame throat (angled sidewalls) contribute to the wonderful tonal flexibility present in this piece. It plays with a wonderful dark color, yet with nice resonance and hold on 3.5 reeds, with clean articulation and steady intonation.
This is a great piece of clarinet history and is playable as is, or it could be refaced to your liking by a talented mouthpiece craftsperson. This plays as well as any vintage piece I have played and already has a functional facing, which is not always the case with pieces dating back to the 1920s/30s.
This is a great piece of clarinet history and is playable as is, or it could be refaced to your liking by a talented mouthpiece craftsperson. This plays as well as any vintage piece I have played and already has a functional facing, which is not always the case with pieces dating back to the 1920s/30s.