Mouthpieces Another mouthpiece query..

[Jules]

Following the overblowing a mouthpiece query, here's another mouphtiece design one.;anyone got any thoughts on what makes a mouthpiece reed friendly? My old Dukoff was incredibly forgiving- stick any old reed on it in vaguely correct alignment, and it sounded... well, like a Dukoff, whereas my new Berg Larsen is incredibly tempramental about alignment and, more importantly, it appears to take an instant dislike to a fair proportion of reeds I foist on it.
Either that or I've just had a long run of very duff boxes... Any comments/thuoghts welcome.

 

[lee_]

After years of searching for the perfect mouthpiece, I've pretty much become a Runyon fan. They just seem easier to deal with with less fiddling around.

 

[Jules]

Runyons were another one that are incredibly reed friendly- the one on my old baritone would take anmost any old bit of wood and sound great

 

[mfox]

dukoff were my MP of choice for 15 years..

 

[Jules]

great basic tone but finally got fed up with them losing body when pushed- I found that when soloing with amplified bands there was a tendancy to sound like I was being played ba kthrough a transistor radio... then again, I was blowing pretty manically to get that (unwanted) effect.

mfox wrote:
dukoff were my MP of choice for 15 years..

 

[Linky Lee]

could it possibly be due to the quality of the rails and the flatness of the bit that the reed sits on.

I find that many mouthpieces you see in shops have rails going off in all directions and aren't what I'd call flat.

I'm very careful to make sure everyone of the mouthpieces I use is finished and machined properly and flat before I purchase.
Comes down to quality control again then.

 

[Bobby G]

My trusty Selmer Soloist on alto seems happy with whatever I put on it, which means I am free to use what I like the sound of. The Meyer is almost as forgiving but is a bit more fussy about reed positioning. The metal Levelaire, well, I could put a lolly stick or one of those little wooden forks from the chippy on it. It'll take any reed, and positioning isn't a problem as the table is exactly one reed-width, and the ligature is shaped such that the reed sits straight with minimal fuss.

Although I have, and like, several types of reed, mainly Rico Jazz Select, but also some Vandoren ZZ and a few La Voz's, the reeds I am really getting into recently, for tone, feel and tonal flexibility, as well as being long-lasting, are the Alexander Superials.

My partner, daughter and grandson can all testify about the quality of sound and my playing as I was having a play in the car today and had inadvertently left my mobile switched on.

Cheers, Bob

 

[jonf]

Linky Lee is right about quality of manufacture, but even assuming all is straight and flat some mouthpieces are easier on reeds than others. There are loads of variables which affect this, including tip opening, as in my experience there is a tendency for more open mouthpieces to be more reed critical. That's still not the whole tale, though, and my favourite theory relates to the thinness of the rails. My main tenor piece is a Lawton, which is fantastic, but it is a bit fussy on reeds. The rails are incredibly thin, and you have to be really precise in how you fit the reed. I think the thinness of the rails means the whole width of the reed has to vibrate in a similar manner to get a good, responsive tone. Other mouthpieces I own, inc Nachoman's old Bari Runyon have much wider rails. My thinking is that this requires less of the reed to have to respond in a consistant manner, particularly the thin edges.

Well, it's a theory, but it has some sort of evidence. I've just added up and I have at least 15 mouthpieces, and all the ones with thin rails are fussy, the ones with thick not.

What do you think? Is this just me?

 

[tengu01]

I am another one from the Lawton camp. I used to play a STM Link 6* and it played nicely. The only problem with it was that it sounded a little more "fuzzy" than I would have wanted and didn't project as much as I would have liked. Blended a bit too well.

My main piece is a Lawton 8*B which, as JonF points out, it a little fussy on the reeds. However, I found that it works particularly well with Vandoren Java 2.5's. A favourable mix of projection, brightness and solidity in tone. Gets better as I improve.

Previous mouthpieces:
Jumbo Java Vandoren T55: Fed up of breaking all the glass in the house every time I play. Reed-friendly. Musical equivalent of a chainsaw mixed with a jet-engine.

