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Review your Mouthpieces!!! (NO COMMENTS)

161K views 184 replies 128 participants last post by  DougMan 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok people!! THis is the thread for everyone to review their tenor mouthpieces.

Link to the alto thread
Link to the sop thread
LInk to the baritone thread

The rules:
No comments allowed, only reviews;
One mouthpiece per post;
Follow the outlined format.

The purpose of this thread is for everyone to see what people think of different mouthpieces. It is important not to make any comments other than reviews. Thanks.

Here is the format:

MOUTHPIECE TITLE (in capitals)

(then include a bit underneath the following headings)

First Impressions:

Reed friendliness:

Response:

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:

Other: (specify)

Conclusion:
 
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#108 ·
Hello all,
I have to say it!!
It has been a long search, since I started playing tenor sax but it finally ended...
I am playing on a 16M 1960 Conn. I was searching for a perfect match mouthpiece/reed combination (who does not..) for many years.
I was lucky enough to cross paths with a Aaron Drane NY metal mouthpiece on ebay from a german player and the magic started.
The mouthpiece is just perfection from any ways you might look at it. Workmanship is perfect, the feeling, the air resistance, the color of its sound.
I can play as close to Ben Webster's sound that I will believe I am a better player than I really am.

I guess you will think I overdo it, but with an orange RICO 2,5 or 3 reed and either the original or a FL ligature the piece is just a dream to play.

It is the first time since I own the Con, I am sounding like in my mind. I just could not let the horn down for 3 hours!!

It is a real recommendation if you are looking for a vintage Link sound on a modern piece.
I will post an audio file playing on top of a Webster record, so you hear what I am saying...

Blessings

Gustavo
 
#109 ·
MOUTHPIECE TITLE:

RPC 120B

First Impressions:Loud, great projection

Reed friendliness: started off playing 2 1/2 (as recommended) blew threw them in a set...moved up to 3 and settled in nice. playing rigotti gold 3 now.

Response: quick, light touch, nuanced

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: at first i thought it was very one dimensional, but after playing for a bit I gained control of it. great projection and loud but still able to get a subdued soft mellow tone as well...and then it screams and squawks when you want it to.

Conclusion: overall very happy with the piece. took a minute to get used to, but it has the range i need in the ensembles im playing in currently (blues/rock/afrobeat/latin).
 
#110 ·
THEO WANNE GAIA HR TENOR (8)

First Impressions: Really pretty piece, everything is flawlessly finished, rails are thin and precise, and the chamber is quite large. The Hard Rubber is also really nice looking...not plastic like most pieces these days. Ligature looks solid and well-built.

Reed friendliness: Tried with Vandoren JAVA Red (3.5), Alexander DC (3.5), and RW Reeds (3.5M). Played well with all of them, and really brought the inherent sound qualities of the various reed cuts out.

Response: Fast. Easy to play over the whole range of the horn. Very powerful when pushed, and notes are even and easily controlled. Possibly the easiest low end response of any mouthpiece I've tried (not that others are difficult to play, this is the easiest I've tried by far).

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Responds easily to changes in airstream, but definitely a "brighter" mouthpiece. Can be played darkly with the right concept but definitely brightens when pushed. A relatively versatile mouthpiece, and very resonant (full of overtones).

Other: The ligature is really solid, and changing the pressure plates does indeed make a difference (in both sound and feel).

Conclusion: A bit pricey, but well worth the money if you have it. The finish, playability, and sound is definitely worthy of the high end price. Considering what a vintage piece would cost, this is an excellent modern alternative.
 
#111 ·
CHARLES BAY METAL 8

First Impressions: It was beautiful - great gold plated finish, thin tip rails. The Charles Bay ligature that came along with it had beautiful engraving as well. I hoped it played as well as it looked. I wasn't disappointed. Well, too much. I'll get to that below.

Reed friendliness: Played very well on all the reeds I tried on it, which were: Vandoren V16 strengths 3 and 3.5, Vandoren Traditional 3, and Lavoz Medium Soft. However, it seemed to prefer the harder reeds.

