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Mouthpieces Dukoff 6 or 7 alto sax mouthpiece

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Gerry

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Hi Everyone - I've just joined and am looking forward to learning more about sax playing. My new teacher wants me to try out a Dukoff 6 and 7 mouthpiece for my alto sax and then buy whichever seems to suit me best - but trying to find somewhere that has Dukoff mouthpieces, let alone a 6 and a 7, is like trying to find rocking horse droppings. Has anyone any ideas? I've surfed the net to no avail.

Many thanks - bye for now

Gerry
 
Interesting....

Dukoffs come in many different chamber styles as well as tip size and material choice so you'll need to be a little more specific.
Also don't forget the used market as a choice.

But you know what...
There are a ton of other choices out there beside Dukoff and for good reason.
 
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The Dukoff is the most famous mouthpiece with a step-baffle inside: http://theowanne.com/knowledge/mouthpiece-features/baffle-shapes. They mainly sound very bright and are commonly played in situations where you need to "cut through" other loud instruments such as guitars, bass guitar and similar in rock type situations. There are other mouthpieces out there that have a step-baffle, such as the Vandoren Jumbo Java, Lebayle Studio, Saxscape Downtown or Rico Metallite, amongst many others. I have tried several step-baffle alto mouthpieces, all of which I find a bit too bright and slightly thin sounding, and finally settled for a Phil-Tone Meridian for pop/rock/funk playing.

Playing mouthpieces with a step baffle is usually harder and they are easier to play with a larger tip opening and a softer reed. I usually play alto mouthpieces with a 0.078" tip opening, but my favourite step baffle alto mouthpiece (Barkley Pop 8) is 0.102".
A Dukoff is not cheap at £144 or so, but Howarth do them on a trial period, as do Dawkes - http://www.dawkes.co.uk/accessories/dukoff+alto+sax+metal+mouthpiece+-amw480.html

It all depends on what sound you want to produce. What mouthpiece do you currently play, where are you based, and what music do you most want to play on sax?

ps. I note from elsewhere that you live in Herts and play a Selmer S80 C**

Kind regards
Tom
 
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Unless you just want to dive in and buy a Dukoff at £144+ I would suggest getting hold of a Bari Esprit II Alto mouthpiece and see whether this is the sort of sound that you like before investing further. It usually costs £14, though it is worth much more than that IMHO. I have a Bari Esprit II available on loan if you want to try it out.

I reviewed it recently and thought it was excellent in terms of suitability for pop/rock/contemporary music, without being overbright. SAXPA recently trialled it and thought that it was at the same lvel as a Meyer and said Selmer S80.
 
Out of interest has anyone tried the M 0r X chamber alto mouthpieces? I so associate Dukoff with the D chamber I had not really taken on board that others were made.

It is also very easy to phantasise about the teacher concerned - Selmer S80 C**, Dukoff (unspecified so could be the "D" chamber classic lead mouthpiece) which is probably thought of as a bit old fashioned...........I'll stop there.

Some mouthpieces to try would include a Claude Lakey 4*3 and 5*3, A Jody Jazz Classic, a Runyon Quantum & Runyon Custom and a Vandoren Java - all of which can be decent modern sounding mouthpieces around the £100 mark. I like the Quantum of the above and several of these benefit from a spoiler - an insertible step baffle which allows it to play like two mouthpieces.
 
TomMapfumo said:
Some mouthpieces to try would include a Claude Lakey 4*3 and 5*3, A Jody Jazz Classic, a Runyon Quantum & Runyon Custom and a Vandoren Java - all of which can be decent modern sounding mouthpieces around the £100 mark. I like the Quantum of the above and several of these benefit from a spoiler - an insertible step baffle which allows it to play like two mouthpieces.
Click to expand...

Since in the 90s I went through a Dukoff phase (shame on me: I thought that Sanborn's sound would have been the future)...
The closest piece was the Guardala studio (I guess it would be a lot of money now). On the cheaper side: Jumbo Java and Bari metal.

If I have to be honest about my personal idea for what is the best professional piece for the upgrading student (unless the student REALLY wants to sound like Sanborn), I would strongly recommend a Meyer-like mouthpiece it is still the most flexible design that allows you do develop a personal sound. Jody Jazz HR, Pillinger NYA or LA, Morgan...
 
aldevis said:
Since in the 90s I went through a Dukoff phase (shame on me: I thought that Sanborn's sound would have been the future)...
The closest piece was the Guardala studio (I guess it would be a lot of money now). On the cheaper side: Jumbo Java and Bari metal.

If I have to be honest about my personal idea for what is the best professional piece for the upgrading student (unless the student REALLY wants to sound like Sanborn), I would strongly recommend a Meyer-like mouthpiece it is still the most flexible design that allows you do develop a personal sound. Jody Jazz HR, Pillinger NYA or LA, Morgan...
Click to expand...

I got Sakshama in the USA to make me a lost wax bronze DG Studio alto piece with his own take on it for me,had a bunch off him to my spec and its a cracking lead alto piece,scream it can but can do the smokey stuff also.
I 2nd the Jumbo Java range,there great for that sound vibe.
 

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