Selmer C*: Feels like my tone is being strangled. VERY easy to control but feels a little like blowing your heart out through a straw. Reed Friendly. Not my thing at all.

My (not-especially-well-thought-out) theory on thin railed mouthpieces: easier to misplace reed therefore more sensitive. Big rails - plenty of contact area, thus less sensitivity.

 

[frank_johnson]

I'm an inexperienced player using the Lawson 6*B that came with my early 80's Buffet S1. When the Rico Royal reed (No. 2) is properly positioned I get a very satisfying tone, but often, I have to re-position the reed several times to get to that stage and it appears to overlap the sides at the tip of the mouth piece. Should I try a different make of reed? I know that reed strength is not exactly a science, but I don't want the situation where I buy a box of alto reeds, no.2, and then find I can't handle them. :S

 

[Linky Lee]

Frank I know what you mean, I didn't know when or what to progress with in terms of reeds when I first started out as I didn't have a saxophone teacher for a while. I've got a few boxes in a large wooden box in my bedroom of reeds I've never used. There are basically complete boxes or Rico standard 3's, Vandoren Java 3's, 3.5's, Vandoren classic 2.5's, Hemke 3's. Each box is nearly complete as I've gotten one or two out and haven't found them to be what I'm after, and my nearest shop never sold them separately, on Rico standards.

my advice is to get to the nearest shop that stocks reeds and buy a rico 2 (another rico 2 of a different type, e.g RJS), vandoren 2 (another of a different type, e.g. ZZ), vandoren 1.5 (another like the ZZ again) and a la voz soft or something that seems interesting. That should set you back a fair amount less than a box of reeds and you are more likely to get some that you can handle, but you'll also get to try out lots of different strengths, and brands and models. You'll probably find one which comes through brilliantly on sound, and maybe another that is the perfect strength, so then go and find the one that sounds great in a similar strength (next weight down or upwards).

 

[frank_johnson]

Thanks Linky!
A young head on wise shoulders!!

 

[frank_johnson]

That should of course be:
A wise head on young shoulders!!

A senior moment in the life of a TOG. :x

 

[tengu01]

Hey Frank,

I have used myatt.co.uk for picking and choosing individual reeds and their mail order is pretty prompt. You can find most reeds on their website and they're pretty nice on the phone too

(This is of course on the assumption that you are resident in the UK. I haven't used their services from abroad, so can't really comment there)

 

[frank_johnson]

Hi Tengu,
I've just examined Myatt's web-site.
Very impressive. I will certainly be buying a selection of reeds !!
merci beaucoup. 🙂

 

[tengu01]

No probs. Let us know if and when you find a reed that works out for you.

🙂

 

[Linky Lee]

Ah so that's where wisdom comes from.... the shoulders, I should of known! I always thought it was the teeth 😛

 

[tengu01]

Linky_Lee wrote:
Ah so that's where wisdom comes from.... the shoulders, I should of known! I always thought it was the teeth 😛

Curses. All this time spent flossing, thinking I had to keep the font of wisdom clean when instead, I should have been investing in shoulderpads to bring me closer to enlightenment.

😛

 

[frank_johnson]

Hey you disrespectful youngsters,
I've bought a variety of reeds/strengths from Myatts, 'round midnight'; ain't the internet wonderful?
But coincidentally, in the bottom of my case I found a Rico Royal 3.5 that my mate, the previous owner, had left there. I know you won't believe this, but,
a) it fitted the Lawson perfectly
b) it gave me a much butcher sound
c) the low C I had problems with before is readily playable &
d) every note sounds richer/fuller. ( low D had sounded very thin before.)
I really thought about moving to a 1.5 before, but no longer!!

 

[Linky Lee]

from a 1.5 to 3.5 that's a huge jump! No wonder you were having troubles before, the reed would of been closing up as your embouchure would be too strong for it and when playing at full volume the reed wouldn't be able to cope as it's too flexible.

having a more rigid reed does seem to add more depth and richness to the sound, But it's harder to play quietly on, and tongue softly. It's all about finding the balance.