Lawton mouthpieces

[anitje]

Hi.

I am a relatively new player. I've played tenor about 2 years. I tried my sax teacher's really radical Lawton mouthpiece...he has some ridiculous custom opening like 11 or 12 or so...I loved the sounds I got out of it but I could barely play it.

I want to buy one that might be within my grasp.

Currently I play a Conn Connqueror (30m I think?- naked lady variant) with an Otto Link 6 star and #3 Superiale reeds.

Questions....

Would a Lawton 6 star be manageable for me? I like to play jazz, bebop, blues.... Should I get the "B" type? That is what the hype seems to suggest.

Is there any significant sonic or feel difference between stainless, brass, bronze, and plated versions? Or is it all appearance?

Thanks....

Michael.

[Sigmund451]

You could with some work. I tried a lawton and found that while they have a distinctive sound (not my choice) they are far from the most responsive mouthpiece in the bottom end. They require a good degree of air support but if its what your after Id say work for it.

[MojoBari]

Response issues are usually facing problems, not mouthpiece design problems. Lawtons have superb rail and chamber finish work. But I find the baffle too high near the tip rail for many players (they chirp). Also, the facing work is not as precise as it should be.

So if you hear something you like in a Lawton, I would recommend getting a tip size you like and possibly getting it looked over by a refacer.

[BATMAN]

Lawtons can be very good mpcs.

I would suggest if you want one, that you try it before you buy if possible. Sometimes they are not the easiest pieces to play and control. And as suggested, they take lots of air support. Also, the bottom end is not the greatest I've played, but overall it is a good piece.

I also play a Connquerer. I use a Lawton plain chamber with much sucess. But I am using it merely as a backup for my Hollywood BD Dukoff which I need to get refaced.

I recommend checking out a vintage Dukoff if you can. They are bar none the best mouthpieces I've used for the old Conns, IMHO.

[baritone]

Oh.....ur tenor is a great one....damn....I should stop messing around with my 10m Ladyface.......

I also tried a lawton....marked 'special 8*'......(forget if it is 8*)......but that time I dun really like it that much.......I tried my cheap metal mpc (probably the one always on ebay ending up around £25)....I had a bigger sound on that.........

these days I receive a Runyon Quantum 8 metal tenor mpc........and a metal Selmer jazz tenor mpc...........I really like the selmer one.......funny things happen when I put the metal spoiler for my Runyon on the selmer one.......brighter..........maybe 'lighter' as well.....(never expect the spoiler can fit itself in to selmer...).....oh...it is a 'D' for selmer.

but still dun have a very good chance to try everything out fully.......coz I stay in the uni dorm...........noise noise......always a great issue........dun wanna get any more complaint!!! (maybe next time I should tell my neighbour ' I dun mind if you start learing trumpet!!!') :wink: :wink: :roll:

[Sigmund451]

I dont play Lawtons but I have Lawton Ligature Envy. Brilliant Design!

[frankbiff]

I have a new Lawton 8B. I find the bottom end to be very good, a lush full tone, its the top plam keys and altisimo that I have complaints about, and the chirping. I suspect that if the bottom end is poor that you are using hard reeds. (or have leaks) I use Rico 2 1/2 or Vandoring Java 2 1/2 or LaVoz med soft. I suspect, as Mojo said, that the baffle near the tip is too high and the facing curve might be less than ideal (near the tip) so I'm lookin to have it worked on. It doesn't seem to take more air than my Berg 110/2M and only a little more than my 6 and 6* Links. The suport in focused air is needed at the top end; but doing that improves the tone on just about any mpc.


[/quote]

[stitch]

maybe next time I should tell my neighbour ' I dun mind if you start learing trumpet!!!' :wink: :wink: :roll:

But if you speak like you write, will s/he understand you?

I'm not being mean, baritone, but this is an international forum, frequented by many for whom English is not their first language. In fact it's a requirement of participation that contributions are in standard English.

[anitje]

Wow, great forum!! I never imagined so many thoughtful replies!!!

I didn't think anybody else played the Connqueror, Batman! What a sweet sound it has.

Is the "P" much different than the "B"?? Much easier to play? I was under the impression that the "P" was more of a classical mouthpiece, the "B" more for bebop, and the "BB" more for rock and such, but I jsut gleaned that from the promo information. I am sure it is an oversimplification.

OK, I'll try to get my hands on a Dukoff as well.

Thanks, everybody!!!

[JimD]

The P chamber has a dark tone, I found it lacked edge. The B is brighter but full and I played one for several years and may go back to it. The Lawton sound is clearer in the B than the BB which I now play. It can be difficult to control and a lot of people can't get over the chirps. It can feel a bit tubby down the bottom. I reckon you need to play for a couple of weeks to get used to it and know if you are going to like it.

It is very powerful, loud, but will also play soft and low if you have the breath control. I don't mean to imply that this is a wild beast, I had a Lawton many years ago when I hadn't been playing very long and had no problems with it. It is important to get the right size opening. Don't go for a wide opening thinking you'll grow into it, you'll probably give up before you do.

The BB is not as bright as is suggested. It is brighter than the B, and possibly even louder, or more accurately has more edge but it doesn't sacrifice depth of tone. I find it easy to play right through the horn with no extra effort needed for low Bb.

This is a bad time to develop a thing for a Lawton with production finished after Geoff's death; but they can still be found with a bit of effort and still at comparatively reasonable prices despite some sellers, especially on ebay, trying to talk them up with their crocodile tears expressions of sympathy.

A 6 or a 6* should be just right on your Conn and the choice of chamber depends upon how you blow and what you want but I wouldn't dismiss the the idea of trying a BB chamber if you can find one.

[BATMAN]

regarding the description of the chamber styles, the descriptions are definately in the realm of what we call "subjective" :)

For me, a P chamber is not what I would call "dark". A Brilhart Ebolin or Vandoren Diamond I would call dark, the Lawton P, not. But that is of course my subjective opinion.

I recommended it mainly because I feel that the larger chamber makes for a bigger and more easily controllable sound, and that the baffle is more than high enough to produce as much edge as you need, with proper air. Also, the low end is much bigger and fuller than with the smaller chambered B, in my opinion. But everyone plays differently.

I'm just not a fan of baffles :)