G'day again,

RichardH: I'm afraid Clarkes have shown bad fit since the family sold out. Fortunately, being tin-plate much of the fit can be adjusted with little more than sturdy thumb pressure (squeezing sides into better fit). A thin metal 'slip' (or just a thin penknife blade) can act as a former for flattening the excessive 'arch' of the top of the mouthpiece.

A good friend was playing one of the new ones in Sydney ... said she liked it, but it had too much 'wind noise' ("chiff") ... and took so much air she was hyperventilating! I had a close look, applied thumb pressure on both sides and the top ... and she was astonished at the improvement. It's a pity the new makers can't get them right at the factory (although I have tended to 'nudge' a few surfaces to the optimum points for nearly 40 years!).

Regards,

Bob Bolton