selmer soloist for alto.

[benjamin1979]

i'm interested of buying one for my alto , i'm looking for a sound like kenny garrett. anyone try this mpc? how is it compare to a vintage one. beside that , i also heard that new production of soloist is a long shank. is it true? therefore it is not that responsive compare to short shank which kenny garrett uses.

i'm wondering any mpc modification had done in kenny ga mpc, he sure got a good sound.

[Dave Dolson]

benjamin: I recommend you look back through earlier posts on this subect (and don't ignore the ones that discuss how equipment does not ensure you will sound anything like your idol). The new Soloists have been discussed plenty. DAVE

[benjamin1979]

yes , i know. i just want to know if i got a chance to choose a vintage and new which should i choose.

[Dave Dolson]

Benjamin: I have two new alto Soloists (both F). I have not played a vintage Soloist. Others report they saw nor felt any differences between new and vintage. I'd guess that a new one will be cheaper. DAVE

[benjamin1979]

how about the shank? is the new production a long shank or short?

[benjamin1979]

compare to a meyer medium chamber, which is brighter and better projection. is it ok to use to play pop?

[Dave Dolson]

benjamin: My newly made Soloist is 3.7" long. My Meyer Medium Chamber is 3.4" long. I do not have a short-shank piece (at least that I know of because I have no experience with "short-shanks") with which to make a comparison to my new Soloist.

I can tell you this - my Soloist is a fairly lengthy alto piece and on my Conn Chu, I cannot push it in far enough to play sharp when sharp is required. I CAN play sharp on the Chu with other shorter alto mouthpieces.

As to a mouthpiece's suitability for a particular type of music, I do not believe the claims about that. If a set-up works well for you, I believe it will work in any saxophone setting in which you choose to play it.

I could take my set-ups and feel comfortable with them in any setting (except that I don't - I play exclusively 1920's jazz). If I wanted to play "pop" as you describe it, I would do so with either my Soloists or my Super Session - and defy anyone to tell the difference OR gripe about it. DAVE

[benjamin1979]

thanks dave, i also wondering about beechler hr alto mpc. is the manufacturing consistant?

btw, back to selmer soloist. does anyone unsatisfield with current production?

[sjabariiii]

Listen to Chris Potter on alto, he plays a soloist (vintage I imagine) and gets a sound that could easily pass for 'pop' music.

-ANDYJ

[sjabariiii]

I tried a beechler s7s, it was a very good piece and several levels brighter and louder than a meyer. I might try the m-chamber diamond inlay sometime. Any opinions on those? Also, which letter is the chamber and which letter is the facing? would an m6s be medium chamber, short lay, or what?

[colibri]

is it ok to use to play pop?

Pop, bebop, classical, you name it. Kenny Garrett played in a local club last night. He could play anything from bebop to funk with his Soloist E.

[-TH]

It's all about attitude (and phrasing) IMO.. I've played classical and funk gigs with my alto HR Meyer.

I have a vintage Soloist SS C** for alto and I've tried the new ones. I like the vintage ones better. It's hard to say what thing makes it better.. maybe the sound is more complex on the vintage one.. dunno..

Tuomas

[Dave Dolson]

benjamin: I have three soprano Super Sessions (all J), two alto Solists (both F) and an alto Super Session (F). All are new manufacture, well made and all play the same (well, I like the Super Sessions better, but they play consistently across the SS line). While others have commented on Selmer's lack of quality-control, I have not seen evidence of sloppy work on their mouthpieces.

I wouldn't put too much faith in someone reporting being unsatisfied with a certain mouthpiece's playability (sloppy quality, yes, but not how the piece plays), because we all are different. What does not work for me may work for you.

Tuomas had it right about attitude and phrasing (more than equipment alone), as did Colibri about someone being able to play all styles on one mouthpiece. DAVE

[KMR]

Benjamin,
To my knowledge, Kenny Garret plays on a LONG shank Soloist E. I dont know if it has been modified.

I have vintage Soloists long and short shank in all tip openings. I play on a Long shank E.

For me, it has a fatter sound than the short shank and a bit darker. I find that the short shank has a bit more ring to the sound and is a little brighter. However they are very close.

I have tried the new Soloists. To me they didnt have the richness of sound of the older ones, although they blew well. They felt more like the Soloist style mouthpieces from the 1970s. ie without Soloist on the table.

I played on Meyers for years until I "found" the Soloists. I find them very flexible and give me whatever sound I want.

