🎵 BACKUN Shifrin Signature Bb Mouthpiece — The Gold Standard of Consistency from a Chamber Music Legend
The BACKUN Shifrin Signature Series Bb Clarinet Mouthpiece is a signature model created in collaboration with David Shifrin, winner of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, Professor at Yale School of Music, and one of America's most influential clarinetists. This mouthpiece embodies decades of searching for the ideal sound: a unique A-Frame baffle representing the future of clarinet mouthpiece design, a compact 1.04 mm Close tip with Medium/Long facing optimised for both synthetic and cane reeds. Crafted from marbled slate hard-rod rubber, the Shifrin Signature delivers the most consistent period in a player's career in terms of tone production, intonation, and articulation.
🎶 Sound Characteristics
The Shifrin Signature is a mouthpiece for those who value impeccable consistency and control. A compact, focused tone with rich resonance is ideal for chamber music and the most demanding acoustic environments.
✔️ Consistent tone production — as David Shifrin himself describes: "I am enjoying the most consistent period of my playing career in terms of tone production, intonation, and articulation thanks to these new mouthpieces"
✔️ Rich, clear tone — the A-Frame baffle and Close tip deliver a rich, compact sound with excellent resonance and projection
✔️ Impeccable intonation — the compact 1.04 mm opening provides maximum control over intonation across all registers
✔️ Precise articulation — the Medium/Long facing ensures clean, controlled attack for the most demanding passages
✔️ Perfect for chamber music — the compact, focused tone blends perfectly into ensemble sound without dominating partners
🔧 Construction and Technology
The Shifrin Signature embodies the future of clarinet mouthpiece design: A-Frame baffle combined with BACKUN's cutting-edge manufacturing technology.
✔️ A-Frame Baffle — a unique baffle design developed by Richard Hawkins specifically for the Signature series. The A-Frame optimises airflow, providing tonal clarity, projection, and control. This is the hallmark of the Shifrin, McGill, Hawkins, and Euro models
✔️ Close Tip Opening 1.04 mm — the most compact opening in the Signature Series lineup. Provides maximum control, stable intonation, and a focused, centred tone
✔️ Medium/Long facing — optimised for both synthetic and cane reeds. Ensures comfortable playing with harder reeds
✔️ Marbled slate hard-rod rubber — a unique material selected specifically for the Shifrin Signature. The slate finish gives the mouthpiece a refined appearance while providing optimal acoustic characteristics
✔️ 9-axis CNC machining — crafted on a highly advanced 9-axis CNC machine using a unique "done-in-one" machining program that combines milling and lathing without a second setup or recalibration, ensuring exceptional consistency for every unit
✔️ CAD/CAM design and 3D prototyping — designed using advanced CAD/CAM software and tested with 3D printing technology
⚙️ O-Ring System
✔️ Self-lubricating O-Rings instead of traditional cork — all Backun Signature Series mouthpieces feature rubber O-Rings instead of cork. This provides improved durability, reduced maintenance, and a stable fit on the barrel
✔️ Three O-Ring sizes included — medium-sized O-Rings are installed by default and fit the majority of clarinet barrel tenons
💡 Tip from Hawkins: to re-lubricate the O-Rings, use a drop of almond oil or a tiny bit of cork grease on the inner wall of the barrel top tenon to improve ease of use
📊 Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
| Key | Bb |
| Series | Signature Series |
| Model | Shifrin (DS) |
| Artist | David Shifrin (Professor, Yale School of Music; Avery Fisher Prize) |
| Designer | Richard Hawkins (Professor, Oberlin Conservatory) |
| Tip Opening | 1.04 mm — Close |
| Facing | Medium / Long |
| Baffle | A-Frame |
| Material | Marbled slate hard-rod rubber |
| Engraving | «DS» on the table |
| Fitting | Self-lubricating O-Rings (3 pcs, medium size installed) |
| Manufacturing | 🇨🇦 Backun Musical Services, Canada — 9-axis CNC |
📦 Included
✔️ Shifrin Signature Bb Clarinet Mouthpiece (1 pc)
✔️ Medium-sized self-lubricating O-Rings (3 pcs)
✔️ Small flathead screwdriver for O-Rings (1 pc)
✔️ Mouthpiece patch (1 pc)
✔️ BACKUN Warranty
🎯 Who Is the Shifrin Signature For
✔️ Chamber musicians — the compact, focused tone blends perfectly into ensemble sound, ensuring balance with partners
✔️ Orchestral players — stable intonation and controlled projection for orchestral parts
✔️ Recitalists — a rich, clear tone with excellent resonance for solo concerts
