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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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#159 ·
GUARDALA STUDIO (laser cut - Nadir, rather than original DG).

First Impressions: loud, bright!

Reed friendliness: not great for me - fibracells are squeak proof, plasticovers and V16s are pretty good - jazz selects and rigotti gold, I find them hard to control. I'm using reeds in the 2.5 ballpark, but a soft 3 is also fine.

Response: great - good altissimo, and good response on the low notes although they did take a bit of getting used to.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Naturally heads towards the loud and bright territory, but is capable of playing soft subtones, ballad stuff etc too - just takes a bit of effort/concentration

Other: very skinny piece - I've ended up using a selmer ligature for a metal alto which I gradually stretched (I think I did this after reading some threads on here).

Conclusion: A good option and it's always in my case - just wish it was a bit more reed friendly, but the issue might be with me (I have squeaks on other higher baffle mouthpieces too - I wish I didn't!).
 
#160 ·
10MFAN BOSS 8* - METAL

First Impressions: Great looking mouthpiece. Also a nice size - fatter than most metal ones, which feels more comfortable.

Reed friendliness: not great for me - similar to the Guardala studio review. I'm getting chirps and squeaks in the higher register on most reed types, but I think this is just my incompatibility with higher baffle pieces. **EDIT - soon after I posted this, Mark (Mr 10MFAN) very kindly sent me a message with a suggestion to try a harder reed with it. Although I've only been following this advice for about 30 mins, it does seem to be getting easier, although not completely there yet! As per my conclusion, I will persevere with this and spend more time with it. **

Response: really good - low notes much easier than most bright mouthpieces I've tried.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Love the sound of this, and very flexible. It's got a thickness/fatness to the tone as well as the brightness - doesn't thin out. If you sit back a bit, you can make it sound really lush and full on quiet ballad stuff.

Other: finally, a metal piece with a good window size - easy to line reeds up, they don't hang over the side like some guardala style pieces.

Conclusion: I need to spend some more time with this one - due to the reed friendliness aspect, I can't really trust it yet. But I want to.
 
#161 ·
BERG LARSEN 110/2 SMS - GRAINED EBONITE

First Impressions: nice looking piece - swirly colours!

Reed friendliness: Very good - most reeds work really easily on this one, and you can vary the sound quite a bit with reed selection.

Response: not as instant in the lower register as other pieces that I have, but it's just something you get used to.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: This can sound mellow and jazzy if you sit back, but if you push some air through and choose a brighter reed you can get a good rock and roll type sound with some more edge. Retains the thickness whether you're playing loud or quiet. Plasticovers and V16s are good for this. It's easy to play for an 8 opening, so I suspect this one might be a little narrower - I've heard Berg measurements can be a bit hit and miss.

Other: Tuning isn't as good as on the guardala studio I reviewed above - I have to concentrate on my embouchure to make sure the higher register doesn't go sharp. With the guardala I don't have to worry about that.

Conclusion: I've had this piece longer than the others I've reviewed, and keep coming back to it - it never lets me down, although sometimes I wish it had a bit more edge. I think my ideal mouthpiece would have the reed friendliness of this one, with the sound and response of the 10Mfan boss reviewed above. Maybe a really good 110/1 Berg would tick those boxes...
 
#165 ·
10MFAN ROBUSTO HARD RUBBER 7

First Impressions: Very easy, and very fund to play - extremely versatile. Easy to get both low notes and altissimo. Looks beautifully made. 2nd hand, purchased from a forum member. Bought this because I'd purchased a boss, which I loved the sound and response of, but like a lot of higher baffle pieces was finding a bit hard to tame (but getting there slowly). This is much easier for me to play. Reminds me a bit of the d'addario jazz select D7M when I tried that, but I think this has more power, and a fatter sound.

Reed friendliness: Have only tried rigotti jazz, legere signature and plasticovers so far. more mellow on the legere, punchiest on the plasticovers. Haven't been able to make it squeak yet, which is great!

