Vandoren V16 V6 small chamber...something odd here?!

[Zannad]

I got this interesting MP recently...but it won't fit the neck fully.
The MP stays about midway of the cork lenght and won't go in any further.
As a result I have to use a lot of lip pressure to try to raise the overall pitch but I'm still too flat for my standards...(I don't have any problem using big tip openings so my lips aren't the problem considering this V16 is an average 6).
I've checked the chamber against a couple of Vandorens (V5 A35 and Java A95) and it appears as the chamber of this V16 is just too small to accomodate the tip of the neck.
What's going on here?
Shall I try to enlarge the chamber to accomodate the neck? Or shave a fraction of a millimiter from the diameter of the tip of the neck?

[matsuo]

I wish we knew what horn you played, or what neck you have on your horn so we could help you out better.

[-TH]

Sounds like that you have a Yanagisawa alto and the neck's ring isn't letting the mpc to go any further (been there..)

-TH

[Zannad]

Sounds like that you have a Yanagisawa alto and the neck's ring isn't letting the mpc to go any further (been there..)

-TH

My Alto is a Venus and the neck can accomodate all the 40 odd MPs I own but this Vandoren V16. Something isn't quite right with this MP...I guess, I'd better contact Vandoren directly.

Thanks anyway.

[andrewbowie]

I had the same problem with the same type of Vandoren mouthpiece.You just need to get it drilled out at the neck end by an experienced repairer (who doesn't drill out too much). It's worth it, as it is an excellent mouthpiece.

[Nefertiti]

I had the same thing with a A7S. The bore narrows. It was wicked tight. I had to use cork grease and really crank it to where it needed to go but it would otally crush the cork. I ended up sanding out the bore with a drumstick with sandpaper rapped around it so it fits better.

[Zannad]

Thanks for your replies...(this is what forums are all about).
I knew something wasn't quite right with this MP...
It can be used as it is by correcting the flatness with lip pressure, but it feels a bit off sync - that soft spot is nearly there but not quite (if you know what I mean).
I'll try to use very fine sandpaper and give it a couple of twists from the tip of the neck - we are dealing with microns here...yet, Vandoren should address this sort of hiccups, I've sent an email to them, let's test their customer care policy.

[MojoBari]

A neck cork can take care of microns. I have found that when a mouthpiece fits too tight on a cork, you need to sand the mouthpiece diameter open by .005-.010" to fix it (a micron is .000001").

It is easier to sand down the neck cork. But if only one mouthpiece is tight, then it is the mouthpiece that should be altered.

[andrewbowie]

I think this is specific to the V16: no other alto mouthpiece I have has this problem, so alter the mouthpiece, unless you never play anything else. In my experience, on a Yanagisawa and a Selmer, changing the cork was not going to do it anyway, as the metal on the crook was blocking my pushing on the mouthpiece further.

[Zannad]

A neck cork can take care of microns. I have found that when a mouthpiece fits too tight on a cork, you need to sand the mouthpiece diameter open by .005-.010" to fix it (a micron is .000001").

It is easier to sand down the neck cork. But if only one mouthpiece is tight, then it is the mouthpiece that should be altered.

The neck cork is very thin at the top...in fact the ring of the neck is what touches the V16 inner bore not the cork - there is a clear mark...

BTW
Got a very prompt reply from Vandoren (good on them).
They say this is a problem due to the particular design of the V16 and suggest to get rid of the ring of the neck or sanding the bore of the V16.
Considering this is a V16 issue...I'm inclined to the 2nd option.

[andrewbowie]

The 2nd option is the right one.

[Nitetimer]

I had the same problem with metal Bergs fitting on a Ponzol neck. Ponzol said to sand down the neck ring. I taped off the cork and held some sandpaper around the ring and twisted the neck. Just a little bit made all the difference. After rounding off the front edge and polishing the ring you really can't tell the difference.

[Zannad]

Solved!

I've used an AA Battery - this has the ideal diameter to loosely fit the bore and accomodate some sandpaper fixed with double sided tape at the top of the battery itself.
The sanding paper used was graded 80, then 120 and finally 240 for that pro touch.
I've gained that extra 4 millimeters which brought this fine mouthpiece to life.
It was well worth the effort...the tone is pleasantly warm for a small chamber and very consistent all along the frequency range...

[jicaino]

Hey... I use V16 HR med chamber alto MPCs. Today I tested 4 small chambers prior to reface/ chamber shape and size work for a couple customers and I noticed this:

bore is smaller and where the med chamber V16 fits like a glove, the small chamber ones stop at about half the way!

Window is longer and larger than that of med chamber MPCs

tip is cut nicer...

(so, I'll be buying small chambers from now on, that will allow me to reshape tips, throats and chambers to any shape!)

[Quatschmacher]

I had this problem too, it's not just specific to the V16 - I had the same thing with the Jody Jazz pieces. I got the reinforcing ring on my crook (SA80II) ground down a little and it works great. The rings on the Selmers are pretty large and can be filed with no detriment to the structure.

[Tamantara]

hmm i use the same v16 on a yan a992 and it's fine...but i got their silver neck :P

[-TH]

hmm i use the same v16 on a yan a992 and it's fine...but i got their silver neck :P

My V16 small chamber mouthpiece fits my Yanagisawa bronze and solid silver aftermarket necks but it doesn't fit the original neck (model 65?). The original neck has a thick neck ring.

[Sax Player Alec]

Funny, a Yanagisawa Metal barely fits on a Yanagisawa A911...

My C* slides right down my cork.

[dstack79]

Is this problem only with the small chamber version?

I have 2 of the medium chamber variety and never had any tightness on the neck of my Unison. Interesting.