Mouthpieces I can't decide on a mouthpiece - Views and Advice please

sharon · Jul 17, 2007

If you want to pm your address I'll send them both to you and you can try them. Keep them a while to work out if they're what you're after. If you don't like them send them back. If you do like one of them we can discuss it later

regards, Phil

Thanks for a great suggestion. - I have just pm you.

Sharon

phil_edwards · Jul 17, 2007

You're welcome, reply pm on its way.

Regards, Phil

aquatic · Jul 17, 2007

you really do need to go and try them out to see what suits you. my first upgrade was to a selme rC* because thats what all the online shops said was the best for a first upgrade.. have to say I didnt like it, Yes it was better than the one that came with my sax, but it wasnt what i was looking for. My sax teacher had a pile which she said i could take home and play with. I played around with a few, then got a berg larson 95 2 on my sax,., didnt want to take off again and my sax teacher fixed it for me to keep it. Surprised her that I played well on it. Its the one I have now, and Love it.
So,,,, try before you buy, 🙂

Bobby G · Jul 17, 2007

My first upgrade from the stock mpc was to a Otto Link Tone Edge 5, which I now find too narrow, bought on spec from the bottom of a rummage box in a music shop in Chesham, then a few ebay specials including a Meyer 5, Selmer Soloists D and F, and a metal Brilhart. I am currently using a Beechler 8 which fells about right in terms of tip opening. I'm considering getting the Link and Meyer pieces widened as I like the sound.

What I'm saying is that your first upgrade shouldn't really be too much wider than what you are currently using - I found the 5's a comfortable blow at first, using about a 2.5-3 reed, but I prefer the flexibility of a tip a bit wider and slightly softer reeds.

It's probably best to try before you buy if you can, but I suppose if you go for something off ebay you won't lose out a great deal if you need to sell them on - none of mine cost more than about 25 quid.

Good luck!

Cheers, Bob

tengu01 · Jul 19, 2007

Hey there Sue,

When I got my first saxophone, I had no idea what to get and wandered into a music store with the received wisdom that Otto Link made really good mouthpieces, so I bought a STM 5* for my alto and at first I hated it. Sounded horrible. Then I realised i'd been using reeds which were too hard.

So I moved down to a #2 and it started singing. I kept it for years and years. Recommendation - get a relatively decent mouthpiece (of which a Link is) and practice loads.

From the sound of your initial post, I think you'd like the Link over the C* but when you've tried out a few, please let us know your thoughts.

Cheers and good luck

sharon · Jul 20, 2007

Thanks for all your input on this thread. You've all really been helpful. I think most new players are confused about mouthpieces. I find the different styles sizes etc. mind boggling.

My little local music shop where I buy reeds was surprised that some shops allow you to try out mouthpieces - she said a friend of hers who also keeps a music shop has stopped people practicing on intruments because they damage the instruments (I don't think this referred to saxes more probably violins/guitars). Given this sort of attitude it's surprising that anybody ever tries a musical instrument. If it wasn't for the internet I would never have taken up the sax.

Anyway, I shall let you know how I get on.

🙂 Sharon

bobk · Jul 20, 2007

sharon wrote:
My little local music shop where I buy reeds was surprised that some shops allow you to try out mouthpieces - she said a friend of hers who also keeps a music shop has stopped people practicing on intruments because they damage the instruments (I don't think this referred to saxes more probably violins/guitars). Given this sort of attitude it's surprising that anybody ever tries a musical instrument. If it wasn't for the internet I would never have taken up the sax.

Our local music shop is exactly the opposite. They organised an event for under-10 kids to try about half a dozen different kinds of instruments with a music teacher, people from the shop, specially written handouts and lots of nice tasting disinfectant spray. Well-controlled, fun and very noisy. I bet that one morning must have generated hundreds of pounds of sales...

sharon · Jul 21, 2007

See it can be done. What a great idea to get kids involved with different intruments rather than the usual recorder or violin (which my daughter started and hated, it consequently put her right off anything else).

Sharon

Linky Lee · Jul 21, 2007

I've helped out at a number of sessions like that at my local music centre and with a few shops.

For some reason the bassoon always brings lots and lots of interest, boys and girls too.

The same company has done numerous ones so I assume it works out rather well for them financially.

john_mcgeechan · Jul 24, 2007

Hi Sharon
I had the same problem when i dropped my mouthpiece on kitchen tiles and damaged it. My teacher reccomended the Selmer C* which I ordered and paid for on line. However the company got back to me to say they were finding it difficult to get and offered me the Yanagisawa 5 for the same price.
I went for this option and can say that this mouthpiece will probably do me forever if I look after it. My teacher remarks on it during every lesson and he is very impressed

Linky Lee · Jul 24, 2007

I've played a few Yanigasawa ebonite pieces on the soprano and found them to be some of my favorites.

