Brilhart Level Aire

[triplebsaxman]

Does anyone play on a Metal Brilhart Level Aire Mouthpiece? If you do can you give a little feed back about how it plays (how you play it).
thank you
Brian Bishop

[luispa]

I play vintage Brilhart Level Air both alto and tenor. A 9* (manufactured in 1979) on tenor and a 7 (manufactured in 1980) on alto. They play very well. I have several Berg Larsens (both vintage and modern ones) and Yanagisawas and I prefer the Brilharts. I'd be the happiest man in the world if I can find one of these for my baritone sax.

They can play dark or bright as you want.

I don't know anything about the new Level Airs.

I hope this help.

[Grumps]

I played on Level Airs on both alto and tenor for over twenty years; at the suggestion of a teacher long ago. Then I cam here, caught the bug, and went through dozens of other pieces. Before I sold them, I used to pull out the Level Airs and give 'em another try, just to make sure I had properly sorted out my preferences. To me, their design isn't very free blowing, and they're very small in the mouth; especially when compared to other pieces. Vintage dealers can price these pieces pretty high ($150 or so), but they never go for near that amount on Ebay. My two sold for about $30-$50 each.

[Baje]

I bought My Level Air tenor (5) new in 1970 and liked the tone. But never played it much, figuring such a small mpc couldn't give me a big sound. Also the bore is bigger than my other mpcs and requires taping the cork.

The mpc is in perfect condition but the lig is starting to crack. Any suggestions as to where I might get a replacement lig?

[bruce bailey]

I used a Dukoff metal mpc. lig.

[Durand]

I play a Brilhart level aire #4 for alto and makes wonderful things to me, free blowing, clear tone and perfect altissimo. Nice piece and good price also

[Michael Ward]

I played Level Airs too for many years on alto and tenor / bari for a while on Mark V1 alto, bari and S20 tenor. I was a White Trash fanatic and the Roadwork album still blows me away. Tobacco Road is unsurpassed. I screwed mine up with refaces and had to move on but I love that sound.

[bruce bailey]

I used a Tenor LA for about 6 months in the 60s until I heard a record that I played on. One of the worst Tenor players I ever heard! At least the record went off the market in about 2 years and my name wasn't on the jacket. Great for R&R and chicken tenor but not a section piece.

[Grumps]

Its fundamental design as a functioning saxophone mouthpiece can be debated endlessly... but not its use as a doorstop.

[luispa]

Great for R&R and chicken tenor but not a section piece.

I use them in section work. I play alto with a Level Air 7 on a big band (five saxophone section + 5 trumpet + 5 tromebones + bass + drums + piano) and I sound inside the section when I need it and I project more on solos. I play tenor with Brilhart Level Air 9* in a 5 saxophone combo (AATTB + bass + guitar + keyboard + drums) without any kind of difficult. Maybe It got to do with the kind of saxophones I use, both alto and tenor are Buescher True Tones. They're the most in tune mouthpieces for my saxophones, even better than HR Links.

I prefer them over metal Yanagisawas and Larsens in both alto and tenor.

If you want I can share some live recordings with you.

[David Spiegelthal]

In my humble opinion the stainless steel Level-Aire is one of the all-time great mouthpiece designs, but unfortunately most of them have lousy facing curves from the factory. I'm a refacer so I can fix that problem, and I play these mouthpieces on bari, tenor, and alto. With the correct facing they are not too bright nor edgy, instead they have just the right amount of edge, and are very flexible and comfortable. But nine out of ten stock Level-Aires will probably play poorly because of the facings.

[luispa]

In my humble opinion the stainless steel Level-Aire is one of the all-time great mouthpiece designs, but unfortunately most of them have lousy facing curves from the factory. I'm a refacer so I can fix that problem, and I play these mouthpieces on bari, tenor, and alto. With the correct facing they are not too bright nor edgy, instead they have just the right amount of edge, and are very flexible and comfortable. But nine out of ten stock Level-Aires will probably play poorly because of the facings.

What do you think about the new ARB? Are they more consistent than the olds LA?

[EllSyd]

I have 3 Level-Aires, a 4* alto, and a 3* & 7* tenor. Haven't played anything else on 40 years, so I can't really compare them to any other piece.

Lately, I've been thinking about trying something different, a friend of mine, has a Bari that he loves, and sounds great. I suspect he'd sound great on anything.

EllSyd

[EllSyd]

I have 3 Level-Aires, a 4* alto, and a 3* & 7* tenor. Haven't played anything else on 40 years, so I can't really compare them to any other piece.

Lately, I've been thinking about trying something different, a friend of mine, has a Bari that he loves, and sounds great. I suspect he'd sound great on anything.

EllSyd

[Dave dix]

I used my 7* level aire (1967 ) for the last couple of gigs i just done. Very nice sound and just a bit darker then my metal berg 100/0
Dave

[Grumps]

I have 3 Level-Aires, a 4* alto, and a 3* & 7* tenor. Haven't played anything else on 40 years, so I can't really compare them to any other piece.

