For whatever reason, I've let tenor mouthpieces accumulate again. We tenor players are truly blessed (or maybe damned?) with so many options these days.
It seems like just a few years ago, I was down to three mouthpieces. Then I opined that it was prudent to have backups for each. I've fallen. I do enjoy trying other mouthpieces, and consider myself pretty good about selling the ones that don't keep my attention.
The good news (to me) is that I know there are many of you with a far greater accumulation of tenor pieces.
These are the tenor mouthpieces that I can't give up or loan out (with precious few exceptions to especially close friends):
Fred Lamberson J7
Fred Lamberson J115
Fred Lamberson L7
Ralph Morgan 3C, refaced by Ed Zentera to .088
Ralph Morgan 6C
James Houlik (2)
Benjamin Allen 10E
Benjamin Allen "Tony Dagradi Signature"
Sold off all my unused drawer mpcs long ago..In my Tenor case I keep my players, a Lakey handmade 8*3..a modded (by me)Lazer trim Guardala SuperKing.. and a Metalite 9 stashed just as an emergency spare.
I'll admit back in my heyday. When I was buying, trying and selling Tenors I had more mpcs than I ever cared to count. A lot were simply case candy I knew I'd never use but kept anyway..I bought LOTS of mouthpieces too, always searching for the latest design/fad Holy Grail..but over time circumstances, mostly financial, dictated sale of unplayed spare 'pieces.. and little by little they all found new homes.
I still play a rubber Lakey on Tenor since I got my first one from Claude himself back in the early 70's. I played several Guardalas, my first was a handmade I got back in the early 80's. I got my current LT Super King when they first came out 15 or so yrs back.
So there you have it, not much in my drawers these days..HaHa... Same with my Alto mpcs I have 3 in my case, Sop I have 2, and in the Bari case only 1.. an old Runyon that flat smokes...these are the mpcs I PLAY and they certainly do not live in the Drawer.
tenor: 3 nickel plated brass dukoffs 2 are # 5 and 1 is # 4(one 5d I had gold plated and use a lot)
blue jumbo t45
beechler metal (this one gets a lot of play )
for alto I have like 8 mouthpieces but usually just play my metal arb
My storage place isn't a drawer, it's a shoebox and it's full, and there are probably at least a half a dozen that don't fit into the box. I told both of my daughters that if I were to suddenly die, DON'T throw out the shoebox but take it to someplace that could evaluate what is inside...oh and gather up the overflow too...there are too many to list without going through the box...suffuce to say that Morgans are WELL represented along with a couple of modified Selmer Soloists and a couple of Links...
My main piece is a Link. I have a Berg 105 to give a different sound. It can be a bit more rock n roll on the Super20. That's about it apart from a BARI ebonite which gives a lush sound.
Drake Bergonzi 7* - this just became my main piece. It has a very lively but dry sound. Very easy to play. Very happy with this one as I prefer HR these days.
Florida Otto Link STM Double ring 5 refaced to a 7* - plays very well with a great depth of color in the sound - awesome piece - case candy from my 45,XXX SBA
Florida Otto Link STM USA 8 - my main piece through college and my favorite size, a bit darker than my double ring and a HUGE fat sound
Otto Link TE 7* (2002)- touched up by my favorite tech in Eugene - plays well with a very dark sound - just got bumped by the Bergonzi
Vandoren V16 metal T7L - plays very well out of the box, very impressed! Back up to my STM USA
Vandoren V16 metal T8M - again, plays very well out of the box. Back up to my double ring.
Custom ordered Berg Larsen 105/3 - gold plated bronze with a white bite plate - freshman year piece - plays well but too uncomfortable of a shape for me.
Guy Hawkins 7 - blah
Now how about the ones I will always regret letting go. Mostly to 10MFan in the early 2000s via outside eBay transactions. Epecially the EB STM 7* I bought from Todd Degiudice that was a gift to him from his former teacher at the University of Miami. Man, I want that one back.
...Mouthpiece Floozie Log (Excerpt): 0.095 Bari 95 SM metal, Ft Lauderdale
0.095 Tenney BERG metal 095/2/M, w cap& Lig
0.095 Brian Powell Brilhart Personaline Ebolin .095
0.095 Morgan Fry FLZ Slant
0.098 Saxscape Uptown NF
0.100 Lamberson J6
0.100 Phil-Tone Sapphire .100
0.102 Sakshama Ring Gold Plate
0.105 Tenney Steve Broadus (refaced and opened by the Doc)
0.105 Navarro Bahia 7* Marble
0.105 Adam Niewood OL HR Early Babbitt
0.105 Phil-Tone Tribute
0.107 Sakshama Shorty
0.108 Saxscape Uptown Live
0.110 Lamberson L7
0.115 10mfan Merlot 8*
0.115 10mfan Robusto 8*
0.120 Theo Wanne GAIA 9
Thanks for the kind thoughts. It took me almost two months to get comfortable playing again, but I'm happy to report that I'm back to blowing with the big band and lovin' life.
I probably haven't bought one in ten or twelve years. Really.
Have a stainless Berg Larsen 110/1 SMS and a HR no name that I play,
plus a dozen or so in a box that I take out every year or so and play once
or twice and then they go back in the box.
Link HR
Yani metal
Yani HR
Runyon HR
Selmer C*
the usual suspects
You really only need two, right? A loud one...and a LOUD one.
"I'd love to go practice, but my back has been in spasm for the last couple weeks and I'm happy just to be able to walk."
I have had to use a walker as a result of back spasms and I do not recall anything funny about them. Good luck with yours. My physical therapist says, "when in doubt, do leg lifts."
I use a Gemini harness when my back is bothering me to where I cannot use a neck strap, but not so bad that I cannot play at all.
Link Tone Edge 6*
Link NY Tone Master 6*
Zagar Hot School 7
Zagar Cool School 7
Dukoff Hollywood 4* opened to 6* by Bob Carpenter
Brilhart Ebolin 6*
Selmer S80 C*
Fran Newman .115 (1960s unsigned, similar to a Dukoff Super Power Chamber)
Claude Lakey 7*3
10m Fan Robusto 7 (the one I play now, love it)
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