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Vandoren BD5 HD Bb Clarinet Mouthpiece

Vandoren BD5 HD Bb Clarinet Mouthpiece

The Vandoren BD5 HD is the smallest tip opening and shortest facing of the current Vandoren Black Diamond HD series.

But wait, what the heck is HD? Are mouthpieces now measured the same way my television resolution is? 

No, in this case "HD" stands for "High Density." The material used is a different, more dense mix of rubber and...I don't know what. So I asked Vandoren what the material is. Everyone at Vandoren kind of smirked and shrugged. I'll just call it Vandoren Voodoo Rubber™ and move on.

But one thing I gotta tell you — these mouthpieces are HEAVY. Here's a photo of the same mouthpiece (a BD5 in this picture) in both a non-HD and HD variety. 

As you can see, the HD mouthpiece is a little under 50% heavier than its on-a-diet sibling. 

So what? What difference does the HD material make?

I tried a BD6 in both HD and Regular (SD?) varieties. I feel the sound I get from the HD has a presence, a core, a center, maybe even projection, that the SD version does not. If feels more responsive to the same reed. Basically it took my sound and made it "more" my sound. I'd like to hear your feedback if you try this back to back. Put it in a review, even if you didn't buy it from me, so we can all learn from each other.

TRIALS? In this case, yes.

Normally, I don't do Vandoren mouthpiece trials. I'm going to make an exception here, and say yeah, you should give this a try. I won't charge you anything other than 2-way shipping if you decide to return it — assuming you put the teeth cushion patch on that I provide, and use a ligature that won't scratch the mouthpiece. (If it's scratched, well, I can't re-sell it so I'm going to have to send it back to you, and you'll own it.)

In short, be careful, and we can take care of each other. Contact me if you have any questions about all this!

Deets: 

  • Tip Opening: 113 (Medium)
  • Facing Length: Medium

 

$206.00
$206.00
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Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
75%
(3)
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25%
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M
Martin King
BD5 HD Bb clarinet mouthpiece

I have played on a Fobes mouthpiece for many years. This is the first mouthpiece I feel is comparable in quality and feel. I will definitely be recommending this mouthpiece and the regular BD5 to my students. Especially since it is significantly cheaper!

R
Roland Rizzo
More focused

I have tried the BD5HD and the BD6HD. Both are more focused and project a little better than the original BD5 and BD6.

D
David Naden
Best Vandoren Mouthpieces for Clarinetists

In my review for the Vandoren BD6 HD mouthpiece, I wrote the following:

"Clarinetists have a plethora of mouthpieces to select from, and the decision can be daunting. Be it handmade, a hand-finished mouthpiece from a company, or just a standard mouthpiece from Vandoren, Selmer or other company, the Vandoren BD HD series of mouthpieces are just incredible. Made of high quality ebonite, these mouthpieces produce a warm and dark sound that is not too bright, yet flexible. AND...they work well in the concert hall and more intimate performance venues. If there is a drawback, these mouthpieces are heavy, but otherwise are nothing short of being among the best clarinet mouthpiece available..."

The same can be said for the Vandoren BD5 HD mouthpiece. Like its sibling, the BD5 HD is made of the same material, and has the same warm and dark sound. But...the difference between these exceptional mouthpieces is in the tip opening. The BD6 HD has a more open tip opening, compared to the smaller tip opening of the BD5 HD. In a practical sense, this translates to a bit harder reed for the BD5, and a bit softer reed for the BD6, but no matter which mouthpiece you use, it really comes down to a personal preference. This series of Vandoren mouthpieces--be it the BD5, BD6, or other mouthpiece in the series--are simply the bestg mouthpieces ever designed and made by Vandoren,

S
Shannon McNeely
Inconsistent

I tried both a BD5 HD and BD4 HD and found a great deal of difference between them. I had used a Vandoren M30 for several years but wanted to try out the HD series. My impression of the BD5 HD is that the tone was good but consistency of intonation and resistance left me unimpressed. Even on 4ths or 5ths, the notes didn’t sound the same nor feel the same. I don’t know if the BD5 HD has inconsistent manufacturing from one mouthpiece to another or if the cause of the inconsistency lies in the anatomy of my mouth. I am very impressed with the BD4 HD and am keeping it. The tone is dark but I can hear additional overtones over what the M30 produced. I am still getting used to the BD4 HD but so far I like it very much.