{"product_id":"backun-protege-bass-clarinet-mouthpiece","title":"Backun Protege Bass Clarinet Mouthpiece","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003ePair 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. (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"clarinet reed link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earspasm.com\/collections\/reeds?filter.p.m.custom.instrument=gid%3A%2F%2Fshopify%2FMetaobject%2F233191440674\"\u003eI sell single reeds\u003c\/a\u003e, so you can grab one of each instead of committing to a whole box.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOk, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWhat 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTrials?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNot on this mouthpiece — same policy as the Vandorens. The manufacturing is consistent enough that every Protégé is essentially the same.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Backun","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51753413837090,"sku":null,"price":57.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/5799\/1202\/files\/Mouthpieces-2026photos-1_ProductStaging.png?v=1781134159","url":"https:\/\/www.earspasm.com\/products\/backun-protege-bass-clarinet-mouthpiece","provider":"earspasm","version":"1.0","type":"link"}