Response: Very fast, almost instant response. Probably the high baffle. It was very smooth as well.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: This piece, in one word, is bright. Very bright. I could get darker with it by changing my embouchure a bit, but I wouldn't please any judges for classical music at NYSSMA anytime soon. It was very loud too - but I could play softly with some effort. Softer reeds helped in the aspect of playing softly, and reduced volume overall. This piece was more for the funk player - or anyone who needed to play without a mic.

Conclusion: This piece is amazing - great finish, even response, lots of volume, and all that jazz - but it's not my cup of tea. It's too bright. I prefer slightly darker sounds; not overly dark, but kind of like the Joshua Redman sound. Maybe if I was playing in a funk band or combo I would find a use for it, but since I'm really only playing in my school jazz ensemble, and the occasional pit for a musical, I don't think I'll be using this piece often.
 
#112 ·
SAXSCAPE XTRA DARK TENOR PROTOTYPE .102

First Impressions: A wonderful mouthpiece, but I should spring for a finished model before judging it definitively. I've never played a Delrin piece before, though my pocketknife has a Delrin handle, and I've been carrying it for 20 years, so I know it's durable. The mouthpiece has a good heft...it feels a bit denser than hard rubber. This piece looks rough inside...it was worked with a hand tool of some type, like a Dremel. First few minutes playing were a shock. It is very dark, indeed. A huge, rich, dark sound that penetrates more than my Ponzol HR 105 and sings loud in the upper register and altissimo, unlike some other "dark" pieces.

Reed friendliness: My trusty Legere 2 sounded great, and a Java 2.5 cane was a little better, but not by much.

Response: The response is the only aspect of this piece that I would rate less than perfect. It must have to to with the hand-finishing in the tip and rails, or the fact that I'm used to playing a .105 tip. A little sluggish, but very manageable.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: This piece is the Fred Williamson of mouthpieces...subtle and dark, yet hugely powerful when pushed, and superb in altissimo. It has a dominating presence...it fills the room with sound like a fine wine fills a room with its aroma. It performs nicely from top to bottom.

Other: There's something special about owning a mouthpiece that was actually touched, scrutinized, and modified by hand. I'm sure no other piece will ever sound like it. The Delrin has a slightly different (and better) mouth-feel then hard rubber...it almost feels like it retains warmth longer, and the surfaces feel softer somehow. Interesting note: my 2 dogs are used to me playing in the house, and they aren't alarmed by the sound. But when I started playing this piece, they both pricked up their ears and crept into the bedroom. They knew something was different.

Conclusion: I wasn't too excited with it for the first couple of hours, but for some reason I couldn't stop playing it. I put it back in the tube it came in, and logged into my eBay account. Then I backed off and went to bed. The next day, I played it for at least 4 hours, and now I'm beginning to love it. Now my Ponzol is in the sax case, and I'll be playing the Saxscape all week, prepping for a gig Friday. Overall rating: 8/10.
 
#113 ·
Brian Powell refaced Dukoff D 6. I sent this to Brian because he did a killer reface on an alto Dukoff I sent him last year. This duk was an ebay piece, kind of middle of the road Dukoff. Sort of easy to play but nasel when pushed. So Brian opend the chamber a bit and the facing. It really gives me the Brecker/ Tom Beek vibe I've been looking for. It has a good low end and great upper and alt. Compared to my RPC it gives me a nice tonal core but the metal rasp that you can't get with hard rubber. I was using Java 3.5s on it but backed off and am using Rico Royal 2.5s so I can't bite. It has to all be throat. Brian does great work.
 
#116 ·
SAKSHAMA SHORTY 7*-8

First Impressions:

It looks great. Not flawless, but you can tell it's been handmade. It has some real character. The silver-plating looks very nice. It's a bit thin (wearing in places), but that's just a cosmetic issue. The piece looks well made and feels solid.

Reed friendliness:

The mouthpiece really doesn't agree with most of my Alexanders, but works nicely with Rico Jazz Select 3S filed reeds. The facing is a little wider than the reed. This means that I have to be very careful about reed placement.

