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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the return of the Brilhart Carlsbad Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece released by Conn-Selmer. These new Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpieces are advertised as being made from the same Brilhart Carlsbad-era molds that Arnold Brilhart used in the 1950’s to make these iconic saxophone mouthpieces.

*It’s important to note that these new Carlsbad-era Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpieces are distinct from the mass-produced Brilhart Ebolin mouthpieces of the last 50 years, which strayed from the original Arnold Brilhart Carlsbad design played by so many great players of the past.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Here is a description of the new Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece from the Conn-Selmer website description:

The Iconic Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece has returned for a new generation of jazz musician. Utilizing the original molds created by Arnold Brilhart, Conn Selmer has masterfully revived the Brilhart “Carlsbad” Ebolin saxophone mouthpiece. Each mouthpiece is engineered to precise specifications, producing a full, resonant tone while giving players the perfect amount of “edge” and carrying power.

Every Brilhart “Carlsbad” Ebolin mouthpiece is 100% manufactured and hand finished in Elkhart Indiana, USA.

• • Original Carlsbad Era Molds: Faithfully produces the exact feel of the West Coast Brilhart vibe.
  • Hand Finished / Voiced: Ensures the best possible response, intonation and color.
  • *Serialized:* Return to a signature element of the Brilhart artist lines of mouthpieces

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

I know next to nothing about the history of Brilhart saxophone mouthpieces so I emailed Ryan Lillywhite (Director of Woodwinds at Conn-Selmer) asking about the history of Brilhart saxophone mouthpieces. Here is Ryan’s detailed response:

“A legendary figure in the saxophone history books, Arnold Brilhart (1904-1998) began in the 1920s as an in-demand saxophonist and prolific recording artist in New York. Brilhart was frequently heard on live radio performances and eventually recorded on some 30,000 records. He also headed a plastics company where he honed a unique expertise with injection molding technology and specialty plastic composites engineering.

In 1939, fueled by his passion for improving saxophone mouthpieces, he established his own Brilhart Musical Instrument Corporation in Great Neck, New York. As he reminisced in later years, “I started making reeds and mouthpieces because the ones on the market were so lousy” (New York Times, Dec 1 1994). Brilhart was on a quest for the perfect sound that combined sweet, fat and warm, complemented by enough bite to ring yet not become shrill.

One of Brilhart’s crowning achievements during the Great Neck era was the creation of the Brilhart Ebolin and Tonalin saxophone mouthpieces, released in 1940. Ebolin, made from a black composite with a white bite plate, quickly became a staple in the saxophone world. With unique facing options, these provided saxophonists a range of tonal options from dark and mellow to bright and punchy. Gene Ammons famously played an Ebolin tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

The Tonalin mouthpiece, distinct in its ivory-white color with black bite plate, was a softer material celebrated for its warm, focused sound and impeccable response. Its versatility made it a favorite among saxophonists across genres and the Tonalin quickly became a favorite of many saxophonists, with notable players like Benny Goodman and Charlie Parker endorsing it.

Brilhart also continued to make a hard rubber model from ebonite, a more traditional mouthpiece material. These had a larger chamber and became the iconic sounds of players such as Zoot Sims.

One notable addition to Brilhart’s lineup during the later Great Neck era was the Personaline series. These mouthpieces, crafted under Brilhart’s personal supervision, offered saxophonists a personalized playing experience with their customizable facings and chamber shapes. The Personaline series showcased Brilhart’s dedication to meeting the individual needs of players and pushing the boundaries of mouthpiece design.

In 1954, Brilhart relocated his company to southern California, marking the beginning of his Carlsbad era. Ebolin and Tonalin mouthpieces were initially made almost identically to those from Great Neck, and in later years the Carlsbad models have a slightly smaller chamber. These are distinguished by a quick response and slightly more “edge” to the sound.

In 1966, the Brilhart Company was acquired by Selmer who continued making and selling the popular mouthpieces. That same year saw the introduction of the Level Air model, a metal mouthpiece made of stainless steel which had a distinctly brighter sound than other Brilhart tenor sax mouthpieces.

While original Great Neck and Carlsbad era Brilhart mouthpieces are highly sought after, it’s no small chore for a saxophonist to find the right one: not only did vintage Ebolin and Tonalin mouthpieces from this era commonly suffer cracks in the shank, the facings were also notoriously inconsistent in facing and tip opening.

