Morgan excaliber chirp

[Saxdaddy]

I just got a excaliber 7e alto mouthpiece, and this thing chirps like mad.
It really sucks because other than that I love the mouthpice. If I use a rovner clarinet lig, it chirps like crazy, but sounds out of this world. I have a few other ligs laying around the shop that seem to help some, but also take away much of the character in tone that I like. So I am wondering if I just got a bad one, or is this something that other owners of this mouthpiece have delt with.
Also if I go from e2 up to b it goes altissmo, unless I tounge between the notes.
Help, love this piece and need to make it work.

[Been-Jammin']

I'd suggest that before you blame the ligatures or mouthpiece, check your reed placement. Try moving the reed out away from the mouthpiece a little. This has solved my chirping problems in the past.
Good luck,
Ben

[Saxdaddy]

Yeah I tried that, and it helps some, more with metal ligs than with the rovner.

I need to try some different reeds as well. So far I have just tried it with plain rico's. The thing is that moving the reed forward also seems to deaden the setup some. I want to play this thing to its full potential, and it may mean just giving it some time. I haven't played on a mouthpiece that I liked better, as far as the sound, and range of expression possible, so I REALLY hope this works out, if not it would be easy enough to sell. I have thought about giving it a couple of more weeks, and then returning it(for another one of the same). I just don't want to wait another 3 months for another Morgan. My fingers are crossed.

[Fred]

Are the reeds you are using new reeds or reeds you've broken in on another mouthpiece? I've heard, though never experienced, that reeds can become "set" to a malformed table or rails, and then not work right on another mp. Just a thought . . .

[Hurling Frootmig]

Try brand new reeds. If the reeds have been used on another mouthpiece for any amount of time they tend to conform to that piece. If that doesn't do it give Ralph a call I know he will fix it. If time is really important shoot me a PM and I would be happy to look at it.

[awholley]

"If that doesn't do it give Ralph a call I know he will fix it."

Actually it's been my experience (with the exact same problem) that Ralph will tell you YOU are the problem.

Alan

[Been-Jammin']

..And it's been my experience (not necessarily with morgans..it's true for most new pieces), that it just takes a while to get used to the different types of mouthpieces. Just give it some time, and things Should work out.

[Saxdaddy]

I have been trying new reeds and old reeds, although I may try sanding the reeds first next time. The thing is that I play alot of mouthpieces on a daily basis. I always try and test my customers horns with the mouthpice that they intend on using with the horn I am working on. Sometimes I will get a little bit of chirp, or a mouthpiece that fights me for awhile, but I can adjust to most mpouthpieces within a few minutes, not enough to play them well, but enough to get them under control. It is because of my experiences with various mouthpieces that I am starting to get worried, but I also wonder if some of it is just me.

[Stacey]

"If that doesn't do it give Ralph a call I know he will fix it."

Actually it's been my experience (with the exact same problem) that Ralph will tell you YOU are the problem.

Alan

LOL - And my experience was "both". He sent me a page of good advice that explained how I was the problem, but I am convinced that he then very quietly fixed SOMETHING, because the intonation is vastly, vastly improved!

ymmv

[carr]

I would be real surprised if there was a problem with the mouthpiece. The guys in that shop are real sticklers for detail, accuracy, and quality. This is assuming that the piece is new, and nothing has happened to it between Ralph's shop and you. They seem to come from the school of take-the-time-and-do-the-job-right. I did have a problem with a Morgan once (warped table), but it was an older one, and I was the 3rd owner of it. Lord knows what happened to it with the first 2 owners. With all of their focus on detail, I would just be really surprised if something left the shop that was not right.

I don't want to speak for Ralph, but if you contact him, he would probably address reed strength, the amount of mouthpiece you put in your mouth, and how hard you bite on the piece. These seem to be common themes for him, and I have always found his advice to work. I have never found him to be critical or condescending. Maybe if you experiment with these elements, you can save a step in working this out. But then again, a conversation with Ralph is always a joy.

BTW, when I started playing a 6E on alto about 12 years ago, I chirped like a banshee. I just used new reeds and took a little time to get used to it, and havn't had a problem since.

Hope this helps. Best of luck!

[Saxdaddy]

I got it new, and really do hope it works out, because I do love everything else about this piece. This thing has power, character, a beautiful color to the tone, just enough brightness, but you can also make it play rich and smooth. Very nice in most ways. And the funny thing is that it only wants to go spazzy in certain situations. Man I hope I can just get use to it, because for the most part I really love it.

[awholley]

I found that using single-cut reeds (LaVoz, Java, etc.) really reduced the amount of chirping. Taking in more mouthpiece also helps.

[Saxdaddy]

I was just playing it some more, and if I hold it back the chirping is almost gone, thing is I don't want to hold this thing back man, it has way to much juice for that, and when you do hold it back, then it just sounds like any other mouthpiece. I am hoping that if I just try and control it, by holding back some, that I will be able to open it up in small steps until I get what I want out of it.

[Saxdaddy]

ps thanks for the reed advise, I will be getting some new reeds next week, after payday.

