Mouthpieces You'd never guess what turned up yesterday...

[Chris98]

I'm now playing a PPT 7* and have a big grin on my face!

All the best,

Chris

 

[TomMapfumo]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on your abundant joy at having one of those mouthpieces - do you play whilst looking like a Cheshire Cat, or does the joy come later?

Never played a PPT - I only go for Handmade Swiss or American pieces myself;}!
Glad you're a happy bunny!!!

Kind regards
Tom

 

[visionari1]

Oh yeah Chris tell us more.
How does it play/sound.
The colour looks cool!

Ciao
Jimu

 

[Chris98]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on your abundant joy at having one of those mouthpieces - do you play whilst looking like a Cheshire Cat, or does the joy come later?

Never played a PPT - I only go for Handmade Swiss or American pieces myself;}!
Glad you're a happy bunny!!!

Kind regards
Tom

Hi Tom,

It's the grin that's causing me my embouchure problems

Oh yeah Chris tell us more.
How does it play/sound.
The colour looks cool!

Ciao
Jimu

Hi Jimu,

When the PPT first came out I wasn't too sure about the blue colour, then the [FONT=&quot]Onyxite came out and I thought I should have got the blue after all! I decided if and when I order, I’ll probably see if I can get it in a custom colour, black! Oh dear how conventional I am! As time went on the Oxyxite grew on me to the point that I didn't even inquire if there was an option of a different colour when I ordered it. Now that it is here in my hands, I know I made the right decision.

Trying to photograph it to show it's true colour has been a little interesting but here's another one:

I went for the 7* which is the smallest tip opening and the closest to my current mouthpiece a Vandoren Java T75. As to how it sounds, well it's early days, I'm still seeing what it can do. I've probably played it for four hours over the last two evenings and will have to do some work before I get to play it today but here's a quick summery:

[/FONT]The low notes are smooth, and I can be quiet and soft with them, an area I could never go with the Java. The palm notes are tighter and more together tonally. And the dynamics have opened up a lot across the whole range of the sax.[FONT=&quot] I've been working on my chromatic scale recently trying to build speed and consistency, I've found I've been able to increase the tempo on the metronome these last two days.

Tonally, the best way I can describe it now is by saying it is very malleable, push it and it brightens up with some edge but is anything but thin sounding, pull back and it mellows out and plays soft but still with definition. I had a window of opportunity last night to try and play as loud as I could, it didn't flinch, squeak or chirp or sound shrill, there is an underlying solidness to it.

But it's early days and once I've had a reasonable length of time on it I'll be able to tell you more.

Best wishes,

Chris
[/FONT]

 

[kevgermany]

Sounds great. Am trying to grow into a used 8*. And when I get it right it's fabulous. But it needs a lot of side grip from my mouth to stop the squeaks. It sounds great! Even at my low level, it's easy to switch from mellow to smooth, to loud and edgy! Really fancy an onyxite one. Or even better, the one and only gold one. But that's going to be far too expensive.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Or even better, the one and only gold one. But that's going to be far too expensive.

That's gone, I need to update the site!

 

[RedBottom]

I wish they'd do one for soprano. I wouldn't normally be inclined to spend that sort of money on a £200 sax, but I do like the sound of these. I like the slightly harder, edgier sound of my Lawtons on Alto and Tenor, but I'm looking for something a little 'sweeter' on soprano. Currently looking at some of the ebonite pieces.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I wish they'd do one for soprano..

Me too. Problem is I can't even get enough made for tenor. No I'm not selling thousands, just that they take a long time to make.

(In case anyone noticed, my cat Chester replied earlier and no he doesn't make them, but sometimes he makes a useful comment when I'm playtesting them)

 

[Chris98]

Sounds great. Am trying to grow into a used 8*. And when I get it right it's fabulous. But it needs a lot of side grip from my mouth to stop the squeaks. It sounds great! Even at my low level, it's easy to switch from mellow to smooth, to loud and edgy! Really fancy an onyxite one. Or even better, the one and only gold one. But that's going to be far too expensive.

Hi Kev,

I'd not twigged that you'd got one as well. The 7* seems to suit me fine, but without trying an 8* I can't say for sure. Thus far it's been an easy transition from my Java to the PPT, where as I think the 8* might have provided a bit of a challenge.

I'm currently running it on a Rico Jazz Select 2M and it sounded fine with a Vandoren v16 2.5 that I took out of my reed guard and put on by mistake yesterday. I'm beginning to think the intonation is better as well, it feels like I'm doing less to bring certain notes into tune.

What ligature are you using?

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[Chris98]

(In case anyone noticed, my cat Chester replied earlier and no he doesn't make them, but sometimes he makes a useful comment when I'm playtesting them)

I don't understand

I'd not realised you play test each PPT before it goes out, I should think my 7* felt a little small to you!

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[kevgermany]

I bought Phil Edward's a couple of months ago. Am using a Rovner dark, can't remember the size. Went down to Rico Royal 1.5s, but it sounds much better on 2s, so I'm using them now. Part of the problem is duff reeds. Of the three I'm using at the moment, one hardly squeaks, one is almost unplayable, and the other somewhere in between. The best one only squeaks when I lose concentration and let my embouchure slacken off from the sides, so it's clearly me at least in part. It's certainly not as easy going as the Rico, but I expected that.