Good luck on your quest for "the" mouthpiece

[-TH]

My vintage soloist SS C** is not the easiest playing mouthpiece (even though it has been refaced). At first I was very enthusiastic about it but after playing it for awhile I decided to switch back to Meyer mpcs.

For example an Otto Link HR 5* (which I had) was much more easier to play. But the sound of the Soloist is amazing. Nowadays I've headed towards mouthpieces that are easy to play and control. I wish I had the Soloist sound though.

People have asked here before that what would be a good substitute for a Soloist. I don't think there are any good substitutes. A mouthpiece that has similar sound qualities is a hard rubber Zinner IMO (S-model with angled sidewalls).

Tuomas

[benjamin1979]

how about the s80 or s90 selmer mpc? i just got an E selmer s80 and found it quite small (tip opening) , but the sound is ok. i also found that its a squre chamber. to my knowledge, square chamber plays brighter and more projection.

anyone using larger s80 or 90 for modern playing? or r they design for classical.

[benjamin1979]

any opinion?

[Dave Dolson]

benjamin: Can't comment about S-80s and S-90s on alto. My experiences with S-80s were all soprano.

Until Selmer issued the Super Session for soprano, I played S-80s in J and G facings. Once I had the Super Session, the S-80s were put away in my history box.

The Super Sessions have a round chamber opening as opposed to the S-80's square design. I find the Super Sessions to be a bigger sound than comparable S-80s, by about 50% (an estimate, of course). DAVE

[Andrea]

I have been playing soprano with a selmer s80 E and vandoren 3 reeds for many times, but now I'd like to switch to a Super Session, which size is reccomended (not too open) and which reed brand/size.

[Dave Dolson]

Andrea: For years I played the S-80s on sop (G and J), so when the Super Sessions came out, I chose the Js - and those were the best I've played. I also tried an "I" facing, but that was just a bit closed for me. Also, with alto, I played new Soloists in F and chose a new alto Super Session in F. They all play good for me.

My message is that if you liked the E-facing on the S-80, maybe you should try the E-facing in Super Session. DAVE

[T.J]

1. New Soloists are all Long Shanks.

2. Kenny Garrett plays on on SHORT shank E not long shank. Don't forget the Brilhart ligature (but I heard he's got a new gold lig from Japan).

3. Vintage Soloists have very mellow, flexible sound. New ones are a little inconsistent and tend to play darker IMHO. Vintage Soloists have high beak.

4. Long shank plays slightly darker than short shank. I'd say short shank is more 'pop' oriented and resonant.

5. I love Kenny! (Kenny Garrett not Kenny Gorelick! ;-p )

[KMR]

T. J.

Im afraid that I have to disagree with your 2nd point. To the best of my knowledge Kenny Garrett plays a LONG SHANK SOLOIST E.

I say this having seen him live, and also based on Videos and CD covers.
I dont have these available to check right now but my thoughts were always "that is a long shank"

However I did go to "Amazon" to see if any pictures from CDs were clear enough.They arent, but they are offering a picture of KG at the Newport Jazz Festival and that looks very like a LONG SHANK to me.

It may be however that he has changed to a Short Shank, and if you have any info in this regard I would welcome hearing about it.


Me, I'll stick to my Long Shank E.

[sjabariiii]

I have an album booklet with a couple pictures of Kenny Garrett with some sort of rag stuffed down the bell of his alto. Not directly relevant, just interesting. Maybe this has something to do with his sound!

[Phil]

The equipment just helps you along with the sound. To move towards his sound, listen incessantly to his solos. Learn licks that he plays, study his articulation and phrasing. Even through all that, you still won't sound like him. Everyones playing is unique, just as everyone's voice is unique. You can only move towards to his sound. BTW, he played Mark VI with Soloist short shank E, brilhart lig, and hemke 3, as the last ive known him playing.

[Andrea]

recently I did switch back to my soloist short shank D, its sound is fantastic, btw still have some doubt aboput which is the best reed on it.

rico orange box 3 seems to be Ok, but I would accept suggestions about!

Short shank are IMO much more better than long shank, brighter and with more pops!

[singlereed]

I just got round to trying the new Soloist for alto. I came away with the D facing, I have used a Vandoren A28 for a long time, the soloist is a little warmer and because it is a shade more open (or maybe some other dimension causes it) I have a good clean clear altissimo. I really like it and it worked fine on my JK, Serie III and S1.