Response: great response, nice amount of resistance. Comfortable beak shape.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: I'd quite happily play this in anything from a quiet jazz gig, to a function gig with electric guitars etc. Definitely the closest thing I've got to a one size fits all mouthpiece. I don't mean that in a bad way - it's not middle of the road, it just does what you want it to. If I want to play punchy, i stick on a bright reed and it responds. If I want to ease back, it's happy to do that too. Maybe it would be too ballsy for something like a sax quartet or symphonic wind band? I'd give it a go though. If I was held up at gunpoint right now and forced to hand over all of my mouthpieces except one, I think this is the one I'd keep.

Other: purely cosmetic, but I do like the triple ripple on the shank

Conclusion: Blown away by how easy it is for me to get a great sound out of this. I've only had it 2 days, so could be a honeymoon period, but I can't stop playing it.
 
#167 ·
Phil Barone Super NY #7* tenor mouthpiece

First Impressions: Great range. Can go loud but the sound quality is still excellent and the piece has just the right amount of resistance, like the ultimate Link.

Reed friendliness: works great will all the few reeds I tried with it. Rico Select Jazz 2H, Rico Select Jazz 3s, and regular orange box rico 3's

Response: Response is amazing. Effortless

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: As i stated above dynamic flexibility is amazing. Can play softly but still a nice full sound and can go loud without clipping. Tone is amazing as well as intonation.

Other:

Conclusion: So happy with this mouthpiece. Usually i have a 'break in period' with new mouthpieces, but found it super effortless and responsive as soon as I picked it up. I know I'll be sticking with this one.

Thanks!!
Kristy
 
#168 ·
Yesterday I spent the afternoon with my Buescher Aristocrat, 1960 model tenor sax... selections of reeds of strengths 2, 3 1/2 and 4 and three mouthpieces:

A. 1980's vintage Meyer 7
B. Brand new, e-bay purchased $23 Rico Metallite M-9
C. Used, but pristine ebay purchased BARI Joshua Redman model. I picked this up for about $80, I believe it originally sold for $350+

For ligatures, I had a standard metal band lig that fit the Meyer and the Rico. I had a DIY Rovner imitation that I made myself (see the thread in the mouthpieces accessories section) and a string. The only thing that fit the BARI was the string.

The BARI is a cannon. It's what I'd want if I ever played in an R&B band and had to seriously blast to be heard. It's wide open, bright, accentuates a lot of higher overtones, projects like an ICBM, and it is totally not what I was looking for. The mouthpiece is beautifully made, the quality is very high, and for someone looking to be heard in a seriously loud environment, wow. The mouthpiece responds well up and down the registers. It was acceptably bright and aggressive with the 2 reeds. It was actually unpleasant with a harder reed, and I would never use a harder setup with this mouthpiece.

Conclusion was that this was a high quality 'piece, but just completely not what I was looking for.

Rico Metallite M9. This mouthpiece was difficult to control in the lower notes with the harder reeds, but with the 2's...I loved it. The M-9 has a big baffle, and and a very large concave opening to the baffle and guys were telling me that I wouldn't like it because it would be too bright. On the contrary, I found the M-9 to be a wonderful, very-close-to-my-ideal sound type of 'piece. With a 2 reed the sound was warm and a little bit more "woody" than the Meyer, played with the 3 1/2's or 4's. I like the Rico best, and it was the warmest sound with my silly DIY rover-type polypro strap ligature. I want a "warm" sound (I'm a Zoot Sims and Stan Getz fan) and my dumb little DIY lig was actually warmer than the string ligature.

Meyer 1980's-vintage #7: This is the mouthpiece I've played for many years, it's just that I rarely play tenor. That will be changing in the future. Anyway, I don't like the sound of the #7 with a light reed. The sound goes really thin and tinny, unpleasantly so, with all three ligatures. Go up to the 3 1/2 and 4's, though and that Meyer totally changes. I get a much smoother sound, warm, a little breathy.