Response:

This mouthpiece totally fixes the low D issue with my 10m. There is a sort of natural connection between the horn and the mouthpiece. Subtone is wonderful. Altissimo is great. It works brilliantly at all dynamic levels and has some serious projection. It's really great for this.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:

I can push it for a cutting and bright sound without any trouble and I can make it warm and dark. Tonally is malleable and very versatile. I addressed dynamic flexibility previously.

Other: (specify)

I use an H-lig with this one. Fits wonderfully.

Conclusion:

THe Sakshama Shorty is a fantastic mouthpiece. I highly recommend it for Conn users. Sakshama's business procedures are very good. His craftsmanship is superb. This mouthpiece works in all settings (expect Classical!! :) ).
 
#117 ·
METAL BERG LARSEN 100/3/M

FIRST IMPRESSION: Very bright, a nice jazz piece

Reed friendliness: Nice to reeds up to a ZZ 2.5, after that, I have a lot of trouble to play in tone.

Response: Pretty good with a soft-ish reed. Again, beyond about a 2.5, slow response.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Nice flexibility in all ranges, my band director hits atissimo really easily.

Other: DON'T PLAY WITH A METAL LIG! WAY TOO BRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Conclusion: as a 14 yr. old player, I'm not much of a judge, but I love this piece for jazz. given that is most of what I play(2:1 hours of jazz to classical music) its a great piece for me.
 
#118 ·
BERG LARSEN STRAIGHT BILL 108-0-M,OFFSET M (VINTAGE?) TENNEY REFACE

First Impressions:This is a very clean looking piece. I hadn't owned a stainless steel mouthpiece before, so that was a little different. On first blow I was a bit overwhelmed how easy it blew. I wasn't sure whether I would like it or not.

Reed friendliness:Rico Jazz Select (3H)- Yikes, Vandoren Java 2.5- Not for me, Hemke 3- added warmth, very nice

Response:Not instant, but definitely on par with anything else. I really like the facing on this piece. Not sure about the length of the facing but it fits me well.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:For a 0 baffle, this piece is really quite flexible, much more than I expected. It can be quite warm, even in the high range. Tone is all but thin, and that impressed me. Anything below about piano is a bit tough to get out cleanly, especially on the lower end, which isn't uncommon. I'm sure with a bit of practice it can be fixed. This thing can SCREAM though. If I needed a rock and roll mouthpiece this is what I would go to. When pushed, it can get above guitars, and volume isn't a problem for it. The tone doesn't disintegrate with volume either. This piece can stay reserved if needed, and allows the player to really shape their sound, not something I would expect from a 0 chamber.

Conclusion: This is a nice piece, but I probably won't end up keeping it. I don't play in any situations where I will use this currently. I would love to try one of these in a 1 or 2 chamber, as I love the Hawkins like tone I can get out of this. Will probably put this in the for sale section soon; I'm sure someone else can use this better than I.
 
#119 ·
LEBAYLE LR-II 7* METAL (made in 2010)

First Impressions:
Looks genuinely handmade and looks great in different areas - baffle curvature, beak angle, overall satin finish and even the signature. Love the sans-biteplate beak design. Just put on a bite patch and all is set. Side rails are very thin that the slight asymmetry is very noticeable. Long and slight roll over baffle and curved side walls blend into a cylindrical chamber.
I've heard the LR and LR-II are designed to rekindle the yesteryear's Otto Link sound and the mouthpiece looks positive for the goal.

Reed friendliness:
Tip rail matches reed quite close. Works well on new, unused reeds, but squeaky on any other used reeds. Bit picky with cut of reeds, but not individual reed. Tried Vandoren Java Red/Green, ZZ, LaVoz, Rico Royal, Rigotti, RJS; the RJS stands out in achieving a unified resonance/response throughout the entire range of horn.

