Dark, but gutsy sound

[The Martin]

Hi all

Which alto piece should I try for a full dark sound with lots of overtones and something rough to the tone :?:
(Call it gutsy, rough, edgy (but not bright))

[MojoBari]

Consider an open Vandoren Jumbo Java, like a A55. If too bright, try a Java. Also, RPC could probably cusom make what you want.

[colibri]

I don't think the Jumbo Java gives a bright sound. It's more like a dark sound with ton of edge.

[The Martin]

And the new JG Tonelink ??
(I have allready heard a very nice MP3 with JG himself)

[MojoBari]

My tone is still fairly clear on the Tonelink. But I think if you stick with a softer reed and an open tip, it would be a candidate too.

[Thomas]

I just had Ron Coelho, RPC mouthpieces ,make for me an alto piece that has all you're looking for. It's a .090 baffless HR piece-very gutsy and not too bright but plays excellent altissimo as well-gives the alto a very manly voice. Ron's a very patient guy and worked very hard to get this piece to sound the way I wanted it-unique,

[MM]

Mojo, where do you place "clear" on the axis of dark vs bright?

For the open RPC fans, was it hard to get used to this large a tip? I tend to play alto pieces in the traditional range of .070-.080.

[MojoBari]

The clear-edgy axis is orthoganal to the bright-dark axis. But it is easier to get (or find a piece with) a bright edgy sound than a dark edgy sound.

[cmelodysax]

Try a Lawton Bronze/Gold metal 6*BB (or 7*BB), it can be as dark and gutsy as you like, with a bonus of bright/edgy if you need it, plus altissimo effortlessly.
You may need to try a few different reeds, like LaVoz or Rico Royal. Complements perfectly older classic horns like Buescher & Martin.
Regards, Alan.

[Honeyboy]

The Runyon Metal Smoothbore is surprisingly dark sounding but has a great potential for gutsy( which I perceive as kind of a King Curtis sound). I use it on a mid 50's The Martin and a late 30's King Zephyr and can sound like a King Curtis tenor sax when in the lower register and using a tenor sized V-16 reed!!! These are relatively inexpensive and easy to try with WW&BW. I use a size 3 reed on a #9 Runyon. Great tone!!