This is a new saxophone to me. I previously played on my Dad's old Conn shooting star, which I gave away (couldn't sell it) a year and a half ago. This Buescher is a much better instrument, even if it's the re-branded Elkhart 30A student line horn. It's nothing like the Yamaha 81U that I was "loaned" by the music store a few years ago when I busted a post off of Dad's Conn at a dress rehearsal. I'd love that Yamaha, but not for the $3600 it costs. I spent about 15% of that for t his instrument, and a once-over by my local woodwind tech lady.

The Meyer 7 with the string or metal ligature AND the Rico M-9 with my dumb DIY ligature both produced a really nice classic jazz sound. The Meyer, with the harder reeds was a tad bit "smoother"....the Rico M-9 with the softer reeds was a little bit more "woody" but still a very nice sound. The BARI, while a top-quality 'piece is just not my cup of tea. I'll be going through these two, the Meyer and the Rico over the next couple of months to decide which I like best, but there's no bad decision here! I'm really glad I spent the lousy $23 for that Rico!
 
#169 ·
a follow up on the review I posted of the 10mFan Boss - I was originally struggling to find reeds that behaved themselves on it (kept squeaking in the higher register), but have since entered mouthpiece/reed nirvana with Legere signatures 2.5 (they've also fixed the reed-pickiness issues I was having with a guardala studio - same squeaking problem). I now find this mouthpiece completely controllable, and I'm loving it. Seems to be just the right strength to get low notes out easily, but also get some edge. Feels a bit different to cane, and perhaps sounds a bit different to me close up - but when I record myself and listen back it sounds like a good cane reed.

With the luxury of now having two baffled pieces that I like, I'm definitely leaning more towards the Boss than the Guardala. I was struggling to describe the differences in my head, but then read someone on here using the terms 'wet' and 'dry', and I think that's exactly the difference here. Both are loud, with a fatness, but the Boss is wet and the Guardala is dry. Hopefully that makes sense to everyone else! The Boss is more versatile for me - I'm much happier playing soft ballad stuff on the boss, rather than the guardala. I had a robusto too, but ended up selling it as I'm now able to make the Boss do everything I want it to. Well almost - I do still have a saxscape slant which I really enjoy playing no quieter mellow stuff, which despite its versatility, isn't the Boss' natural habitat.... But there might be a guardala and a berg appearing in the marketplace soon - both great mouthpieces, but the boss has something extra for me. I love the way it's such a solid piece of metal too - more comfortable for me than the skinny metal pieces.

Bravo Mark, and bravo Legere.
 
#170 ·
MEYER MR-404-6MM MOUTHPIECE

First Impressions: Very free-blowing, versatile, consistent, and comfortable

Reed friendliness: Works well with most reeds, it's up to the preference of the player. I switch between La Voz Medium Hards and Gonzalez 3.5s.

Response: With a La Voz medium hard, the response is quick and steady, great for "commercial" playing. Much darker response from a Gonzalez, great for classical playing.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: Plays how you want it. Allows great creative flexibility.

Conclusion: Spectacular step-up piece at a decent price.
 
#171 ·
Guy Hawkins Tenor (metal) 6, played on a Selmer Mark VI 143XXX

First Impressions: Very nice, easy blowing, great tone.

Reed friendliness: Very easy blowing.

Response: Very Good

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: OK

Other: (specify) Nice core tone, not too sweet, not too sour. My main mpc for 20+ years on my Mark VI tenor. On my 10m's and my Super 400 I prefer other mouthpieces like Brilhart Personaline, Rico Metalite, Otto Link STM, Beechler, Runyon (metal)

Conclusion: Very good piece for Selmers, brightens up the dark Mark VI tone but not too much. It's similar to a Berg but more conservative.
 
#172 ·
Otto Link Florida No USA 8 (original) tenor - played on my 1952 SBA

First impressions:
Fat with a lot of sizzle. Had a surprising amount of power when pushed but generally on the darker side. Took me a bit to figure this piece out, but over the 3 years I have played it I haven’t got bored of it one bit.. and that’s whilst trying a lot of other Florida Links Long the way...

