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Walter Grabner 991 Wildwood Lane Highland Park, IL 60035 847.266.8644
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Customer Comment Page
Here are some unsolicited comments that I have received from some of my recent customers.
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Clarinet mouthpieces: “Bought both CXZ_AW_PERS and CXZ_SW1_PERS models and they are just killer mouthpieces. Very even and extremely “Legere-friendly”. Tried 6 different types of reeds with different cuts and they all worked perfectly. Very easy to blow and you can play really soft without loosing focus and quality in sound. I would pay more for these mouthpieces.” Stephan, Iceland. “You’ll also be happy to hear that I just compared your CXZ_AW_PERS to two (competitor’s name deleted) mouthpieces that I have. While these are excellent mouthpieces, yours is better in my opinion. It plays a little darker and holds the tone better. I can decrescendo to ppp and it holds the tone all the way down. Wide dynamics also show that your mouthpiece holds the tuning better without going flat or sharp. Better stability…” “I've been playing this mouthpiece for about six weeks now, and I'm very happy with it. It responds very evenly throughout the tonal and dynamic ranges, and response in the altissimo register is rock solid and predictable. Every note on the instrument is "there"; no fussing with my embouchure to compensate for quirks in the mouthpiece. “B.M., VA. Your “Jazz” mouthpiece, turned out to be fantastic!!! It really produced the tone that we Greeks like! My brother who plays laouto in my Greek band happened to come by and I played it for him. He also said it was great. I like it so much that I ordered another one for "just in case" if you know what I mean. J.P. CA My initial impression is as positive as can be.
Before even playing them, I was immediately struck by the visual impression I'm definitely buying one if not both of the mouthpieces that I received. I started testing your mouthpiece on Saturday and it has been kind of an eye opener to me. I have really been able to hear and feel the differences between the two mouthpieces (Deleted) and yours. The biggest difference has been that your mouthpiece has the ring that I have been missing with the (Deleted) mouthpiece. Dynamically it is also much better because of the balance between the volume of air and the resistance of the mouthpiece. I felt that with the other mouthpiece that I couldn't get to that resistance point regardless of how much air I put through. I don't think that I could have selected a better mouthpiece for what I have been using. It's the best that I have played (and I think better) than the James Kanter that I was using when I lived in Virginia. R.G. VA I just finished a long recording session, and I wanted to tell you that I selected your CXZ_K13 mouthpiece as my new “number one” mouthpiece. It did everything I needed it to do – fast articulation – soft delicate passages – full tone in loud passages. Christopher King, Ulster Symphony Orchestra, Ireland. “The K13 is working beautifully for me. Playing Mahler 5 in the New Haven Symphony this week, and it sounds great.” Andy Grenci, CT. - Coast Guard Band, New Haven SYmphony |
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Eb Clarinet mouthpieces: “the (mouthpiece) I kept has a much better sound than any other Eb mouthpiece I've tried…….I actually just played a Molter concerto on my recital a few days ago, and Dr. Verdehr said that the most impressive thing about the recital was the sound that I was able to get out of the D clarinet.” J.K, MI. “Walter makes a killer Eb clarinet mouthpiece on a Zinner blank.” “This has been one of the best mpcs I've played. Response is exceptional, as is the timbre across all the registers. Nice projection; plenty of room for pp to fff.” B.M., VA. I love the mouthpiece (eb clarinet) you made. Andy, CA. |
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Alto Clarinet Mouthpiece:
Just wanted to let you know that I received the alto clarinet mouthpiece. I've been playing it off and on for the last couple of days and it is truly remarkable. It really opens up the horn (Selmer). I noticed a great improvement especially in the throat tones and in the upper registers. The tone is so much more consistent over the full range of the instrument. I've had to make some adjustments to my embouchure for this particular facing but it's such a pleasure to hear the positive results.Well done! I'm keeping it! K.F., CA
