Mouthpiece/Lig FS Vintage M.C. Gregory Reloplex "Hollywood" Tenor Mouthpiece sold by Ricoh, PRICE DROPPED TO €100

This is a Vintage plastic mouthpiece most likely manufactured between 1959 & 1965 by M.C. Gregory at their Hollywood factory.

It's in excellent condition for a 60 y.o. mpc because the table is un-marred and flat with the tip, and rails also unmarked and quite pristine for their age. The tiny marks on the beak are minor cosmetic ones because I always used a tip saver pad so there are no tooth gouges.

The shank, which is quite thick, has a barely noticeable hairline crack running around its circumference (see photo). To prevent any possibility of it worsening which is something I don't think will happen anyway due to the layered construction of the shank (see detail photo. Anyway, I have kept a metal hose-clamp tightened around it just as a preauction but I doubt it's even necessary so if you don't like the industrial look just remove it.

S/N 5880, probably manufactured around 1964-65

Tip and opening size marked 5P which indicates a Short Facing. I measured the tip to be +/- .090

Some information about these mouthpieces from sources online:

Saxophone.org
"Rico was the distributor for Gregory mouthpieces during the greater part of its production run. Their name was on most of the different models made by M.C. Gregory, and they even got Gregory to produce mouthpieces with just the Rico name on them. The Rice Reloplex mouthpieces were made from the molds the Los Angeles Composite models by Gregory.

Charecteristics of Rico Reloplex:

- Reloplex by Rico stamped in center on back of barrel
- Hollywood stamped directly under Rico stamp
- Facing stamp and serial number stamps on right of table
- Silver metal ring around shank
- The Los Angeles Composite model Gregory mouthpieces were made from a resin composite, whereas the Reloplex mouthpieces were made of plastic. As far as sound and feel go, they are very similar. The Reloplex mouthpieces have that great feel and vibration that Gregory mouthpieces are known for, and pretty much the same edgy type sound that came from the Composite models."

SOTW Bluto Post
"...According to Judy Beechler some of these were made by Beechler."

World Wide Sax
These have an aluminum metal band on the shank - and that's a great trait!s
These are known to carry the great vibration within/from the thinner beak that Gregory is known for.

 

[rhysonsax]

Tenor ?

Rhys

 

[Jazz Is All]

Tenor ?

Rhys

Yes Tenor. Sorry I thought I had put that in there.

 

[thomsax]

Some infor about Rico Reloplex. Shorter shank on the old ones?

 

[Jazz Is All]

Some infor about Rico Reloplex. Shorter shank on the old ones?
View attachment 23921

Well, I can't read Swedish so I have no idea what that says, but the P length is a Short facing not shank and I haven't seen anything online about the shanks having different lengths in the Reloplexes. It might be true of the other M.C. Gregory pieces, of which there were many. The age of this is approximately ascertainable by the SN and the P facing and was estimated to be in the mid-60s on the site I looked at. They also said that Judy Beechler said she made them. Whatever the case they were not made by Rico but only for them to sell.

 

[thomsax]

Well, I can't read Swedish so I have no idea what that says, but the P length is a Short facing not shank and I haven't seen anything online about the shanks having different lengths in the Reloplexes. It might be true of the other M.C. Gregory pieces, of which there were many. The age of this is approximately ascertainable by the SN and the P facing and was estimated to be in the mid-60s on the site I looked at.. They also said that Judy Beechler said she made them. Whatever the case they were not made by Rico but only for them to sell.

The text is just explaining the facings and tip openings. The info is from a priceless from c 1977.

 

[Jazz Is All]

PRICE DROP TO €110......GET IT NOW FOR LESS.

 

[Jazz Is All]

PRICE DROP TO €100
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