Mouthpieces What is your go to Alto Mouthpiece? Post details

[PigSquealer]

FWIW I haven’t played any of these. They all went immediately into the “plastic” junk box. Due to the recent comments I feel different. At minimum I should revisit/ give them a try.
Why ? Several have beaver tooth marks…..they were used and enjoyed. Signs they actually worked.

 

[Tuppertn]

FWIW I haven’t played any of these. They all went immediately into the “plastic” junk box. Due to the recent comments I feel different. At minimum I should revisit/ give them a try.
Why ? Several have beaver tooth marks…..they were used and enjoyed. Signs they actually worked.

I took a Goldentone that I'd never tried out of the junk drawer yesterday after reading here.

Tiny tip at 0.64" but it sounds and plays surprisingly good. I mean, I'm not ditching my Great Neck for it, but I wish I had one instead of a C* back in the day.

 

[PigSquealer]

I believe those "Martin" mouthpieces are probably another variant of the Brilhart-Ebolin-type design, that were made by the thousands and sold under a wide variety of names. At a minimum, C. Bruno, Goldentone, Brilhart, and now we see Martin branding on them.

I have an Brillhart Ebolin. I’ve compared this to several others listed in this thread. I can confirm it’s about as close to or exactly the same. Also, going through the pile I’ve discovered several other surprises. A generic Vito and the white Conn Director are also very close / exactly the same. All so much so it’s difficult by eye to note any real differences in the interior. The tips and facing may be different. IDK, didn’t measure any.

 

[turf3]

Mark Fleming did a couple pieces on these generic PMMA molded pieces and if I recall correctly concluded there was a good chance they all came out of the same factory, including the Brilhart Tonalin and Ebolin (same thing except off-white colorant vs. black) - just with different mold exteriors to give the different shank shapes, same basic core.

Like I said, one of these days when the work's all done I would like to clean up that Goldentone, maybe give it a smidge more tip opening, and pair it with my Mexi-Conn tenor for the full "epater les bourgeois" treatment. Especially if the other sax players have fancy instruments.

 

[PigSquealer]

Mark Fleming did a couple pieces on these generic PMMA molded pieces and if I recall correctly concluded there was a good chance they all came out of the same factory, including the Brilhart Tonalin and Ebolin (same thing except off-white colorant vs. black) - just with different mold exteriors to give the different shank shapes, same basic core.

Like I said, one of these days when the work's all done I would like to clean up that Goldentone, maybe give it a smidge more tip opening, and pair it with my Mexi-Conn tenor for the full "epater les bourgeois" treatment. Especially if the other sax players have fancy instruments.

Mark has a cool information site.
I think this link below covers making a Goldentone worthy.

Refacing a Saxophone Mouthpiece - Hot Rodding the Cheapo Piece

I recently bought a vintage saxophone that had a few mouthpieces in the case. It is strange how often this happens on Ebay. Some selle...

stuffsax.blogspot.com

For anyone interested keep digging on Saxstuff. There’s a good amount of mouthpiece stuff.

Making Your Own Otto Link Slant Signature Tenor Mouthpiece - Part 1

I promised to write this blog about a year ago, but I was distracted and wrote Part 2 first. In Part 2, we learned how to make an official ...

stuffsax.blogspot.com

 

[wakyct]

That's a really good blog, thanks @PigSquealer. I was surprised he said tip opening is as important as the color of your car though! What's up with that?

 

[PigSquealer]

That's a really good blog, thanks @PigSquealer. I was surprised he said tip opening is as important as the color of your car though! What's up with that?

Good site worthy of review. You’re welcome. Humor at hand…. If you don’t like the color of your car…..why have it.

 

[Tonehole]

When someone uses this phrase, they are usually making a sarcastic or dismissive point.
If a mechanic says, "Worrying about that tiny scratch under the bumper is about as important as the colour of your car," they mean it has zero effect on the vehicle's actual performance or the situation at hand.
The colour of a car is purely a matter of personal visual preference. It has absolutely no impact on how the car actually runs, its safety ratings, its fuel efficiency, or its mechanical reliability.
It is a colourful way of telling someone they are focusing on the wrong details or worrying about something that does not matter in the grand scheme of things.

I checked and it was in line with what I thought it meant. Don't worry about tip size just play

 

[Woodpad]

Mark Fleming did a couple pieces on these generic PMMA molded pieces and if I recall correctly concluded there was a good chance they all came out of the same factory, including the Brilhart Tonalin and Ebolin (same thing except off-white colorant vs. black) - just with different mold exteriors to give the different shank shapes, same basic core.