The Brilhart mouthpieces gradually became more generic and, while still being sold and appreciated for decades, drifted from the original professional models that Arnold Brilhart designed.

Then, in 2023, the Selmer company made waves in the industry when they found the original Brilhart mouthpiece molds and reintroduced the true Ebolin and Special mouthpieces back into the saxophone market. This new era is marked by carefully controlled molding and machining, expert hand finishing, and a reworked numbering system that is in line with other mouthpiece brands. The reissue of these classic mouthpieces is not a revival but an actual rebirth of the original Great Neck Ebolin molds.”-Ryan Lillywhite (Director of Woodwinds at Conn-Selmer)

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

The Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece came well packaged and protected in a beautifully crafted vintage looking black box with the original Brilhart trademark from 1942 on it (“Brilhart” with a mouthpiece on the left side and a reed on the right side). On the sides of the box are stickers with the facing number on one side and the serial number of the mouthpiece on the other.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Inside the box, the mouthpiece is protected on all sides with foam and there is a card with the serial number, finishers name and play testers name on it. I like this personal touch of having a persons name attached to the quality of the mouthpiece. It seems to me that this practice would help improve quality standards in many mouthpiece companies that have had, and still have, quality control issues (not naming any names……). By the way, can you figure out the name of the person who worked on this mouthpiece from the signature above? Yeah, neither can I…….

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

The Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece has the classic cursive “Brilhart” logo engraved in white on the top of the mouthpiece with the 7 tip opening engraved in white below the logo. Below the 7 on the top of the shank is engraved “Ebolin” in white as well. The serial number is stamped into the body off of the right side of the table. The serial number is more discreet and is not in white.

Here is a list of the tip opening sizes the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpieces currently come in:

• 4 .060”/1.52mm

• 5 .065”/1.65mm

• 6 .070”/1.79mm

• 7 .075”/1.90mm

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

The Brilhart Ebolin 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece looks great to the eye. The mouthpiece is smooth and shiny. The mouthpiece tip rail looks fairly even although the left side of the tip rail is thinner than the right side. The side rails look functional although there is some waviness and variation in width as they travel towards the tip of the mouthpiece. The shape of the tip rail was relatively close to the shape of the alto saxophone reeds I used (not exact) and the mouthpiece got suction consistently when testing it with the mouthpiece suction test.

The mouthpiece has a white bite plate that I am told is made of the same plastic material but in white. I’m not sure what good that does if your teeth are still making contact with plastic, but I always use a mouthpiece patch anyways so it makes no difference to me.

The diameter and beak profile of the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece felt very similar to the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece like a Meyer. The body size of the Brilhart Ebolin alto mouthpiece is also similar to a typical hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece as well.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

The window of the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece is a bit thinner and longer than a typical Meyer alto sax mouthpiece window opening. As a matter of fact, as I compare the Brilhart Ebolin mouthpiece to a bunch of my other alto sax mouthpieces on hand, the Brilhart Ebolin has the longest window of any of them (but again, its window is a bit thinner than the others also).

The baffle of the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece has a gradual rollover near the tip that rolls over for about an inch and then heads straight down to the smooth chamber floor. The Brilhart Ebolin chamber looks to be a medium sized chamber and has a unique shape in that the chamber floor is rounded, the side walls are straight but travel inward from bottom to top making the top of the chamber thinner than the bottom. The roof of the chamber is also rounded and quite thick below the table.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

When first playing the Brilhart Ebolin 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece, my first impression was that it had a powerful core sound that had a brightness to the tone that seemed to carry throughout the room when playing. The tone had some buzz to it that made it lively and expressive while still having a substantial thickness to the tone.

It was easy to bend notes and apply vibrato and the Brilhart Ebolin mouthpiece responded immediately to changes in dynamics as well as articulation. This ease of bending and vibrato can easily be heard in the first melody I play on the clips below (On the Sunny Side of the Street) where I bend up to a high C# on the 7th note and then add vibrato to the note.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

The intonation on the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece was within the normal expected parameters on my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone and the range of the saxophone was very even, smooth and fluid. These attributes really help the Brilhart Ebolin alto sax mouthpiece sound great when playing fast jazz lines as you can hear in the sound clips below.

