Mouthpieces reed suggestions for PPT 7*

[sax panther]

I've been clean for almost a year I think, but today I had a GAS attack. Very shortly there will be a PPT onyxite 7* (Tenor) in the post to me, courtesy of a naive ebay seller whose listing ended mid afternoon when most people are hard at work.

My current Berg Larsen is a 120/1/SMS, so this will be a bit more closed than I'm used to. While the postman is bringing me my PPT, I want to order some reeds that will get the best from it. Does anyone who currently blows a PPT 7* have any recommendations? I currently use a Vandoren Java 3, or a Vandoren blue box 2.5, on the Berg. I've got a few harder ones in the cupboard somewhere, but they might not be great.

Apologies if this question has been asked before - I could find a thread about 8*, but not 7*.

If I end up not liking it, I can always Yardsale it (justification for my GAS)

 

[Colin the Bear]

I'd try what you've got first.

 

[kevgermany]

Rico Special Jazz work well on PPTs. Try a 2H.

 

[MMM]

You beat me to that by £2!

 

[Jules]

Rico Special Jazz work well on PPTs. Try a 2H.

Agreed. Seem to remember LaVoz Medium Hard worked well on mine too...

 

[sax panther]

You beat me to that by £2!

Sorry! (not sorry...)

just don't tell my girlfriend how much it was...I've convinced her I've never spent more than £40 on an ebay mouthpiece...

 

[ellinas]

I have exactly the same mouthpiece and I'm very happy with a Jumbo Java Green 2 or 2 1/2 or a Legere Signature 2 1/2.

@kevgermany what is a Rico Special Jazz reed? RJS(elect)?

***EDIT***

Legere Signature 2 1/4 sorry

 

[sharkfin]

I've been clean for almost a year I think, but today I had a GAS attack. Very shortly there will be a PPT onyxite 7* (Tenor) in the post to me, courtesy of a naive ebay seller whose listing ended mid afternoon when most people are hard at work.

My current Berg Larsen is a 120/1/SMS, so this will be a bit more closed than I'm used to. While the postman is bringing me my PPT, I want to order some reeds that will get the best from it. Does anyone who currently blows a PPT 7* have any recommendations? I currently use a Vandoren Java 3, or a Vandoren blue box 2.5, on the Berg. I've got a few harder ones in the cupboard somewhere, but they might not be great.

Apologies if this question has been asked before - I could find a thread about 8*, but not 7*.

If I end up not liking it, I can always Yardsale it (justification for my GAS)

Legere Signature 2.25 works for me on the HR.

 

[kevgermany]

@kevgermany what is a Rico Special Jazz reed? RJS(elect)?

Yes, sorry. Was early and I was half asleep. I think they're D'addario branded now.

 

[ellinas]

Oh man...... No gas far me this weekend...... No new reed to try for no apparent reason

 

[sax panther]

Ordered a box of jazz select 2h....hopefully both reeds and mouthpiece should arrive today!

I'd like to try legeres again....tried one on clarinet though and didn't like it at all.

 

[MMM]

Sorry! (not sorry...)

just don't tell my girlfriend how much it was...I've convinced her I've never spent more than £40 on an ebay mouthpiece...

That's ok, I already have an 8* and a 9*, just wanted to try the 7, especially at that price, but was busy on a conf call! Anyway enjoy it, they are really great!

 

[Rikki]

Legere Signature 2.25 works for me on the HR.

For me too with a legere signature 2.25 the mouthpiece really sang

 

[sax panther]

For me too with a legere signature 2.25 the mouthpiece really sang

2 votes for the Leger signature... maybe i'll give them another try. I'll see how I get on with the jazz selects. No news as yet... with the reeds input them in my amazon basket but forgot to check out, and with the mouthpiece the seller has posted it second class, so I have to wait until sometime next week! Hate buying new gear and having to wait for it!

 

[ellinas]

What's good for me might not be for you. Thats the norm in mouthpieces and reeds. For example withh the PPT I get as bright as I can without feeling that I'm ruining my sound. My friend thinks it's a middle if the road mouthpiece! And i think my otto link NY is not too dark while he thinks it cant get darker than that unless going classical!

I generally have a tight sideways but relaxed down lip embouchoure having my tongue in an upper flat position touching my back side teeth and play with medium reeds, and he plays with a really relaxed embouchoure and harder reeds.

I play a beaugnier which has richer and darker sound and he plays a yamaha 62.

We both have a sound of our own, and we enjoy each others playing.

He played my PPT with a RJS 3M and it felt OK for his modern soul smooth jazz sound concept, i find any reed above 2,5 ruining the character of the PPT for me.

As i read in a saxophone related article the other day. There's not much science in choosing musical gear.

What is a magical wand for me might be a wood stick for you

 

[sax panther]

They arrived... I'd never seen the packaging for the jazz select reeds before, I thought someone had sent me a box of ten cigarettes by mistake to start with.

I'm liking the PPT. The description is right - it feels very versatile. Loads of punch, but I can play it calmly too. I initially got quite a few chirps when pushing lots of air through on the notes towards the top of the treble clef - I've given it a good blow for 20-25 minutes and these chirps are getting more infrequent, so maybe it's just me getting used to the mouthpiece (I had similar chirps/control issues when I tried a metal beechler at a shop). I'm finding the altissimo much harder to get to speak at the moment - again, I'll keep trying, maybe try some alternative fingerings, and see if it's just me getting used to it. I have a band rehearsal on Thursday, if I can squeeze in some more private practice over the next two evenings and eradicate the chirps then I'll try the PPT with the band.

So...at the moment I don't think I'll be yard sale-ing the PPT. But I don't want to get rid of my Berg either....because I tried the jazz select 2Hs on that (it's a hard rubber 120/1/SMS) and they are a perfect fit. Much nicer than the vandoren 2.5 blue or the java 3s that I'd been switching between. So whatever mouthpiece I choose, the reeds are definitely keepers! The Berg has a 'fatter' and 'fuzzier' (in a good way) sound, the PPT maybe has a bit more punch and more of a 'clear' sound, if that makes any sense. I might also try the next strength up on the jazz selects at some point - the 2Hs make a nice sound, but I definitely wouldn't want to go any softer (on the PPT).