HR Berg on Soprano

[Balladeer]

Have any of you tried a HR Berg Larsen on soprano? I have a an old Conn straight soprano (1927) and I'm currently playing a Morgan customized ProTone (because he is completely out of hard rubber blanks). I'd like a little more sizzle and a nicer feel in the mouth. I had a preference for HR Bergs on alto. I'm considering a 65/3; I need the big chamber for plam key intonation on the old Conn. I'd welcome the comments of those with experience with HR Bergs on soprano.

[MitchP]

Yes, I used them on my Keilwerth exclusively for the last 4 years. I just swithched to a Lamberson about a week ago. I was getting tired of the sound and feel. I was looking for a deeper sound with a smoother articulation/feel. It's harder for me to swing/lock into the time with a baffle. The Berg was becoming too choppy for me, this realization came about from switching to a HR Link on tenor.
All this aside, try some.

[Bootman]

Definitely worth trying, as would be a Lamberson and an older Link.

[Quijote]

M currently using a refaced HR large chamber 72/2SMS (made in 1970s, recently tweaked by MojoBari) on my JK sop: GR8 into, nice dark classical sound, easy 2 control (all thanx 2 Mojo).

[aanz]

I have an old 70/2/M that I love the sound of but can't get used to the odd beak shape. Also, the shank opening is much bigger than my usual mpc so everytime I want to check it out I have to wind a couple feet of plumbers tape on the cork, then take it off when I'm done and that's just too much of a chore.
Plus, the tip has a weird flat shape to it so I have to clip thr reed before I play it.
Okay, I feel beeter now after a bit of wenging.

Seriously, the soprano Bergs seem to have a really different sound than most sop pieces. On my Martin sop it sounds really full and weighty, more of an alto sound. Check one out, I'd like to hear your views on them.

[BertieB]

I switched to a Berg in last 10 weeks (60/1) and love the sound! I play it with Rovner Dark Lig/Van V16 on my straight Rampone R1 and its a joy to play and find the sound rich, sonorous and characterful, neither dark/stuffy nor bright/sharp, which is what I want. Am I right in thinking that Bergs are more popular in Europe than the US/elsewhere?

As a relative beginner it seems very easy to play. I wonder whether it should also merit a recommendation alongside the Selmer C*, which I have never tried!

Be pleased to hear from any other Berg Soprano users.

[Tom Goodrick]

I have been thinking of trying either a Berg or a Dukoff on sop. I'd like to try for a sound like Kenny G's for some occasions though I am normally happy with a mellow sound on sop. I have a Berg 95/1 for tenor that I have not played in a while. I put the Berg on the tenor with a Rovner dark lig a V16 2.5 reed. It sounded great with plenty of edge. Then I put an EVO lig on my sop Super Session F, turning its bars down under the reed (2.0 ZZ). I got a very similar sound on sop compared to the tenor.

It did remind me that Bergs require some practice to play well without squeeking. Indeed I had set the Berg aside because it was hard to play well and sis not sound as great as I expected. But after playing my Rovner Deep V 7 for 18 months and learning how to blow the horn, the Berg seemed much better than it had been. Now I won't be in a big hurry to change sop mpc's because the Super Session seems to be behaving like the Berg would. The sound is sensitive to how you set the reed as well as to the lig.

[J.Max]

I used to use a 0 chamber Berg on soprano for rock playing. Nasty little mouthpiece...but there's nothing I could do on that one that I can't do on my Rousseau Studio Jazz, and the SJ is FAR easier to control.

[Tom Goodrick]

Thanks. That is the first good word I have seen here for the Rousseau Studio Jazz which is also priced nicely.

[J.Max]

I love the Rousseau Studio Jazz mouthpieces. Nice bright (but not too bright) sound with a lot of flexibility. Don't know why more people don't use them...

[RS]

I tried a Berg when I was looking for a piece for my new Yani curvy. The Berg didn't have enough cut and the general tone was a little dull. I settled on a Selmer Supersession. The SS has pretty good cut but can still get a warm and mellow sound. The SS has a small chamber so it might not work with the old Conns but could be worth a try.

[MojoBari]

Theo Bergs are good on sop. He duckbills them so they feel more normal in the mouth. I can probably do this mod too, but I was impressed with the one sent to me to be closed down.

[pearcey1024]

the soprano Bergs seem to have a really different sound than most sop pieces. On my Martin sop it sounds really full and weighty, more of an alto sound.

This is really the sound I've been looking for on my sop. I play a yanigasawa 991, meyer 5 and lavoz med's. Do many people agree that the berg sop pieces give a really full, alto-like sound? Are there other pieces out their that get close to this type of sound?

[Thomas]

I recently bought a new Berg soprano piece off Epay, a 75/1. It sat around here for a few days before I tried it-I truely expected it to be awful. I'm pleased to say that it plays and sounds great! Deep, dark and powerful-easy articulation. Not a piece I'd use regularly but a fine piece that owes me no apologies. My usual is an RPC I've had for years and will always be my favorite. Sometimes I'll switch off to a Barone Hollywood 7* for quieter situations. I'm playing a Couf Superba I've had for 30 years and using DC 3 or 3.5 reed...stock ligatures.
If all the new Bergs are the quality of this one I'd say try one-they can be had quite inexpensively.
Sop pices on hand; RPC, Barone H'wood 7*,Beechler 7S, Pomorico 7(Ebony),very old Babbitt HR worked by Theo(huge chamber). I played Link metals in different tip openings for many years and still like the way they sound as well just slightly prefer these others named.