Razzy
02-25-2008, 04:50 AM
Hello all. I am here to write a review of two mouthpieces: a hard rubber Yanagisawa 5 for baritone which I had opened up by Philip Engleman, and the Phil-tone tenor model hard rubber mouthpiece in a .105 opening.
My bari mouthpiece had a giant scratch on the table ever since I let a friend borrow it. Btw, big mistake, hang onto your own mouthpieces unless you'd trust the person to watch your children! Anyhow, I also decided to have it opened up since I always felt the tip opening was a little small compared to what I am now used to on alto and tenor. Formerly a bari player, now I play it once in a while for the odd gig that crops up but I do have a few years experience of being solely a bari player in big bands, wedding bands, etc.
Let me tell you that not only did Phil restore the mouthpiece to its former table response, but he absolutely transformed it into a monster player. I have had mouthpieces in the past with work done by Adam Niewood, Brian Powell, Mojo, and EZ. Philip shines with the rest of them. Reed response is great, balance of register and intonation are consistent, and the mouthpiece has a modicum of edge and resistance that I really enjoy. "Good resistance" as opposed to "bad resistance," to quote one refacer whose identity escapes me. This is an easy-playing, fat-sounding mouthpiece which doesn't require extraneous work to make pitch corrections with. A top-notch job all around.
I thought I was taking a gamble at trying out a new refacer, but I couldn't hesitate as I really needed that scratch repaired for peace of mind and so that my reeds would seal again. Can you also believe that Phil neither owns nor plays baritone and used a bari reed that I sent him to test the mouthpiece on his tenor!! And still did a fine job. Now there's an open-minded crafstman.
Also, the Phil-tone tenor mouthpiece. Here is the big kahuna.
A little backstory: I had been playing my Brian Powell-opened Doc Tenney Link for a long time, but recently have beeng struggling with reeds and pitch as I have decided to develop into more of a tenor soloist as my main focus in jazz playing. This has allowed me to notice many more nuances of pitch, resistance, and timbre that were previously foreign to me. In any case that BP Tenney Link was the closest I had come to finding my ideal sound basis from which to develop nuance and control, but began to fall short at the level of total control at all dynamics, especially with subtone. Altissimo, however, was fantastic on it; but that lack of subtone ability regardless of reed strength of brand was bothering me, and the pitch/resistance problems as compared with my alto and soprano were also begging for a solution. On my teacher's horn, a later SBA, the BP Tenney Link worked wonders, but on my Mark VI it seemed to come up short in that one area.
So again I took a gamble and decided to participate in the Phil-tone tenor mouthpiece passaround. Luckily for me, the mouthpiece came in .105, the same tip as on the BP Tenney Link. My initial impression: completely floored. Perhaps a tiny bit edgier and less loud than the BP Tenney, but response and intonation were lightyears ahead. Tried a few more reeds, and noticed something else: the same reeds feel softer on the Phil-tone than on the BP, despite the tip opening being identical. I attribute many of these factors to the unique baffle in the Phil-tone. In Phil's words, he put a bit more edge on this one.
Whatever the case, this unique and special combination was put to the test in four grueling and long rehearsals this weekend: three separate quartets or sextets, and an especially lengthy big band rehearsal, sightreading new music and a handful of tenor features.
This is all I needed to be sure. I put in an order for a Phil-tone to the same specifications as this one and I know I won't be disappointed. Truly a fine piece of work. I also believe that the Phil-tone's unique characteristics match more perfectly to my Mark VI than any other mouthpiece I've yet tried on it.
For those curious, the relationships of equipment are very important, and I think possibly the largest factor of success here: I play a 208,xxx mark VI, with Vandoren ZZ 3.5 reeds and a Vandoren optimum ligature.
The rehearsal today was especially revealing of the good control and intonation of the Phil-tone: I was playing several melodies in unison or octaves with a fine guitarist, and every step of the way felt more in-tune than all of our past rehearsals. I will write a followup after I have put this mouthpiece more to the test in several gigs coming up this week. Woo!
