Selmer c* vs Meyer 5

[girl]

I was playing a Selmer C* with my Jupiter student Alto but recently bought (completely on impulse) a Meyer 5. The Meyer seems not to be able to produce the volume of the Selmer and is possibly a bit 'thin' in sound but this maybe just that I am not used to it yet.

Can anyone tell me what the difference is? Should I work with the Meyer or sell it and go back to the Selmer?

I play jazz, blues and in a big band.

[singlereed]

I woukld expect the Meyer to suit your purpose better. Did you try more than one reed? Also be prepared to consider using a different type nr strength of reed.

[Ritchie]

For jazz, blues and bigband the Meyer is definitely better suited than the Selmer C*, although it is of course possible to play a B* in this context, too. Work with the Meyer, and what singlereed said. A Meyer is well capable of producing a full and loud sound (practise long tones to improve your sound).

[girl]

Thanks, I have only tried one reed, so will experiment. Should I go harder or softer?

I am also curious as to why it is a better choice. What makes one mouthpiece more suited to jazz than another?

Anyway, I feel better already knowing that I may not have made an expensive mistake!

[Bootman]

Some questions:
Does the Meyer have even tips and rails, is the table flat?

What type of chamber did you get, a large, small or Medium?

Meyer aren't renowned for being loud mpcs, perhaps a selmer soloist would have been a better choice. Runyon customs play well on student Jupoter saxes too. Any of these would be a useable choice for Jazz playing. Jazz essentially is how you approach the music, not what equipment you're using.

[girl]

Thanks Bootman - I am not sure what I have, I will have a look when I get home.

Just one more question - I am not sure whether I should change it for a 7 (I liked both in the shop, but plumped for the one I found easiest to play - a mistake?).

[Ritchie]

girl, since you played the Meyer in the shop and found it easy to play, I'd assume it is not a complete lemon. If you try a 7 and compare it to a 5, you'll have to use a softer reed on the 7, it is common wisdom that if you go to a wider mouthpiece you should use a softer reed. Like always, there are many exceptions to this rule. Choice of equipment is a very personal thing, but when you start the quest for mouthpieces you usually don't go wrong with a popular choice. Lots of time to try different equipment that will give you the last few percent of your sound after you have built a good foundation.

Meyer players are e.g. Cannonball Adderley and Phil Woods, listen to some CDs of these cats to hear what sound you can produce on a Meyer (you'll never sound exactly the same, we're all different). Both use(d) Meyer 5, although there is rumor that this is within the "old" Meyer numbering system and equivalent to a modern 7. Being asked what was the secret of his sound, Phil Woods once said it was that he never changed his mouthpiece.

[Ritchie]

I forgot to add I am quite aware of the fact that modern Meyers do not have the quality of the vintage pieces anymore, at least not of the good ones, but still it is my experience that they are still quite good (at least the ones I have tested and played).

[Razzy]

Meyers tend on the brighter, edgier, more focused side while Selmer C* is much darker and the tone spreads more. Still, a Meyer is nowhere near as bright or edgy as say a Dukoff would be, and a Selmer C* is probably not nearly as dark as a Larry Teal... these mouthpieces are often recommended because they are on the medium side; however the Meyers swing toward jazz/rock and the Selmers swing toward classical/legit.

I use a Meyer 5M for both jazz and classical, though I would like to get a darker classical mouthpiece somewhere along the line, perhaps a Caravan.

[Big Nick]

I'm sorry if this seems a bit impertinent, but try putting more of it in your mouth. You might not be giving the reed enough freedom.

[singlereed]

Girl, what reeds are you using?

The Meyer may call for a shade softer reed than the C* (but it wouldn't be much different) or you may find a different make or model of reed works better on it. Also, never use a reed that you have been playing on another mouthpiece, as it tends to bed down to the particular mouthpiece and is unlikely to play well on another.

