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New Bill Evans Signature Mouthpiece. Guess How Much!?

55K views 252 replies 69 participants last post by  Nefertiti 
#1 ·
#43 ·
Ok I know it's all in good fun and everything but showing alternatives to this type of mouthpiece that are not quite so wildly priced seems more constructive IN my OPINION. That's all I'm trying to say. I know one or two were mentioned before as well.
 
#44 ·
The market shall tell, long-term...

All good points made. As I understand it, Bill's piece was one of the first original handmade Guardala pieces. Remember, in 1981, Michael Brecker was playing a Dukoff, and you didn't see him on the MB until 1984ish. Bill did play a Link on We Want Miles, but that was 1981, and all recordings since have been the Guardala. The Guardala models weren't established yet. Michael wanted more of a large chamber piece, and I suspect the piece Bill plays is smaller chamber, more baffle, but darker than a modern Studio or King. Roberto's Woodwinds website has a picture of the chamber on the signature piece, and that kind of confirms this suspicion, but you can't play a piece with your eyes!!

As you can tell I'm a big fan, I've been listening to Bill since picking up my first Miles Davis album, The Man with the Horn, in the 80's, I'm very curious how this piece plays, as I currently play Sakshama pieces, and have had Vigilante, original Guardalas, and other similar pieces in the past. I'm also curious who the craftsman is behind the scenes. However, like others, I can't justify the kind of price currently being asked. Maybe someday on the used market, or after production picks up...
 
#45 ·
Bill's career has been nothing less than incredible. Right now this thread has got me feeling awfully thankful that I took the time to play test a few different 80s Guardala MBs/Studios and instead chose the CE Winds Legend I (and paired a good ligature with it). It feels really nice to have all that cash in my checking account with killer sound results. :glasses7:
 
#51 ·
It all boils down to the Guardala baffle with pea shooter chamber metal approach vs. the hard rubber or metal bigger chamber with less baffle approach. My theory is that the Selmer Mark VI ( I just sold my last one, for now...) is a brutish dull monolithic , not so colorful harmonic blend as say, a Conn10m or chu or a Super 20 in the tenor,so... there was and is an urge to push it hard on the highs to get a big core sound...thus, people like Bill Evans who were starting to play with loud guitars and electric keys went that way to be heard above the din. Certainly, for that style of playing, Bill Evans is an icon.
The other boiling point is: is it worth 1700 clams to get an unacknowledged, unabashed copy of a Guardala piece when the world is teeming with them and they all seem to do the job quite well?
Most important: If you played 100 jam band concerts a year you might feel compelled to get a bandana too, if for nothing else, to commune with the people in the audience and as a visual cue that "yes, i would light one up if you offered..."
 
#58 ·
If you put a mouthpiece on the market for 1700 bones and it looks like a copy of a mouthpiece just like about 30 other copies of the mouthpiece that cost way less than half 1700 bones, you might expect some talk about the price and value of the piece on a saxophone gear blog spot. And some of the opinions might be that 1700 bones is a bit much to pay for a mouthpiece because someone with a financial interest in the mouthpiece ,who happens to be a great player, says you won't need another mouthpiece after you get his. And he says you can't return it unless you forfeit the average price of a good mouthpiece. In the end, all this is free publicity for the piece. Those who want one will buy one if they have the funds. But one does not have to buy the piece to have the opinion that it is too expensive. Or any other opinion.
 
#60 ·
But one does not have to buy the piece to have the opinion that it is too expensive. Or any other opinion.
It's fine if you want to believe that, but it doesn't change this fact: If the person doesn't have first-hand experience with the mouthpiece and the opinion is about anything other than the price of the mouthpiece, its theoretical design concept or some aspect of Bill's business that they think they can gather enough information about from what's available on his website, the person is completely full of crap.
 
#67 ·
I don't understand how a "theoretical design concept" was engineered when the piece is marketed as a true copy of the Guardala Bill got from Mike Brecker. If the design of the Brecker piece were under patent protection it would be a crime to copy it. The ad copy says that the piece is the same piece Bill Evans has been playing for 35 years. So, if someone has played a Guardala Brecker 1 piece, they have played the same piece. I have played an original Brecker Guardala at Guardala's original place of business. It was not for me,but I see what people like in it. I think what G is wondering is how it took 4 years to copy a Guardala piece and how that includes an "original design concept" and is also "the same piece I have been playing for 35 years". it can't be a true copy and original design.
 
