E. Rousseau New Classic Piece, What do you think

[Big B]

Hey whats up. Big B till looking the right mouthpiece to replace my dear departed S90. Anyway's i've gotten lots of feedback on the E. Rousseau mouthpieces and heard so many things about them. I am especally interested in the New Classic ( an NC 5 cause thats the most open ) series because i've heard they work especially well with newer mode saxes and their responce ad tone is quite nice and focused. The design looks good and some hail them to be some of the best ( if no the best ) for legit. I wanna know what my family on SOTW feels about them and before tells me abot differnet trial policies well i'm just alright with trng to buy and keeping. Plus i'm not good at keeping things looking so new to where i can take it back so i wonder what my fellow saxes have to say about the E. Rousseau New Classic. Let me hear you. And sorry i have no local dealers currently who stock E. Rousseau mouthpieces ( selmer and vandoren country here in VA ).

Also I currently play a Dave Guardala Silver Artist Series Alto Sax.
I am Big B Junior in High School.

[Big B]

I know somebody has a lil experience with with a NC5 or just a new classic mouthpiece in general so please experienced players or just players lend me your knowledge here. Especially to one who can't get out and they these himself.

[OANegrin]

I tried Rousseau NC4 and NC5 at Woodwind/Brasswind last winter, and really liked them. Although I did find the NC5 to be generally flexible/easy-to-play, I've played other mouthpieces that allow more flexibility, better response, and higher sensitivity to voicing.

The NC5 is a good mouthpiece, however, and my experience with it is probably different than that of others' (differences in oral physiology, tone/misc preferences). I'd certainly be open to trying one again.

OANegrin

[Big B]

well what about some of these of piece you have tried. I'm still lookig for a great warm concert sound so i'm looking for the piece to help. My Link is ok but seeing how the tip is bigger than i'm used to and how it isn't as free as it could be well i'm looking more.

[srcsax]

I use an NC4 on my Buffet Prestige and on my Navy Yamaha Custom. I find it very flexible, good centered pitch, easy to voiceand plenty of volume when needed. I am playing "A Gershwin Fantasy" as soloist with US Navy Band Southwest and i find the NC4 comfortable even with the pieces double high F.

[Big B]

well i like that and i like great control i'm just thinkig between the NC4 or 5 and what differencs can theyreally have because i have no experience with these pieces but wanna really play on them as a great alternative to a S90 i had.

[MS]

What was the tip opening on the S90? As I recall for alto they come in 170, 180, and 190 sizes.
I've had students that have had good luck with the NC4 (Rousseau). Also the Larry Teal (Selmer). Tenor players that double alto will often choose the NC5 for classic alto. Most altos will choose the NC4 for classic playing.
If you have access to a credit card, some on line stores will send you up to 3or 4 mps for a trial period. Choose the one you want and send back the ones you don't want.
There may be other on line stores with a trial period, but Woodwind and Brasswind will do that.

[Big B]

Ohyeh i forgot to ask for an E. Rousseau NC4 what is the chamber round and is it very voice sensitive. Also what is the favorite type of reed of you NC players. I'm still tring to see NC4 or NC5 i mean i like the feel of my Link 6* an KNOW its a shortedjazz style MPC but would the NC5 be closer in in form.

[smusax]

Without a doubt go with the NC5 for a good transition from the Link set up that you are accustomed to. Try several, I use the Glotin #3 reeds with great success with the Rousseau. The chamber is actually an much more consistant copy of the great vintage Selmer mouthpieces of the 60's.
This quite an irony of Dr. Rousseau a great Yamaha performer whose mpcs. were taken over by King/UMI and know owned by the Selmer Corp.
Full Circle
DF

[srcsax]

Depending on the weather and how the moon aliegns with Mars, i use Vandoren Hand Select 4 or 5 with my NC4 w/gold Bay ligature with much success.

[Big B]

Well seeing how i don't believe Hand Selects are worth it i hope that my LaVoz ( or Alexander DCs when i get fancy) along with my Vandoren Optimum ligature ( btw the two horizontal plates and the 4 dots plate ) will get the job done fore me on rousseau.

