Buescher Soprano Mouthpiece

[Ed Morgan]

I just bought a True tone which comes with the original mpc. and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with these pcs. used on the True tones?????? What are my other options as far as mpcs. that are compatable with the TT ????? I'm looking for something that has a nice sweet tone .......not buzzy sounding ...... Thanks in advance for any help..... Ed

[sopsax]

I've been blowing a 1926 Buescher TT sop for 25 years. The mouthpiece I used to use for concerts & recordings was an old Selmer short-shank C opened up to about E by refacer Frank Wells of Chicago. My backup piece (recently sold) was an unmodified short-shank C that sounded very similar. This setup included a two-screw Selmer metal lig and Hemke reeds.

I used to believe that it takes a vintage mouthpiece to bring out the sound of a vintage horn. But for a year now I've been happy with a modern Selmer S-80 C*... your basic vanilla mouthpiece. For me, it gives purity and sweetness of tone as well as a full palette of tone colors. With this mouthpiece I can sound like a trumpet, a flute, an oboe, or a taragot. I can sound raunchy, too -- the S-80 C* lets the player choose.

Some players feel that the Selmer Metal Classical piece gives all the tone (and flexibility) they need for jazz. I tried one once and yes, it was great.

Many players praise the new Selmer Super Session for soprano. I tried an E and found it stuffy. I'd be curious to try a more open facing, maybe an H or I.

I tried some JodyJazz sop mouthpieces (modified Runyon Customs) and found that I sounded buzzy on them. Love my JodyJazz alto piece, however!

FYI: My current setup includes a Vandoren Optimum lig and Fibracell reeds.

[Dave Dolson]

Ed: I use the Super Session J-facings on all of my sops, new and vintage, including two straight TTs. Just today, I tried two SR metal pieces, an Otto Link 7* HR, and another piece which I've already forgotten. None of them came close to my Super Session.

I own a metal Link 6*, JodyJazz #7, several S-80s in J and G, and assorted other pieces. For me, none of them match the Super Session. But everyone is different. You may like some of the ones I don't like. However, this vintage-sop-needing-vintage-mouthpieces tale is just that - a tale. DAVE

[paulwl]

I like straight-ahead, medium-bright to medium dark rubber pieces on the T-T. I use a Link, Couf Artist (no longer made), and Morgan C, all with good results.

But experiment with that stock piece. These pieces are prized because they are about the sweetest, mellowest possible piece for the horn. (Although Dave is right – they're far from the only workable option.) Playing them will really educate you about your horn's basic tonal personality.

[Ed Morgan]

Thanks Guys for all the input ..... sounds like picking a mpc. is sort of like choosing what kind of chick you like ....... anywhere from the quiet type ..... to the cocktail waitress with a Dolly Parton wig ..... no seriously....... I think I will experiment with the stock piece and see what it does for me ..... I have heard that this is one of "The " pieces to have as far as large chamber pcs. go ..... I play M.C. Gregory 5A -20's on both Alto and Tenor and feel that they are as Paul descibed as a Medium Dark to Medium Bright Pc. ..... of course depends on what horn they are played on also ...... which is what I would like to have in a soprano pc. also ...

[Grumps]

For years I played a curved TT soprano with a vintage Geo. Bundy mouthpiece. The horn came with some other vintage pieces, but I found them to be very stuffy and closed. The Bundy was workable, but when I tried the Super Session, things really opened up. It also improved intonation. The Super Session soprano has a lot of fans on this forum.

[Andrea]

I bought recently a new YSS 875 custom, a great horn, but I'm a bit confused about the right mouthpiece. I play the sop in a sax quartet, and I would need a sweet dark easy to play piece.
I have actually a soloist c* refaced to a F, but is not so easy to play, or maybe not a starting mpc.

[MojoBari]

The F is not radical at a .057" tip opening. For me, pieces above .065" get more difficult to control.

So practice long tones and the MP pitch exercise. Play around with a few different reeds. If you are still having problems, drop down to a D size.

It might be good to get the F measured to see if it is on size and the facing curve is good.

[rollen]

Ed,

Let us know how you are making out with the Buescher mouthpiece. I recently got one and I love it. Sweetest, purest tone of any soprano piece I have tried.

[Bo Meyer]

I fully agree that the old style Bueschers gives a pure and nice tone, but they are in my opinion very difficult to control, when you have to intonate on a tune that is out of tune. I have used several Bueschers, but have now changed to Otto Link (Prewar model - the "Master" model) That piece really kicks.

For more modern style music, I use a David Bamber, medium chamber.

The old Buescher are good for pieces played á la Sidney Bechet, with a powerful vibrato, and a nice 30´s style tone. The Buescher mouthpieces have the biggest chamber I have seen so far.

For the old style music I use a Goldplated Buescher TT 1924, or a Martin Handcrafted 1925. For the newer style music a Borgani ca. 1998. All of them are straight sopranos.

Happy New Year to all