Clarinetists and saxophonists sometimes encounter a need to have a mouthpiece facing curve, and perhaps the tip opening, adjusted for reasons typically related to blowing resistance, response, and/or timbre. This can become critically necessary if a mouthpiece facing has gotten scratched or has become warped, in which case a refacing is the necessary repair. It is also not uncommon for an advanced player to have a back-up of a primary mouthpiece that does not play quite as similar to the primary mouthpiece as desired, and a facing adjustment can usually improve this situation. Yet another circumstance is having one or more vintage mouthpieces that are sound structurally but do not play very well because of facing problems (not the least of which may be a "casual" refacing performed by someone who lacked the tools and/or expertise to reface the mouthpiece in a professional manner).
These are some of the reasons the Caravan Mouthpieces' Mouthpiece Refacing Service can be a valuable resource for single-reed players. Affordably priced for the highly specialized skills, as well as the expertise and experience involved, customers sending mouthpieces to Caravan Mouthpieces for refacing will be kept in e-mail communication as work progresses on a mouthpiece, for follow-up questions that may arise, and for notification of return shipping, U.S. Mail tracking number, and estimated delivery date. (Mouthpieces sent to Caravan Mouthpieces for re-working will typically be mailed back to the customer within 3-5 days of receipt, sometimes sooner.) When a mouthpiece is returned after refacing work is completed, the customer will also receive a "Mouthpiece Refacing Report" for personal records that documents the mouthpiece maker & model (if avail.), the date of the refacing, the "before" and "after" facing-curve and tip-opening measurements, and other noteworthy information observed about the mouthpiece. In most cases, a brief impression from the final play-test (if relevant) of the finished mouthpiece will be included under the "Notes" section of the report.
This Mouthpiece Refacing Service is geared primarily toward hard-rubber symphonic ("classical") clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces. Jazz mouthpieces are also accepted for facing adjustment, but because of the wide variability of these mouthpieces, the customer must provide as much detail as possible about the objectives of having a refacing done.
To save time and unnecessary mailing expense, customers interested in using the Mouthpiece Refacing Service are strongly encouraged to contact Dr. Caravan via e-mail using the "Contact Us" page of this web site to provide basic information about the mouthpiece(s) involved and desired outcomes of refacing.
Customers who have working knowledge of how facings are measured are welcome to submit a set of preferred numbers, and the feeler gauges associated with those numbers, for target specs of a refacing. Pre-purchase e-mail consultation is essential in this circumstance.
Metal mouthpieces can be refaced using this service, but will generally incur a higher fee. Use the Contact Us page of the web site to inquire about having a metal mouthpiece refaced.
SENDING MOUTHPIECES: Mail mouthpieces for refacing to: Caravan Mouthpieces, P.O. Box 734, Fulton, NY 13069. USPS "Ground Advantage" (insured) mail is recommended, or Priority Mail for slightly faster transit time.
NOTE: The price displayed for this service is a per-mouthpiece price. Customers who wish to submit multiple mouthpieces must enter the quantity in the appropriate place in the shopping cart. For any mouthpiece received that, upon evaluation, is deemed unsuitable for refacing, the fee will be fully refunded with the only charge being the shipping & handling amount for return of the mouthpiece. Customer will be notified via e-mail of such an evaluation; there is no charge for the evaluation.
