Phil Barone
Tenor Sax Mouthpiece 7*
Selmer 404 Ligature
Rico Royal Jazz Select 2H
So I caught up with Phil Barone over the summer. I can’t believe this guy has been in the music business for that long and no one has written a book about him ? Seriously. Who else out there has been doing incredible mouthpieces for what seems like a gazillion years. You know I feel like I owe the guy a debt just for his experience. Let me say however old he is, he doesn’t look his age, he has kept well.
Check out my photos and you will see the mouthpiece in question. Long baffle, 7*, chamber, etc. etc. etc. Your all smart so draw your own conclusions about the design, I’m going to tell you about how it played for me. Oh by the way it doesn’t have a name engraved on it, and I guess I’m one of the lucky few who has one, so if you want one I’ll sell it to you for $10,000.00.
So here it is. I put it on tried it for 5 minutes and then took it off straight away. It was bright compared to the SNY.
But then I thought no I am going to give this a real opportunity and I put it back on. It was Saturday afternoon and I played it for the rest of the day about four hours in total. Whatever this mouthpiece is called, it just grew on me so much. It really took me by surprise. I think that I got used to the brightness, and in fact, it became “less bright” the more I played it, and the more time that passed I focussed the sound. In other words the sound changed over time believe it or not, and I very much moulded the timbre to what my ears were telling me.
You know what really blew me away was that the tuning was flawless, and the altissimo is EVEN EASIER than the SNY. It’s just incredible. You have no idea how easy but let me tell you anyone can play altissimo with this mouthpiece even the kid next door.
So for a baffled piece where the baffle looks twice the size of the SNY to me, and given I have NEVER played a baffled piece of this size before, Phil’s reputation as a master is only enhanced. I love his work.
Other than being brighter, can you say anything else about how it plays vs the SNY? Is there anything you like better about the SNY or is the new one better all around?
Hi Mike. At the moment, I still love my Super New York. In fact once upon a time, Phil had a solid copper version of the old NY Model that I had for a brief period, and only wish I kept. It was something else.
So this new model I have been playing for almost a week now, and it has a whole lot of body, a lot of character, and the brightness that comes with the baffle. Plus the tuning and altissimo are the kickers. You know what ? When it comes down to it, it contains all of the characteristics that are intrinsic with Phil's models. It becomes merely a choice if you prefer brighter or less brighter. Thats it. Thats where the choice is.
Check out my photos and you will see the mouthpiece in question. Long baffle, 7*, chamber, etc. etc. etc. Your all smart so draw your own conclusions about the design...
Whatever this mouthpiece is called, it just grew on me so much. It really took me by surprise. I think that I got used to the brightness, and in fact, it became "less bright" the more I played it, and the more time that passed I focussed the sound. In other words the sound changed over time believe it or not, and I very much moulded the timbre to what my ears were telling me.
So for a baffled piece where the baffle looks twice the size of the SNY to me, and given I have NEVER played a baffled piece of this size before, Phil's reputation as a master is only enhanced. I love his work.
+1 Much love for Uncle Philsey. It's great to see that he's still at it, coming up with (apparently) new designs for the working musician!
What do you mean by "the baffle looks twice the size of the SNY"? Twice as long, or twice as tall? I do see a very wide window - would love to see the baffle and tip. Undercut sidewalls? Medium/large chamber?
Thanks for the news. We haven't seen Phil 'round here in a while. Please give him our regards.
Hi Dr G - I'm not that technical - But it looks longer, and higher. Did you get too see the photos and what did you make of the baffle ? And yeah Phil's been of the radar too I have noticed that. I hope he comes back from the bleechers and into the fold in a big way.
Phil is amazing--and probably his biggest problem is that he is a craftsman who is not content on mass producing stuff, which is sadly where things are today. I was a dumb, fortunate kid 15 years ago when he sent me an amazing solid silver Hollywood that I stupidly sold to cover the cost of books at Carnegie Mellon, but he's always been a friend because he isn't shy about telling it like it is. There are not many true craftsmen like him left--in ANY field--and it's nice to see that he's still experimenting and making gear designed for working musicians.
Hey HONK BOP - Solid Silver Hollywood. Guess who else had one ? What a coincidence. There must have been a small handful of them around and I guess you and I would be the few that have played one. I wonder why Phil doesn't make variations like that anymore with the current range ? I guess its just competition squeezing him out ? maybe he has had enough ? Who knows.
You've just discovered what I'd call, based on those photos, a high baffle mpc. As you noticed, such a mpc will tend to play bright, with lots of 'cut' and volume. With that baffle, I'd probably want at least a 9 tip to help darken the tone a bit, but if you're after a bright sound, I'm sure this will do the trick. Did you buy it direct from Phil? I didn't know he made a high baffle piece like that.
Similar to a lot of folks on this planet, Phil has not received the widespread acceptance and deserving recognition that others with better marketing messages, endorsers, etc. received.
His talents have often been overshadowed by other guru’s of the day, or flavors of the month, or immortal names of yesteryear.
Phil is a mouthpiece master. He isn’t the only one but he is one.
In a quotation often attributed to Picasso “good artists copy, great artists steal”.
I would venture to say that the folks who play his pieces day in and out are for the most part either advanced players or serious about becoming one. Big differences emerge – as compared to your practice room - when you are playing your horn on a bandstand or with other musicians or in a studio recording. At least to me, that’s when you really decide which one out of a drawer full of pieces is your #1 and can deliver for you in the musical situations you find yourself in.
Big differences emerge - as compared to your practice room - when you are playing your horn on a bandstand or with other musicians or in a studio recording. At least to me, that's when you really decide which one out of a drawer full of pieces is your #1 and can deliver for you in the musical situations you find yourself in.
I only made a few of these with about four left. I modeled it after a Link with a baffle added so I guess it is like a Guardala MBI. Any other questions while you have my attention? Phil Barone
The business is being ruined by people buying blanks and putting their name on them and doing a lot of marketing. In fact they're not even their mouthpieces at all but they're convincing enough to hurt me pretty badly. Hey, who said it would be a cakewalk but is is sickening. Phil
Phil I'm sorry you feel sick about it. I didnt realize that's what's happening. Your new mouthpiece is a killer, and im still playing it : Well worth the money especially given other prices I have seen for some other models. Im glad i bought it.
I only made them in 8*'s because that's what I balanced the chamber for. This piece isn't good for anything less than an 8* because it would thin out in anything less. It feels like a 7* when you it because the chamber offers you little resistance. Phil
Traditional Contemporary is a great piece in its own right, and in my opinion, one of Phil's most original designs. I agree the name is long, but that's why it only said TC on the shank!
Hi Dawson,
Could you compare this to any other pieces? I have a Mojo re-faced STM which I liked and taught me a lot but I reverted back to an old Ponzol M2 120 as I prefer the response and projection though I do find it a little too bright and am always working on that whilst playing. The STM has a removable baffle which I've fiddled with but still prefer the M2.
Hi Ed. I haven't played any of the pieces you mentioned. Can you re phrase the question in more general terms so I might be able to answer it ?
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