I think my jump to the PPT is a little bigger than yours - was using a Rico graftonite B5 before. If I was going to order one for myself, I don't think I'd have gone for such a wide tip. But it's coming under control and I love the sound I'm getting now, especially in the lower register below G - clean, open and earthy with just the right amount of edge, where the rico was a little stuffy. It's also much more interesting higher up, with almost a harmonica plaintiveness.

As you've guessed, I also have a smile on my face, just the occasional frown as I realise I'm letting the mouthpiece down. Good learning exercise for me.

Hi Kev,

I'd not twigged that you'd got one as well. The 7* seems to suit me fine, but without trying an 8* I can't say for sure. Thus far it's been an easy transition from my Java to the PPT, where as I think the 8* might have provided a bit of a challenge.

I'm currently running it on a Rico Jazz Select 2M and it sounded fine with a Vandoren v16 2.5 that I took out of my reed guard and put on by mistake yesterday. I'm beginning to think the intonation is better as well, it feels like I'm doing less to bring certain notes into tune.

What ligature are you using?

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[Chris98]

Hi Kev,

Glad to hear you're getting to grips with yours and enjoying it.

It's interesting that you are using a Rovner Dark ligature, and the reason I asked was that I'm using a Rovner Light (L8) and have found that the back of the ligature tightens up before the front. For the moment I've put a little plastic shim in to get around this:

I think Rovner's mold to the mouthpiece after a bit of use so the shim might become redundant fairly soon.

I've been comparing the PPT against my Java and although I initially thought they were quite similar in both the internal and external shape, they are actually quite different, notably the beak angle and the table angle. There is a lot to this mouthpiece, both tonally and in it's design.

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[kevgermany]

Good tip about the shim, the dark also seems to tighten back to front, I'll see if that helps, thanks!

Have been going through a book on sorting out reeds, "The Saxophone Reed" by Ray Reed (sic), big, comprehensive, but difficult to follow. As a result I'm less than a quarter of the way through it, but some of the issues he mentioned are affecting me - particularly the flat side of the reed becoming convex as you play. This is meaning I have to really tighten the lig a lot to get a good seal, and have been wondering if I'm going to strip the thread on the screw. Will report back on this.

 

[koumou]

Hello Chris,

Congratulations on the new mouthpiece. I knew you were on the verge of getting one, as I follow you postings, which as I've told you before, I find interesting to read. I will be very interested to see some pictures of the insides of the mouthpiece. I've heard your take of
Jumpin' jam with the Java, and I think it will be interesting to hear the same with the PPT. Once you get used to it that is.

 

[Chris98]

Hello koumou,

Good to hear from you, I've got a few more photo's:

I've heard your take of Jumpin' jam with the Java, and I think it will be interesting to hear the same with the PPT. Once you get used to it that is.

I better do some practice on "Jumpin' jam" then ;}

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[Chris98]

PPT 7* Sound Clip - Jumpin' Jam

I've heard your take of Jumpin' jam with the Java, and I think it will be interesting to hear the same with the PPT. Once you get used to it that is.

Hi koumou,

Well I was curious as to how it sounded too, so I've just done a quick recording, it still a bit rough in places but hopefully you'll get an idea of how I sound on it: Chris98 - Jumpin' Jam 180 - PPT 7* test.mp3

Technical stuff for anyone who's interested:

• Sax: Yamaha
• Mouthpiece: PPT 7*
• Reed: Rico Jazz Select 2M (about 4 days old)
• Ligature: Rovner Light (L8)
• Player: Me
• Tune & backing track: Pete Thomas's - Jumpin' Jam

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[TomMapfumo]

That's some Ligature......:welldone

What's it called, again? I must have one
Kind regards
Tom

 

[koumou]

That was quick. You've been practicing, tempo's gone to 180. The PPT to me, sounds fuller but brighter than the Java, what do you think?

 

[Chris98]

That's some Ligature......:welldone

What's it called, again? I must have one
Kind regards
Tom

Hi Tom,

I knew I shouldn't have posted that pic of my ligature

Best wishes,

Chris

p.s. Tom, I had to pinch one of your 'smileys' as putting mine in put me over the 'smiley' limit allowed by the forum!

 

[Chris98]

That was quick. You've been practicing, tempo's gone to 180. The PPT to me, sounds fuller but brighter than the Java, what do you think?

Hi Koumou,

I think whichever mouthpiece you play the core sound will always come from you, (hence the long tones I guess!) and so the differences between the PPT and Java might not be best captured in the sound clip I’ve just done, I ‘feel’ a much greater difference than I can hear, but I do hear a difference.

The PPT has the edge on versatility by quite a margin, wonderfully soft low notes when you want them and a mellowness that doesn’t become muddy. When pushed a little, as in the sound clip I posted, it develops a nice edge but still with a core tone that I think is more solid and has greater texture in it than the Java. Maybe that’s the fullness you commented on.

The mouthpiece can be pushed quite a bit further if wanted but tonally it seemed to sit best in the mix whilst being pushed just a little. It’s still very early days but I’d say the PPT 7* goes where I point it rather than it stamping it’s own tonal signature on my playing. I still think the Java is a very good mouthpiece, but I have a feeling I’m going to be having a lot more fun with my PPT.

For anyone wanting to compare the Java T75 to the PPT 7* (Same tune, tempo, recording set up, sax, player etc, just different reeds - although same make and strength, ligature, mouthpiece and recording date.)

Jumpin’ Jam (Java T75) - recorded 02/02/2010
Jumpin’ Jam (PPT 7*) - recorded 14/03/2010
My Jumpin’ Jam - work in progress thread

Photo Comparison of the PPT and Java:

Best wishes,

Chris