[saxshooter]

You probably got the latest shipment from WWBW, right? I just received the same exact piece, 7E, and I am very impressed with the workmanship and sound.

I pulled the Vandoren V16 2.5 reed right off my Dukoff D8 and slapped it on the Morgan (yeah, better to use a new reed but I didn't have any broken in yet). The thing responded extremely well, but I know the "chirping" you are talking about. Seemed almost as if the reed was too soft. But upon taking a bit more mouthpiece and pushing the air more from my throat, the chirping went away.

I don't know what you were playing before, but I am making some embrochure adjustments using this piece after having discovered MY tendency to chirp it. So I think it's ME and not the piece. I'll try some stiffer reeds and slightly adjust my embrochure from playing such an extreme piece -- the Dukoff D8 -- previously.

[Saxdaddy]

Yeah just got it from the same place, at about the same time. The chirping was and is still there, but the funny thing is I can hit just about any note, and if I am running the notes, no chirp at all. If I start making more of bebop type of jumps, then certain times it not only chirps but screams out some kinda noise. Well thats what was happening, I am getting better with it already. It seems that every time I pick it up, I have gotten more use to it, without having even played it. I mean I put the thing down for a day and the next day pick it up, and I have already gotten that much more use to it. I found great improvment after sanding my reed, flat as well. So me getting use to it, and making just ever so slight adjustments is helping alot. And man, what a lush mouthpiece man. It just gets better every time I pick it up, I can't wait till a couple of months from now.

[ralph lh]

Don't have much new to add here since the comments about chirping have been well covered and I can't believe that the side rails would not be very accurately done but, I do play on Morgans and have never had a chirping problem - alto, sop and tenor. My alto EX is a 7 and played well right off the bat. I do believe that a great deal of care is taken at the shop with these.

Not that I've had any need to contact Ralph Morgan but how do you do that? I once tried to find an email or web address and couldn't get anything except the shops that handle the product and was told to contact them.

My comment would just be to try the things that have been mentioned, in particular the new reeds - try some different brands [I use either the ZZ or V16 and typically either a 2.5 or 3] - and the amount of mouthpiece you take in.

The Morgan mpcs are great as far as I'm concerned.

[Saxdaddy]

I just ordered a box of zz's in a 3 so I will let you know how they work.

Thanks.

[MojoBari]

It is not impossible that the Morgan has a crooked facing at the tip. Ralph may not use feeler guages larger than the .050" one supplied in the classic Erick Brand set. This means the curve between .050" and the tip could vary.

[grevsax24]

When I got my morgan last fall, I had the exact same problem, but after about 2 weeks the problem completely dissapeared. My advice to you is that you shuldn't hold back and just play through the squeaks (hopefully there won't be many people around) and eventually the problem will just go away

[Saxdaddy]

So this thing is getting better every time I pick it up, or should I say I am getting more use to it every time I pick it up. Man what a mouthpiece, you can really make it sound allmost any way you want it to, play bright and edgy, or lush and dark, and from a whisper to a roar. This bad boy is pretty good in the middle as well. I can't wait till the nect time I play it, it just seems to have more to show me on a daily basis. I can't wait to get my ZZ's in and see how it sounds with them.

[Saxdaddy]

just a heads up. I REALLY like this mouthpiece. It still gets better every time I play it. It is everything I wanted and then some. Thanks for all of the suggestions, without a doubt it was just me. First time that it has taken that long for me to adjust, but man am I glad that I stayed with it, because as much as I like it now, it continues to just get better daily as I get use to it. I think these are one of the real bargins still out there. Can't believe how cheap it wa for what you get. And I don't work for Mr. Morgan or anything. Thanks again for the help, and to those that offered help.


Mike

[sinkdraiN]

I also play a 7E on alto. I absolutely love that mouthpiece and am positive it will remain my main alto mp till I die. Sounds like the chirping is due to your embouchure getting used to the size 7 facing.

I find the morgan excalibur to be a perfect mouthpiece for lead alto playing. I can really cut when needed without sounding harsh or too bright. It's a souped up meyer so it still retains that vintage sound. I also use the 7E in modern smooth jazz situations too, so this is one versatile mouthpiece!

[Saxdaddy]

I feel the same way. I can go from raspy and bright to dark and lush in a heart beat. I can play as soft or loud as I need, an d this thing will give as much volume as you want. A very versatile mouthpiece indeed.

[Rahspeak]

I love my 6EL on my Big B alto. this along with hearing some great new alto players and a lot of practice are some of the things that have just "fallen into place" on my newfound journey to loving the alto after a long time on tenor. I had this setup just sitting in the corner of the practice room waiting to be played while I focused solely on tenor, but man, am I glad it was there waiting for me. easy to play and a big big sound. I gotta go hunt one of these down for tenor now...

[bkiser]

I just purchased a 7EL which I am playing on a gold R&C R1 Jazz alto. I can't say enough about how much I like this mouthpiece. Although more open, it blows with much less effort than an OK Meyer 6 Ive had for years, but with more of a ringing quality to the sound and NO harshness at all. Its a good match to the horn, adding some brightness which was missing in my sound, but not killing the huge fat tone of the R&C horn.