Mouthpieces Sticking to one mouthpiece - what's it to be?

[Pete Thomas]

If you change sax, what was a good MP for one may not be a good MP for another.
This I have discovered.

This I would respectfully disagree with. Or rather, I would say that for me, I would not consider a change of mouthpiece because of a change of instrument - the mouthpiece is something personal to me, and should be fine with any saxophone. (Of the same size obviously)

Dont we all do the endless search for the perfect mouthpiece?.

Yes, I did until I found it! Although you could say the perfect mouthpiece is the one you stick with and get used to instead of chopping and changing trying to find the perfect mouthpiece (which you had all along if only you'd done the long notes)

 

[Targa]

Dont we all do the endless search for the perfect mouthpiece?..

Not me, I've only had three for both tenor and alto, the ones they came with, a vintage Ponzol and then an Otto Link for each.
As long as they keep improving every time I play I don't see any reason to buy more.

 

[Mostlytenor]

Let us defy the forces of GAS!
Let us celebrate the Perfectly Adequate Mouthpiece! (cue swelling Hollywood music)

 

[GCinCT]

I confess to succumbing to GAS and doing the mouthpiece hunt. But I have settled down. I play my alto almost exclusively and I’ve been sticking with my JJ Babbitt 100th Anniversary Meyer NY 7. It does the job nicely.

 

[Greg Strange]

Would it be possible to post a picture or two of the Five Spot

I don't have a digital camera but I have taken these photos using the camera on an Asus i7 laptop...hopefully you may be able to view them...

I actually have 5 C.E. Winds mouthpieces - the 6M (below), a Five Spot Jazz Aluminium Fusion 8M (greyish colour), Studio Sonic alto piece (supposedly based on Julius Hemphill's {of World Saxophone Quartet fame} original Dave Guardala, a Gold Genesis (based on a Selmer Jazz Metal alto piece) and the C.E. Winds The Legend based on Mike Brecker's Dave Guardala tenor mouthpiece...

Greg S.

 

[Keep Blowing]

I don't have a digital camera but I have taken these photos using the camera on an Asus i7 laptop...hopefully you may be able to view them...

I actually have 5 C.E. Winds mouthpieces - the 6M (below), a Five Spot Jazz Aluminium Fusion 8M (greyish colour), Studio Sonic alto piece (supposedly based on Julius Hemphill's {of World Saxophone Quartet fame} original Dave Guardala, a Gold Genesis (based on a Selmer Jazz Metal alto piece) and the C.E. Winds The Legend based on Mike Brecker's Dave Guardala tenor mouthpiece...

Greg S.

Thank you, that's very much appreciated!

 

[Ivan]

I am due for a clearout

Sennakot, two tablets, in the evening?

 

[altissimo]

You must never get rid of any MP in your MP drawer or chest.
If you change sax, what was a good MP for one may not be a good MP for another.
This I have discovered.

This I would respectfully agree with, although it may depend on the player and the sax.
In my experience some vintage instruments can be a bit fussy about which mouthpiece they prefer and it's often not the one you think it would be - vintage style mouthpieces don't work on my Conn, it prefers a Lawton ebonite 8* BB which also works well on my Martin Indiana...

I've also been enjoying a stainless steel Berg Larsen 100/1/SMS although I'd prefer a longer facing like the Lawton has..... maybe I should just track down a stainless Lawton BB?

 

[DavidUK]

This I would respectfully disagree with. Or rather, I would say that for me, I would not consider a change of mouthpiece because of a change of instrument - the mouthpiece is something personal to me, and should be fine with any saxophone. (Of the same size obviously)

It was my Conn "DeLuxe" (NWI/II) which stumped me. Played flat with my PPT using any reed from my reed drawer and so did my other MPs, but a Vandoren AL3 which came with another sax worked a treat and solved the issue. There again, the Martin Indiana which just arrived today works just fine with the PPT, best so far with Plasticover 2 reed but I'm still experimenting.

Talking of reeds, @Pete Thomas do you find you can also stick with the same reed with any sax as well as the same MP?

I generally use RJS 2M (now D'addario Jazz Select I believe) but there again some horns need a different reed. May well be due to me not being able to subtly alter my technique to suit horn/MP/reed as more experienced players can.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Talking of reeds, @Pete Thomas do you find you can also stick with the same reed with any sax as well as the same MP?