Also, at $165, the price is surreal for a modern, top of the line, custom mouthpiece. You can contact Phil at Sigmund451 here on the forum for refacing work and other custom mouthpieces. Don't hesitate to do so!
My bari mouthpiece had a giant scratch on the table ever since I let a friend borrow it. Btw, big mistake, hang onto your own mouthpieces unless you'd trust the person to watch your children! Anyhow, I also decided to have it opened up since I always felt the tip opening was a little small compared to what I am now used to on alto and tenor. Formerly a bari player, now I play it once in a while for the odd gig that crops up but I do have a few years experience of being solely a bari player in big bands, wedding bands, etc.
Let me tell you that not only did Phil restore the mouthpiece to its former table response, but he absolutely transformed it into a monster player. I have had mouthpieces in the past with work done by Adam Niewood, Brian Powell, Mojo, and EZ. Philip shines with the rest of them. Reed response is great, balance of register and intonation are consistent, and the mouthpiece has a modicum of edge and resistance that I really enjoy. "Good resistance" as opposed to "bad resistance," to quote one refacer whose identity escapes me. This is an easy-playing, fat-sounding mouthpiece which doesn't require extraneous work to make pitch corrections with. A top-notch job all around.
I thought I was taking a gamble at trying out a new refacer, but I couldn't hesitate as I really needed that scratch repaired for peace of mind and so that my reeds would seal again. Can you also believe that Phil neither owns nor plays baritone and used a bari reed that I sent him to test the mouthpiece on his tenor!! And still did a fine job. Now there's an open-minded crafstman.
Also, the Phil-tone tenor mouthpiece. Here is the big kahuna.
A little backstory: I had been playing my Brian Powell-opened Doc Tenney Link for a long time, but recently have beeng struggling with reeds and pitch as I have decided to develop into more of a tenor soloist as my main focus in jazz playing. This has allowed me to notice many more nuances of pitch, resistance, and timbre that were previously foreign to me. In any case that BP Tenney Link was the closest I had come to finding my ideal sound basis from which to develop nuance and control, but began to fall short at the level of total control at all dynamics, especially with subtone. Altissimo, however, was fantastic on it; but that lack of subtone ability regardless of reed strength of brand was bothering me, and the pitch/resistance problems as compared with my alto and soprano were also begging for a solution. On my teacher's horn, a later SBA, the BP Tenney Link worked wonders, but on my Mark VI it seemed to come up short in that one area.
So again I took a gamble and decided to participate in the Phil-tone tenor mouthpiece passaround. Luckily for me, the mouthpiece came in .105, the same tip as on the BP Tenney Link. My initial impression: completely floored. Perhaps a tiny bit edgier and less loud than the BP Tenney, but response and intonation were lightyears ahead. Tried a few more reeds, and noticed something else: the same reeds feel softer on the Phil-tone than on the BP, despite the tip opening being identical. I attribute many of these factors to the unique baffle in the Phil-tone. In Phil's words, he put a bit more edge on this one.
Whatever the case, this unique and special combination was put to the test in four grueling and long rehearsals this weekend: three separate quartets or sextets, and an especially lengthy big band rehearsal, sightreading new music and a handful of tenor features.
This is all I needed to be sure. I put in an order for a Phil-tone to the same specifications as this one and I know I won't be disappointed. Truly a fine piece of work. I also believe that the Phil-tone's unique characteristics match more perfectly to my Mark VI than any other mouthpiece I've yet tried on it.
For those curious, the relationships of equipment are very important, and I think possibly the largest factor of success here: I play a 208,xxx mark VI, with Vandoren ZZ 3.5 reeds and a Vandoren optimum ligature.
The rehearsal today was especially revealing of the good control and intonation of the Phil-tone: I was playing several melodies in unison or octaves with a fine guitarist, and every step of the way felt more in-tune than all of our past rehearsals. I will write a followup after I have put this mouthpiece more to the test in several gigs coming up this week. Woo!
Also, at $165, the price is surreal for a modern, top of the line, custom mouthpiece. You can contact Phil at Sigmund451 here on the forum for refacing work and other custom mouthpieces. Don't hesitate to do so!