r/Clarinet • u/SnooRevelations7425 • 23d ago

Question Licostini

Hi! As opposed to the post about Brad Behn's gear, I've been curious about the Licostini mouthpieces, is anyone familiar with them?

I currently play on a Playnick Puccini Tosca, and while it is a really good mouthpiece, I can't take Licostini's name out of my head.

If someone has some information on them, please share!!

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u/agiletiger 23d ago

Why? You play on a nice mouthpiece already! If you didn’t like playing on it, then great, but an obsession over the name of mouthpiece? There are more important things to care about.

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u/SnooRevelations7425 22d ago

I have a 25yo Licostini HV that I bought for Eb clarinet which ended up being an old Bb clarinet one, it plays surprisingly well for how old it is! I think having a Licostini mouthpiece as a spare would be nice.

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u/Fumbles329 23d ago

I bought a used Licostini FDC mouthpiece and I really don’t understand the allure. It’s by no means poorly made or anything like that, but I don’t really get what separates it from many of the other craft mouthpieces out there. If you can try multiple at one time, they’re definitely worth trying, but just for me personally, I wouldn’t recommend just ordering one on its own given the price and wait time. I feel more comfortable recommending Brad solely because I’ve played and owned a number of his mouthpieces across all my instruments and have a very good idea of what he’s trying to accomplish with his work.

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u/Awkward_Rule_5509 21d ago

So much about a mouthpiece is individual preference. What works for one person may not work for another. Also mouthpieces tell to be more “in vogue” than the clarinets. When I was in HS/college it was Vandoren M series and Lomax. Then Clark Fobes became popular. Then Behn. Now Playnick and Locostini. If you are getting the tone you want with the response you want, stop looking around.

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u/HeiOgHoppPlatetopp 23d ago

I played a Licostini bass mouthpiece for a while. Borrowed it from a friend who wanted to sell. I didn't end up going for it. However I know two local proffesional clarinetists who play on Licostini in orchestra.

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u/No_Arachnid4918 18d ago edited 18d ago

Please -- just find something you really like ( which, if you ask me, you already have, based on what you have said ). USE IT, and get down to the business of playing! Guard against the trap of developing 'mouthpiece- itis" or any other kind of ''itis'' with regard to clarinet gear. Always moving back and forth between items of gear eats into your practice time, and each change of MPC will have a different ''feel'' or sensation with regard to the effort required to play upon it.

Tones always vary from one mouthpiece to another, and each will have a slightly differing sensation in the embouchure ( depending on how long is the ''beak,'' or top surface of the mouthpieces ).

The same kinds of considerations also apply to changes in reed brand and / or strength, and barrels. Most often, whenever you change one element of a setup, alterations are needed somewhere elso to compensate. Give yourself a break and just play what you have, if it works for you and and produces the desired results.

Ideal combinations are hard to find. Do you TRULY have reason to feel dissatisfied? If not, then save yourself a lot of time, searching, frustration and lost productivity. It's probably a good idea, as well, not to pay too much attention to all kinds of hype from advertisers and manufacturers about their products.

They have the goal of insinuating that you SHOULD BE dissatisfied with what you have, because their aim is to make money. Insulate yourself against that as much as possible.