Brilhart Vintage level air vs. Brilhart level air

**Sofunkinsweet** · 03-10-2008, 03:51 PM

just wanted to see what everyone's opinions are on the differences between the vintage level air mouthpieces and the modern level air mouthpieces.

**zxcvbnm** · 03-10-2008, 09:14 PM

The modern ones are runyon quantums.

**hakukani** · 03-10-2008, 09:17 PM

I can't play on either.

When I was an undergrad in the 70s the only people that played levelaires were clarinet players looking for a really small beak.

The only two people that I like that either have played on them, or still play them are Dave Sanborn and Anthony Braxton.

**Sofunkinsweet** · 03-10-2008, 11:15 PM

i have a runyon quantum for my tenor... it isn't the same. i really like the small beak on the vintage level air.

**ehrgie** · 03-10-2008, 11:35 PM

I have a vintage brilhart level air and I can't stand the piece

.

**soybean** · 03-11-2008, 12:13 AM

The original ones were supposedly made with more care.

**Nitetimer** · 03-11-2008, 08:00 AM

My experience has been that the new models are much easier to play and have a better sound.

**BlueTrane2028** · 03-11-2008, 09:45 AM

One of my old teachers played a vintage Level Air on his 10M... he had the best tenor sound that I've ever heard...

**Perry Cobb** · 03-12-2008, 04:59 AM

I used to play on a vintage levelair tenor back in my high school days. I thought it had a pretty nice sound...just had trouble getting the volume and overtones out of it that I wanted. Ended up giving it away. Wish I hadn't!

**Sofunkinsweet** · 03-12-2008, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by ehrgie

I have a vintage brilhart level air and I can't stand the piece

.

hey so do you wanna get rid of yours? :-)

**gypsydancer** · 02-09-2009, 02:41 AM

I am currently playing a vintage Level Air 4* on my 1936 Kohlert VKS Regent tenor. I find it very easy to play and it has a really nice sound. It's not really loud, but is very flexible with just a little edge.

**musicwriter2001** · 02-11-2009, 03:34 AM

I actually just got a new levelaire metal number 9 for my hohner tenor. the sax really comes alive with it. according to the guy at the music store, and according to the box and catalog, selmer is making those now.

**BrianMitchellBrody** · 02-11-2009, 03:46 AM

I play Vintage Brilhart levelair 5* on both alto and tenor, and if they made them I would play one on soprano. I have used the same levelair since 1978 through the buescher TT, olds ambassador, conn directors model, buescher "windsor", conn 94M djh modified, and now my selmer sa80II. I find it to be extremely flexable for both jazz, pop, pit work, and bebop. I am looking for a 6 or 7* for the selmer as I write this. Any takers? BB

**Grumps** · 02-11-2009, 01:38 PM

But do the new ones make as good of a doorstop?
Eh, eh???

**Edward Wolf** · 02-12-2009, 03:30 PM

The specialists in mouthpeaces are saying that the modern Level Airs are not so good as the vintage Level Air mouthpeaces made by Brilhart .
I have never played on a Selmer Level Air . I have played for almost 25 years on a tenor vintage Brilhart Level Air 9 . It was on my Selmer tenor much better sounding than Otto Link metals . When i changed to alto i bought a vintage Brilhart Level Air 5 . This year i bought a vintage Level Air 7 also .
The vintage Brilhart Level Air Metal mouthpeaces are very different made than the new Level Air's made by Selmer .

**tomsch** · 02-13-2009, 11:03 PM

I have a vintage Level Air that I played though high school. Good sounds and response but the duckbill drives me crazy. The bari player in our band swears by his vintage LA.

**seattlebari** · 02-15-2009, 03:37 AM

As a Bari player, I was fortunate to acquire a mid 60's Level Aire, 5 star. I had Bob Carpenter open it up to .125, and increase the facing length to 28mm, and put on his
unique "3 step" facing curve. It has tremendous power and superb intonation, now that
it has been opened up. For blues, R & B and rock, it is pretty amazing, and easy to play.
I tried a new 7 Level Aire, and sent it back after a few days of experimenting. I am aware that many players like the new models, however.

**oldbluesman** · 03-11-2012, 03:41 AM

I've had this mpc for fifteen years and never used it until Friday. It was given to me by a great Texas tenor who got it from the legendary FatHead Newman in exchange for a loan. Man this piece must have been customized by Brilhart himself. This is the sweetest playing mpc I've ever owned and I've owned a lot. The reason why I didn't use it because it didn't have a bite plate. It still don't have one but I put one of those thick black pads on it and commenced to play. WOW. What a sound. Whimp (the Texas saxophonist) didn't have teeth so he took the bite plate off. But I found that with it off I have great control and no resistance at all. I have teeth.

Great mpc!

**eugeneherman** · 03-11-2012, 04:17 AM

oldbluesman, if you have an interest I can apply new cast bite plates to Levelaires...

**eugeneherman** · 03-11-2012, 04:24 AM

BTW to all interested in Levelaires... There were in fact 'two' generations of the so-called 'vintage' 'LA's... I have been planning to photo my two 'LA' tenor pieces & now will & post back to this thread... The earliest 'LA' pieces had a slight rollover baffle while the later 70's pieces had a more flat baffle... I will post pics soon...