Hello! We will be out of the shop for the Thanksgiving holiday and won't be able to ship orders between November 26th and December 1st. We will resume shipping on December 2nd. Thanks! -Mike & Katherine
The Vandoren B40 mouthpiece is one of the best entry-level bass clarinet mouthpieces on the market. It is a terrific mouthpiece for all, but I highly recommend it to beginner/intermediate players because it has a slightly smaller tip-opening (193mm vs 205mm) than its big brother, the B50. It has a medium-long facing, which provides a nice balance of control-to-volume ratio. (In other words, you will sacrifice a bit of maximum volume, in exchange for an instrument that is easier to control). The tone is focused and will provide a great ensemble playing experience.
If you're looking for the same mouthpiece, but with thinner tip rails, check out the B45. What does a thinner tip rail do? Your sound will be a bit more compact and possibly brighter. You can see a side-by-side comparison of the two mouthpieces below.
Now, many folks allow for trials of mouthpieces. I don't. Why? (Is it because I'm a jerk? No.) Vandoren's manufacturing and hand-finishing process is so well-oiled, so consistent, that every B40 is essentially the same.
That said, if you'd like to return it, I can accept it and sell it as used, however there is a $50 restocking fee to cover the reduction in value of the mouthpiece.
You simply cannot go wrong with Vandoren, and it's a great value.