Reed friendliness:

Generally quite reed friendly, although it definitely doesn’t always get along with reeds that have tend to have a thicker Vamp an tip.. have been playing jazz select reeds for years as they are slightly more consistent than others, but find when I get a good FL reed or something of more substance it performs better and reeds last longer. Overall a pretty reed friendly mouthpiece that doesn’t chew its way through reeds.

Response:

For me, very responsive and clean. NO cherpiness like some Links have.

Total flexibility:

For me the greatest mouthpiece I have played in terms of flexibility and dynamic range etc. I have had a couple of colleagues play this piece and most agree, although some (who generally like high baffled mouthpieces) disagree. Altissimo is very clean, unlike many metal Links I have owned and played.

Summary:

If you find a good Link in original (or refaced) condition, don’t mess around with it and get it modified... play it and love it!! They have more to give than almost any other mouthpiece ever made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#174 ·
NADIR Guardala Michael Brecker II FatBoy SP (.114) (Played on a modern Yamaha 62)


First Impressions: Very slim compared to my old JJ HR, (I have never owned a metal piece before…) Very well constructed.

Reed friendliness: This mouthpiece is very friendly- I can play with my same consistent sound almost every day with reeds of all sorts of quality levels. I have only tried one type (Rico Royal) but many sizes, even with a much larger tip opening, seem to work. For me a 2.5 sits best.

Response: Ideal resistance levels, easy blowing… Able to be pushed and held back.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: I bought this piece expecting a huge, bright, funky tone. This is certainly achievable, however, I have been more surprised with its versatility. I feel comfortable playing quietly in multiple bands, playing ballads in that classic Ben Webster style, playing bebop, and of course playing fusion/funk. Don’t get me wrong- it wants to be bright and big, but it can do both.

Other: The supplied ligature is fantastic, adding to the overall sleek look.

Conclusion: Certainly a great piece- I’ve read through hundreds of reviews comparing original Guardalas, WWBW, Sakshama, and Nadir ones, and often Nadir is slightly overlooked. I absolutely love this piece.

Hope this helps someone out there.
 
#176 ·
Sakshama Tenor 'DG' 'MB' in black Delrin, stated to be a .112.
Been waiting for this one since Dec. 5 (thanks, USPS) and it finally arrived today. I've been playing a real DG King Curtis since 1989 (two different ones) and over the last few years I had found myself hankering for more core and less edge. Some of you may have read some of my other mouthpiece postings particularly the New Model Florida Link debacle. :) So in a nutshell I have always played the 'Berg' type mouthpiece my whole life and I just cannot adapt to any other kind - and at nearly 76, I just don't want to take a serious change in direction with my mouthpiece. So, just wanted to give you some COMMENTS/backstory so perhaps some review comments might make more sense.
Right off the bat, with my usual 2.5 reeds, I knew I would keep it, but I wasn't sure it would replace my mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is actually physically smaller than the real DG, if you can imagine that. A brass ligature I had used was actually too big for it. Nonetheless, I had plenty of ligs so it wasn't a problem. I played pretty much all afternoon, and as I explored it with different reeds I began to hear things I liked; a strong core with less edge but pretty much all the 'lushness' I want. It was definitely leading me where I wanted to be and still satisfied my need for a small, baffled mouthpiece.
Now I play nothing like Michael Brecker but I guess anyone who wants to go there for $285 might be happy with it. My surprise was in how it just happened to take me where I've been wanting to go and still have the mouthpiece size and shape I'm used-to and the quick/easy response I need.
Low notes lost the 'blat' I've been hating while pushing it in the high notes produced that singing edge that many find appealing. I found myself playing some Boots Randolph ballads and for the first time ever, getting a very nice percentage of that wonderful tone.
The piece has pretty much a 'shotgun' bore with just a touch of sides in the throat, and the typical DG 'Studio'-type baffle, so there's some big air space in it. This became evident when trying lip trills on A2 and Bb3, where the piece allowed those big oscillations with ease.
I don't know about anything else he makes, but the 'MB' in Delrin is definitely a very real mouthpiece and I can see it working in ANY kind of playing.
BTW, I've had a Hartmann Fibereed 'Carbon Onyx' Medium around here for awhile and slapped it on right at the end, and it was the best thing I had played all day. Previously it was too edgy. That's the big difference in the two mouthpieces in a nutshell. I fully expect to be gigging on that reed on this new mouthpiece sometime this year. For now, its all I'm going to be practicing on - the inconceivable may have just happened.
 
