Mouthpieces Morgan Fry Detective Work

[Jules]

Does anyone have any intel on this piece. I know a few folks here used to know the, missing in action, Mr Fry. There's no tip size listed except "M" and, while I suspect its one of his Super Vintage models, the seller didn't know. Anyone got any intel? I remember his Super Vintage models were really good

 

[rhysonsax]

I have multiple mouthpieces by made by Morgan Fry and several more modified by him. Some of those are among my very favourites, especially on tenor and alto.

The Morgan Fry website is still live but with only limited models showing. I really would not try to buy through that, but it does show the Super Vintage tenor mouthpiece so you can look at a couple of pictures.

The Super Vintage on the website has a similar shank shape and baffle design although the markings are different to the one you have linked to on eBay.

I don't have a Super Vintage but do have a Vintage tenor that has a similar shape body and shank and two rings on the shank (echoing the old Otto Link Double Ring pieces). This is also shown on his website.

Hope that helps.

Rhys

 

[Trigger]

This ebayer always over prices his mpc
I remember selling him a saskahama mpc which had been worked on by mojo , nice mpc , he tried to send it back 3 months later saying it was faulty , I accepted the return but fortunately eBay decided he was at fault as he had the mpc for 3 months and if it was faulty why not send it back earlier ?
He then listed it saying it’s a great mpc and it was double the price I sold it
All I’m saying is buyer beware

 

[Ivan]

1. MF, bare brass, no other markings, about a 7, no shank ring
2. MF, shiny gold brass, marked Vintage, 7*, Double shank ring
3. MF, Rhodium, marked Hollywood, 7*, Double shank ring
4. MF, Rhodium, marked Hollywood, 10, Double shank ring
5. MF, bare brass, marked Andy Sheppard, 10, no shank ring

To the eye there's no obvious difference in baffle and internal geometry in any of them... Whatever MF did to alter the mouthpiece sound was subtle...

3-5 have integrated lig. MF added the integrated lig at the latter end of production. A question to ask concerning your prospective piece @Jules is... Did the Super Vintage predate the integrated lig?

I would say that the absence of script spelling out the model makes it much less likely to be Super Vintage, especially given there's a cryptic 'M' on the table which smacks or earlier experimentation. The one thing that's Super Vintage is no shank ring, but then no1 and 5 don't have them either

All of this uncertainty (from the above comments the seller won't give you a reliable history), alongside not being able to play test it, means the price should be under £300

 

[rhysonsax]

My MF metal alto piece predates the slide-on lig and has and M on the table below 6 which is the tip opening. I think that M stood for "Medium Chamber" but I'm not certain.

Ny MF Vintage metal tenor piece has V on the table below 8 which is the tip opening. I'm pretty sure that V stands for Vintage.

Rhys

 

[Ivan]

Ny MF Vintage metal tenor piece has V on the table below 8 which is the tip opening. I'm pretty sure that V stands for Vintage.

My 'Vintage' tenor has, 'Vintage", written around the shank in lettering, as are likewise etched the Hollywood(s).... Which in my mind makes them more recently made pieces if MF upped the look of the things over time compared to my unlabelled piece (a sweetly playing gem) and the abrupt lettering of V on yours or M on the eBay one

If your V on the table indicates Vintage, @Jules 's potential buy with the 'M' on the table is obviously not designated Super Vintage

 

[rhysonsax]

Sorry, I should have said that my Vintage piece also has Vintage written on the shank as well as there being a V on the table. And a printed label saying Vintage on the tube it came in.

Rhys

 

[eb424]

This ebayer always over prices his mpc
I remember selling him a saskahama mpc which had been worked on by mojo , nice mpc , he tried to send it back 3 months later saying it was faulty , I accepted the return but fortunately eBay decided he was at fault as he had the mpc for 3 months and if it was faulty why not send it back earlier ?
He then listed it saying it’s a great mpc and it was double the price I sold it
All I’m saying is buyer beware

Think I bought that and returned it..I bought one of him nov 22

 

[Ivan]

Does anyone have any intel on this piece.

I see the seller has a number of MF mouthpiece for sale at the £500 mark including a Vintage 7*

Offering the one you're thinking of for £100 less might indicate the seller knows it's not a sought after version