The brightness, buzz and crisp tone of the Brilhart Ebolin alto sax mouthpiece gave it an authentic bebop sound. As I played through my usual Charlie Parker lines on the sound clip, I could feel how that brightness allowed the accented notes in the bebop lines to pop a bit more. At the same time, the smoothness of the tone from note to note allowed the line to sound connected and flowing while those accented notes really stood out. I loved that quality while playing the mouthpiece as well as when listening back to the clips.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

The Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece was about an 8 on my 1-10 volume scale for alto saxophone mouthpieces. The straight side walls and unique chamber shape seem to allow the tone to be more focused, concentrated and brighter in my opinion.

If you read through the list of players that played Brilhart Ebolin alto sax mouthpieces at the end of this review, you will notice that most of them played in big bands and the one exception to that, Maceo Parker, without a doubt had to be able to cut through the mix in loud situations playing funk music so the Brilhart Ebolin mouthpiece can definitely be pushed to cut through those high volume playing environments.

At the same time, the Brilhart Ebolin alto sax mouthpiece would sound great in smaller settings as well, whether playing in a jazz duo, trio or quartet. I don’t think I would suggest the Brilhart Ebolin alto sax mouthpiece for classical music because of its brightness, but for a straight ahead jazz gig it would be killer.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of alto saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the Brilhart Ebolin 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece perform in different styles.

For the first clip, I posted the sound clip with a slight reverb added to it so you can hear what the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece might sound like with reverb added. This is actually very close to how it would sound if I played it in my garage, basement or bathroom. This is also how it might sound in a big hall or room with a natural reverb in it.

I love how the Brilhart Ebolin mouthpiece sounds with reverb, but it sounds just as good on the second sound clip with no effects in my opinion. This is also very important! I have played mouthpieces in the past that sounded killer with reverb on the gig, but when I played them in a dry room at home or while teaching I absolutely hated the sound of them. Trust me, hating your sound at home in a dry room is not something that will inspire you to practice. You need to find a mouthpiece that gives you a sound in both environments that you absolutely love in my opinion.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

The Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece is what I would consider a versatile alto sax mouthpiece. Just the fact that Maceo Parker and Charlie Parker used one is a testament that the Brilhart Ebolin can be used for straight ahead jazz and funk music. Those are the top two players in both those genres of music so that is quite the endorsement.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

In my opinion, the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece is a great alto saxophone mouthpiece if you are a student and looking for a step-up mouthpiece that is affordable. While playing the Brilhart Ebolin I couldn’t help but think of the many middle school and high school students around the country whose tones would be greatly improved by progressing from their Yamaha 4C mouthpieces to this Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece. It has enough volume and brightness to carry through the mix of a band but still carries that classic Brilhart alto saxophone type sound that can help a student develop more maturity and character in their sound.

That’s not saying that the Brilhart Ebolin alto sax mouthpiece is just a “student” mouthpiece in the least. I’ve read that players such as Maceo Parker, Charlie Parker (he also played the white Brilhart Tonalin model as well), Marshal Royal (Count Basie Band-he supposedly used Brilhart Ebolin 7* with a 4 1/2-5 reed according to his words), Benny Carter, Skeets Hurfert (Dorsey Band, Laurence Welk Orchestra), Russell Procope (Duke Ellington Band), and Brad Leali (Harry Connick, Jr. Orchestra, Count Basie Band, Kennedy Center Honors Band) all played or play Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpieces. This list alone is a testament to the fact that the Brilhart Ebolin alto sax mouthpiece is a great choice and versatile option for professional alto saxophonists as well.

Brilhart Ebolin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

If you love the beautiful sound and look of the Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece by Conn-Selmer, you can find them for a very reasonable price (169.00 at the time of this review) on the Sweetwater website. I have agreed to be an affiliate for Sweetwater so if you purchase a Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece from this link, Neffmusic will receive a small commission on the sale while your cost remains the same. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you…..). Sweetwater even offers the option to pay in three installments as well which is nice.

If you try a Brilhart Ebolin alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers. It makes a world of difference!

