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Metal Mouthpieces

Ponce Julius

Senior Member
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56
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New Orleans
I'm new to saxophone but been playing music most of all of my life. I currently content with learning and developing my embouchure on my current mp but eventually I want to invest in a good metal mp. Have any of you guys ever heard of a Russo? My sax tech plays on one but I can't seem to find any information online about them. I'm also interested in learning about the Guardala mp...its suppose to be a wonderful mp for a King Super 20. Any experience that you can relate will be appreciated.:mrcool
 
Why metal? Just a question, cos if it's sound, then ignore material and go for a piece that sounds how you want it to.
 
Well said Kev.

Personally I find that for my mouth shape and young embouchure a hard rubber piece just 'fits' better. I find the slim metal pieces less comfortable and more work.

Material doesn't make any difference to sound. It's the internal shape of the piece that counts (and you!)
 
Dubrosa22

You speak utter, total...









Sense:cheers:
 
I don't want to pedjudice things, but I bought a metal piece a few weeks ago. I plays beautifully. Soudns is all I was expecting. But I can't get on with the small metal beak. Partly cold, partly taste, partly feel. And it's anything but bright, but I wanted a dark piece.
 
Material doesn't make any difference to sound. It's the internal shape of the piece that counts (and you!)

A bit of a coda to this- the vast majority of metal mouthpieces are brighter and, to some extent, louder than the majority of ebonites. This is down to the fact that the type of mouthpiece that plays this way is easier to manufacture from metal than ebonite. Yes- an identical piece made from metal would be the same as an equivalent piece made from hard rubber (Lawtons prove this point nicely- the ebonite following the same design as the metal), but take one random metal and one random ebonite- chances are metal’s got more Oomph…
 
Interesting advice...I have tried a metal mp on another tenor (not my horn) and the sound was great! Bright and beautiful tone, and from what I've been reading a lot of metal mp's offer a brighter sound. So I wanted to have one to have one. Switch between hard rubber and metal depending on what sound I'm looking for.
 
Try a Rico Metalite - best of both worlds, and cheap as chips.
 
I have here in my hand a PPT Onyxite and a PPT metal prototype, for playtesting over the next few days. They are as identical internally as is possible to be I believe. Are they the same sound? I'll do some recording to find out, though it won't be a scientific test as it can't be done without me knowing which is which.
 
I imagine the ligs might be different, too, but will they be of the same design?

Which hand are the two mouthpieces in.....? ;}

I am interested in the effect that size has on the results - if a Tenor mouthpiece is small (metal) are we more likely to be able to put more oomph into it, whether deliberately or not - especially as many mouthpiece descriptions, inc. the PPT, often say that a certain mouthpiece will sound brighter/more edgy when pushed.
 
Interesting advice...I have tried a metal mp on another tenor (not my horn) and the sound was great! Bright and beautiful tone, and from what I've been reading a lot of metal mp's offer a brighter sound. So I wanted to have one to have one. Switch between hard rubber and metal depending on what sound I'm looking for.
Hi PJ,
I have Metal, HR, and Plastic, and i find the Plastic Metalite by far the loudest and edgy piece i have, but it's a beautiful edge to me, and a fuller sound than my metal Bergs. I also find it much easier to control than my Jumbo Java as well. I tested it the other day against my Metal Berg 100/0 sms and it left it standing for control and edge, allthough the amount of edge can be controlled easily, like Tom say's the best of both world's.I know you've got a Metalite M7 how's it going with that piece?.
Rob.
 
@ Tom....actually thats what I'm playing on now...Rico Metalite M7. I have a few other mp's but thats the one I'm learning on right now
 
@ Compound....hmmmm, thats interesting...perhaps I should just stick with the mp I have and be happy and content with that. Things are going good with the Metalite M7...at least I think they are going good! lol...I didn't have my lesson this week with my saxophone teacher and he will be the judge and jury on how it sounds from a professional ear. I'm able to play all the notes and the octave range, but then again, I havn't learned altismos and really high notes about a D octave yet.
 
PJ,
It will all come in time, it sounds like you have a great teacher, and from what you say it sound's like your doing great.BTW i find the Metalite is the best i've ever used for Altissimo.Best of luck PJ, let us know how your doin from time to time. There are some great reviews on the Metalite on SOTW check em out.
Rob.
 
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Regarding the Metalite being my choice of mouthpiece, here's a list of piece's i've used.
Berg Larsen Metal 6
Otto Link Metal 2
Bari Metal 1
Selmer Metal 1
Dukoff Metal 1
Claude Lakey Plastic 1
Jumbo Java H/R 1
Hite H/R 2
Metalite Plastic 1
Sharkbite Metal 1
As you can see it's been a long journey to finally get the right one for me, but it's been fun, and expensive.!
Also a Rousseau H/R 1 forgot that.
Rob.
 
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@ Rob....a long journey indeed...and an expensive one! I've been reading that the best reed to use with the Metalite is Rico Royal Plastic Covers or Fibracell....any thoughts on any of these reeds? From my understanding they are both synthetic reeds. So do I have to store them differently? Should I still wet them before playing? Thanks in advance!
 
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