If you did a load of play testing and liked the Meyer, I would say try a few more reeds first, but don't be afraid to go back tot he shop and change it, they do expect players to take mouthpieces 'on approval' so they can see how they get on with it.

[girl]

I have asked the shop to swap it for the Meyer 7, which I feel will be better for me. I will also experiment with the amount I put in my mouth as I think I am naturally inclined not to put enough in. I can then experiment with different reeds. And of course, long tones (boring but necessary!).

Thanks for everyon'e advice - it is much appreciated.

[Vortex]

girl: Like everyone else here, I'd expect the Meyer 5 to be better for your kind of music. However, I've played a Selmer C* for a long time and it seems to work well in pretty much any situation. It might be that you're too used to the C* and (if you're a beginner) you may not be able to play other mouthpieces readily. If that's the case, then you probably just need to get used to the Meyer for it to work for you. However, you might find that you like closed mouthpieces more than open ones. Give it a second chance, or swap it for a mouthpiece with a different facing.

As for reed strengths, I've always played a Vandoren trad 2 on my C* even though that's pretty soft for such a facing. Adding to the contradictions, I play an Alexander Superial 2.5 on my Vandoren V16 A7 (my main mpc). Good luck!

[BrianL]

You'll get used to playing the Meyer 7. When I was 13 I bought a metal link 8* (tip opening .100, which is fairly open) took me a couple of weeks to get my chops used to playing it, but it can be done.

Before you make the swap for the Meyer 7 though, take a look at some Runyons (if your local music store has any). I just got my Runyon Custom Jazz 9 and I love it.

Brian

[jazzking]

I have asked the shop to swap it for the Meyer 7, which I feel will be better for me. I will also experiment with the amount I put in my mouth as I think I am naturally inclined not to put enough in. I can then experiment with different reeds. And of course, long tones (boring but necessary!).

Thanks for everyon'e advice - it is much appreciated.


i realize this hasnt been discussed in a while but i thought i might add...i have found that the claude lakey's play amazingly. i am lead in a big band and its great, i would recomend the 5*3 or the 6*3. secondly this is going to make me sound like a salesman but...have you ever played on the cannonball saxophones? they play at the same level as a mark 6, or about as close as you can get. you should also go looking into those.

[zxcvbnm]

i realize this hasnt been discussed in a while but i thought i might add...i have found that the claude lakey's play amazingly. i am lead in a big band and its great, i would recomend the 5*3 or the 6*3. secondly this is going to make me sound like a salesman but...have you ever played on the cannonball saxophones? they play at the same level as a mark 6, or about as close as you can get. you should also go looking into those.
Hmmm...
You must work at Sam Ash.

[J.Max]

Hmmm...
You must work at Sam Ash.

Heh. Good one.

Wow, this thread is 5 years old!

[saxophonedaniel]

Hi,

I am using Meyer too. It marks Meyer Lapped Facing, 5M.
I am using Venderen reed 2.5

Is that a good match on my Yani A901?

Actually, I am looking around to try a new mouthpiece. What would be good options for a Yani A901?

I play classic, but now start shifting to Jazz learning.

Thanks

[Dave Dolson]

Saxophonedaniel: You are the one playing this combination on an A901. Why don't you tell US if it is good? How are we to know whether or not it is good? DAVE

[saxophonedaniel]

Now, that combination is the best I got. (the other mouthpiece I got is Yamaha 4C, and the one bundle with Yani mouthpiece 5, which is not as good as Meyer in my opinon.)

But I do not satifised that combination, so I am now looking for a better one. I just come back from my local music shop, they got lots of mouthpiecie. I am looking at the Semler metal (it cost about US$300 here). The other choice is Otti link metal (my spell wrong), which is about US$180.)

I am also looking a Meyer 7, which is cheaper (rubber).

that's where I am.

Thanks

[tonyh]

So is girl still here, what did she end up with, boy I got to learn to look at the dates of these threads before I start reading them, 5 years old lol