#177 ·
SYOS Dan Forshaw Model 6* (Played on Yamaha YTS-62iii)

First Impressions
Lightweight compared to hard rubber and it has a textured surface. Since this comes off a 3D printer its finish is not super dressed up. The end of the barrel is pretty rough looking. I think this end has to be cut and there must have been some small voids (less that 0.5 mm diameter) that cutting it revealed. The table is not smooth, but since I have heard from others that does not affect playability that did not worry me.

Design
The Dan Forshaw model uses the following design parameters: 1.6 on Darkness / Brightness scale (out of 10), 6.1 on Power scale (out of 10). Uses a subtle step baffle and a large chamber.

Reed Friendliness
The piece is as friendly as some of my hand finished pieces and I didn't have any problems switching between brands or strengths. I played D'Addario Reserve 3, Hemke 3 (needed 3.5 but didn't have it), Vandoren V12/V21 3 (very sweet sounding, could play in wind symphony), Legere Signature/American Cut 2.75/3/3.25. I settled on the Legere American Cut 3.0 since it gives me a little more buzz for jazz which is what I'm playing at the moment. All of these reeds played well with resistance being the driving factor for selection. No issues with the table not being smooth using either the BG Tradition or the SYOS ring ligature.

Response
Easy blowing through the entire range, but the low register was especially easy. There was enough resistance so that dynamics were easy to maintain, but this is not a resistant piece at all.

Tone/Dynamics
This is a dark tenor piece suitable for vintage style Jazz. It allows you to brighten things up when more air is put through it and wouldn't have any problems projecting over a big band or small ensemble; however, I suspect this piece would not work as well for me playing with an amplified band. Would probably need the step baffle to be less subtle. Dynamics are especially easy. I generally find pieces with step baffles to have less gears when it comes to dynamics, but this piece can play soft enough for any wind symphony or quartet if needed.

Other
The ring baffle that comes with the piece is excellent once I got used to putting it on. At first it was hard for me to align the reed and mouthpiece tips to my liking, but suitable pressure on the reed in the right places fixed that. I've heard some other people say they didn't like this ligature, but with Legere reeds it works great. I haven't used it enough with cane to be able to judge how well it works there.

Conclusion
For me this piece mates up with my Yamaha YTS-62 perfectly. Intonation is very good and slightly better than other pieces I've tried. The large chamber seems to be working for me. I wasn't sure what to expect. Its characteristics make it ideal for an all around mouthpiece that could be potentially used in wind symphony or sax quartet, but it really seems to shine for the vintage jazz genre. This is now my mouthpiece for Tenor.

I hope others will give this SYOS model a try.
 
#178 ·
Berg Larson 105 2M
previously owned by George Galway, brother of James and superb jazz saxophonist and teacher. I only mention this as I think it may have had work done on it.
I tried a few mouthpieces today but instantly fell in love with this one. It has a superb cutting edge to the sound and projects very well. It is free blowing and seems very easy to control. The slim size seems a little odd at first but you soon forget that. I will be using it when playing in bands and I think it will suit that very wel.

I also tried a Theo Wanne Durga 3. I was really looking forward to this one as I have seen excellent reviews and it sounds very nice on some demos I have seen. Unfortunately we did not gel at all. From the very start it seemed hard work. Basic note production required a lot of concentration and keeping consistency and intonation was very hard. It was probably far more me than the mouthpiece but I have never struggled like I did with this one.
 