That sounds like me just a few years ago. Man, there's so much more out there... I couldn't even begin.

[EllSyd]

That sounds like me just a few years ago. Man, there's so much more out there... I couldn't even begin.

Yep, got to try something else, just so I'll have a reference.

[garyinla]

I agree with everythign Grumps said.

I played on a tenor Brilhart Levelaire 7* for awhile as a teen, i suspect when i asked my teacher how i can get a metal Dukoff he figured he could dump the Brilhart one on me instead and i didnt know any better. I have 2-3 of them now but i dont play them. Nobody really plays them now unless they are ignorant. I know an old blues player who was on one for years and he finally got off it and onto a Beechler metal.

[Dave dix]

I would not call level aire players ignorant. I play berg , dukoff , tayne and level aire plus a few more when i feel like it even changing mpc,s during live gigs just for a lighter , darker or different sound depending on the style at the time.
If i;m doing a Johnny and the hurricanes i usually use my berg but Duane Eddy sound is a bit darker which suits the level aire but i may stay on the berg. This also depends on which horn i decide to take along to the gigs either buescher ,conn , martin or a selmer thou the mk7 doesn't get many outings when i have far superior sounding horns in the closet. Also i can make up my mind on what to use and the band have no idea how i change my sound during performances.
Mixed up ! probably, ignorant never
Dave

[martysax]

Back around '78, when I was first transitioning from alto to tenor (I just bought my Super 20) I tried a Brilhart Level Aire. I don't recall the facing/ chamber specs.

I welcomed the smaller size in the mouth, since I was used to my Meyer alto mpc, and was able to project well without having to learn a new embouchure. I remember pushing it a little and it would blare wildly and start to squawk. I found later that I was starting to split-tone.

I didn't have the money at the time, being a 15 year old not yet gigging, so I returned the piece to the traveling school salesman.

Is there a nice vintage one out there? I'll spend $50!

[luispa]

I agree with everythign Grumps said.

I played on a tenor Brilhart Levelaire 7* for awhile as a teen, i suspect when i asked my teacher how i can get a metal Dukoff he figured he could dump the Brilhart one on me instead and i didnt know any better. I have 2-3 of them now but i dont play them. Nobody really plays them now unless they are ignorant. I know an old blues player who was on one for years and he finally got off it and onto a Beechler metal.

Hey! I play LA in both alto and tenor and don consider myself an ignorant. Before to switch to the LAs I've tried the following mouthpieces:
Alto:
- Meyer 6, 7 and 8
- Otto Link Tone Edge 6 and 7
- Vandoren Java A45
- Claude Lakey 5*
- Dukof D7
- Berg Larsen 85 3/M (Metal)
- Rico Royal Metallite M7
- Rico Royal Graftonite B5 and B7
- Selmer Soloist D*
- Yamaha 4C
- Yanagisawa 5 (Metal)

Tenor:
- Vandoren Java T75
- Vandoren Jumbo Java T75
- Otto Link Super Tone Master 7 both USA and NY
- Otto Link Tone Edge 7 and 7*
- Meyer 8M, 9M and 9S
- Berg Larsen 95 1/M, 105 2/M, 110 2/SMS and 110 1/SMS
- Yanagisawa 7 (Metal)
- Dukoff M8
- B&S 240 (Metal)
- Rico Royal Metallite M7
- Rico Royal Graftonite B5
- Yamaha 4C
- Guardala Studio
- SR Legend Metal (I don't remember the tip opening)

I think the mouthpiece choice is a very personal matter, so you shouldn't consider ignorant the people who uses a particular mouthpiece.

[garyinla]

Most of the mouthpiecs on your list are modern off the shelf ones that arent generally too good (except for some of them.) Not only that, if everything else you are playing is of recent vintage, then the LevelAires you are playing are of recent vintage too. So we arent talking about the same mouthpieces. The LevelAires discussed in this thread are the vintage ones. The new ones are only the same in name only-- they may be better than the old ones, i dont know, but they are completely different.

[garyinla]

Ill trade you all of my vintage Brilhart Level Aires (I have 2 or 3) for your Guardala Studio tenor mouthpiece, or do a 1 for 1 trade for your Dukoffs or SR Legend metal or Yanigasawa 7.

[luispa]

Most of the mouthpiecs on your list are modern off the shelf ones that arent generally too good (except for some of them.) Not only that, if everything else you are playing is of recent vintage, then the LevelAires you are playing are of recent vintage too. So we arent talking about the same mouthpieces. The LevelAires discussed in this thread are the vintage ones. The new ones are only the same in name only-- they may be better than the old ones, i dont know, but they are completely different.

I'm talking about the vintage ones (1979, 1973...)

[luispa]

Ill trade you all of my vintage Brilhart Level Aires (I have 2 or 3) for your Guardala Studio tenor mouthpiece, or do a 1 for 1 trade for your Dukoffs or SR Legend metal or Yanigasawa 7.

I sold those mouthpieces except the Yanagisawa which I'd prefer to keep.