Response:
Good, not lightning fast but not slow either when using a suitable reed cut. Subtone response is also good.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:
The tone often reminds me of Dexter's post-10M sound. A bit on the dark side, slightly reedy with some edge, and overall "colder" sound. The sound is quite big and a bit focused. The low notes are powerful as expected and the palm keys are a bit brighter, but not too bright. I'm not able to do a wide range of tones with the same setup but I think the tone of this piece is somewhat dialed in. Granted the sound can fit in to a traditional jazz music as well as some funk/contemporary music.
The piece is responsive in all dynamic levels I can achieve. Need just a little air to speak and takes all air blown into it.

Other: (specify)
The BG metal ligature that came with the mouthpiece does not hold the reed firm enough. I used a BG "super revelation" ligature instead. It holds better, is easier to adjust and will not scratch the piece.

Conclusion:
As for the tonal goal of the LR series, I would say the LR-II did a good job in capturing the darkness and power of a Link and to some extent embedded the Link's core sound into it. But it does certainly have its own vibe in that it's more focused, intense and cold sounding - not good or bad, just different. Maybe the only downside is that it lacks the Link's versatility in the reeds department. I would recommend it for players who like that dark, cold but powerful linkish tenor sound.
 
#120 ·
DRAKE NYJT H .115 (9) GOLD PLATE

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Purchased in March of 2011, beautifully crafted piece, shorter shank than the bergs/guardala LT's I had at the time. Fit/form and function as described by Aaron when I talked with him via email and directly on the phone, this is the most expensive mouthpiece I've ever purchased and I wanted to make sure it was going to fit my needs before purchasing.

REED FRIENDLINESS:
So far anything I've used sounds and plays fine, typically I stick with RR's or Plasticovers 3/3.5's.

RESPONSE:
Big, not as buzzy as other mouthpieces I've owned where I wanted projection, it will also sub tone nicely and can handle a variety of different musical styles, however it really excels in blues/funk/rock situations.

TONAL/DYNAMIC FLEXIBILITY:
I can go from lean to scream easily with this mouthpiece, I'm sure a better player could elicit excellent jazz tones from one of these pieces, it's very balanced, I feared it would make my 82Z way overly bright but it didn't, if anything it's more balanced up and down the neck than some of the other pieces I've owned.

CONCLUSION:
For me, the perfect mouthpiece, high level of craftsmanship and thought, excellent tone, flexible enough for me to cover the music and bands and music I play. I'm not a jazz player so I can't realistically comment on how the mouthpiece would sound in that environment. I've been using this mouthpiece for almost two years, many many practices and gigs in that time, it's still my "go to" piece for virtually everything I'm doing.
 
#121 ·
I recently bought a slightly used Peter Ponzol M2 brass Tenor mouthpiece in the .110 tip.

After almost ten years of playing an M1 brass .110 I thought there would not be much difference between the two but I find myself blown away by the M2.

The M2 offers more resistance and the facing seems more curved but since I am not an expert this is just my impression. The M2 does not seem all that much brighter as some have said it would be nor is it edgier but rather it gives me volume in spades without much effort.

Definitely another Ponzol to keep.

Thanks. B
 
#122 ·
GUARDALA MBII silver tenor mouthpiece

bought this piece for 250 on WWBW with the price matcher thing

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
First of all, the ligature is terrible. Barely even holds the reed in place. Just awful. But man does this piece roar! great bright sound, but still nice body to the sound. Getting familiar to the piece did not take too long, but since this tip opening is about an 8, compared to the JodyJazz DVNY 7 I've been playing, my endurance was not quite as good. Nice balance throughout all registers of the horn. Bright, yet warm sound.

REED FRIENDLINESS:
Not reed picky. I play an Alexander Superial 2 1/2 on it and it plays great.

RESPONSE:
Great response in all registers of the horn. The altissimo register is absolutely ridiculous. Subtone in the low register is huge, fat and quite instantaneous.

