Good punchy baritone mpc

[Jazz House]

Hi i have a friend who is looking for a really good punchy baritone mouthpiece that gives him funky lows, punchy middles and good highs.

He is currently on one of the more classical vandorens (i think it's a B75).

He really wants that big Pepper Adams or Stephen Kupka sound. What to you recommend.

He would like a metal mouthpiece (I think he prefers them) but recommend anything suitable if you can.

[maestroelite]

Doc plays a 0 Berg. I really like my Quantum, it has a similar vibe and you're taking a much smaller chance buying one of those. Mine is a Delrin 12 but it blows quite easily, I think its more like a 7 in Link sizes.

[Buescher27]

SRTech Pro... not too big an opening at.115 but if you get rid of the Rovner lig and fit a good metal one (Selmer 402, Vando Optimum...) to hold a sizable reed:D
He'll have what he wants, harsh or subtle:TGNCHK:

[hakukani]

Rpc 110 B. It can do Doc or Pepper.

[Kini]

I play on a B75, I would not call it not punchy, Rico orange box helps get more punch. I just tried some Rico Plasticovers on my Yani metal, which I didnt think was much different from the B75, but they turn it into (almost) the R&B paint peeler....

I just finished trialing a SR Tech pro, and to me it was more warm and round and less punchy - but they come with Rover darks, those abominations!

[SactoPete]

Keep an eye open for RIA metal mouthpieces... not too common, but you can get them pretty inexpensively, and they work nicely on Bari.

Pete

[sjonesjrmd]

ditto on the RPC from Ron. Great mouthpiece for bari.....plays like nothing else......has punch and volume as well as great tone!!!!!

[GAS_Wyo]

I'm playing a 110/2M Berg Larsen which was opened up from a 95...punchiest, loudest bari mouthpiece I've ever heard or played. It's a killer.

[super20dan]

Ponzel Custom

[barisaxbeast]

Depending what you can afford I would go for a Lawton, something like a 7 or 8*b thats if you can find one!

[RS]

Second the RIA. I play a rubber (sometimes metal) 10* (.145") and it can whisper or roar. Can cut through a big band or blend nicely with the sax section. Too bad they're no longer being made. Lawtons are good too. Haven't had much luck with Bergs or Links. Vandorens are worth a look.

[bari_sax_diva]

I'm using a 110/1 Berg. I think Doc plays about a 130/0.

[Jazz House]

Thanks for the replies so far. There are some pretty good ideas here.

[MPL]

A friend told me Doc Kupka uses very soft (like 1.5) Plasticovers on that Berg. The Plasticovers would definitely add a lot of brightness to the sound.

[maestroelite]

Yep, that's what it says(said?) on the Tower of Power website.

[SactoPete]

There's an RIA (actually, my old RIA, which I can say firsthand is a great piece, very close to my primary RPC) for sale now from Mark R in the mouthpieces for sale section....

Here's the link:

http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=100590

[sonnyseals]

I've been playing bari for 30+ years (Man, I'm getting old!). I started on a rubber Berg in junior high.
Over time I have tried metal Links, Dukoffs, Rias, Bergs, a Wolf Tayne, among others, but I keep coming back to my rubber Bergs. I guess I'm just a creature of habit.

I think the rubber Bergs are punchy, yet flexible enough. For me, either a Plasticover #4 or a plain old Rico #4 can make these pieces plenty edgy/punchy.

[Morry]

Randall turned me on to the Yanigasawa metal piece on bari. Very nice for a punchy, funky sound.

[SMF]

Second the ponzol custom Hard rubber and RPC both very good.

smf

[The Rumbler]

I'm a big fan of Brancher B29s or Lebayle Metal Jazz. Branchers are particularly free-blowing and rasping - anything else just sounds like your bari has got a cold.

[Grumps]

RPC for me as well, but if it's a vintage bari, I'd go with a rollover rather than a high baffle. Ron's rollover design for bari has plenty of punch and power.

[Michael Ward]

Lamberson DD . If you can find one. Best high baffle rubber piece out there.
Like a supercharged Berg 0.

[shmuelyosef]

A friend told me Doc Kupka uses very soft (like 1.5) Plasticovers on that Berg. The Plasticovers would definitely add a lot of brightness to the sound.

Plasticovers make any bari mouthpiece punchy...I used to peel paint with a Link STM...i think .110 by playing hard #4 plasticovers.

Now I use a stock metal yanagisawa 7 with RJS 3H and it's still very punchy. These are real sleepers, as they look harmless.

[Helen]

The Berg has already been mentioned lots here, and I love mine too, but consistency was really an issue a few years ago. Don't know what it's like now, so if you're buying new now, be aware... Playtest lots. If doing the mail order thing, make sure you have the ability to return them.

About 5 years ago my beloved Berg got relegated to backup for R&B when I got a Rico Metalite for my bari. It is a great piece. Getting harder to come by, but there was on eBay just the other day that sold for under a $100, complete with box. I believe it was a M7.

