Mouthpieces Where are all the Selmer mouthpieces?

[Bobby G]

My local emporium seems to have run out of Selmer mouthpieces - I'm after trying a Soloist E or F to replace my Soloist D on the alto. They said they'd let me know when they got a delivery, but so far I've heard nothing. I was in the shop on Saturday, and I was led to believe 'a situation has arisen' with regard to availability of Selmer mouthpieces in general i.e. there aren't any around. Has anyone heard anything about this 'situation'? Maybe I'd be better finding someone to doctor my D?

Cheers, Bob

 

[Jules]

It's the same everywhere. Selmer haven't been sending mouthpieces out ot the UK for several months now..

 

[Bobby G]

Yeah, I got the impression from Myatt's that the lack of Selmer mouthpieces wasn't confined to them alone. Who's got 'em all?

Cheers, Bob

 

[Saxlicker]

Dunno!

I may take a trip to woodwind and brass ltd this week because they are local to me (Internet based, so I will ring to find out if I can visit).

If I go, I'll enquire about selmer mpc's they have in stock.
Though I'm sure you want to try/select one.

Failing that, you know how good the pound vs dollar is at the moment!!!! and mpc's are generally cheaper in the US anyhow

 

[Bobby G]

Where is Woodwind and Brass Ltd? Am I confusing it with a shop of a similar name in Cambridge, or is it that shop? If so, I was there last week, and their selection of Selmers was very limited (the Super Session E was nice, though, and the Soloist E wasn't much different from my D, I reckon an F would suit me), again because of the, erm, situation with Selmer.

This shop in Cambridge also does reeds cheap, both mail order and over the counter - box of 10 Superials for about 14 quid, anyone?

Cheers, Bob

 

[Jules]

on the subject of Superials- are they really all they're claimed to be? Are these really the holy grail of reeds? Or just slick looking box...

 

[Saxlicker]

Bobby G wrote:
Where is Woodwind and Brass Ltd?
cheers, Bob

http://www.woodwindandbrass.co.uk/
Fareham, hampshire.

 

[Bobby G]

I don't know if Superials are the holy grail, because it's such a personal thing, but going on the recommendations of one or two people in here I bought a few to try about four months ago, and I love them. They seem to be very flexible, allowing your sound to come through, play and sound good from a whisper to a scream, and are very consistent and playable straight out of the tin. Plus they seem to have a very long playing life, especially if you rotate 3 or 4 at a time.

Cheers, Bob

 

[ref_54]

You might wanna check www.saxquest.com not sure what the shiping would be they are a company out of St. Louis Missouri USA. Good luck.

 

[jonf]

nachoman wrote:

on the subject of Superials- are they really all they're claimed to be? Are these really the holy grail of reeds? Or just slick looking box...

Personally I found superials to be bloody awful. Different people seem to have different experiences. Funny really. :erm:

 

[suethesax]

nachoman wrote:

on the subject of Superials- are they really all they're claimed to be? Are these really the holy grail of reeds? Or just slick looking box...

I like the Superila DC but not the Classique. I play them on both alto and sop but my husband can't stand them on tenor or bari - he's a Van Doren man and I hate Van Dorens.

Reeds are so annoying aren't they?

Bob - how does $114.95 grab you?

http://www.music123.com/Selmer-Paris-Soloist-Alto-Sax-Mouthpieces-i100946.music

Various shipping options. Not sure on HM C&E tariff on delivery.

 

[Bobby G]

I'm fairly grabbed by $114.95 Sue. I would prefer to try before I buy, so I may wait until they become available here again. My other option is to get my D opened up a bit.

Reeds can be annoying, but the Superials are the least annoying I've found, they always seem to sound consistently good on my alto.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Pete Thomas]

Definitely worth opening up a D, at the same time a good refacer will sort out any issues there may be with rails & table.

Ed Pillinger or Bill Wrathall are good.

 

[Bobby G]

Opening up sounds like a good idea - in theory it should give me more of what I've already got (or am used to), is that right? I have got another couple of mouthpieces as backups, so if it all went horribly wrong I'd still have something I get on with.

Getting a mpc doctored is like getting your hair cut, in some ways.....

Cheers, Bob

 

[Pete Thomas]

Bobby G wrote:
Getting a mpc doctored is like getting your hair cut, in some ways.....

Not quite, it isn't going to grow back once you take a bit off

 

[Saxlicker]

I visited Woodwind and brass ltd today (as mentioned earlier in the thread) and from our discussions I was left with two impressions about the selmer shortage Bob pointed out. Asides it being accurate that is!
1) Selmer UK (??) is where the distribution is breaking down. The rest of the world have them.
2) There are too many links in the distribution chain that probably won't survive because of hiccups like this. It can already be bypassed by retailers but I don't know why it hasn't...maybe they are not that desperate yet?

Bob...no soloists in stock, I did ask.

 

[Bobby G]

Michael White's in Ealing has some. Mind you, he's got one less Soloist F now. He also seems to have several vintage alto's lying about the place. I feel a clearout coming on.

Cheers, Bob

Edit! I've had a chance now to give the Soloist F a good blow, and after the initial getting used to making the lowest and highest notes sound good, I have to say it's a cracker! It's like my D, only more so, which means although it's a slightly harder blow (which I'm getting used to very quickly), it's that bit louder, or conversely the 'softer' tone I like to use at times has more volume.

Now I'm faced with a dilemma - what do I do with my Soloist D? Keep it, flog it, or take the 'onward and upward' approach and get it refaced to a G or even H? Is there such a thing as an H?

 

[tris]

I vote get it re-faced Bob....

Hand work / finishing gives a MP that something extra... PLus as pete said talking to the right guy can get a whole number of issues corrected.

Having played hand made MPs I would not look back now... I love my Lamberson... I think I will still be playing it in 25 years time

 

[impulse]

Bobby G wrote:
Yeah, I got the impression from Myatt's that the lack of Selmer mouthpieces wasn't confined to them alone. Who's got 'em all?

Cheers, Bob

Well not to we guys down under. I`v been waiting 6 wks for a Selmer sop piece. Russ

 

[Bobby G]

Russ, where is your Selmer coming from? I was under the impression the supply problem was only here in the UK.

Cheers, Bob