Sound Clip 1https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/BrilhartEbolinAlto7Reverb2.mp3*Brilhart Ebolin 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Alto Saxophone Reed-Slight Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/BrilhartEbolin7AltoFinal2.mp3*Brilhart Ebolin 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Alto Saxophone Reed-Dry (No Reverb)*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. I also receive a small commission when you purchase from the Sweetwater website using the link in the review above that helps to support this site. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece released by Morgan mouthpieces. The great alto saxophonist Paul Desmond is quoted as saying, “I think I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to sound like a dry martini.”, and since the newest alto saxophone mouthpiece from Morgan mouthpieces is inspired by the type of M.C. Gregory Model A 4A 18 alto sax mouthpiece that Paul Desmond used, Morgan mouthpieces named it the “Dry Martini”.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a description of the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece from the Morgan mouthpieces website description:

“During the past 40 years of handcrafting saxophone mouthpieces, a fairly common question from customers is, “What model do you have that is similar to the mouthpiece Paul Desmond played?”

For much of his career, Paul Desmond played on a M.C. Gregory Model A 4A-18 alto saxophone mouthpiece. While we have alto sax mouthpieces that have approached the “West Coast” sound, the Dry Martini Model 18 is the first model we have specifically designed for that tone style.

The “Dry Martini” model is designed by Erik Grieffenhagen. Erik has spent decades studying and copying M.C. Gregory alto saxophone mouthpieces and has custom-made this style of mouthpiece for many customers in the past.

A few years ago, the Morgan Company acquired a bunch of antique original M.C. Gregory mouthpiece molds and cores. This acquisition included original cores for the M.C. Gregory 18 model alto saxophone mouthpiece. Using his knowledge of original mouthpieces and by studying the original molds, Erik developed the Dry Martini alto saxophone mouthpiece.

If you are looking for that West Coast “Desmond” sound, then the Dry Martini mouthpiece is the mouthpiece you must try. It is available in 4 (.063), 5 (.070), and 6 (.075) facings. Other facings are available as a custom order but we recommend the smaller tip openings with stiffer reeds for the most authentic “Dry Martini” tone.”-Morgan Mouthpieces

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Erik Grieffenhagen encouraged me to try the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece in a 4 tip opening which is .063″. If you follow my alto saxophone mouthpiece reviews, you will know that I prefer alto sax mouthpieces with a tip opening between .076-.080 usually, so this .063 tip opening is a considerably smaller tip opening than I am used to.

Here is a snippet from an email I received from Erik about the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 mouthpiece:

“I’ll tell you a little more about the Morgan Dry Martini alto sax mouthpiece first. We offer two models of chamber size similar to M.C Gregory, a 16 (small chamber) and an 18 (medium chamber). What I’d like to send is the 18. That’s the size chamber Paul Desmond settled on for the majority of his career. He also likely played a 4 tip opening or close to it. That has been our best seller. The tip is only .063″. That’s the one I’d like send if you could play something that close, with a reed in the 3-4 range. It produces the most Desmond like tone imo. All that said, we offer it in a 5 and 6 tip opening, too, 070″ and .076″. Given that it’s almost a purpose driven mouthpiece, I’d like to send you the 4, if you have some reeds that would work, 3 on the harder side are recommended. Let me know , and I’ll get one out to you asap.”-Erik Grieffenhagen

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Morgan Dry Martini mouthpiece came well packaged in a beautifully crafted black box with the Morgan logo on it and a gold sticker on the side of the box with the model mouthpiece and tip opening on it. The mouthpiece was shipped with abundant padding to protect the mouthpiece through the mail.

The Morgan Dry Martini alto saxophone mouthpiece has a “MORGAN” logo engraved in gold on the top of the mouthpiece with “DRY MARTINI” engraved below the logo. On the underside of the shank is engrave “USA” in gold and above that is hand engraved “4-18” signifying the tip size and model number. Erik told me that the Dry Martini is machined on a five axis mill from German bar stock.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece looks great to the eye. The ebonite is smooth and shiny and I don’t see an imperfection anywhere. The tip, rails and table look even, flat, precise and perfectly crafted. The mouthpiece tip rail and side rails are even and symmetrical. The shape of the tip rail matched the shape of the Rico and Vandoren alto saxophone reeds I used on the Dry Martini mouthpiece very closely.

The diameter and beak profile of the Morgan Dry Martini alto saxophone mouthpiece felt very similar to the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece like a Meyer. The body size of the Dry Martini is also similar to a typical hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece as well.

The baffle of the Morgan Dry Martini alto saxophone mouthpiece has a slight rollover near the tip but I would consider it to be a low baffled alto mouthpiece. The Dry Martini chamber looks to be a medium sized chamber and is similar in size to a Meyer alto mouthpiece medium sized chamber.