#179 · (Edited)
MARMADUKE JAZZ TENOR LARGE CHAMBER (0.095)

First Impressions:
I was searching for a very specific sound when I purchased this piece. I did direct comparisons with the Aizen Jazz Master, Theo Wanne Ambika (gen1 & 3), Morgan Jazz 8 and 8C, Vandoren V16 LC and BSS R Series - all large chamber pieces. Some were close but twice the price. Others did not sound anywhere near what I had in mind. The TW Ambika 3 in no way sounds or feels like a large chamber piece imo.
Having played several mouthpieces for which I experienced honeymoon period, I wanted to wait to see if my very positive first impressions lasted. I'm happy to say that over the first 2 months of owning this piece it has only clicked in with my concept more and more.
Inexpensive at 250USD, the craftsmanship, look and feel are all on par with the other brands I've mentioned as well as the 10MFAN Infusion I have for Bari and the Meyer for alto - i.e. world class.

Reed friendliness:
A broad range of reeds worked very well, with the highlights for me being Vandoren V16, Rico Reserve Hemke 2.5, BSS 2, Rigotti Wild 2, Marca American Vintage 2 and Vandoren Jazz 2.5. Each presented different tonal possibilities. I've now tried about 2 dozen makes and styles of reed on this piece and settled on the Miyabi EX 2.5 from the same manufacturer as the mouthpiece.

Response:
Fractionally slower than the Aizen and much slower than the V16 or BSS, I find this profile (or envelope) perfect for my taste. Just the right amount of resistance and expressive possibilities.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:
While 100% on the dark/warm side, pushing more air through this piece does open things up and allows me the range of tonal options I'm after. It's a wonderful feeling being able to achieve a ppp low Bb.
After playing pieces at 0.115 for years, I'm so happy to be able to just breath into the horn and realize a sound I'm loving. There is enough 'in reserve' to blast if I want to, but this is not a loud, cutting piece.

Other: (specify)
Intonation is spot on and I love the matching Ligature they sell for this piece. Classic looking and very un-fussy.

Conclusion:
In my experience, Japanese e-commerce websites are rarely on par with the US or European competition. Someone searching the internet for mouthpiece options is unlikely to be impressed by the Marmaduke website... if they can even find it. And that's a real shame. These are handmade pieces at an unusually reasonable price. Less expensive than the mass produced Vandorens and less than half the Aizen (which admittedly is a metal piece), but sonically (where it counts) this piece is a standout. This sort of piece is definitely not for everyone (think Charles Lloyd, Matthieu Bordanave, Andy Sheppard's quietest moments) but that's a very good thing when there’s so much same same out there! I'm so happy, I bought a Soprano piece from them too :)
 
#180 ·
Get a Sax GS Reso 6

First Impressions:
After a long hiatus from saxophone, I was looking for a replacement for the Morgan 7L I played in college as a relatively dark jazz piece. I saw the GS line of mouthpieces and was intrigued, so I bought the Reso on a whim. As a returning player (in other words, very rusty chops) I went for a 6 tip (.090) in the hopes that it would blow a little easier. More on that a little farther down.

I think the dental resin looks really cool like an old Tonalin - something that looks unique without being too wild.

Reed friendliness:
I've tried several different types of Daddario and Vandoren reeds in a variety of strengths and they all worked pretty well. I did end up using much harder reeds than I would have expected; my favorite reed with this setup ended up being a Daddario Jazz Select 4 soft unfiled. The filed in this same strength and brand also worked pretty well - brighter tone and slightly faster response.

Response:
Very good - maybe the easiest response I've ever experienced on a jazz tenor piece.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:
This piece is a copy of an Otto Link reso chamber, so it's definitely not a burner. With that said, I feel like I can push it pretty hard and it brightens up nicely. It wouldn't be my first choice for rock or brass band, but it will do in a pinch.

It really shines in straight ahead jazz. I would feel comfortable using this in a big band on 2nd tenor, maybe on 1st as well, and I think that it would be great in a smaller combo setting. Tonally, it's a nice balance of spread and focus. Even with a hard reed, it's easy to play quietly on this setup.