TONE/DYNAMIC FLEXIBILITY:
Wow. Gorgeous sound. Subtone in the low register is fat and gorgeous. Not particularly fond of the tone of the straight tone in the lower register. I only use it for quick notes here and there, I use subtone for long tones. Middle register is just amazing. This is my favorite register on this mouthpiece. Warm, beautiful sound. Nice overtones in the sound. The upper register is great after a good deal of work. transitioning from a pretty dark mouthpiece definitely took some work woth intonation and tone, but it is beautiful now that i have a pretty good hang of it. overall, beautiful tone. I play slightly dark, so matching my slightly dark sound with this brecker mouthpiece is fantastic.
The dynamic flexibility is not as good as my JodyJazz I played previously. The brecker mouthpiece has a massive loud end, but not a very good quiet side. The design of the mouthpiece leads to great projection, so I do not think quiet was even in the equation. It does exactly what it is intended to do, play loud and bright.

CONCLUSION:
This mouthpiece is bright, yet warm. Beautiful tone. It is probably the most diverse mouthpiece I've played. It is fantastic for rock, funk, and similar styles that require you to play over a band when needed, but, as Michael Brecker proved, it can be used in jazz settings. I use it for all styles now, from an old school jazz quartet to a funk band. Excellent mouthpiece, but get a new ligature.
 
#123 ·
TED KLUM HR TONAMAX 6

First Impressions: Very focused sound, a bit dark but can be played bright. Amount of edge can be controlled with reeds or embouchure. It can be Trane-like or Dexterish depending on your ability.

Reed friendliness: Works best for me with VD green Java 2 1/2 or Alexander Superial 2 1/2.

Response: Quick response all the way to altissimo.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Even though it's a 6, it can be played very loud or soft. The sound is yours.

Other: (specify) Workmanship is outstanding and his customer service is great.

Conclusion: If you can afford a custom made mouthpiece, this is an excellent mouthpiece to invest in.
I haven't gone back to my Link STM no USA 7 yet, and I don't think I will. I've had it for 2 months now. The only problem I've had is finding a ligature that fits well. I tweaked a Selmer 2 screw ligature and that's working fine. Great mouthpiece!
 
#124 ·
WWBW MBII converted to an MBI by MojoBari

First Impressions: Played it for 4-5 years now. Mojo did a fantastic job it plays very close to my buddies DG hand made MBI. Full Sound with huge amount of overtones.

Reed friendliness: Not Bad, Don't go anywhere near a strong reed with this one.

Response: NOt as good in the lower end as my Barone NY but it is managable. Go up the horn and every note pops....right thought the altisimo.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Full Sound with huge amount of overtones. Probably not the piece for a small room combo. Good spread, and plenty of power.

Conclusion: Although I love this piece.......I am playing my Barone NY more.
 
#125 ·
Barone NY 7*

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
played it for about 8 years. Local music store took it in on a trade and could not sell it (no body knew what it was...lucky for me). This is now my go to piece.

REED FRIENDLINESS:
A little picky when it comes to reeds. but I am finding a Jazz select med soft is working well.

RESPONSE:
Great response in all registers of the horn. Subtone is beautifull and it sings on a low Bb. Not as easy on the altisimo as my MBI but it speaks.

TONE/DYNAMIC FLEXIBILITY:
Love the sound. Like a big bourdeaux. Fat sound with lots of overtones...when you push it it has some bark to it. Good all around mouthpiece.

CONCLUSION:
My go to at this time. I have been working on some of the Joe Allard sound production stuff and it is really showing on this piece.
 
#127 ·
RPC 100 roll over baffle. Rovner 'Eddie Daniels' ligiture. Vandoren Java green box #3 reed.
1st impressions: Much brighter than I would expect from a large open chamber roll over MP. Very impressed with the playability. Easy full sounding low notes and surprisingly easy altissimo.Nice full sound with nice bit of edge. Feels like a fantastic piece right off the bat! A+

Reed Friendliness: Very reed friendly. Very different tones from each reed. Vandoren Java green #2 1/2 sound very bright while the Java Green #3 sounds more like I would expect from a large chamber roll over MP. A+

Response: Exceptional in the lower range. Very good in the altissimo however just a wee wit slower then my RPC high baffle MP, but not enough to worry about. Still can hit all the same altissimo notes as the RPC high baffle. Really plays so effortlessly that I don't even think about the MP at all.

