Alto_Tenor MPC puzzle

Flipper2008 · Oct 12, 2008

Hi All

Ive got a niggling question regarding the MPC Im using with my Alto and need some informed help as I havent a clue :S . I bought my Alto (a Corton , I know I now its a Bag of... but hey I love it)knowing nothing about Saxophones but with the intention of learning, and have done so with much success, greatly helped by these forums. When I bought the sax there were two mouthpieces, one unbranded with just "5" stamped on it and a Yamaha 4C. I found the unbranded one fairly tight to fit the crook, and the Yamaha one very Slack, in fact I had to wrap PTFE Tape (Pipe Tape for Engineers lol) around the cork to make it fit. Then I read about steaming the cork to expand it and did so, thus allowing the Yamaha MPc to slide on quite easliy, but also making the unbranded MPC very tight.

So here is my question, could the Yamaha MPC be a Tenor mouthpiece, again knowing little about the sax I dont know if there is a big size difference between the two . The Yamaha MPC is a bit longer than the other and has a tip opening of 1.7 mm, whereas the ones ive seen advertised on the net say 1.6mm for Alto (the tenor ones are 1.7mm). Another thing that makes me wonder is I had to buy a new Alto Lig for the Yamaha MPC and its tight.

The thing is the MPC seems to me to play ok with Alto reeds so you can see my confusion.

thanks for taking the time to have a "Reed" of this. 😉

regards

Flipp

griff136 · Oct 12, 2008

i doubt if its a tenor mouthpiece if alto reeds fit nicely on it.

is the teable(the long flat part the reed sits on much longer than the alto reed when it is fitted to the mouthpiece?

Taz · Oct 12, 2008

Why do you say your sax is a bag of....? Corton were stenciled by Amati (i think) and Amati are quite a reasonable Checozlovakian make (also depending on the year) I play an Amati tenor and love it.

thomsax · Oct 12, 2008

I don't think Corton 'its a Bag of...'!! My friend has a an Amati tenor and he blows the shirt of the Selmer, Yamaha, Yanagisawa ... players. Is not the saxophone who is playing, it's you!! It's so sad to see and hear all players blowing their fine horns without character. They all sounds the same. Same type of saxes and mouthpieces! I like Amati saxes, I suppose you have a Corton (Corton De Luxe was made by Yanagisawa). Both are fine saxes.

Try another mouthpiece. A Berg Larsen, Meyer, Lakey, Brilhart, Link rubber/ebonit works fine on Amati. Dukoff, Berg Larsen, Link metal are also good. I think a medium-large chamber is best on these saxes.

One advantage to have a cheap/less expensive horn is that you can spend some money on your mouthpiece instead. And if you don't want to buy a new one, get a used.

I have a 'new' Amati ATS-31 that I kept for my son, but he is stuck with the bass. I played a Berg Larsen 110/1 M on that sax and sounded fine. On the Rocksax workshop in November I hope to sell the horn. It's a good way to sell/buy saxes. You can try it all day with differnt set-ups and there are people around that can help you.

Sorry, off the topic again!

Thomas

Flipper2008 · Oct 14, 2008

My Apologies Guys, I guess Ive been a little harsh on the Corton, I read a few things about them on line when I first got the sax and they were not that favourable about the brand. Mine is by Amati and I love it.

The Reed does cover the table to the end so it is definately an Alto MPC, cheers for the help on that one Griff.

Cheers for the MPC recommendations Thomas, Ill start looking for a new one now I have a better idea of what to look for, maybe one that will give me that Jazzy "edge" to the sound.

May look out for a Tenor Corton Taz, its next on my wish list.

Happy Blowing

Flipp

TomMapfumo · Oct 14, 2008

Best bargain, and an excellent piece would be the Bari Ebonite/Bari Richie Cole mpc at Howarth & Son (below ?60) It has edge and a good size chamber to boot, and I alternate between that and a Vandoren V16 on Alto. Probably a 6/77 facing.

Kind regards
Tom 8)