Other: (specify)
My only real complaint with this mouthpiece is the diameter of the mouthpiece. It's really big, and I have several tenor sax ligatures that don't fit (a JodyJazz Power Ring, Rico H, even a standard two screw brass lig). I use a Rovner Versa X that I use by default because it fits. With that said, it works well but it would be nice to have options. It also leaves a black stain on the top of the mouthpiece.

Conclusion:
This is a fantastic value proposition to get a hand finished mouthpiece for $200! All in all, the GS Reso is a nice all around tenor mouthpiece that will hopefully keep GAS at bay for awhile.

9/10 - would recommend
 
#181 ·
I purchased a used Ron Coelho RPC blue lettering tenor mouthpiece that has the fat body/big chamber and low baffle. I've been digging' on this piece for about two months and just can not stop playing it. It delivers deep dark bottom notes and powerful mid and upper range notes that slot so easily into near perfect intonation. Although the piece is marked .105 and it plays like a .105 it is actually a .130 tip opening that can be played softly on expressive ballads, and can fill a room with tons of volume when pushed. It seems to center the tone of my B&S in a way no other mouthpiece I have owned has ever done. Ron's pieces are getting expensive and hard to find now that he passed but his pieces are totally worth buying even in the $300-500 range when found.
 
#182 ·
AIZEN TSSO 7* MkIIl ( built-in ring at the shank end). Soloist clone.


Darkish with a bit of buzz. Easy to blow. More even timbre on all registers - classical roots evident: and will warm up with darkish and stiffer reeds. Awesome craftsmanship - smooth transitions. Long shank design

Reed friendliness

Flat table so won't mess a reed's flatness - so as long as used the same reed from a similar flat table horn it will play. Played with 2.75 Signature Legere with no issues. No need to tighten the ligatures

Response.

Easy to blow, more so than a similar Selmer soloist even a D or E. but a tad resistant than a Otto Link Tone Edge (modern version). Because I play an I tip on alto at 110, I can probably work with an 8* (115 with no issues). Large volume range but you need a stiffer reed, a 3 or maybe even a 4 . A 2.5 or lower may be too soft like a green Java or orange Rico. It is not the loudest mouthpiece I have at this opening.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:


It's a jazz mouthpiece, maybe someone with a massive lung capacity can get it louder for funk or RnB. The buzz or sizzle is not so prominent unless close mic'ed. Even sounding in all register. not as bassy subtones but in many ways that is good specially when recording. Easy to achieve punchy and slap tonguing is percussive than most. Altissimo is non piercing - easy to whistle but I still cannot get higher notes - Highest is D4 at the moment. . Some multiphonics are harder to voice unless you put a lot of air. But maybe just takes time. Intonation is spot on as far as the natural tendency of the horns. Tried on SBA, SDA, SA-80 II and Yamaha 62-II

Other: (specify)

My initial review here:


Conclusion:


I am not really a fan of HR for tenor. This one was an instant hit for me and keeps on getting better.. Beat a Gaia 2 HR. I discovered Selmer soloists or clones late in my playing career/ This is a well made soloist clone. I may go for the widest tip opening they offer. I am almost on my 3rd month on this and I am still playing it a lot
 
#183 ·
SELMER METAL JAZZ F

First Impressions:
When I first tried it in class, it was kind of bright. I was using a 3.5 Vandoren, and I thought that the mouthpiece was too hard to play. However, my teacher said that I should try it with a softer reed, so I went home with it and tried it out with my Boston Sax Shop 2.5. I was blown away by how warm and gentle the sound was, it gave me the exact darkness and warmth I had been looking for for so long.

Reed friendliness:
Upon further testing, I found that the mouthpiece pairs fairly well with any brands. I tried Vandoren, Ishimori, Boston Sax Shop, Rico, D'addario, and Marca, all of which played perfectly well on this mouthpiece! However, I didn't really like the feel or sound I got from using plastic reeds such as Plasticover. A legére or Silverstein reed works perfectly fine though!