Sound/Tone: Big broad sound with a very nice edge. Very flexible. Very full sound with a nice edge/bite when pushed. Similar to a nice Otto Link but better altissimo response.

Conclusion: Total keeper. Plays effortlessly and is very free blowing with just the right amount of resistance. Coming from a high baffle MP this MP exceeded all my expectations for an open chamber roll over baffle MP!
 
#128 ·
Claude Lakey 8*3 tenor

Claude Lakey 8*3 "HR" "Jazz" tenor. Medium height flat baffle. White bit plate, no white decorative ring at shank end.

1st impression - rails were higher than the tip, unlike any other mouthpiece I've seen, so I assumed it was a manufacturing flaw. I corrected it myself, lowering the rails at this point until the rails and tip met to make a level surface. I did this without any measurements, and I know that isn't recommended. I believe the opening is still no more than what it's supposed to be for the 8*3 (0.118 inches.) The mouthpiece is made of a relatively soft, waxy material that is not like any hard rubber I've seen. The box had apparently been opened before.

Reed friendliness - maybe. I have been using medium soft cane reeds, scraped down vigorously to get at least one strength softer. They work great. I normally would use a Fibracell reed, but a 2 was still too much for this guy.

Response - reasonable, insofar as the reed strength is dialed in. I don't generally tend to notice this as a feature of mouthpieces.

Sound - clear, strong, bright, flexible. It isn't really a screamer, and can be in a way pretty mellow at moderate volume, but it's very efficient. Nothing stuffy, wooly or tubby about it, nor does it impart any kind of nasal tone or anything. I'm crazy about it.

Conclusion - only for someone who's open to this kind of adventure. Maybe near the bottom end of the industry for quality, at this time. You may or may not get a playable mouthpiece, and it seems hardly worth spending big bucks on professional refacing on a cheap plastic thing like this. But you're also getting in on a legacy that might not be around forever - not owned by Steinway or anything, actually surprised to find while checking that they're located pretty near me. Anyway, it turned out well for me - I have a handful of tenor mouthpieces, but nothing that serves my purposes as well as this one. So I thought it might be interesting, since it's only $75.
 
#129 · (Edited)
Theo Wanne DATTA HR 7* - High baffle, brightest of the TW pieces. Core Sound Series.

1st Impressions - I did not expect to like this mouthpiece but wanted to try it so I could put it to rest and move on in my search. That idea was shot down fast. This piece is a beast if you are looking for a more modern sound. Volume is huge and easy to pull out of the piece, but it also sounds very nice when you back off and can work well with good control for traditional jazz work. I would almost akin it to a Vandoren Jumbo Java as far as sound, but I feel it is much warmer. Construction of course is top notch and flawless as with ever TW piece I have tried. The 7* in the HR for this piece feels a bit smaller than my 7* GAIA Metal, probably due to the difference in the thickness of the tip. (Update: Seems to love Vandoren V16 reeds, 2 1/2 in particular on this 7*)

Reed Friendliness - So far, LaVoz mediums and RSJ 3S Unfiled both sound great, though I feel the LaVoz have a little more body to the sound. Have not tried Vandorens yet, but I have V16 and Java green and red on hand and will give them a shot. Might have to step up a half strength in reeds since the piece feels a tad smaller than a metal 7*.

Response - Absolute butter! I admit it is taking me some time to get use to, but the more time I spend with it, the better it gets. Good control seems to be key with this piece, but with good control the response and inflections that you can get from this piece are just incredible. I am an alto player to be honest, and this is the first tenor piece that has given me the feeling and response that I am able to get on my alto. Playing tenor to me is fun again. Altissimo, which I have never been able to accomplish on tenor, just pops out with an ease that is almost criminal. Alas, it is not a piece you can just pick up and play perfect. You will have to work with the piece to really learn and and have good control to make it work for you.

