Backun Protege Bass Clarinet Mouthpiece

This is the mouthpiece that ships with the Backun Alpha bass clarinet, and it's also available on its own — which is good news, because for a long time the entry-level bass clarinet mouthpiece market was a wasteland.

The Protégé is the rare student mouthpiece that doesn't require an immediate upgrade. It's molded from a synthetic blank (not rubber), the facing is consistent piece-to-piece, and it responds really well. A beginner can get a sound out of it on day one, and I like it SO MUCH BETTER than the Yamaha 4C that I see in most people's cases. 

Pair it with a Vandoren Traditional #2.5 or #3 and you're good to go. If you are just starting out, go softer; if you've have been playing a little while and you find your reeds collapsing, do two things: 1) Make sure you aren't biting — this is very common with young players, and if not, then 2) bump up to the #3. (I sell single reeds, so you can grab one of each instead of committing to a whole box.)

Ok, so who should buy this? Two groups, basically: parents of bass clarinet students whose school-issued mouthpiece is a sad little hunk of plastic; and teachers/band directors stocking the closet with something that works and won't break the bank.

What it isn't: a professional mouthpiece. If you're playing in an orchestra or doing solo work, you want one of the higher-end pieces. The Protégé is honest about what it is, and that's part of why it's good.

Trials?

Not on this mouthpiece — same policy as the Vandorens. The manufacturing is consistent enough that every Protégé is essentially the same.