Like I said, one of these days when the work's all done I would like to clean up that Goldentone, maybe give it a smidge more tip opening, and pair it with my Mexi-Conn tenor for the full "epater les bourgeois" treatment. Especially if the other sax players have fancy instruments.

Originally the saxophone was seen as a maverick instrument, so a small amount of epater is recommendable.
As I play often on a Dukoff crystalite a lot of people have asked my why I play on a Chineese mouthpiece and where they can buy it. After which I can do a reversed epater and fill there ears with detailed information on this mouthpiece.

 

[mark_addy]

Mark has a cool information site.
I think this link below covers making a Goldentone worthy.

Refacing a Saxophone Mouthpiece - Hot Rodding the Cheapo Piece

I recently bought a vintage saxophone that had a few mouthpieces in the case. It is strange how often this happens on Ebay. Some selle...

stuffsax.blogspot.com

For anyone interested keep digging on Saxstuff. There’s a good amount of mouthpiece stuff.

Making Your Own Otto Link Slant Signature Tenor Mouthpiece - Part 1

I promised to write this blog about a year ago, but I was distracted and wrote Part 2 first. In Part 2, we learned how to make an official ...

stuffsax.blogspot.com

That's fantastic! I have a bunch of the things required, including an alto piece I really like and a mystery HR piece which I don't like, really. I wonder if I could persuade b) to more closely resemble a)... rabbit hole here we come 🙂

(Then there's a plastic baritone piece which doesn't play hardly at all...and the vernier-reading base for a travelling microscope I got from the bin 20 years ago and saved because it was a nice thing...)

(Edit - the one he puts up about making a lig is really funny. "Making a Link ligature is really easy because nobody is quite certain what an Otto Link ligature looks like. Or why they are so valuable. Or why claiming that an old ligature is a "Link" is important to some players" ... "But first, let's look at a little reality (some of you may want to skip this section)". My kids, when they were slightly younger teenagers, might have described that as a 'dry burn'. I like it 🙂 )

 

[progger]

OK, delayed update! This is my favorite alto piece ever, an old Selmer New York "Magni-Tone" that I got for free from a friend whose grandfather used to play many years ago. I had it in a little box of random mouthpieces for probably 15 years until I took it to Matt Marantz to open up to .085", just hoping it might be cool. I didn't expect it to blow away all the other alto mouthpieces I'd ever tried up to that point. I've never seen another one and if I do I'm snatching it up without question unless it's a million dollars.

Here's a little clip from some practicing earlier today.

Along Came Magnitone - Some alto practice on a Benny tune

 

[Saxlicker]

Nice!
It's great when something unexpected makes such a positive impact.

 

[SaxOfSteel]

I haven't been playing alto much at all recently, so take my JJ rubber vote with a large grain of salt.

Jody Jazz HR* with a 7* tip opening.

 

[dexdex]

I voted Meyer, as the 7M in my signature has been my main alto piece for quite a while.
In the mean time, and after a good decade of almost no alto, I picked up the horn again, and found an amazing alternative in a Selmer Super Session E. I had bought it from a local shop as discounted "new old demo stock". Being less open than the Meyer 7M, it is much easier on the embouchure, and still allows for quite some drive when needed.

 

[Grumps]

I haven't been playing alto much at all recently..

Me either. Like years. Several of them.
I should check the case... to see if it's still in there.

 

[progger]

I voted Meyer, as the 7M in my signature has been my main alto piece for quite a while.
In the mean time, and after a good decade of almost no alto, I picked up the horn again, and found an amazing alternative in a Selmer Super Session E. I had bought it from a local shop as discounted "new old demo stock". Being less open than the Meyer 7M, it is much easier on the embouchure, and still allows for quite some drive when needed.

Those Super Sessions are really great, IMO, for both alto and soprano. It's all I've used on soprano pretty much since they were released, and I got an E for alto from a guy on sotw (I don't think they make them for alto any more?). A little closed for my taste and I think I might get someone to open it up at some point... it could potentially give my beloved Magnitone (and my short-shank Soloist) a run for its money.

I'm curious about the new Selmer Airflow pieces, seems like they made a winner with those too. I might get one if they make a larger tip, or buy one used and get Marantz or Niewood to open it up.

 

[mark_addy]

Facebook threw an interesting photo at me today. I thought here might be an interesting place to share it

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[PigSquealer]

Facebook threw an interesting photo at me today. I thought here might be an interesting place to share it

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I don’t see one for a C melody, so there’s room for more 👹