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BBb Contra Bass Clarinet Mouthpiece:
Walter, put the Bb contra piece through 2 hours of rehearsal last night and it did not disappoint. As you know, playing the beast requires confidence in the equipment and this mouthpiece inspires tons of it. It allows me to do whatever I need to do and more. Chalumeau is rich to the core, but the best part is playing in the clarion range, the sound doesn't thin out, it still thick, substantial, and sounds like a contra! Overall the best contra piece I have ever played on, and I have played many! My Leblanc 340 never sounded so alive. Good stuff. W.W., Vancouver
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Bass Clarinet Mouthpieces: “Dear Walter – Many thanks for your work on the mouthpieces – They’re terrific” Oliver Green - The Detroit Symphony “Walter – The bass clarinet mouthpiece you sent via Lawrie works great! You should sell a lot of these” – Larry Combs - Chicago Symphony "... I'm enjoying the mouthpiece (CXZ_LB) a lot. I've tried some Grand Concert 4s, but still find the Vandorens work best for me. It is starting to feel very comfortable. I haven't done any solo work on it yet - only band stuff, but some of it very sensitive. The results are great." Andy Grenci - Coast Guard Band, New Haven Symphony. “ Hi Walter - I have been playing on the bassclarinet mouthpiece (CX_BB_PERS) for few days, and I have to say that first impression is very positive. I both played in the Icelandic opera (Tosca) and also in a concert with the Icelandic symphony orchestra. My collegues did notice a positive difference and I played with lot of pleasure. It has enough power, but the best thing is how soft I can play on it without loosing focus or quality in sound. “ Runar Oskarsson - The Icelandic Opera and The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. "I'm back to bass now and actually had a chance to play your mouthpiece in rehearsal and really like it. There is a real presence in the sound and clarity with the articulation." Carol Robe – Eugene Symphony. "Spent 2 nights extensively with the CXZ_LB bass piece on my both vintage Kohlert and Buffet Prestige, wow, what a great playing mouthpiece! Attack on the altissimo C#, D, and Eb is clean and crisp, and legato is beautiful. Upward and downward scales is a pleasure to do and hear. Also powerful smooth sound down to low C. Very even tone, and play ppp....to fff without much effort. I had no problem with the shallow beak, my embouchure took to it very well.W.W. Vancouver "Oh my God! What a fantastic mouthpiece (CXZ_LB)! I can't believe that it solved so many of my tone problems. I didn't think that you could make a mouthpiece better than your personal mouthpiece that I already have but you have. Thanks for such wonderful sounds from both my bass and Bb clarinets." L.W. The CXZ_LB mouthpiece arrived yesterday and today has been spent going through the Bass Clarinet repertoire. The results have been wonderful. Thirty plus years and many mouthpieces later, my Leblanc 417 responds like I’ve always wanted. The tuning of the twelfths is dead on with excellent dynamic range response from low C throughout the altissimo register. The mouthpiece is very reed friendly with articulation being very easy and precise. The workmanship is impeccable plus the sound one expects from a Zinner blank brings one to a new level in playing the Bass Clarinet. M.P. Houston, TX “The mouthpiece is so eminently wonderful. It changed trying to corral a wild beast of a bass clarinet into a terrific relationship. It's such a superior mouthpiece” “Your mouthpiece is wonderful, it made the bass clarinet (an old but just overhauled LeBlanc) so eminently playable. Without your mouthpiece, my attempt to play the bass clarinet would have been a total disaster” “The bass clarinet mouthpiece was waiting for me when I got home from work. I managed to restrain myself from trying it until I had eaten, but only just :-) First impressions: I think I can get a much bigger dynamic range than I could with the old mouthpiece… Also, I never could reliably start a phrase on G or A above the stave, and those notes had no volume, but with your mouthpiece they're no trouble at all. I think articulation is a little crisper too. All in all, the differences are subtle, but nevertheless real…” “I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with the CX_BB_PERS Bass Clarinet mouthpiece I recently bought from you. I'm using it with Legere 3 1/2 reeds and a Vandoren Optimum ligature. It's easy to play, good pitch, good tone and clean articulation. It gives me the sound I've been looking for quite some time. I'll be using it in a show I start rehearsing for next week and can't wait to use it.” “I received the mouthpiece today and it has worked out great. I'm getting a beautiful, even tone. The best part is, I can now hit the high C right on the money without a squeak. Thanks so much!” T. A.,Red Bank NJ