Sound - This is one of those pieces, again like the Jumbo Javas, that just get up in your face and slap you around. It is bright, edgy, and nasty when you want it to be. What really made me fall in love with it though was the fact that I was able to pull back and play a traditional ballad with a sweet and full sound. It really blew me away. The highs, as I have noticed with any high baffle piece, can get thin if the player's control is not there, though this piece seems a little more forgiving in this area than others I have played. None the less, I stress the importance of control and working with this piece to ensure you have control of it, but once you get it under your will, it allows you to shape your sound in endless ways.

Conclusion - A great piece, but not for the feint of heart for sure. This piece tip toes on the line between life and death, but if you have the will to tame it, I think it can be an amazing piece for a wide spectrum of genres. This piece definitely leans more towards the rock/r&b type modern sound, but with some good control can be used well enough for a traditional jazz setting. Also, the price is steep. While not as steep as some of Theo's other pieces, it is still a good chunk of change. That said, you are paying for amazing craftsmanship and piece you know is going to play at its best right out of the box.
 
#130 · (Edited)
Vintage by Morgan #5

Vintage by Morgan is made of hard plastic. Plastic mouthpieces have a bad rap, but I think hard plastic is an ideal material, better than hard rubber or brass. There is no plating to wear off. It does not oxidize-away.

I returned the first one I received, because the tip rail was uneven. The Main Man at Morgan was very helpful. The replacement is perfect. It is a really great player. The tip opening measures dead-on at the listed 0.085". The facing is a perfect arc of circle. The chamber is medium large. Critically, the baffle just inside the tip rail is just right to let the altissimo sing without choking off the low notes. Jon Van Wie showed me how important that is.

Bell notes and subtones respond as readily as the middle registers. Lush you want? Lush you get. But push it a little and it produces a nice edge. That is exactly what I want. (I have always loved Dexter Gordon's sound.)

Back in the day, I used a Morgan 7M that was faced by Ralph Morgan himself. I never thought I would need another. But when I returned from a long layoff a couple of months ago, the 7M was a little hard on the chops. I got the 0.085 thinking it would be a "new beginner's" mouthpiece, and that I would return to the 7M when my embouchure got stronger. Now I am thinking I might play the Vintage from here on out. Hey, if 85 mils was enough for Trane and Dexter, it ought to be enough for me.
 
#131 ·
Morgan hard rubber 7m

Morgan hard rubber 7M

First Impressions: Easiest mp I've ever had the experience of blowing right out of the box.

Reed friendliness: Very smooth, with very little effort required for a rich, round sound.

Response: Great for mf on up. I found it more difficult for quieter volumes (though, it was still more responsive than the stock Yamaha mp).

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Easy to hit low Bb to high F# (and beyond, with altissimo) without any problems whatsoever.

Conclusion: Best investment I've ever made for my YTS-875EXS. Honestly, gives me the tone that I was aiming for, which was Coltrane-esque. I only use it for when I (generally) want a lustier tone and a Berg Larsen metal when I'm looking for a brighter note.
 
#132 ·
JODYJAZZ HR* 7* Tenor Hard Rubber Mouthpiece



First Impressions: A lot like a Vintage Reso Chamber or Slant Sig but fatter sounding.

Reed friendliness: pretty friendly with reeds but prefers the D'addario Jazz selects 2m or 2H or Vandoren Java Greenbox 2.5. Would like to try the Alexander NY soon but a bit to pricey for me.

Response: Good response, especially in the low register. I really enjoy the smooth sound I get yet don't have to fight for Db,C,B and Bb. Altissimo is kinda hit or miss on the reeds, but I think that is more user error though.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Loud as if I need to be and quiet if I need as well. It is a pretty dark mouthpiece though. Don't expect Brecker or Sanborn. Think Sonny, Seamus and Jimmy Heath

Other: A side note. I like how they don't cost a fortune and their quality control is high. In other words, you don't have to go through 3 or 4 before you find one that is built accurate like some modern links I have seen.

Conclusion: I would definitely buy it again. Love this piece. Staple of mine for sure and only paid 180.00 or it. Great deal for a mouthpiece this good.
 
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