The Morgan Dry Martini mouthpiece came with a Rovner light ligature but I used a Francois Louis Ultimate alto sax ligature just because I had been using it on another alto saxophone mouthpiece I was trying out. The 3 1/2 reed and the FL Ultimate ligature played great for me so I didn’t want to jinx it by messing around with ligatures so I stayed with the FL Ultimate ligature for the sound clips.

In preparation for the review I went to a local music store and found some old Rico “Orange” box 3 1/2 alto saxophone reeds to use on the Dry Martini Model 18 mouthpiece. I recorded the one sound clip with one of these reeds as well as another two sound clips with a Vandoren Java (Red) 3 1/2 reed.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

When first playing the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece, my first impression was that it had an incredibly beautiful tone to it. The tone is warm, round and even throughout the range of the saxophone. I ended up playing a lot of melodies on the three sound clips below as opposed to my usual flurry of fast lines I typically play on sound clips just because the Dry Martini sounded so lyrical and sweet. The tone is focused and concentrated while also having enough fatness that the tone never gets thin sounding but is beautifully round and full sounding while still having a light floating quality to the sound.

Typically, a 3 1/2 reed would tend to have too much resistance for my liking but with the smaller .063 tip opening the reed blew easily and with just enough resistance that it still felt comfortable to me. The tone was easy to manipulate with dynamics, vibrato and bends.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

One interesting point I would like to write about is that when listening to Paul Desmond, I have always been amazed at how he could play in the top register of the saxophone while keeping his tone so warm and pretty. Most alto saxophone mouthpieces I have played tend to get a bit brighter in tone and louder as you play in that higher register but Paul Desmond always seemed in complete control of that register. His tone always stays within certain volume parameters and always seemed warm and light. Although, I could attempt to sound like this on various alto saxophone mouthpieces, it was always a struggle to contain and limit the volume and brightness from appearing in those high notes.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

While playing the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece, I finally understood more of the mechanics of how Paul Desmond was able to attain that high register beauty of tone. The Dry Martini alto mouthpiece with the .063 tip opening and 3 1/2 alto saxophone reed can only be pushed to a certain level volume wise. This is certainly not a lead alto saxophone mouthpiece at this tip opening (probably why I don’t recall Paul Desmond playing lead alto in a big band). I would say the Morgan Dry Martini is about a 5 to 5 1/2 for volume on a 1-10 volume scale. The Dry Martini mouthpiece keeps that top register controlled and limited in volume by it’s very design and the smaller tip opening. Some may view this volume limit as a weakness but if your goal is to achieve that “West Coast”, Paul Desmond type of laid back cool tone, this is one of the main strengths of the Morgan Dry Martini alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Along those same lines, the high register is also limited with how bright it will get. I found that even when I pushed more air through the Dry Martini it would get louder but still stay wondrously warm sounding like Paul Desmond’s sound which I really loved and marveled at.

The intonation on the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece was excellent up and down the saxophone and the mouthpiece was a great match for my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone.

My impression was that the smaller tip opening of the Dry Martini alto sax mouthpiece also made the articulation clean, crisp and light as well.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of alto saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece perform in different styles. There are three unique sound clips that I have included below with reverb added as well as dry (no reverb).

The first and second sound clip below is a recording of me playing a bunch of random lines and ideas like I usually do with a dry recording (no effects) on the sound and then another clip with reverb added. I try to run through a variety of bebop lines, jazz melodies, articulations and miscellaneous ideas up and down the range of the horn that you can listen to to get an idea of how the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece sounded and performed for me.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The third and fourth sound clip is of me playing mostly just the types of melodies Paul Desmond was known for with a slight reverb added on the fourth clip and no reverb on the third clip. While recording this sound clip, I kept thinking, “What would Paul Desmond play?”. I played some melodies that came to mind but I have to admit that my vibrato is very different than Paul Desmond’s vibrato. I wish I had the time to spend a week trying to copy that beautiful vibrato and his other inflections but I don’t have that kind of time these days.

The last two sound clips is one I added a week after recording the first two clips with a harder old Rico 3 1/2 orange box alto saxophone reed. Like the other sound clips, the first has a no reverb added and the second clip is the same but with reverb. When I listen to this clip it sounds a bit different than the other four clips in that the tone is a bit reedier because of the slightly harder reed.

