Mouthpieces Label snob? Rico Royal metallite m11

suethesax · Sep 23, 2008

I acquired a Rico Royal metalite M11 (alto) on Saturday and after turning my nose up at the name (just as I would a handbag or pair of shoes/clothing without the 'right' label') was very taken with it. It's very free blowing and fairly loud, responsive and warm at the bottom. Not too sure yet about the altissimo.

Anyway all for ?20! I hate the colour - a sort of grey but am loving the sound. The bloke I bought it from says he prefers it second to his Bobby Dukoff.

Ayone else had experience of these? I'd never heard of them before.

I may start to look at 'non label' shoes and save a fortune!

rhysonsax · Sep 23, 2008

Hi Sue,

Rico Royal, both Metalite and Graftonite were desigen by Arnold Brilhart who designed and made some of the best mouthpieces from the 1940s to the 1980s (at least). From the Tonalin white pieces (as used on alto by Charlie Parker and many others) to the Level Air screaming metal piece used by David Sanborn in the 1970s. Lots of Brilharts are still in circulation and much in demand.

I've got Metalite pieces for bari and soprano. Although I use other pieces in preference to them, they are absolutely amazing for the money. Brilhart knew a lot about plastics and designed the pieces to be easily (and cheaply) manufactured.

Rhys

Jules · Sep 23, 2008

yup- played one on baritone. great piece....

TomMapfumo · Sep 23, 2008

You'll be buying a Walstein next!

The rico mouthpieces look interesting and I'm surprised that they are not more widely known - when compared to the Yamaha 4C etc. I only became aware of them late on, but sound good quality. Is it just the Graftonite and La Voz that are produced?

Kind regards
Tom

suethesax · Sep 24, 2008

rhysonsax wrote:
Hi Sue,

Rico Royal, both Metalite and Graftonite were desigen by Arnold Brilhart who designed and made some of the best mouthpieces from the 1940s to the 1980s (at least). From the Tonalin white pieces (as used on alto by Charlie Parker and many others) to the Level Air screaming metal piece used by David Sanborn in the 1970s. Lots of Brilharts are still in circulation and much in demand.

I've got Metalite pieces for bari and soprano. Although I use other pieces in preference to them, they are absolutely amazing for the money. Brilhart knew a lot about plastics and designed the pieces to be easily (and cheaply) manufactured.

Rhys

Thanks for the info. I've often thought of trying a Brilhart piece and now I guess I have in a way. Although i like it I'm not sure that I prefer it over my Soloist - just different and i will definitely keep it.

suethesax · Sep 24, 2008

TomMapfumo wrote:
You'll be buying a Walstein next!

The rico mouthpieces look interesting and I'm surprised that they are not more widely known - when compared to the Yamaha 4C etc. I only became aware of them late on, but sound good quality. Is it just the Graftonite and La Voz that are produced?

Kind regards
Tom

Not sure about the Walstein - think I'll stick with the Yani for now 😛

(My niece has introduced me to the delights of Primark though - bargains galore)

Couldn't really find out much about Rico pieces only that the metalite is discontinued. A quick look on Rico website shows Graftonite and La Voz.

Pjonah · Sep 24, 2008

I played a Brilhart Super Ebolin 5* on tenor for years in the 70's and 80's, got a metal Berg Larson which kept me going for ten years until I realised it wasn't a patch on the Brilhart and ended up going back to it!

I've just bought a New Brilhart(Selmer USA) for my alto and it sings just like the old days. Altissimo is a piece of cake I love um, Arny can do no wrong in my book, but thats just me I guess.

I'm looking out for one for the Baritone now, could take some time!

Simon

rhysonsax · Sep 24, 2008

Arnold Brilhart (a real genius of a designer) sold his Company to Selmer USA.

Brilhart subsequently helped to design mouthpieces for Rico (Metalite and Graftonite) and also Beechler.

The Beechler ARB line of pieces was apparently named for "Arnold Ross Brilhart" and some of their other lines are clones of the old Brilhart lines. ARB metal pieces are just about the same as the original Brilhart Level-Aires and are much better than the new model "Level-Aire" from Selmer.

There's a bit about Arnold Brilhart here: http://www.dornpub.com/SaxjPDF/arnold.pdf

Including this:

In 1967 I sold the Brilhart Mouthpiece Company and all trademarks to the Selmer Company and decided not to make saxophones. Selmer still owns all of the Brilhart trademarks and I have been an exclusive employee of Rico International for the past twelve years.

Rhys

jonf · Sep 24, 2008

Hey Sue, you should try the tenor and baritone ones, they're even better. Monster pieces.

thomsax · Sep 24, 2008

Sue,

The Metallites are great. At the first workshop I gave the participators a Metallite so they could play Rock 'n' Roll Saxophone. I have a spare Metalite tenor M7 that have never been played. Wonder why Rico discontiued the Metalite?

There are some info on the box:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm201/thomsax/metalite.jpg
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm201/thomsax/Metallitebak.jpg

Thomas

Pjonah · Sep 24, 2008

rhysonsax wrote:
Arnold Brilhart (a real genius of a designer) sold his Company to Selmer USA.

Brilhart subsequently helped to design mouthpieces for Rico (Metalite and Graftonite) and also Beechler.

The Beechler ARB line of pieces was apparently named for "Arnold Ross Brilhart" and some of their other lines are clones of the old Brilhart lines. ARB metal pieces are just about the same as the original Brilhart Level-Aires and are much better than the new model "Level-Aire" from Selmer.

There's a bit about Arnold Brilhart here: http://www.dornpub.com/SaxjPDF/arnold.pdf

Including this:

In 1967 I sold the Brilhart Mouthpiece Company and all trademarks to the Selmer Company and decided not to make saxophones. Selmer still owns all of the Brilhart trademarks and I have been an exclusive employee of Rico International for the past twelve years.

Rhys

Rhys

That was an interesting read, thanks for that.

I've been a fan of his pieces for years now, my late great sisters father inlaw Frank Rogers introduced me to them in the early 70's, so I kind of grew up with them, my teeth went through the first one which was replaced with the Super Ebolin 5* which I still play to this day on Tenor, just an awesome piece for subtone and realy dark.

Simon

suethesax · Sep 25, 2008

Thanks for the info guys - saw a Brilhart on the Devils junkyard asing ?140 buy it now. No serial mentioned though - did they all have serials? Link here:
http://tinyurl.com/46ayd7

silver_smurfer · Sep 26, 2008

This post has got me interested in the Rico Royal mouthpieces but a bit of smurfing on the internet reveals that a $15 RR Graftonite in the US costs ?30 here in the UK. I understood that the system was to convert the $ sign to a ? but not to then hike it by another 100%. 😡

TomMapfumo · Sep 26, 2008

If you smurf to www.trevorjonesltd.co.uk you will find them available at around ?16. Happiness involves a little more smurfing in this case.

Kind regards
Tom

TomMapfumo · Sep 26, 2008

Hi Folks

I have just ordered a Rico Graftonite B7 (tip is 65) soprano mouthpiece from Trevor at ?16.13, so will let you know my impressions.

Label snob, moi?

Kind regards
Tom