“Holy smokes! Wow! I guess you can tell I got your mouthpiece (CX_BB_PERS) today. Articulation response is astonishing! No more having to anticipate when low notes will speak. Thank you so much! Very easy to play, wonderfully in tune. The clarion is a whole new instrument. The altissimo booms. Well worth it.” D.A. Glouster, MA Anyway...I
was playing bass and was getting compliments right and left on my sound. It
just resonated so beautifully in “Wow! You are truly a master! I've played it a number of times now, and this is a wonderful mouthpiece. i could go on and on, but suffice it to say this is a key in my development. While the chalumeau is certainly impressive, my biggest surprise was being able to play so easily in altissimo (and very softly at that). You won't be getting this one back” G.H. FL “Don't get hung up on Vandoren. there are others that are much better. I use a Walter Grabner CX_BB_PERS and it's FANTASTIC! He's a professional bass clarinet player and a master mouthpiece maker.” Gordon “When I received my bass clarinet mouthpiece, you asked that I let you know what I thought of it...and...I absolutely LOVE playing on it. I feel much more secure going above the staff and the overall tone on my instrument (a Yamaha ycl-221) has improved tremendously. My stand partner even commented on how I sounded when I was finally back playing in the bass section. The tone is smooth at all dynamic levels. Going over the break is much easier. Every note just falls into place effortlessly now! I love it! To sum my review in a few words - Centered, smooth, AWESOME!” Pat, Arizona. “I’m absolutely delighted with the mouthpiece, it’s great.” Paul Roe, Concorde Contemporary Ensemble – Dublin, Ireland |
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Repair work: “I just wanted to let you know that the C clarinet IS AWESOME! I just wish I had more time to play on it today--I have to go to work. The intonation is so much better without the wide differences from one note to the next as I was getting before. I love this little C clarinet!” “I wanted to take the time to let everyone on the list know what a great repair technician that Walter Grabner is. Who better to repair a clarinet than someone that is a practicing clarinetist, and also up to date on the current trends? Walter did a complete overhaul on my 1962 Buffet Eb R13 and a 1974 Bb R13. The work that he did on both of these clarinets was excellent. Walter is the type of person that sweats the details and is not in a hurry to get it out the door so he can send you the bill” Just as I expected - it feels like it's brand new, practically, and it also LOOKS like it's brand new! I feel as if I shouldn't be allowed to play it! P.S. VA. |
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Barrels: “Just wanted to let you know that three days into ownership of the new barrel, I think it is to die for. Absolutely beautiful in every way. I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the sound. It also makes a dramatic difference to the performance of my old 1950s R13 (actually an ‘Academy Model’ R13 reject) which I now like almost as much as the 10G.” Nick, UK. “You made such a wonderful barrel for my A clarinet that I think I'd like one for my Bb.” “Man, do I like the way this clarinet plays! I took it to band rehearsal on Tuesday and let several people play it. They all wanted to know about the barrel of course, so I let them know your name and where to find your web site.” |
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Re-facing: “I just received the alto clarinet mouthpiece in the mail last week that you refaced for me. You did make a substantial improvement in the mouthpiece. It does play much more easily and consistently now.” S. M. Wisconsin “ (I) just recommended your work and mouthpieces to some students today and hope they will contact you in the future...such excellent work is rare in an age of rushing and low quality....refacing is not such an easy thing to do on an old mouthpiece…..David Dow, Principal Clarinet, Symphony New Brunswick, Canada. |
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