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Barone Hollywood vs Sakshama Shorty

10K views 40 replies 20 participants last post by  toughtenor 
#1 ·
Hi there,
Anyone experience with both mpc's? Which one did you like most? Is most Dexterish? Is most free blowin'? Reedfriendly? Best Stubby/Zimberoff copy?
 
#2 ·
The Barone Hollywood is not an homage to the Dukoff Hollywood. It is one of Phil Barone's riffs on a Link.

If you are looking for the Dexter flavor, consider either Sakshama's "Shorty" or the Phil-Tone "Mosaic".
 
#4 ·
Check out sound clips of David on the Mosaic.

I also offer trials. It doesnt get more reed friendly or more Dexter.

https://phil-tone.com/tenor/mosaic

The mosaic is made to deliver that vibe without staying in a small tip. I have them in 7* and the chamber and baffle are compensated for so that you dont have to go with a small tip.
 
#6 ·
The mosaic is made to deliver that vibe without staying in a small tip. I have them in 7* and the chamber and baffle are compensated for so that you dont have to go with a small tip.
I've actually been playing one exclusively since the beginning of this year and I really like it. It has the largest chamber I've played, which allows me to get a sound that is spread and "fat," which is exactly what I was looking for.

Phil, any chance you could say more about the baffle? I'd be interested to learn how the baffle design compares with your Phil-Tone Tribute piece. Thanks!
 
#9 ·
Ah, very interesting! I'd assumed that the Mosaic had a higher baffle than Link-style pieces, but it's unique tone is really more a result of the chamber.

Thanks for that explanation.
 
#11 ·
Most here probably already know how much I absolutely love my Shorty's (yes, I have 3 of 'em) that Sakshama has made for me. I think it's been at least 5 or 6 yrs. since I bought my first one and about 6 months ago, I had Sakshama copy the original he sent to me. I now play full-time on one of those. The best way I can describe how they feel/play is like an old Link ToneMaster on steroids. I played on a TM for 20+ yrs and loved it except I always fought reeds and never felt I could get enough punch/edge out of it in the upper area of the horn. The Shorty remedies every "fault" my TM had. It's a large chamber with a roll-over baffle, which still gives a very tubby and for lack of a better term, a "Link-ish" sound. Yet the edge I speak of is only there if I want it to be, or push it. Very versatile mouthpiece.
I've also had Phil do some work for me on a Meyer alto 'piece and can say he certainly knows his stuff. However, I've never played any of his tenor 'pieces. Hearing how great Dave sounds on the Mosaic, I'm sure it's a great mouthpiece as well.
Here are a few samples of me playing on my Shorty. It's a .105 (7*) with LaVoz Hard reeds:





Hope that helps.....
John
 
#24 ·
I'll throw in a vote for the Mosaic, I've been playing one for several months now and my sound keeps improving. Being brutally honest, I am getting more of a West Coast / Cool vibe than I am getting a Dexter vibe. Conveniently for me, that's the sound I'm trying to get to, so it's a great piece for that sound as well.

IMO the key things about a mouthpiece to look for are first and foremost a good, clean facing. The second is to decide on a baffle/chamber which is in the direction you're looking to go. As an example, if you're going for a darker/warmer sound using a high baffle / smaller chamber in all likelihood won't be the tonal direction to build from.

But a lot of it is on the individual player.
 
#25 ·
Being brutally honest, I am getting more of a West Coast / Cool vibe than I am getting a Dexter vibe. Conveniently for me, that's the sound I'm trying to get to, so it's a great piece for that sound as well.

...

But a lot of it is on the individual player.
So true. You play it and get a West Coast/Cool vibe. I play it and get an edge-y tone with fat lows more in the direction of someone like Charlie Rouse (if he were an intermediate player and not a jazz legend, needless to say.)

So much depends on one's individual concept.
 
#28 ·
Been playing the Mosaic for an hour or so, on a Green Java 3 reed. Dark, fat, with a nice focus in the upper register that I've not been able to get out of anything else really. I'll post a sound clip if anyone is interested. I'm going to try some different cut reeds to see what changes. To be honest, my first impression was "stuffy and dead", but that changed in about 20 minutes of playing it. Someone once told me that playing mouthpieces is like dating, it takes some time to find out what makes them tick and if you can get along with them or not.
 
#29 ·
Java greens are extremely dull out of the box. Once broke in they liven up. I soak mine and play five minutes and put them away until they dry. The second and third time they play like a totally different reed. It's weird.

A rjs can give a really dexter vibe. I think that's what Dave wells used on his recordings.
 
#34 ·
bought the Shorty
definitely the sound I was looking for, reed friendly, freeblowing, dexterish sound but not too bright
and the beak is not too high for me
I don't pretend to become a new Dexter, it's not all about the gear
it's all about practising
but a freeblowing, reedfriendly with a beak that is not too high for me helps a lot
 
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