thinking about a lakey......

[AmazingPhrasing]

I'm soon going to purchase a piece that will be used for marching band. I think a Lakey would be appropriate for the volume, quantity, and projection of sound i need. my private teacher plays a Lakey 7*3 and sounds amazing, so i've been looking and have it down to a 4*3 and a 5*3. any thoughts on either of these facings? also I am wondering what the tip openings are and what strength reed i should use. thanks in advance!

[Tobias]

My teacher plays one. I think they are quite good. If you search the sound of most new metall MPC but don't like the material, the lakeys are a good choce.
Some say, that they are not flexible enough, but my teacher plays Bach und funk with it, and sounds great.

[CountSpatula]

My teacher uses a 4*4 which I think is slightly darker than the __ *3 but he sounds absolutely fantastic on it. Try to test some out, see if your teacher minds letting you try his (better yet what he recommends would be what you should do)...

[Finnerski]

I'll sell you my 4*3. I don't like it very much. If you want one cheaper than new, let me know.

[gary]

Some people play them and love them. I had a 4*3 and hated it.
The sound I got had no body to it and I played shrill and loud.

[CountSpatula]

Some people play them and love them. I had a 4*3 and hated it.
The sound I got had no body to it and I played shrill and loud.

Haha, I had a hard time playing one. Those bright mpcs are hard for me to play some reason...my best friend and my teacher both use them and sound great, just not for me haha. I've been enjoying this Meyer I got recently...:D

[J.Max]

Some people play them and love them. I had a 4*3 and hated it.
The sound I got had no body to it and I played shrill and loud.


That was my experience too. Played a lot like an HR Berg, only with less "core" to it.

[hakukani]

Haha, I had a hard time playing one. Those bright mpcs are hard for me to play some reason...my best friend and my teacher both use them and sound great, just not for me haha. I've been enjoying this Meyer I got recently...:D

I have a friend that went to school in Denton, and has played a Lakey for most of the years since ('69, '70?). He sounds great on them, but he finally bit through both his tenor and alto mouthpiece. He's still trying to find a replacement.

[cjpts]

The 5*3 is most popular with good reason, its great, I find it quite versatile (I use mine for everything, funk, swing, classical, jazz...). My old teacher used one for everything too, with strength 2 reeds.

The 7*3 and 4*4 have different chambers to the others so those will sound different. The Lakey website says the 7*3 and 6*3 are louder than the 5*3 but I've not found that between my 5*3 & 6*3.

Lakeys are designed to be used with strength 2 / 2½ reeds. I played 2s for a few years, worked wonderfully but I now use 2½ because the brass section will otherwise drown me out (somehow) - the mouthpieces are tested with those reeds though.

Don't forget that Lakey designed his mouthpieces to be tuned to A=443Hz, so you'll have to pull you mouthpiece out an extra ½"-¾" or so than normal. He did this to allow you to play with sharp instruments as well as flat, not just to be awkward ;)

[cjpts]

I have a friend that went to school in Denton, and has played a Lakey for most of the years since ('69, '70?). He sounds great on them, but he finally bit through both his tenor and alto mouthpiece. He's still trying to find a replacement.

Hak, tell him to look on http://www.claudelakey.com/ - they're selling mouthpieces which Claude made himself rather than the newer ones. There's also some older stock ones on eBay-I think the ones before the white line was dropped are probably the best (its a different compound, a darker, harder rubber). My old teacher bit through his first one too :? I'm very happy with my stock, no-line Lakey though.

[Mal 2]

I've switched my allegiance from Rousseau to Lakey, after years of thinking Lakeys were of poor quality. Actually, the problem is poor quality CONTROL. This means some of them are real duds due to uneven or warped facings, and a lot (if not most) of them have ill-fitting bite plates, so be prepared to try out several before settling on one you like. The bite plate problem is not hard to fix -- ditch it! Peel it off with a strong and reasonably sharp blade, and put on a 3M (or Vandoren, or Runyon) sticky pad cut to the same shape instead. Problem solved. Just be sure to keep it around to accurately measure future pads.

I do notice the mouthpiece sits way out on the cork, but this does not seem to cause the horn to play out of tune with itself, nor does it rattle around loosely on the neck (I think the shank is pretty tight).

The other thing about Lakeys is that not every horn likes them. I would bet a lot of the people who can't get one under control are trying to fit it to a horn that just doesn't like it. My post-buyout Aristocrat was one of them, it sounded nasty with the Lakey, and also with the Rousseau. I had to figure it just doesn't like paint peeler mouthpieces in general. But both the Lakey and the Rousseau are an excellent match to my "daily driver" Jupiter (though its daily driver status is in jeopardy from the C-mel).