They are really very good mouthpieces. Probably the best all rounder. The downside is that they are generally more expensive than the others. The only reason why I stayed with the 4C on the soprano as I couldn't justify the money to improvement ratio.

Simon · Jul 24, 2007

Hi Sharon

Another view on this is to discover what the sound is you want to work towards and / or the type of music you want to play, maybe what attracted you to the sax in the first place - it becomes a goal to work towards, rather than rolling the dice and getting new kit that may or may not help you.

Generalisations are made about narrow tip, small chamber pieces being for classical style where you don't want tonal variations over the horn (eg Selmer C*, narrow Links). Jazzers get the medium chamber / tip opening pieces (eg Meyer 5-7s). Funk rockers have to compete for volume with electrified instruments, so need all the help they can get from wide opening, high baffle pieces (eg some Berg Larsens, Guardalas, Vandoren Javas, Dukoffs)

Your teacher is your best guide to whether your chops are up to heavier gear, although many are fairly inflexible when it comes to helping you work towards a sound they don't dig.

The equipment search can become a real obsession... I try and narrow down the targets of my pupils to what they wanna actually do when playing music and match equipment from there... and it's not unknown to have several mouthpieces to cover a range of music.

FWIW On alto I play a Meyer 7 for classical and ensemble gigs (large chamber, medium tip); a JodyJazz DV 7 for righteous jazz (med-high baffle, metal, edgy) and a Beechler 8 for generating infringement notices (a veritable high baffle, stainless steel chainsaw)

My 5p
Simon

sharon · Jul 25, 2007

Hi John that was a bit of luck getting a better mouthpiece and one that suited.

Simon that's sort of what I wanted to do. I know I wanted a softer sound because that's what I like to hear. I've currently got two on approval from Phil Edwards a Selmer C and an Otto Link.

I've been playing them both and the difference is amazing. It's also amazing that they don't sound the same. Now I can see why you lot have such a lot of different mouthpieces 😉

The Selmer just seems to play itself with practically no effort from me. I've found it easier to do everything - tonueing, low notes, high notes, reading music which is odd but I think it's because the notes come freely (not timing though). The link is a 6* which is probably a tad wide for me but I can play it albeit with a 1.5 reed. The sound is just what I was looking for and is certainly giving my chops a good workout 😛

🙂 Sharon

Rogerb · Jul 25, 2007

Yes a Link 6* is a lot wider than a Selmer C (About 12 thou, I think), so you would expect a difference!

Linky Lee · Jul 25, 2007

I've found link mouthpieces to be highly inconsistent with their tip openings anyway. I've found 5s that felt like 7s and even a 9 that felt like a 6 once. It's a bit of pot luck. You've just got to go for which one feels right, most of the mouthpieces tend to stick to the numbering though.

philthd · Jul 25, 2007

the complaint i had heard about links was that the facings were slightly inconsistant, making pieces of the same number and opening feel slightly different.

some are better than others, but ive never played one that wasnt ok

phil_edwards · Jul 25, 2007

Rogerb wrote:
Yes a Link 6* is a lot wider than a Selmer C (About 12 thou, I think), so you would expect a difference!

Interestingly sax.co.uk tables show the C* at 75 thou, and the Otto Link 6* at 80 thou. I'd swear the difference was more than that, but then the profile of the pieces is very different so they do feel completely different in the mouth.

The Selmer S80 D that I'm currently playing is listed as 85 thou.

regards, Phil

Edited as I've just found another chart that says C* = 65 thou, D = 75 thou, 6* = 80 thou. Without measuring them that 'feels' more likely to be correct.

Pete Thomas · Jul 25, 2007

Phil Edwards wrote:
I'd swear the difference was more than that, but then the profile of the pieces is very different so they do feel completely different in the mouth.

two mouthpieces with identical tip opening can feel massively different, you need to take the curve into account.

e.g. a narrow tip but short curve can feel like a wider tip with longer curve.

phil_edwards · Jul 25, 2007

Yes. They feel very different in the 'beak' angle - is that the correct term? By which I mean the Selmer feels quite long and 'thin', whereas the Otto feels like the top of the mouthpiece ramps up at a much steeper angle (more like a clarinet mpc).

Phil