Saxophones Bummed - saxophone I bought needs repairing

[thomsax]

A Bari Esprit Tenor mouthpiece is only around $15-17 incl. lig.... and it's a good mouthpiece, it really is.

Clark Fobes Debut also a good cheapie mouthpiece.

Yamaha 4 or 5c as Nigeld noted.

Darlene, avoid the Rico mouthpieces. Everything listed above is better.

What' wrong with Rico mouthpieces? I know many players that are playing Graftonite, Metalite, Reserve and Select Jazz mouthpices.

 

[nigeld]

What' wrong with Rico mouthpieces? I know many players that are playing Graftonite, Metalite, Reserve and Select Jazz mouthpices.

Rico Metalite and Graftonite mouthpieces seem to be in the “Marmite” category, especially the Metalite - people love them or hate them.
As such, not such a reliable choice as a Bari Esprit.
The D’Addario Select Jazz mouthpieces are in a different class altogether.

 

[JayeNM]

What' wrong with Rico mouthpieces? I know many players that are playing Graftonite, Metalite, Reserve and Select Jazz mouthpices.

a) I hate 'em
b) more people hate 'em than like 'em

Having been a beginner as an adult, myself....IMHO they are just not user-friendly mouthpieces. They actually hamper development. when compared to an Esprit or a Yamaha.

And yes....I have taken the advice of those who like them and I have re-tried several over the years, putting them in a drawer and coming back to 'em later....seeing if as I advanced in experience they would somehow exhibit something good.
They never have....in 12 years, never. I have tried vintage ones, brand-new ones....I guess if someone twisted my arm to say something nice about 'em, I can add: they get marks for remaining incredibly consistent over the years.

Yes, I know, plenty of players use 'em, and there are a bunch of threads debating their value as a sax accessory. Don't wanna get into that here. Their pricing is attractive, that's about the only other 'nice' thing I can say about them,.

Suffice it to say there's a reason the Esprit and Yama get suggested more often than Rico these days.

Rico Metalite and Graftonite mouthpieces seem to be in the “Marmite” category, especially the Metalite - people love them or hate them.
As such, not such a reliable choice as a Bari Esprit.
The D’Addario Select Jazz mouthpieces are in a different class altogether.

Marmite is far more user-friendly.

And yes, unfair to equate a DD Select Jazz with what people commonly refer to as "a Rico". Bit of cheating there.... I of course am referring to Graftonite/Metalites...the cheapies, the ones which to a beginner may look very enticing due to price.

 

[JayeNM]

If you avoid the Obvious scams and fakes and concentrate on customer reviews you Can buy a good mouthpiece for peanuts but ultimately you could be throwing away good money.

Unfortunately even 'customer reviews' can be fake nowadays.

FWIW....I have gotten a whole slew of Chinese knockoff mouthpieces arrive in cases of horns I have purchased....some look like Selmers, some look like Vandorens, others like Yamas. Some of them are actually not BAD knockoffs. I have actually passed them on to customers because they played quite OK. Not suggesting one take a risk on one, necessarily...just saying they are not all garbage.

But, really, less than $35ish gets you a good, branded starter or backup mouthpiece these days....one need not search very far....

 

[Adrian63]

I've said it before but the mpc is as important of not moreso than the horn..
I know the horn needs a ton of work but in general I can't understand skimping on mpcs especially by those that have a very decent horn.

 

[thomsax]

a) I hate 'em
b) more people hate 'em than like 'em

Having been a beginner as an adult, myself....IMHO they are just not user-friendly mouthpieces. They actually hamper development. when compared to an Esprit or a Yamaha.

And yes....I have taken the advice of those who like them and I have re-tried several over the years, putting them in a drawer and coming back to 'em later....seeing if as I advanced in experience they would somehow exhibit something good.
They never have....in 12 years, never. I have tried vintage ones, brand-new ones....I guess if someone twisted my arm to say something nice about 'em, I can add: they get marks for remaining incredibly consistent over the years.

Yes, I know, plenty of players use 'em, and there are a bunch of threads debating their value as a sax accessory. Don't wanna get into that here. Their pricing is attractive, that's about the only other 'nice' thing I can say about them,.

Suffice it to say there's a reason the Esprit and Yama get suggested more often than Rico these days.



Marmite is far more user-friendly.

And yes, unfair to equate a DD Select Jazz with what people commonly refer to as "a Rico". Bit of cheating there.... I of course am referring to Graftonite/Metalites...the cheapies, the ones which to a beginner may look very enticing due to price.

For some moths ago I was so tired of my sound. So I asked my friend (Andrew Clark, Boston) what to do? Maybe you should try a new mouthpiece and start over again; he told me. He suggested Metalite on both tenor and baritone. I went back to my old mouthpieces after some weeks. Some of my freinds are playing Metalite Baritone mouthpieces. Beside Andrew Clark, Sax Gordon and Scott Shetler is on also Metalite. And they sounds great.

 

[Adrian63]

Hey Thom : sax Gordon plays met on tenor or bari ?
I know he played Ron Cohellos mpcs ( is it RPC ? ) for years : he loved them..on ts

 

[thomsax]

Hey Thom : sax Gordon plays met on tenor or bari ?
I know he played Ron Cohellos mpcs ( is it RPC ? ) for years : he loved them..on ts

For some weeks ago he was on a white SYOS on tenor and Meralite on bari.

 

[JayeNM]

For some moths ago I was so tired of my sound. So I asked my friend (Andrew Clark, Boston) what to do? Maybe you should try a new mouthpiece and start over again; he told me. He suggested Metalite on both tenor and baritone. I went back to my old mouthpieces after some weeks. Some of my freinds are playing Metalite Baritone mouthpieces. Beside Andrew Clark, Sax Gordon and Scott Shetler is on also Metalite. And they sounds great.

To each their own.

They work for some people...I think they are a complete waste of money.

Poorly made, very user-unfriendly, and honestly, the tonality they produce - while it may suit a specific sorta need or scenario - is quite primitive and unbecoming, in my book.

Again, some folks like 'em. More hate 'em. An ongoing debate.....

 

[Adrian63]

Seems like SYOS are going for it !!

 

[DavidUK]

I've said it before but the mpc is as important of not moreso than the horn..
I know the horn needs a ton of work but in general I can't understand skimping on mpcs especially by those that have a very decent horn.

Thinking about it, my PPT, Bari Esprit, and Windcraft Student & Etude were all bought new at RRP!

 

[Colin the Bear]

The metalite is an amazingly versatile piece. IMO and priced to allow experimentation without breaking the bank. I've used it on SATB. Currently using an M11 on clarinet. The graftonite on alto was too polite for my taste. However, nothing wrong with it.