[Big B]

Well seeing how i don't believe Hand Selects are worth it i hope that my LaVoz ( or Alexander DCs when i get fancy) along with my Vandoren Optimum ligature ( btw the two horizontal plates and the 4 dots plate ) will get the job done fore me on rousseau.

[averageschmoe]

la voz for legit? been a long time since i've heard those two in a sentence. i had an NC4 on alto for awhile, fantastic mpc. ended up trading it for a tenor SR technologies... had a tenor NC, also a good mpc, that i ditched for a vintage soloist.

[Big B]

the lavoz has been the reed i get the best top to bottom range response on. I liked the Vandoren Java's sound a bit better but the LaVoz let me hit the notes in the extremes with greater ease wth bit more concistancy, in fact ALL TEN in my box of LaVoz i just had worked great and with ease. MAybe i'm also fond of them cause that was the reed i was using when i Made my all district band for the first time so maybe its a good luck charm. Anyway I think I'm set on the idea of the NC4 but i might get a G-Meyer also to add to my jazz stable but heck that Vandoren Optimum mouthpiee still can't get out of my head. I wanna try it so much.

[Big B]

I forgot what is the chamber for the NC4 is it roud, square or a hybrid

[MS]

NC4 is a U-shaped chamber somewhat similiar to old Soloist.

[ding]

I'm also using NC4.
My setup is as follow:

Selmer Alto 80 Series 2...
Alto NC4, Alexander Classique 3, BG Traditional (gold plated)...

Pretty centered tone...can be warm and brilliance...
A mixture of both...

Using this ligature, i find that when i push with a faster airstream, the high notes (G2 and above) will get more brilliant and rich...
The low notes...quite big in sound...solid spread...

What you guys think? :D

[Big B]

I forgot now that i actually decided to read the post since i still do quite a lot of tenor work in th jazz field so i'mtring to guage which wil feel better to me but i guess since i'm ordering today by ATM card well we'll see what happens

[Big B]

I forgot now that i actually decided to read the post since i still do quite a lot of tenor work in th jazz field so i'mtring to guage which wil feel better to me but i guess since i'm ordering today by ATM card well we'll see what happens

[Big B]

Thanks for all your opinions on this mouthpiece and taking the time to putting for info down UNFORTUNATELY once again i go against the norm and do something new. Just like the me and my Yani sax preaching but since i was cheep i got a severely discounted new Guardala ( which I love still a year later !!! ). Now yet again i do this with thePiece and i ordered a Vandoren Optimum AL3 facing mouthpiece so i'll start my review of that soon for those still in the dar about this piece...but the again so am I.

[saxflores]

:D Hey guys hows it going? I'm new to this so I hope im accepted here. Anyway I would like to offer my opinion of the rousseau. I dont think it is that wonderful of a mouthpiece and yes I have tried the NC4 and NC5 for alto. The main thing I play is classical alto and the rousseaus have good volume and all but the facing is so small that its hard to get a full sound out of them. I often find that the articulation is fuzzy and not as sharp as I would like. I would suggest a selmer C** mouthpiece because it has a fairly open facing which allows you to play with a fuller sound than the rousseaus. I play on a Selmer S80 C** with a vandoren 3 reed and I love it. Oh and to "Son of Zorn" you the man- I worked up and played "A gershwin fantasy" with my high school band and its a wonderful piece! I'm glad to hear that it got out so far!

[MobiusBellhausern]

I just purchased a new classic NC5 and it is a very good student mouthpiece but I am certain that none of my more advanced teachers would allow it be used if they had tried one. It approaches the core of response of classical embouchure methods I have studied but is unfortunately unplayable in contrast to any Selmer scroll shank I have tried which in my day is the standard for serious conservatory students.

These days I play an Otto Link Super Tone Master 5* for Jazz and even classical and I find that even this simple humble piece out performs the NC5 in every way except for the classical timbre that is desirable and expected by most jury trials; yet the Otto link is capable of much more colors and shadings as well as dynamic range and smoothness, as well as consistency with a variety of reeds.

The Selmer Soloist is still by far the better choice of a classical mouthpiece in my book.