Response:
There is a very fast response which is very nice and smooth to play with, but it's still possible to subtone and play very softly.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:
This mouthpiece covers all ranges, from ridiculous altissimo notes to soft subtone low notes. Its tone can be smooth and dark, to being bright and punchy. This mouthpiece's dynamics know no bounds as I found myself able to easily transition from soft to loud passages.

Conclusion:
This mouthpiece is amazing, and can be used for any gig, any time. I truly love this mouthpiece.
 
#184 ·
Retro Revival 7th Ave South MBII .116"

I am a Guardala player since 1989, using two originals from DG's shop, the last one a used mouthpiece since 1998, a 'King Curtis' . For a long time I have been thinking about getting a less aggressive sound while still playing the same way. I've tried a lot of mouthpieces to no avail. I recently bought the RR 7th Ave and when it arrived, it just didn't float my boat. I put it away and continued with my King Curtis. Then today for some reason I got it out and tried it again - this time was different, and I practiced for an hour with it - I have a new tenor piece!



First Impressions:
Being used to the Guardala beak, it felt normal. Using my regular assortment of reeds, cane and synthetic, it played right away. First impression was maybe a little too 'dark', but it was just the reed. There really was no 'adjustment period' - I just started playing it and trying different styles to see how it worked, and I was able to do everything I wanted. Nice sizzle above the low register and deep low notes with much less 'Blat'.

Reed friendliness:
Very reed-friendly. Most of my reeds (Rico Royal 2 1/2) played on it and I was able to quickly identify four good ones to carry to my next show. My synthetics also played very well - Fibracell 2 1/2, Fibereed MS.

Response:
I'm never sure what this means - any mouthpiece that I like plays instantly with no hesitation. This is the best DG clone I have tried and it has the salient features of a great original, including free-blowing and lots of sound for the effort. If that's what 'response' means, good.

Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility:
Excellent flexibility - much more flexible than the King Curtis. With this large-chambered piece it will be easier for me to do things like those 'lip trills' on A2/Bb2. Playing easier/lighter, my ballad style came right on out and I was liking the richer, warmer low notes on the subtone.

Other: (specify)
Fits same cork as Guardala. On tuning, it tuned pretty much at the same place on the cork, but intonation was much more stable than I am used-to. It was so consistent that I was able to identify that my palm D3 was sharp so I'm going to add some cork under that foot. This mouthpiece is beautifully made and finished. It has the DG thin rails and there is hand-finishing involved. It has an interesting black and green hard rubber bite plate but I always use a patch anyway.

Conclusion:

Not everyone will be able to use a .116 but that's why they are made in smaller tips too. You don't have to want to play like Michael Brecker to be able to use this piece in various styles/settings. My setting varies from a horn section in a Motown-type group to the only horn in a '50s Doo-*** group. However, if I had a sax section gig, I could lower the temperature with this more flexible piece and fit right in.
 
#185 ·
First post in forever....I'm not a super sophisticated player so this review will be short.

I don't play a lot but I’ve recently been feeling my Bob Carpenter refaced Otto Link wasn’t bright enough for me.
I went to see St Paul & the Broken Bones and their sax player, Amari Ansari, had an absolutely KILLER tone. (and he plays great too!) So I hit him up on Instagram and he turned me on to his mpc. It’s an Arnold Montgomery Aras 7*. AM Mouthpieces Gadsden, AL ammouthpieces.com "Play the Difference. Since 7* is my sweet spot I got in contact with Arnold and had one of my own 3 days later.

Promising at first but my old reliable Green Box Java 3s were too soft and buzzy. I’ve played them for over 30 years so did some research and decided to try the Red Box Java 3s. Much better. First 2 reeds I unpacked played great out of the box. Upon further consultation with Amari, I picked up a box of (Rico) Royal 3s. The first couple out of this box also played really well. The Reds might be a tad warmer than the Royals. Haven’t decided which I like better yet.

Anyway, this is the easiest playing mouthpiece I’ve played on any horn. Speaks beautifully from top to bottom. The craftsmanship is amazing. It has a jewelry quality finish. I could not be happier. I’m going to continue trying out different reeds but I’m thrilled with the piece.
 
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