I'm using a 3 1/2 on a 4*3 and find it just about perfect. Maybe they're tested with 2 and 2 1/2 reeds, but mine at least works great with something springier. It also seems to be very happy with a Fibracell strapped to it, though I haven't had a mouthpiece actually reject the synthetic yet.

The sound difference between the Rousseau and Lakey is not huge (because I've wedged the Rousseau to resemble a Lakey inside), but naturally they sound completely different from a large-chambered piece like my Conn Steelay, or even a medium-chambered piece like a Yamaha 4C. It doesn't even sound like the same horn. The raw power increase isn't as much as you might expect, because for a large-chambered piece with a relatively moderate facing, the Steelay can actually rumble pretty good. Still, the paint peelers ARE louder -- it's difficult to sustain a tone below about mezzo-piano, though not impossible.

[AmazingPhrasing]

wow thanks everybody! we just had our first rehearsal, and everybody was PUMPED!:D anyway, my lessons are every thurs. so I will talk to my teacher then. I am kind of confused about the white band around the bottom edge. My teacher's has one, but i've seen many pictures without this band. when was the design changed along the line? I take it the banded is the preferred?

[bkiser]

I read the subject and thought surely a punchline would follow!

[cjpts]

Mal, its more than possible to play a Lakey at ppp, but you'll struggle with a 3½! I've tried my Lakey with a 3½ Java and its impossible like that :? you must have some strong chops!! Most people seem to struggle on my setup already, but I have better altissimo and larger dynamic range on my Lakey than any other mouthpiece (my metal meyer might have the edge on subtones but not by much).

AP - I think generally people go for the older ones with the white line - but having seen some pics of a 5*3 with the line there's no difference between his and mine. I asked for pictures hoping it would have more even rails & window but his doesn't (mine still plays brilliantly tho). I'm sure the compound is different now as its a lighter colour but apart from wear it should be the same.

As I said earlier the 7*3 has a different chamber so it will sound different. The 7*3 isn't as popular though, so if in doubt a 5*3 should be a pretty safe bet. There are one or two 2nd hand ones on the forum right now, otherwise check out www.1stopclarinet.com - that where I bought my first two from

[AmazingPhrasing]

thanks cjpts! as for this website, 50 bucks? thats around what i'd expect to pay at the local store with my father's band director discount! is it a good website? quality of product, customer service, and all that?

[cjpts]

I've used them quite a few times, and they've only been slow when their supplier once let them down on a shipment of Alexander reeds - I got my Lakeys within a week of ordering, and that's with international post! I wasn't forgotten about but I'd have liked to have been told earlier

If your local store stocks them and can let you try a few that wouldn't hurt though. If you've got any questions, drop them an email

[CountSpatula]

I have a friend that went to school in Denton, and has played a Lakey for most of the years since ('69, '70?). He sounds great on them, but he finally bit through both his tenor and alto mouthpiece. He's still trying to find a replacement.

Ironic my teacher is from NTSU and he bit through most of his lakey, but the repairman in town filled it up with some kind of epoxy? Seems to be ok now, looks funny but whatever works...

[hakukani]

Ironic my teacher is from NTSU and he bit through most of his lakey, but the repairman in town filled it up with some kind of epoxy? Seems to be ok now, looks funny but whatever works...

Truthfully, I've been trying to get him to go for a lower baffle. I haven't seen him for a few weeks, so I have no idea what he's playing on.

[Mal 2]

Mal, its more than possible to play a Lakey at ppp, but you'll struggle with a 3½! I've tried my Lakey with a 3½ Java and its impossible like that :? you must have some strong chops!! Most people seem to struggle on my setup already, but I have better altissimo and larger dynamic range on my Lakey than any other mouthpiece (my metal meyer might have the edge on subtones but not by much).

ppp is relative I suppose -- if fff is now 4 dB louder, then so is ppp. By that criterion, then yeah I can play softly. What I meant is that to get louder at the top end, ALL my dynamics get a little bit louder. The dynamic range stays about the same.

All I know is that I had to put the alto a lot lower (-4.8dB) in the mix than the C-mel or the soprano when I did the "section work" on this track:

http://mal-2.com/m/Mal-2_-_Una_Mañana.mp3

(If that doesn't convert to Unicode properly, it's http://mal-2.com/m/Mal-2_-_Una_Ma%F1ana.mp3 )

In terms of absolute loudness, it's probably not that much different, but in terms of dBA (weighted to the human auditory response), a lot more of the power is in the critical 1-4 kHz band, resulting in a louder apparent sound. Altissimo response? Heh. If you've played the track, I don't think I need to comment on that. :D

[saxobari]

A Lakey came with my VI,the mpc was powerfull,also had nice sound,but so thin that it was killing my ears,could'nt stand it!
I don't know for your taste,but If you like a very bright thin sound,that is what I experienced with Lakey alto mpc 5.3*( I think it was),
All the best
Saxobari

[MM]

Saxobari, how can you call a thin sound that kills your ears "nice?"