Notice that in all these clips, the Morgan Dry Martini sounds just as beautiful in the “dry” recording as the recordings with reverb added. I actually like the “dry” recordings more. This is a testament to how good the Morgan Dry Martini alto saxophone mouthpiece sounds naturally in my opinion.

Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Morgan Dry Martini alto saxophone mouthpiece is a perfect alto saxophone mouthpiece for those of you looking for that “West Coast” Paul Desmond type alto saxophone sound. Obviously, you don’t just put the Dry Martini mouthpiece on and immediately transform to Paul Desmond, but for me, as I was playing the “Dry Martini” with my own licks and style, I could hear that Desmond tone in the sound. It’s like that “Dry Martini” Desmond sound is in there and just needs to be sussed out and nurtured. If the Desmond sound is your ideal then the Morgan Dry Martini alto mouthpiece definitely steers you in that direction of alto saxophone sound.

If you love the beautiful sound and look of the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece by Morgan mouthpieces, you can find them for sale on the Morgan website.

If you try a Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers. It makes a world of difference!

Sound Clip 1https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/DryMartini.mp3*Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Red 3 1/2 Alto Saxophone Reed-Same Clip as Above-Dry (No Reverb)*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/DryMartini-Reverb.mp3*Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Red 3 1/2 Alto Saxophone Reed-Slight Reverb Added*

Sound Clip 2https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/DryMartiniMelodies.mp3*Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Red 3 1/2 Alto Saxophone Reed-Same Clip as Above-Dry (No Reverb)*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/DryMartiniMelodies-Reverb2.mp3*Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Red 3 1/2 Alto Saxophone Reed-Slight Reverb Added*

Sound Clip 3https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/DryMartiniRico.mp3*Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Old Rico Orange Box 3 1/2 Alto Saxophone Reed-Dry (No Reverb)*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/DryMartiniRicoReverb.mp3*Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Old Rico Orange Box 3 1/2 Alto Saxophone Reed-Slight Reverb Added*

Here are a couple of other great examples from other alto saxophone players of the Morgan Dry Martini Model 18 in action:

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new NJS Hummingbird 8* (.115) bronze tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker named Nick Stahl from the Seattle area. This review wasn’t going to happen but then Nick Stahl sent me a few tempting photos that were too much for me to resist and I had to try this NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece……….

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I have to be honest in saying that I very rarely accept mouthpieces from new mouthpiece makers these days. I usually get an email about once a month from someone who is an aspiring mouthpiece maker asking if I would try their saxophone mouthpiece out to see what I think. I usually decline because 1.) I have so many sax mouthpieces already on my desk waiting to be reviewed and just don’t have the time to play test every mouthpiece and 2.) Many times, young mouthpiece makers are usually still working on figuring out the whole mouthpiece making skill and they are just looking for my opinion or confirmation that they are on the right track.

When Nick initially reached out to me, I was ready to compose a response saying I didn’t have time to try his new mouthpiece when I clicked on a link he provided with photos of the saxophone mouthpiece he had been working on. I was honestly blown away by the photos of the mouthpiece he created. Even though I had never heard of Nick Stahl, I decided to respond that I would be willing to try out this beautiful looking mouthpiece.

The NJS Hummingbird Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Name Inspiration

Here are some words about Nick Stahl and the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the first email Nick sent to me just so you can get a sense of who Nick Stahl is and the concept behind this tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

“My name is Nick Stahl, I’m a saxophonist and aspiring mouthpiece maker from the Seattle area. I’m writing to see if I could send you one of my mouthpieces to try, and possibly review.

I’ve been playing the saxophone for 16 years, I graduated from CalArts with a BFA in jazz performance in 2019, and moved back to the Seattle area at the start of the pandemic. I’ve used the past three years to learn metal casting and mouthpiece facing/making, and it has become a second love for me.

I’m at the point where I’m ready to try to turn it into a small business, which is something I want to approach with sincerity and honesty (especially with a Guardala-style mouthpiece). I want people to really get their money’s worth with a good playing, good looking, gimmick-free saxophone mouthpiece, where the price is reflected in the amount of work and care that went into it.

