Mouthpieces Caravan Large chamber mouthpiece

[maggielou]

I would be ever so grateful if somebody could tell me where I could buy a Caravan large chamber mouthpiece for alto sax.I am from the Uk but could buy on online. I am having diffulty locating one.
Thanks for your help.
All the best
Maggielou

 

[jools]

Can't help you with the mouthpiece, but I'm impressed you play alto flute! I have one which lives on a shelf. About every six months it comes out and I huff and I puff but no meaningful sound comes out. It works (I've had it serviced) but it's a real trick to play them anything louder than a whisper.

 

[Saxlicker]

http://shop.classicsax.com

There are many places I googled but beware the tax and duty for importing to the UK.

 

[maggielou]

Thanks Saxlicker
That site was the first one I visited and actually ordered the caravan mouthpiece and rovner lig. I ordered on the 2nd Feb with my credit card but have heard nothing despite me trying to contact them several times via email about the status of my order. I am not sure what to do there and am beginning to give up. 🙁 . I wish they would respond.
I don't suppose there is anywhere in the Uk where I could buy one is there?
Thanks for your response.
Maggielou

 

[maggielou]

Hi Jools
I love my alto flute and play regularly in a flute quartet. It does take a while to really get used to it. The embouchure is much more relaxed and you need loads of air and diaphragm support. It was very tiring at first. What make is your alto?
All the best
Maggie

 

[jools]

Hey Maggie. 🙂

In spite of all the sax talk, let's have a natter about flutes!

My alto flute is a Parrot (hmm) not the best reputation, being Chinese and all but in its defence I have to say it's not bad at all. Well built, lovely tone and in fact (despite what I said) easy to blow.

I think my main objection is that I find it almost impossible to play loudly in the lower register (where it sounds the sweetest). I also struggle with the G transposition - throws my inner conversion mechanisms into chaos. Eflat to Bflat and back to concert I can manage, but G has me foxed only because my memorised licks are in a different place. I came to sax playing after thirty years of being a flautist and it was an easy transition. God bless Boehm.

The thing I'm most interested in, is- what experience have you had mic-ing up flutes. I've never really had much success with body mounted equipment. This is especially important with a low volume instrument like the alto, and playing in a rock band quietness just doesn't cut it.

Thanks for asking tho... it inspired me to get it out and have a blow. Seems a lot better than last time, but i do play a lot more concert flute these days so maybe I'm a bit more ready for it.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I had a Parrot alto, and while it did have a nice sound it was made of very bendy metal. After each session it needed adjusting. The fact that it's Chinese doesn't make it bad though, I now use a modern Chinese alto and its way better and very solid. It's an unbranded model but I believe its the same as the ones now branded as Walstein.

When micing a flute you need the mic close to the blow hole, but not infront or you are blowing air straight into the mic and this will make it sad.

I find it best to have the mic above the blow hole pointing down.

 

[jools]

Yes, Pete, the soft metal is a bit of an issue with these. I took it to a repair shop as I'd broken off the Bflat key. The guy said that the metal seemed to be some kind of 'amalgum' like a silver composite. Strange really, as the body wasn't! Seems an odd design feature to put the weakest material on the part that gets the most stress.

As for the microphone issue, I think I concurr with you about the positioning, although it has a tendency to make it look like I have a Hitler tash on photos!. My mic is a clip on, goose neck affair with a teeny wind baffle. Two problems there. One is the wire (see my other thread about getting tangled in cables) which when used with a transmitter pack means that I am still connected to the instrument at all times. But the other problem is slightly more difficult to overcome, and that is: that even by using foam or neoprene to dampen the attachment to the body, it still tends to pick up some key clatter. Which, with some PA systems is all in the bottom end and sounds like a fight in a dustbin!