Beechler Bellite Reface

[Balladeer]

Anyone know of someone who refaces Beechler Bellites or someone who had their Bellite refaced? My alto Bellite 7 squeaks/chirps. My concern is that my the tip, rails and table are accurate.

[MojoBari]

Didn't I fix the chirps on your Vandoren?

[Balladeer]

Of course you did, MojoBari. The A55 is a hard rubber mouthpiece. The Bellite is ... well, Bellite! Some mouthpieces are not accepted by many refacers.

So, do you work on Bellites? This piece does not need anything done to make it sound richer. I just need to get rid of these annoying chirps.

On this subject, I'm beginning to get weird about these chirps. God above knows that since beginning the sax in 1960, playing in band in jr. and sr. high school, majoring in applhed sax at Florida State, and playing gigs after that, I never recall one single chirp until 17 months ago when I switched from a vintage HR Berg 85/1 (I played since 1972) to a new HR Berg 95/2, then a Jumbo Java A55, then a JJ #9 (no chirps here, but a contemporary sound), then a Beechler Bellite 7. Why do these high baffle pieces chirp? The tonal concept I shoot for is similar to Sanborn's. I got close on my Bergs. I dislike Dukoffs. I like the Beechler. Why does it chirp, especially right when I going for a big note?

[singlereed]

I suspect working a Bellite is hard work as it is made of stainless steel!

[MojoBari]

As of now, I work on all materials. I need to charge more for SS since it takes more time and puts more wear on my tools.

My theory on chirps is all about mp/reed resistance (reed vibration efficiency) and the air pressure needed to drive the reed into vibration. Chirps happen when you deliver a pressure spike to your set-up and it can not handle it. You want volume and/or intensity and it gives you a harmonic. If the reed would speak the way you wanted it to at a lower pressure, many of the chirps would be eliminated.

There is also a problem when the tip is crooked and/or the baffle is very high near the tip rail. This gives the chirps a place to grow from. It allows the reed to vibrate at high frequencies modes when you push it. Split reeds give another place for chirps to originate from.

How you play a set-up is another factor. Your chops, your embouchure, how much MP you take in your mouth, how you use your bottom lip. You can try making a piece chirp and not chirp and observe what you are doing differently. It can help reduce the occurances.

[David Spiegelthal]

First of all, Beechler's "Bellite" metal is hardly stainless steel, it's a soft, pewter-like metal that's very easy to reface (too easy, in fact). I've refaced many stainless steel and crystal mouthpieces, and I can assure you that doing a Bellite is a piece of cake in comparison.

[MojoBari]

Obviously, I have not seen one up close. Is Bellite similar to Dukoff's Silverite?

[sessionsax]

David Spiegelthal,

Respectfully, I think that you are confusing the Bellite with a Dukoff. The Beechler bellite is a hard stainless steel mouthpiece.

[David Spiegelthal]

sessionsax,
You may be right, quite possibly I've confused the Bellite with the Silverite --- if so I apologize. As far as reface-ability, stainless steel IS very tough to do, but I do it routinely (I just stand by for the calluses...) So a Bellite would be do-able, for sure.

[SaxyAcoustician]

Balladeer,

I have the same problem with chirping on my Beechler Bellite (7). Believe me, I've tried many other mouthpieces to find one that had that same sound but without the chirps. No luck. No mouthpiece comes close to the Beechler. So I experimented with different reeds and believe it or not, certain reeds work much better than others. I've found that La Voz reeds tend to alleviate the chirping problem the most. French cut reeds...forget about it.