Yet I will say that the Rousseau NC series (based on the 5 facing) is a great and affordable student mouthpiece for beginning and new intermediate students. For the price it has a good tone and the very difficulty in tuning and controlling this mouthpiece with a classical embouchure poses the challenge of focus and consistency which is needed to develop a good embouchure.

It should be discontinued.


Truly yours

Mobius Bellhausern

[SaxyJ]

While opinions on the New Classic (and other Rousseau pieces) vary, I do believe that they are one of the finest, professional values in the market. It is extremely hard to beat the low price and high performance you obtain from these pieces.

I especially want to highlight the tone of Rousseau pieces, for they are simply beautiful and awe-inspiring. I have tried tons of mouthpieces that have ranged from basic, student mouthpieces to vintage pieces that cost several thousands of dollars and none match the charming warmth and utmost complexity of Rousseau pieces.

[J.Max]

I just purchased a new classic NC5 and it is a very good student mouthpiece but I am certain that none of my more advanced teachers would allow it be used if they had tried one. It approaches the core of response of classical embouchure methods I have studied but is unfortunately unplayable in contrast to any Selmer scroll shank I have tried which in my day is the standard for serious conservatory students.

These days I play an Otto Link Super Tone Master 5* for Jazz and even classical and I find that even this simple humble piece out performs the NC5 in every way except for the classical timbre that is desirable and expected by most jury trials; yet the Otto link is capable of much more colors and shadings as well as dynamic range and smoothness, as well as consistency with a variety of reeds.

The Selmer Soloist is still by far the better choice of a classical mouthpiece in my book.

Yet I will say that the Rousseau NC series (based on the 5 facing) is a great and affordable student mouthpiece for beginning and new intermediate students. For the price it has a good tone and the very difficulty in tuning and controlling this mouthpiece with a classical embouchure poses the challenge of focus and consistency which is needed to develop a good embouchure.

It should be discontinued.


Truly yours

Mobius Bellhausern

I'm sorry, I know there's an English problem here, but this doesn't make any sense.

[JustAnotherSaxGuy]

Well, I play a Rousseau NC4 for my classical work and it plays very well with Reference 54 alto, Gonzalez 3 1/4 reeds, and Vandoren Optimum ligature. It can play all the altissimo notes fine and it can play all the lower stuff well. The middle register sounds good too. I don't know if I'd say it is the best modern classical mouthpiece, (though it's certainly the best I tried), but you'd be very, very hard pressed to find a better one for the money. Furthermore, I think the potential reward of spending an extra hundred dollars on a "better" piece, would be minimal (as compared with the money). Pretty much everyone here at the college plays them for classical music, whether it be on soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone.

[Bill C]

I just purchased a new classic NC5 and it is a very good student mouthpiece but I am certain that none of my more advanced teachers would allow it be used if they had tried one. It approaches the core of response of classical embouchure methods I have studied but is unfortunately unplayable in contrast to any Selmer scroll shank I have tried which in my day is the standard for serious conservatory students.

These days I play an Otto Link Super Tone Master 5* for Jazz and even classical and I find that even this simple humble piece out performs the NC5 in every way except for the classical timbre that is desirable and expected by most jury trials; yet the Otto link is capable of much more colors and shadings as well as dynamic range and smoothness, as well as consistency with a variety of reeds.

The Selmer Soloist is still by far the better choice of a classical mouthpiece in my book.

Yet I will say that the Rousseau NC series (based on the 5 facing) is a great and affordable student mouthpiece for beginning and new intermediate students. For the price it has a good tone and the very difficulty in tuning and controlling this mouthpiece with a classical embouchure poses the challenge of focus and consistency which is needed to develop a good embouchure.

It should be discontinued.


Truly yours

Mobius Bellhausern



Im sorry - I mean no offense, but what leads you to believe this as a student mpc (hopefully not price). IMHO - There really are no student mouthpieces, just student players.

[thadnoland]

I used a Rousseau NC3 for Alto for 2 years and then moved to an NC4 for 8 years. I used this mpc to earn my bachelor's in classical saxophone. It has great intonation and can help the player to produce a very warm and open sound. I still use an NC4 for soprano and get great results there as well. This is not a student mpc. :treble: