Comments on Selmer and Yanagisawa Metal Pieces?

[Morry]

I like my Bari HR soprano piece, but I'd like to try something in a metal. No particular reason, other than I like the feel of them. Any comments on the Yani and Selmer metal soprano pieces? I'll be playing on a SX90II horn.

[Thomas]

I've owned and played both the Selmers and the Yanis.
I could never figure out why such well made mouthpieces just sound so middle of the road. They play well-- just sound boring. If you like metal on sop you should try a Link.......and PS-the specs on them have never changed so don't waste you hard earned
$$ on so called vintage. Buy a brand spankin new one and send it to a competent guy to smooth it out-then get rid of the stock Link lig and put the Selmer sop lig on it --fits and works fine. Start at 7* and move up if that's too small for you. The JK horn should like a large tip opening and round chamber.

[Dave Dolson]

Morry: I'll tell you (and others) about MY experiences with them, but again, that won't mean you will experience the same thing.

Selmer classic metal (scroll-shank) - mediocre, required harder reeds than I prefer to use, thin sound

Yanagisawa metal #7 - generally same as Selmer as far as I was concerned

Link metal 6* - best of the metals I played, but tone lacked smoothness - very buzzy for me, yet playable. I actually used it one night on a gig and it worked okay (on my silver Serie III). The Link lig worked best for me, too, even compared to Selmer-for-metal lig and small Rovner.

I also have/had metal alto pieces, none of which are/were very good for me. I much prefer HR pieces. DAVE

[singlereed]

I play tested a load of mouthpieces on JK horns a while back and liked the metal Yani 7 (alto and tenor) most of all, especially on the tenor. It helped even the response of the horn. As Dave the other post says, they are not especially characterful, but do give a flexible 'blank canvas' that would suit a variety of settings and do give a good degree of projection.

More recently, I have had Selmer Metal Classics (sop, alto and tenor) and Metal Jazz (tenor) and like them very much. I don't have the JK tenor any more, but the metal classics are fine on a JK alto. I think the metal perhaps gives a slightly edgier sound, and also the Selmers are smaller chamber pieces than the hard rubber equivalents. I have used a metal classic on soprano and alto for classical playing but these days prefer the warmer sound of Soloists (I have a mix of old and new ones) on all my horns.

[Joe Jazz]

Morry-

as you know I've recently made the move to Lawton and am now playing a B chamber stainless steel on my R&C curved sop. You ought to check them out! The Yani's are too plain Jane for me..... :D and yes, I was having log-in problems and so assumed another alias..... 8)

[Morry]

I, too, recently switched to a Yani 7 on my JK tenor. I like it very, very much. It still has a dark, round core sound, but with a little edge to it. It's a keeper.

I have a couple of Yani soprano pieces coming, although I'm also anxious to try a gool old Link STM on soprano.

Joe, In general, I found the Lawtons a bit too bright for my taste. I tend to have a bright sound anyway, so I like a little darker piece.

[Mike Ruhl]

...although I'm also anxious to try a gool old Link STM on soprano.Me too.