#71 ·
2 very heavy NY guys said it is the real deal if you want that type of sound. They said it in my home with mouthpiece on horn. It's a fine MP if thats the sound you want. I heard the sound .. It sounded like my $500.00 Guardala from the 80s. Great !! There are great full time A list players that can justifiably pull of the purchase financially. They seem to be the target audience.
 
#72 ·
When I said "theoretical design concept," I was referring to this line of thought: "In theory, it's a carbon copy of a Guardala." And until you've seen it with your own eyes and played it with your own chops, it is just a theory. We don't know what he did to modify it, but Bill did say he modified it for the better (for him). And guess what, even a modification of a thousandth of an inch to any part of the mouthpiece can make a big difference, so the reality is that we who haven't played it have no idea. The only counterargument against this is speculation.

So, everyone who buys one is gullible? Yeah, that's a fair assessment. (Sarcasm)

Why not take it on a case-by-case basis? Has anyone here even met Bill or spoken to him ever, let alone about how the idea to make and market the mouthpiece came about? I think that in and of itself could answer a ton of your questions.

I don't believe it's anyone's place to jump to conclusions and make judgments about a product that in reality they know nothing about.

George, nothing I said was a personal attack. It's my well-thought out opinion that ANYONE who takes it further than speculation or skepticism without first-hand experience is full of crap. The only "crap-slinging" was my inclusion of the word "crap." Besides, after all of your picking on Bill in the previous pages, you have no right to accuse me of crap-slinging at the point. Again, nothing personal.
 
#79 ·
George, nothing I said was a personal attack. It's my well-thought out opinion that ANYONE who takes it further than speculation or skepticism without first-hand experience is full of crap. The only "crap-slinging" was my inclusion of the word "crap." Besides, after all of your picking on Bill in the previous pages, you have no right to accuse me of crap-slinging at the point. Again, nothing personal.
Thank you, Craig. I appreciate that.

FWIW, I just reread all my posts in this thread. What posts that I wrote do you consider "picking on Bill"?
 
#74 ·
Yep, besides this is Sotw, remember?:scratch:...Bill sounded much better on his Florida Link back in the early 80's:mrgreen:...why doesn't he duplicate that mpc, huh?:dontknow:...No one wants a Guardala type anymo...been there, done that!:Rant:...Even Brecker, RIP, sounded a lot better when he was on a Link.:rr:

I'll go for a Bill Evans Signature Link mpc anyday!:eek:ccasion:
 
#75 ·
By the way, all this crazy marketing stuff aside, Bill is a really good guy, I met him a couple times at the Willow Jazz Club in Somerville, MA back in the 80's. And so is Mike Stern another guy from my Berklee days long ago. Just an aside. Carry on...
 
#80 ·
Just to clear I will never play as well or creatively as Mr. Evans in 6 lifetimes. However trying to sell a non-vintage, unproven mouthpiece for 1795usd is, inmho, kinda out there. Ted Klum tops out around a g note and that's someone that has nothing left to prove. He just personally redid a piece I had purchased used for a very reasonable amount. An artist and a gentleman.

People comment on my prices and negotiate with me all the time for sound design projects . It's not slander it's business.
 
#82 ·
Just to clear I will never play as well or creatively as Mr. Evans in 6 lifetimes. However trying to sell a non-vintage, unproven mouthpiece for 1795usd is, inmho, kinda out there. Ted Klum tops out around a g note and that's someone that has nothing left to prove. He just personally redid a piece I had purchased used for a very reasonable amount. An artist and a gentleman.

People comment on my prices and negotiate with me all the time for sound design projects . It's not slander it's business.
The difference here, is that Bill isn't here and can't discuss or negotiate or defend himself.
 
#86 ·
I have no opinion on any of what is being discussed here. I would only like to say that, as an outsider looking in (outsider in the sense that I am an alto player, you can argue about tenor mouthpieces all you like), I wonder where this thread would have gone had it been a $500 mouthpiece, rather than $1700. When I see a new piece on the market, my first question is, how will it play. Then, how much is it. Now, if I found a mouthpiece I thought was amazing enough to spend $1700 on, I think I certainly would want it.
 
#94 ·
I have played it and it is a great mouthpiece! Would I buy one?.......... Not in a million years at that price! There are an awful lot of great mouthpieces out there for a third of the price......just as good! I wouldn't pay that for his actual mouthpiece! It also won't be to everyone's taste sonically......I used to love this sort of piece 20 years ago but find it a slightly dated sonic palette now!
 
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