Something to replace Sop SS J

[bradshawm]

I finally locked in on mouthpieces for my Alto and Tenor that I am sold on and will stick with. The Morgan Jazz 6L for both. I am not happy with what I have for the soprano though. I love the Tone of the Selmer Super Session J that I have, but find it too open and hard to control. I have tried the smaller tip openings (H and the I), but did not like them near as much. Everything else I have sounds thin or nasally to me in comparison to the SS J (Selmer C*, Morgan Pro-Tone and Meyer 6M). I heard that Morgan used to produce a Jazz version for soprano. Does anyone know anything about them, and whether they may still be available? Junkdude does appear to carry them. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Marshall

[Selmer's_glu]

Try the new Vandoren V16. They are just hitting the market this month. Or else try a Bari & associates.

[Grumps]

What type of soprano do you have? My favorite soprano mouthpieces are Selmer Super Sessions and their Metal Classic. Though I like the Super Session on my True Tone, I prefer the Metal Classic on my VI. You might want to give the Metal Classic a try. It can be a great jazz mouthpiece, though it's not marketed that way. Full and rich, and not shrill and quacky. The biggest tip I could get it in was a G; and that's what I'd recommend trying given your experiences with the Super Sessions.

[Michael Ward]

I don't think Ralph Morgan is making the J sop at present..maybe try a Vintage they're pretty good.

[Tom Goodrick]

This is a very good thread. I too find the Super Sessions just a bit thin although my F is a little better than the more open models I tried. The S-80 gives a better sound but I would hope there would be a better piece. That better piece may well be the metal Selmer Classic but it is expensive and smaller in size. I'd like to find an HR with a good full tone.

[OOlufoks]

I'll recommend the Jodyjazz HR* for Soprano. To me, it's has the open qualities of a Supersession, and the warmth of a HR link.

[sinkdraiN]

You may like the BARI or meyer. I keep thinking about picking up a Rousseau NC for soprano.

I tried a morgan 6j once and I really wish I had picked one up before he stopped making them.

[Selmer's_glu]

New Vandoren V16 is it.

[bradshawm]

Thanks all. This is a good discussion. I have the Antigua Winds 586BC. I actually ordered four mouthpieces from WWBW right after writing starting this thread. Ponzel #65, S80-F, Super Session G, and a metal link. The link has not shipped yet, but I have had a couple days to play with the others. I tried them with a smattering of reeds to include Vandoran ZZ, Rico Jazz, Rico Royal, La Voz, Woodwind paris and Vandoran BB. No matter what kind of reed or ligature I put on the S80-F, it felt very thin to me, however, it definitely sounded better with a harder reed. The ponzel has some problems which shocked me based on the reputation. The tip is uneven, and I could not get the reed to seal. The tone was darker than the others, a little softer and more linkish, but it was not responsive at all (probably due to the tip problems). The more I play the SS-G, the more I like it. I finally paired it up with a Vandoran Java 2 reed and the two are a perfect fit. Not quite the sound of the J, but is much easier to control and very responsive. Since WWBW has a 45 day return, I will probly keep the SS-G and send the others back, and try a couple more. Maybe the V16 and the Selmer metal (although the picture of it on WWBW does not make it look too appealing).

If anyone else has any input, I would love to hear it.

Blessings, Marshall

[jacobeid]

Last month EZ made me a bari sop piece that is the best piece I've ever played from the moment I started blowing into it. Blows the water out of my SS I and the SS J's I've trialed. Bigger, fuller, more open sound. He also made a runyon piece for me that was extremely similar to the bari piece but I didn't buy it since I didn't need two great pieces. Might want to see if he still has that one..I just sent it back not too long ago, and it's a lot cheaper than an SS.

[DaveR]

Also very well worth a look (blow!) is SRTech's hard rubber Legend. It's about an E/F tip, very warm, very controlable; excellent piece I reckon.

[Michael Ward]

Hi Dave..off topic I ended up getting a silver Yani soprano instead of a series 3 and i have no regrets. It has beautiful tonal quality and seemed to my ears much more interesting than the brass or bronze models.I got the straight model and it is a little heavy next to my V1 but I hope to get used to it.

[DaveR]

Hi Michael. Many congrats on the sterling Yana. I've been building up to a serious re-appraisal of the Yana sops since my frustrations with the Ser3 continue even after much practice and dedication (!). Watch this space!!!

[bradshawm]

I received the Otto Link STM 6* for Soprano finally from WWBW. I have to say that I was very surprised. I have tried Otto Link HRs before on Alto, tenor and Bari, and they were always mellow and dark without much power, but never and STM. It was the brightest and had the most projection of any thing I have ever tried on the soprano. So bright in fact, that the high notes were very piercing and almost hurt the ears. The flip side of it was that it played perfect from top to bottom. It was the most responsive soprano mouthpiece I have ever played. Both high and low notes came out effortlessly. I would love a piece that sounds like the Super Session J, but plays like the OL STM I just tried.

I always assumed the STM's were dark like the HR OL's. Are the STM's for Alto and Tenor much brighter also?

Thanks again to all.

