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Help me please....

2K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  MojoBari 
#1 ·
Hello.
I'm from Portugal.
if my English is bad... sorry.
I need to decide between these two mouthpieces.
Selmer Soloist C* and Vandoren Optimum AL3...
I already have a VANDOREN A27 and I love it. I also have a Selmer C ** but I prefer Vandoren A27. I play mostly classic, and i wanted to improve my sound.
Does anyone have an opinion???
thanks
 
#3 ·
Well, if you are playing a Vandoren A27 and loving it, it would seem to me that the best transition would be to an Optimum AL3 or maybe an AL4.
But I have a bigger question, and that is, "what is it about the Vandoren A27 that you are not getting, that you think you can get with another mouthpiece?"
 
#4 ·
+1 Gary. If you love the A27, why change it? If you can play test them, do. If you can't, the transition between Vandoren to Vandoren is easier than Vandoren and Selmer. Also Vandorens usually have a better facing than Selmers.
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YAMAHA JUNKIE
 
#5 ·
Well, my alto sax is a Buffet S1 with about thirty years, I think older than me actually. With him play with the Vandoren. I have a Selmer SA80 Tenor with almost the same age, I like classic and vintage saxophones, and play with a Selmer C * and I also really like the mouthpiece. So this dilemma Vandoren or Selmer ... However I think I'll decide by Vandoren. I think I will not be disappointed. My first impression was always that Vandoren is the best choice, but wanted confirmation from other musicians. Thanks for your help.
 
#6 ·
It is quite normal to like a different piece on tenor than on alto. When you buy a mouthpiece, you must always think of what your current mouthpiece isn't giving you. Use what you like on alto and use what you like on tenor.
Also, whenever considering buying a new mouthpiece, ALWAYS play-test it before you buy it. You never know if yours has a good or bad facing (this applies more to Selmer mouthpieces than anything else).
--
YAMAHA JUNKIE
 
#7 ·
play test would be my recommendations. both are good mpc but it depends how it feels in your mouth after a while. guess the transition to another VANDOREN should not be too hard but I always have a soft spot for SELMER mpc. GARY is right, why dun you try to change the setup for your A27 before going for another mpc.
 
#8 ·
Yamaha Junkie: I know the common wisdom here is that Selmer mouthpieces are inconsistent. But that isn't always the case. And in fact, I have never experienced Selmer inconsistency. I bought three soprano Super Session J pieces at different times from different sources and they all played EXACTLY alike. Same with various S-80 models in alto and soprano.

I'm not saying that all Selmer pieces are consistent, but that they are no more nor no less consistent than any other mass-produced saxophone mouthpiece. That others may have found inconsistencies with Selmer mouthpieces does not disprove my point. DAVE
 
#9 ·
Just to riff on Dave's comment, in the past, I had gotten four Vandoren V-16 alto mouthpieces to try and they all were very good mpcs. However, I did favour one slightly over the other three. I wouldn't call this a negative inconsistency in the quality control but rather simply a slight difference that one is going to find in anything produced on a mass scale. And, like Dave, I've personally never experienced a wide inconsistency in Selmer mpcs, when compared one with another. I do think it's safe to say, in conclusion though, that Vandoren does have a high consistency in quality.

Also, I agree with Yamaha Junkie that many find different mpcs for their alto and tenor horns. When I came back to playing years ago, I wanted the same set-up on alto as on tenor. Later on, and ever since, I've never though of trying to have common setups. For example, I used to play Meyer 6Ms on both alto and tenor. Now I play Ponzol Vintage/Rousseau NC4 on alto and Ponzol M1/Tone Edge on tenor.
 
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