I think some Lakeys like the 7*3 have a bigger chamber that produce a fuller tone. Jon Van Wie said alto Lakeys really need a large tip opening of around .090" to really sing.

I haven't cared for Lakeys in the past but now have a nice 7*3. It played even better after Bob Carpenter tweaked the facing.

[CountSpatula]

.090" to really sing? Hrm...

[cjpts]

0.090"? How about just putting on a stronger reed?

[hakukani]

0.090"? How about just putting on a stronger reed?

You're no fun.;)

I play a .090, and I believe the Count still does, too--and they're not high baffle pieces like the lakey.

It's easier to play a larger tip opening if it's a high baffle.

[CountSpatula]

You're no fun.;)

I play a .090, and I believe the Count still does, too--and they're not high baffle pieces like the lakey.

It's easier to play a larger tip opening if it's a high baffle.

The weird thing is my friends Lakey 7*3, when I put my reed on it, the reed tip and mouthpiece tip aren't parallel...I think his rails are off a bit...Lakeys are weird :) I don't even know how you pronounce it (Lay-key or Lah-key?)

[Dr G]

The alto 7*3 IS a .090".

Ref.: http://www.claudelakey.com/Articles.asp?ID=135

That was my preferred Lakey alto 'piece too. On tenor, I liked the 6*3 (.110").

[cjpts]

You're no fun.;)

I play a .090, and I believe the Count still does, too--and they're not high baffle pieces like the lakey.

It's easier to play a larger tip opening if it's a high baffle.

Oh, I can be fun you're just not my type! :p I'll bare that in mind next time I go mouthpiece shopping though.


The weird thing is my friends Lakey 7*3, when I put my reed on it, the reed tip and mouthpiece tip aren't parallel...I think his rails are off a bit...Lakeys are weird :) I don't even know how you pronounce it (Lay-key or Lah-key?)

Everyone I've met says it Lay-key (think it sounds better that way). And there's barely a Lakey around with even rails etc...tho most Lakeys still play pretty well ;)


The alto 7*3 IS a .090".

Ref.: http://www.claudelakey.com/Articles.asp?ID=135

That was my preferred Lakey alto 'piece too. On tenor, I liked the 6*3 (.110").

I'm getting more tempted to try a 7*3 by the day! And I think my 5*3 on tenor is too closed - 6*3 is their most popular tenor piece btw

[super20dan]

try the 8*3 on tenor-a monster!

[CountSpatula]

Everyone I've met says it Lay-key (think it sounds better that way). And there's barely a Lakey around with even rails etc...tho most Lakeys still play pretty well ;)

yeah...and my friend who had that 7*3 with bad rails beat me out of All-State 2 years ago :cry::cry::cry:

[saxobari]

Saxobari, how can you call a thin sound that kills your ears "nice?"

I think some Lakeys like the 7*3 have a bigger chamber that produce a fuller tone. Jon Van Wie said alto Lakeys really need a large tip opening of around .090" to really sing.

I haven't cared for Lakeys in the past but now have a nice 7*3. It played even better after Bob Carpenter tweaked the facing.

MM
All I was saying is that the sound of that Lakey was nice,but so bright in the high register that was killing my ear drums!So I gave it away,did'nt care personaly for it!
I really don't like bright and thin sound in any saxe,,anyways just my opinion!
I think that not one player is the same,we have all different taste!
Maybe another LAkey could be different,but the one I had was bright and thin!
My regards
Saxobari.

[BlueTrane2028]

Everybody I play with in the Philadelphia are String Bands uses a Lakey... and it makes me want to tear my ears off. Obnoxiously bright... with a crushed core. It's like putting your thumb over the edge of a garden hose... you'll shoot the water hard and far, but the stream isn't that great.

[MM]

I agree that many Lakey's played thin and obnoxious. I'm not sure how much are the mouthpieces and how much the player. But I heard one guy who got a gorgeous sound on one, then found a good Lakey mpc sometime afterwards.

Too bad nobody seems to make a quality alto mpc with a similar design.

[AmazingPhrasing]

thanks for the great discussion guys! well, my private teacher convinced me not to buy one for marching band. (btw i got 3rd chair! as a freshman!) i'm just using the stock Yamaha 4C mpc instead. we both agreed that it would be best to get a Lakey AFTER marching band and use it as if it were a $450 JJ DV, not...well like a stock 4C! so i got home, took it (the 4C) out, slapped on a reed and blew a while, and it's totally the right choice. plus, i don't have to spend the money for a mpc that i would probably deem to good for marching anyway! :twisted: so thanks everybody, and problem solved!