David Spiegelthal
Distinguished SOTW Member.

Hello David, I am fairly new to this website, but I am impressed with your input, background and experience. Recently, I purchased a vintage Henri Leduc (Paris) bass clarinet on Ebay, and am quite impressed with its quality. It appears to be well-built and has a nice big sound. But I am really a Bb soprano clarinetist and am just getting re-acquainted with the bass clarinet. The bass came with a Vito II mouthpiece which I know is a beginner's mouthpiece, so I am writing to you for your input on a good mouthpiece. I hope to join some local ensembles as a bass clarinetist, and would like to purchase a respectable mouthpiece. I have read some of your input on mouthpieces and if you could recommend a good bass clarinet mouthpiece, I would appreciate it very much. I know that you have worked on mouthpieces and have much knowledge and skill in this area. So, if you have any you would like to sell (used are OK) and would recommend, I would be very interested. Thank you very much. Marshall

Hi David, I saw in one of your posts that you play vintage Kohlert bass clarinets. I have one, marked "Made in Bohemia" which I hope to restore for my own masochistic pleasure, and I was wondering if you knew what to use for spares and what brand of pads would fit best?
Thanks, Rob (Sunny England)

David, I was reading one of your posts, where you said you had several old King's. I have an old silver plated alto, serial # 99,XXX i am intending on letting to. It is not in very good shape, perhaps a part's horn to be honest. There was no neck with it, so I had a friend fit a modern neck on it. If you might be interested I can try to get some pictures of it posted. Don (southern Maryland).