Absolutely. If I couldn't I would probably give up. Life is too short.

getting back to mouthpieces, I see your point if you are switching between some vintage and modern instruments regarding intonation

 

[Jazzaferri]

PPT Hooligan 11* for tenor - if I had to fit into a big band sax section again I would probably go back to a smaller opening non high baffle.
PPT 8* for alto

 

[JoeG46]

It all depends on the context. For tenor I have a Guardala Studio when I need to be loud and a hard rubber Greg Wier when I can play quietly. On alto I have a ROC plastic piece and a metal Selmer; on soprano a Selmer S-80 C* (though that's specifically for a Couesnon sop.); on bari another Greg Wier HR.
A baritone student turning up for a lesson told me that he had spent 4 hours online searching for the perfect mouthpiece. I told him that if he'd spent even half that time practicing he wouldn't be such a crap saxophonist.

 

[gladsaxisme]

Well I only try to play on alto and its the good old PPT for me that I fell in love with the first time I used it and can't imagine ever needing any other mpc but I am very tempted to try the hooligan,I do have dozens but have bought very few most of them have come with saxes I have bought ,I do have a meyer that a good friend once gave me that I keep intending to give a whirl other than that I'm fully satisfied mpc wise

 

[Pete Thomas]

Well I only try to play on alto and its the good old PPT for me that I fell in love with the first time I used it and can't imagine ever needing any other mpc but I am very tempted to try the hooligan,

This to me is the only reason to very have more than one, ie if you want something radically different for those certain occasions.

I still see no point though having ore than one mouthpiece for your main sound and style.

Im work hard on being able to get those different sounds from one mouthpiece.

 

[Cimarron]

One mouthpiece is definitely going to help the most with your progress, however there are advantages to using several. mainly you get to learn that you may have got further if you'd just just stuck to one good one.

And son I must say the PPT will be your guide to those ethereal spaces that have eluded you

 

[Dr G]

My #1 for many years (10+) was a Lamberson J8. I have been on a Phil-Tone Intrepid 7* for the last long while. I find it equally flexible in its range of tones, love the grit when I push it, and the slightly smaller tip opening (.105 vs .120) provides sharper response to nuanced changes in articulation.

 

[turf3]

Well, here's the list:

Soprano - buescher True-Tone since 2016; Selmer S-80 C* since 2000
Alto - Conn 6M since 1978; Meyer 7 since ~1998
Tenor - Conn 10M since ~1998; Meyer 8 since 1978 and Dukoff D7 since 1982
Baritone - Conn 12M since 1984; Meyer 8 since 2006
Bass - Noblet (Beaugnier) since 2016; Selmer S-80 C* since 2016
Flute - Miyazawa since ~2000

Also,

Double-bass - Romanian no-name fully carved since 2010
Guitar - Yamaha steel string (solid top, plywood back and sides) since 2006
Piano - my mother's Cable-Nelson circa 1955

It should be pretty clear that I don't subscribe to the gear-of-the-month club.

As someone once said, "beware the man who only owns one gun; he might know how to use it."

 

[Veggie Dave]

My #1 for many years (10+) was a Lamberson J8. I have been on a Phil-Tone Intrepid 7* for the last long while.

That's a coincidence. I was just looking up Phil Tone but it looks like he's stopped trading?

 

[cappers]

As a relative beginner I've tried not to fall down the mpc rabbit hole knowing that at least initially, I needed to concentrate on developing my sound on something 'basic' until my chops have developed.

After six months using a Yamaha 5C on tenor I bought a Selmer Longshank Soloist 'E' from @Pete Thomas and I took to it straight away. Easy to blow, rich sound, flexible and ideal for playing in the swing band. Been playing it for six months now, love it and can't see any reason to change. Maybe one day I might visit a store and try some others for fun, Link or such like.

Recently started playing my alto again and decied to replace the 4C with a PPT5 (another mpc from PeteT). Took a few days to adapt and had terrible problems with the low notes, not sounding or squealing. Thought it was me and nearly asked Pete if I could return it as I wasn't ready. Then checked the horn and found leaks from A, G & G#. Having it serviced nest week.
Despite that, I think the PPT is for me because apart from the low notes the mpc is lovely to play, very flexible with a much richer tone than the 4C. Louder too, much louder, it doesn't seem to want to stop! I don't play alto in the band so I'm sure the PPT is all I'll need.

 

[hedgehog]

That's a coincidence. I was just looking up Phil Tone but it looks like he's stopped trading?

The web site looks active to me, although I didn't try to buy anything. Phil-Tone Custom Woodwinds