✔️ Musicians who value consistency — impeccable consistency in tone production, intonation, and articulation
✔️ Those who prefer a compact sound — the 1.04 mm Close tip delivers a focused, centred tone without excessive volume
✔️ Synthetic reed users — the Medium/Long facing is optimised for Légère and other synthetic reeds
🏆 Comparison within the BACKUN Signature Series Bb
| Model | Tip Opening | Facing | Baffle | Material | Character |
| 🔥 Shifrin | 1.04 mm | Medium/Long | A-Frame | Marbled slate hard-rod rubber | Compact, stable, chamber |
| Hawkins | 1.08 mm | Medium | A-Frame | Hard-rod rubber | Clear, dark, compact |
| McGill | 1.15 mm | Medium/Long | A-Frame | Hard-rod rubber | Rich tone, easy articulation |
| Corrado | 1.20 mm | Open/Long | Traditional | Marbled green hard-rod rubber | Flexible, centred |
| Euro | 1.30 mm | Open+/Long | A-Frame | Spanish marble hard-rod rubber | Loudest, refined |
🏭 About David Shifrin
🇺🇸 David Shifrin is an American clarinetist, winner of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant (1987) and Avery Fisher Prize (2000) — one of the highest honours in the chamber music world. He is a Professor at Yale School of Music, holding the Samuel S. Sanford Professorship in the Practice of Clarinet. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, he won top prizes at the Munich and Geneva International Competitions. He served as Principal Clarinet with the Cleveland Orchestra and the American Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski. He has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and numerous other ensembles. Three Grammy nominations. In chamber music, he has collaborated with the Guarneri, Tokyo, and Emerson Quartets, Wynton Marsalis, Emanuel Ax, and André Previn. He performs on Backun Lumière clarinets and Légère reeds.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How does the Shifrin differ from other Signature Series mouthpieces?
The Shifrin has the most compact tip opening (1.04 mm) in the entire Signature Series lineup. This provides maximum control, stable intonation, and a focused, centred tone. The A-Frame baffle with Medium/Long facing is optimised for chamber music and the most demanding acoustic environments.
What is the A-Frame baffle?
The A-Frame is a unique baffle design developed by Richard Hawkins for the Signature series. It optimises airflow through the mouthpiece, providing tonal clarity, projection, and control. The A-Frame is featured in the Shifrin, Hawkins, McGill, and Euro models. Only the Corrado uses a Traditional bore.
What reeds work best with the Shifrin Signature?
The Shifrin Signature is optimised for both cane and synthetic reeds. With its compact 1.04 mm opening and Medium/Long facing, harder reeds are recommended: Vandoren 4-5 for cane or the corresponding strength for Légère. David Shifrin himself plays on Légère reeds.
Why O-Rings instead of cork?
Self-lubricating O-Rings offer improved durability compared to traditional cork, require less maintenance, don't need regular replacement, and provide a stable, secure fit on the barrel. Three sizes are included to achieve a perfect fit on any barrel.
Is the Shifrin Signature suitable for orchestral playing?
Yes, but its primary specialisation is chamber music. The compact 1.04 mm tip opening delivers a focused tone that blends perfectly into ensemble sound. For orchestral playing with more volume, consider the McGill or Euro.
What does the "DS" engraving on the table mean?
"DS" stands for David Shifrin — the initials of the artist for whom this mouthpiece was created. Each Signature Series model has a unique engraving: DS (Shifrin), RH (Hawkins), AM (McGill), CG (Corrado), EU (Euro).
Why marbled slate hard-rod rubber?
The slate colour gives the mouthpiece a refined, professional appearance. But it's not just aesthetics — the hard-rod rubber material is selected for its acoustic properties: it provides optimal vibration and resonance.
Is the Shifrin Signature compatible with other brands' clarinets?
Yes, the Shifrin Signature is compatible with barrel tenons from most clarinet manufacturers thanks to its O-Ring system with three sizes. The medium size, installed by default, fits the majority of barrels.
🚚 Shipping and Payment
✅ Free shipping across Ukraine from 4000 UAH
🚚 Nova Poshta — 1-3 days across Ukraine
💳 Pay in installments — Monobank, PrivatBank
✅ Official warranty from BACKUN
🇨🇦 Made in Canada — BACKUN instruments and accessories
SoundsGood — official BACKUN dealer in Ukraine. Shipping across all of Ukraine: Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and more.
🎵 Order the BACKUN Shifrin Signature Bb Mouthpiece at SoundsGood — the gold standard of consistency from a chamber music legend! 🎶