Also another good choice, but so far not mentioned, is a Runyon Quantum. If you have a chance to play test one, you might want to give them a try too.

[GAS_Wyo]

Now I use a stock metal yanagisawa 7 with RJS 3H and it's still very punchy. These are real sleepers, as they look harmless.
I've noticed something that I believe everyone should take note of...If a piece is recommended here on SOTW and very seldom (if ever) shows up on eBay for sale, there's a good chance that people are holding on to them because they know what shmuelyosef has discovered! I'd love to try one of these Yani Metal 7's out!!! But right now I love the reworked Berg; it peels paint, but I can't play it softly...even with a 2.5 reed. I'm going to have to relegate mine to the Rock/R&B role soon.

If anyone here has one for sale, let me know. Not willing to pay a premium for one, but if it's just sitting in your drawer waiting for its chance to be played again, keep me in mind! :) I don't travel to places that have a ton of mouthpieces to try out. I live in WYOMING! There's nothing here or anywhere close. 5 hours to Denver is even a little too much sometimes with gas prices at $1.19 here!

[Kini]

Now I use a stock metal yanagisawa 7 with RJS 3H and it's still very punchy. These are real sleepers, as they look harmless.

I have a Yani 7 metal - have you noticed that you have to go down a reed size? I also have a few .110 pieces that I play 2 1/2's on, and need the same for the Yani.

[BigHunk]

RPC for me as well,,,Im trying out a JJ DV bari piece now but just seem to go back to the RPC.

[shmuelyosef]

I have a Yani 7 metal - have you noticed that you have to go down a reed size? I also have a few .110 pieces that I play 2 1/2's on, and need the same for the Yani.

My metal 7 measures about .105 and I find something about the facing encourages me to use harder reeds than other pieces...the opposite of your comment. I can use #4 Plasticovers on the Yani 7 and it just roars without much effort

[jazzcat58]

i use a runyon smoothbore 8 with plasticovers currently, if you want to spend a little less and still geta quality sound these are worth a try or the quantum as already mentioned,i like the jody jazz too would like to get one in the future to try out!.
bryan

[seattlebari]

Everyone's remarks have great merit, but I do think that the R.P.C., by Ron Coelho of
Tacoma, Washington is a terrific choice, if you can't afford a Lamberson, for example.
Ron is a very good bari player in his own right, and has a great understanding of the
unique challenges faced by we bari players. All the suggestions will be very good choices, particularly with reed choice, ligature choice, and ligature placement.

[BariMelt]

Love my Runyon metal Quantum w/o spoiler (13). Been using it for years now, but wouldn't mind trying the RPC. Unlike on my tenor, I never try different mouthpieces.

[qwerty]

Jody Jazz Classic 7 with spoiler. I would like to try an RPC. Maybe I'll suck it up and call Ron and deal with the wait.

[BariSaxDude]

Runyon Quantum all the way. has everything you're looking for. it even plays the trick fingering for high F# like it was a note that was already on the sax. i haven't found that with any other mpc before. it's also good for classical pieces to. right now i'm playing bach's little organ fugue for saxophone quartet with it and it sounds great! not to overpowering but not too quiet either. just the perfect mpc in my opinion.

[jmarshall83]

Jody jazz DV is still the best and Most Consistent mouthpiece available for any kind of music.

[SaxPlayer1004]

I'm using a Wolf Tayne 7* now and dear lord does that pack a punch. I took it out in jazz band and ran through warmups with that a Link STM8*, yamaha 5c, and a Ponzol M110. For some reason I kept going back to the Tayne. Ponzol was edgy as all get. I think the link needs to be looked at because it's never played as well as my 7* that was refaced and sold regrettably, 5c wasn't loud enough.

I played the STM most of last semester, but I think I'll be able to get the sound I want for most of our charts with the Wolf.

Adams played a wide open Berg for a while then switched to a dukoff, however I remember reading that he wasn't a fan of the dukoff. If you can get your hands on a Berg that's the way to go. I just haven't found mine yet, and the pieces I have now are playing everything that needs to be played.

[chkymnky]

RPC - really great mouthpiece.
I also use a rubber RIA (which has some similar qualities to the RPC) as a backup.

[dirty]

Metalite if you can find one. Big, solid tone with a lot of cut and edge, but without thinness or excessive brightness. I play an M9 (I think. All of the lettering has worn off by now) and love it.

[Wisco99]

If you read all the replys so far you may have noticed different suggestions from everyone in answer to your one question. Think about that. Every mouthpiece is different. It is impossible to make 2 exactly the same. Everybody is built differently, has a different embouchure, lips, chin, throat size, brain. One size does not fit all. You also need to find the right reed for a mouthpiece.

What everyone seems to be saying is what works for them.

Wisco8-)