Mouthpieces Mouthpiece options/thoughts for a Keilwerth SX90r tenor please.

Little My

Practice makes better.
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Wiltshire, UK.
I'm in a position to buy 1, maybe 2 new mouthpieces for my sx90r tenor.

I have recently replaced my Hite Premiere with a Lebayle metal LR2 with a 7 tip. I'm still finding my way with it, but do like the tone very much, it's quite dark for a metal piece. I am missing have a HR mouthpiece though. Years back, I was kindly lent a couple of vintage links - one metal, one rubber. I adored the tone on the ebonite, but soon learned that modern links are not the same thing at all - stuffy and hard work. Then I lost my chops through lack of playing, sold the modern links and started again with the Hite. My daughter recently dropped and chipped the Hite, but to be honest I could barely play it anyway after trying the Lebayle. So not another Hite. I wasn't bowled over by the high-baffle Keilwerth piece that came with the sax so would probably steer clear of pronounced baffles.

My preference is for a sound that is full, warm and intimate and that makes me as happy as the old Link did. I'm not necessarily after bags of projection as I think the metal LR2 has that covered. I'm a hobby player with audiences limited to family and friends in my kitchen, though I hope to join a monthly jam session soon.

I'm considering another Lebayle, either the HR LR2 or the cheaper ebonite Jazz (suggested by my teacher). I'm also thinking about a Jody Jazz HR or a Phil-Tone Tone-Edge possibly with a slightly smaller tip size. I know there's one on the Yard Sale at the moment. If anyone has any experience of these mouthpieces or of others that work well on a Keilwerth I would value your thoughts. I'm not keen on changing my setup often so ideally would be playing whatever I bought for some years.

Thank you for reading and for any thoughts.
 
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I used to have a Vandoren TL4 which was warm, not as dark as the link but a lot less stuffy. There is a new mouthpiece from Selmer, called the Concept, which sounds like it may be aimed at what you're looking for.

A perfected Link, from Ed Pillinger or Morgan Fry could work well as you will keep the Link sound, but lose the stuffy.
 
Just was dropping in and saw this. I just released a piece that is based on the vintage links of the 60's. Later Florida/early Babbitt..it is called the phil-Tone Sapphire. Steve Neff recently reviewed it.

Sorry if this is unwelcome soliciting. Thanks

Phil
 
Agreee with Saxdiva. Get either a customised link or a good quality modern Link based piece.

Morgan's play really well and sound great. No experience of others.
 
Thank you all for these very helpful replies. I have a lesson this week so will talk to my teacher and decide after that. It's good to know that there's a number of good choices and that I should be able to return to the linkish sound.
 
I had Frys rhodium link type mp.It sure had that great link vibe going on and was very well made.Only let it go as i'm a high baffle guy.I now use 2 PPT tenor mps that he made.
 
I am missing have a HR mouthpiece though. Years back, I was kindly lent a couple of vintage links - one metal, one rubber.

A perfected Link, from Ed Pillinger or Morgan Fry could work well as you will keep the Link sound, but lose the stuffy.

Pillinger's NYT is a link based mouthpiece. It is the perfect companion for my Florida Link (refaced by Pillinger too: I have the same facing on both). Great price and a lovely guy to deal with.

Just was dropping in and saw this. I just released a piece that is based on the vintage links of the 60's. Later Florida/early Babbitt..it is called the phil-Tone Sapphire. Steve Neff recently reviewed it.
Allegedly Dick Hamer http://www.woodwindsalesandrepairs.com/mouthpiecesales.html will eventually have some in stock on this side of the pond.
I recently tried Phil's Tribute, and it is really close to my Metal Florida 7 (I usually play a 9)

As an alternative to Lebayle, I recently reviewed Absolute Mouthpieces
http://absolutesax.com/store/index.php?route=common/home
Their resin piece has a lot of character and a very low price. If you check SOTW you should find few clips and reviews.
 
Dick will have some Sapphire pieces soon. I am working on his shipment this week.
 
Pillinger's NYT is a link based mouthpiece. It is the perfect companion for my Florida Link (refaced by Pillinger too: I have the same facing on both). Great price and a lovely guy to deal with.

While mouthpiece preference is an intensely personal matter, I must agree with everything Aldevis said about the NYT and dealing with the Pillingers. The NYT is a lovely mouthpiece to play; subtle, versatile and easy to play in-tune for a large chamber mouthpiece. An added advantage in my opinion is that you don't need hard reeds to get the best out of it. I liked mine so much that I ordered an NYA for my alto and that is just as agreeable to play.
 
Thank you again for all the helpful comments. I'm doing a lot of reading now and have eliminated nothing from the shortlist :) I've ordered a Jody Jazz HR 6* from Howarth to try as a first pass, and there are funds left for one other HR piece once I've tried the JJ.

My plan is to have 2 or 3 mouthpieces so that I have a choice and a bit of security should one get damaged.
 
hmmm. The Jody Jazz arrived today. The sound is fine and I like the design, but I seem to play very sharp with it compared to my Lebayle.
 
hmmm. The Jody Jazz arrived today. The sound is fine and I like the design, but I seem to play very sharp with it compared to my Lebayle.
I usually play with a Vandoren Java T45 and have my mouthpiece pushed almost right onto the cork, but with a HR Jody Jazz 6* I also play sharp and have to have the mouthpiece only about a third of the way on and because it seems to have a larger opening the cork isn't quite thick enough. I like the sound and find it free blowing but dont really want to get my sax neck recorked to play it!
 
Little My, Could be the two mouthpieces are different lengths??

Jobylou, Use some PTFE tape to build up the cork on a temp basis:thumb: Does no harm and can be removed easily..

Chris..
 
Self amalgamating tape might be a better solution. And A selmer S80 would be my back up choice.
 
Thank you for the replies, much appreciated.

Aldevis, it's harder to get it in tune across the range compared to my Lebayle. When I pull it out on the cork to tune on say G or A, the lower notes gradually play flatter and flatter going down and the higher ones become increasingly sharp going up. Granted the Lebayle is metal (and a different length, as Chris suggested), and sits a lot further down on the cork, but even so the tuning is much more consistent across the range and any variation rather less extreme. I did do an internet search that indicated that a few saxes have issues with sharpness with this mouthpiece, it's interesting that JobeyLou found this too. I've sent it back this afternoon and will consider what to try next.
 
Aldevis, it's harder to get it in tune across the range compared to my Lebayle. When I pull it out on the cork to tune on say G or A, the lower notes gradually play flatter and flatter going down and the higher ones become increasingly sharp going up.

Quite a common occurrence with larger chambered pieces. What surprises me is that I tried an SX90 with my usual large chambered Pillinger and it was spot on. My NYT replaced a JJ HR and I don't remember any major difference in tuning. It might be you, too used to the Lebayle.
Keep us updated about the next one: it might take a bit to find the right position on the cork of a new mouthpiece.
If the issue is the chamber size, you can try some bluetac. If the upper register goes back in place, it is it.
I am a supporter of large(ish) chambers. It is worth working on them; they will give you some warm flexibility.
 
I'm too lazy to use the search function.

When you try a new mouthpiece/horn combination, try not to use a tuner. There is a position of the mouthpiece that makes the horn play in tune with itself. It the upper register sounds sharp, pull out.
After a while you are playing correct intervals, you can check the tuner.
 
Thank you. The JJ had a smaller chamber than the Lebayle, I definitely prefer the larger chambers. I think my lack of skill is definitely a factor here. You make an interesting point about playing without the tuner too.
 
The JJ has a smallιsh chamber so it needs to be further out on the cork to be in tune. Got rid of mine for this reason.
 

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