Brief review of Barone Metal Tenor "Jazz" Mouthpiece!

[TomMapfumo]

Well I've just got my Tenor sax out after a few month's break, and you just don't lose it!:welldone:welldone

My current set up is Yani T901 (it IS light!....really!)YTN92 Bronze neck, Francois Louis Spectruoso ML280/FL Basic Lig/FL Excellence 2.5 reeds, so got back into it, and sound very pleasing (though do prefer my button free, reed free, lig free tenor. The sound is sufficiently resonant and rich for my taste and the high end has a satisfying solidity, which can be lacking in some of the mouthpieces that I have trialled.

I then swapped to the following set-up: Barone Jazz 8/Rovner Light/FL excellence 2.5 reeds. What a lovely piece. Overall it does have a darker huskier sound (almost grainy, but not rough) but a similar degree of resonance and richness to the FL. Sound is pretty full bodied and, given the same set-up with a Vandoren V16 T77 metal, had a clear edge - the T77 sounded more neutral in comparison, the Jazz richer sounding, but not quite as resonant as the FL Spec, which remains my favourite (on subjective grounds, obviously).

The Jazz is not a loud mouthpiece (it is the piece played by Charles Lloyd) but does have a lovely tone. The FL is louder than both the Jazz and the V16 T77, without having to give it too much welly FWIW. I would also say that the Jazz is appropriately named, and (as Phil Barone describes it) could be considered a superior handmade Link STM NY. I would not recommend it for rock/funk/pop but comes into its own with jazz/blues/ballads whereas the FL can do both.

So a high recommendation IMO - I'd rate it above the V16 metal on several counts, and just behind the FL which still rools in my musical world, at least.

It is quieter than some, darker, full bodied and rich sounding (can do brighter when pushed) and that is on the Yani T901 set up which tends towards lighter and brighter sounds. I'd be interested to hear it on other set ups.

Kind regards
Tom

 

[daveysaxboy]

Any chance of sound clip's Tom to hear the difference of them,i would like to try a FL SM,the sphere chamber if that's the right model i said.I mean the S not the M model.

 

[TomMapfumo]

Hi Davy!

No can do - do not have the facility, I'm afraid. You could arrange to trial the SP or ML through Howarth's, who do arrange such things (charge postage only, and are very helpful, in my experience!) It would at least answer the question, and on your own set-up too.

Kind regards
Tom

 

[Phil]

I played one for a bit. They are quite dark pieces. In the end I personally found them to be a bit rough and grainy but thats just a matter of preference. It is unique sound though....just wasnt the one for me. I found that the case with most the Barones Ive played. In the end, for that spectrum I settled on a Link NY that I reworked. Regardless....ENJOY!