Marshall

[Dave Dolson]

Marshall: Are the STM Links brighter on alto and tenor? Depends on who is playing them. I posted elsewhere this morning about my favorite altoist using an STM Link on his Conn alto. He achieves a marvelous smokey vintage sound that is anything but bright.

Your reaction to your STM Link 6* on soprano is just the opposite of mine. I had a 6* and traded it away. I still have a 7* and 8* for soprano but returned to my SS-J's. The STM Links DO give me a lot of projection (VERY loud and focused) but they lack the control and warmth I have with Super Session J . . . and my high-end intonation (say C3 and above) suffers with the Links as compared to the SS-J.

On the Links I have to go up a half-strength in reeds to make them work. DAVE

[mountainman]

Marshall: Are the STM Links brighter on alto and tenor? Depends on who is playing them. I posted elsewhere this morning about my favorite altoist using an STM Link on his Conn alto. He achieves a marvelous smokey vintage sound that is anything but bright.

Your reaction to your STM Link 6* on soprano is just the opposite of mine. I had a 6* and traded it away. I still have a 7* and 8* for soprano but returned to my SS-J's. The STM Links DO give me a lot of projection (VERY loud and focused) but they lack the control and warmth I have with Super Session J . . . and my high-end intonation (say C3 and above) suffers with the Links as compared to the SS-J.

On the Links I have to go up a half-strength in reeds to make them work.
DAVE

Links on Tenor; HR=Dark, NY=Brighter, STM= Brighter still, all still dark and all great!

Links on Alto: None worked for me--stuck with Meyer

Links on soprano: Nice mellow tone on HR 6*& 8* but difficult to go high. The sop STM was too bright for my taste. (So were the Selmers)

The stock mouthpiece goes high better, but is thin and uninteresting. I like several of the suggestions put forth here and will try them after the first of the year. Especially the JJ.

[shmuelyosef]

Don't know if it is because I play a Yani soprano, but the Yani metal piece that was in the case with it was by far the best piece I have ever played on soprano. I still have my SS 'I', but never play it any more...

[captain blowhard]

My fav soprano piece is a metal Otto Link 7*. However, this is after re-facing it and working on the chamber. The stock version is quite bright due to the fat side walls, which I progressively narrowed down and hollowed out slightly to get the sound I wanted. I like it better than my Selmer SS I. (Have not tried the J)

For me the SS is kinda dry sounding overall, plus has an oboe like tonality in the low notes. I think the chamber is too small where it enters the bore.

[danerida]

I am very happy with my Lebayle Jazz 7 HR. By all reports they are very similar to the Super Sessions and Jody Jazz HR. Free blowing, responsive and not super bright. They can be a little hard to get hold of. But well worth trying.
Dan

[Tom Goodrick]

Has anyone tried a Rovner Eagle on sop? I have a Rovner DV on tenor and like it a lot. Not sure if a similar design will work on sop. The cost is pretty steep. Eventually I'll have to try the Eagle on sop just to see. I have asked this many times and never got an answer. Experience with an Eagle on any other sax does not help.

[betelsax]

Here's one more vote for a Link on soprano. Like all of us, I have tried various combinations on my sopranos; SS F (too strident and pinched), Runyon (harsh), Bari (small and piercing), etc. But I have finally settled on very good solutions. On one of my TTs, I use a Selmer HR S80 F, and it's a perfect match. But it just does not sound the same on my other TT. For that one I have settled on an older (1980s) Link HR 6*. You gotta get lucky finding a good Link, but they are worth the effort. Unfortunately, telling other people about what mouthpiece works for you is like telling them about your dreams; they are only about you.

[bradshawm]

I've been playing the Super Session G for few weeks now and the more I play it, the less I like it. I love the upper end, but the lower end seems harsh and unresponsive for me. I had just the opposite with experience with the Meyer. The bottom end played great, but the top end all but dissappeared. Since the Morgans for my Alto and Tenor play very evenly and good from top to bottom, I called Dave at JunkDude and talked with him about the Morgan Vintage soprano pieces. He stated that right after Ralph developed these, the company he bought the blanks from for the Morgan Jazz soprano pieces went out of business. He decided that since the Jazz soprano piece and the Vintage were so similar, that he would discontinue the Jazz model rather than find a new vendor for blanks. I went ahead and ordered one with a .060 tip opening.

[bradshawm]

I got my morgan vintage, and this is one incredible mouthpiece. It has everything I love about the SuperSession in terms of tone quality and free blowing nature, but it resolves everything I hate about it, especially in the low notes. It plays very evenly and effortlessly from top to bottom and every note sounds good not matter what the register. Ralph Morgan has done it again. If you have not tried it, it is worth a try. And price wise, it is a bargain for such a quality hand finished mouthpiece.

Blessings to you all, Marshall

[TheCheeseMaker]

Hi,
I spent today trying some soprano mouthpieces, (as i am in Ireland there wern't THAT many) but of all I found my stock Yanigasawa Mouthpiece to be the best. But what I found to make a big difference was the ligature.
I would like to know what ligatures you play? I settled on the BG super revelation and find it to be great.
The other question I've wanted to know for a long time is what soprano mouthpiece does Kenny Garrett Play?
Good Luck.