I’ve been working on creating a Guardala-inspired handmade tenor saxophone mouthpiece that is warm, not too bright, does not compromise any register of the horn, and can be pushed without the tone breaking up. What I have settled on (for La Voz medium reeds) is a .115 tip opening, long (54) elliptical facing, rounded-over baffle, scooped sidewalls, and a medium chamber. They are single-piece high quality castings, made from lead-free silicon bronze, which are then extensively hand finished. The mouthpieces are entirely made by me, I do everything from alloying my own bronze, to the casting, to the finishing. Each NJS mouthpiece comes with a ligature and a cherry wood box, both of which I also make, and a polishing cloth.”-Nick Stahl

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Box

Here is another great quote from the NJS website on the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

“The NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece is a Guardala inspired, handmade tenor mouthpiece designed to be warm, moderately focused, and symbiotic with the player. Each one is meticulously crafted and extensively playtested by me. I’ve played Guardalas for nearly all of my years on tenor, and too much of the time found myself struggling to keep my sound from getting too bright and thin. The NJS Hummingbird is my solution, maintaining character and power from a Guardala, while being richer, warmer, more controllable, and better responding. They are set up to enable the player to really sculpt their sound, sounding better and better the more they are played.”-Nick Stahl

In the above photo is the wooden box that the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece comes in. It is evident that Nick is very detail oriented and a craftsman as well as an artist. As you can see in these photos, the NJS mouthpiece comes well packaged and protected. Besides being in these beautiful boxes, the boxes were shipped with ample padding around them in a shipping box as well.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Box

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Box

As the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece is made of unplated bronze, Nick sent me a few tips before I even received the mouthpiece in the mail:

– The mouthpiece is unplated bronze, so it will patina as it gets used. If you end up reviewing it, it might be nice to show pictures from before it’s been played, and some after you’ve played it as much as possible. The patina that develops for me after a while shows the crystal structure of the metal, which can be cool.– If you don’t want the mouthpiece to patina and instead want to keep it bright and shiny, just use the included polishing cloth. It is a true polishing cloth that is embedded with an ultra-fine polishing abrasive, so it should not be used extensively on the facing and table, as it could potentially change the facing after hundreds of uses.– It can be washed with dish soap and warm water. Like any metal mouthpiece or saxophone it should ideally be swabbed out or left to dry after playing. The silicon bronze I use is more corrosion resistant than brass, but can still corrode if you let moisture sit in it for prolonged periods. NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece looked just as amazing and beautiful in person as it did in the photos. It’s one of those mouthpieces you get and then you spend ten minutes just admiring its beauty because you are afraid to play it and put a mark on it in any way.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece looks terrific to the eye. The tip, rails and table look even, flat, precise and well crafted. The mouthpiece tip rail and side rails are even and thin, and the shape of the tip rail perfectly matches the curve of the saxophone reeds I used. The thinness of the rails remind me of the thin rails Dave Guardala was known for using on his mouthpieces back in the day.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

One concern I had from looking at the photos as well as admiring the NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece in person was the “duckbill” beak of the mouthpiece that you can see in the photo above. (Nick has told me that he also makes the NJS Hummingbird with a Guardala height beak as well)

A “duckbill” beak describes a mouthpiece that has a beak that is really low in height and has a shape to the beak similar to the shape of a duck’s beak. The NJS Hummingbird beak is super low in height compared to most metal tenor saxophone mouthpieces. I can confidently state that it is the lowest beak I have played on a metal tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I have stated a number of times on this website that I do not like “duckbill” mouthpiece beaks so I was worried that this would be a problem for me.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

After receiving the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece (and before I had even played it), I sent Nick Stahl an email asking, “Do you really like the low duckbill beak profile?” I found his response interesting so I have included it here:

“I do really like the beak profile, I had tested a bunch of different profiles, and this one really grew on me to the point where I prefer it, although it did feel strange at first. I have been really working on the Joe Allard approach to embouchure and tongue position (disclaimer, I have never studied with Joe Allard or his students, but there are some very good resources out there) so this beak profile is working towards that approach in a few ways:– The lower lip is supposed to be kept flat to match the shape of the reed, which leaks air out of the corners of the mouth, and the upper lip is supposed to come down to stop the leaks. The lower beak profile better facilitates that upper lip being able to come down like that.– The tongue is supposed to be kept high (ee/tee), the low beak gets the reed a little higher in the mouth. For me, the profile of the beak also keeps the tip of the reed at a more consistent height when taking in different amounts of mouthpiece.– The lower beak profile allows me to take more or less mouthpiece to play louder and quieter. The profile of the beak also allows me to slide the mouthpiece in or out easier. More general stuff:– The lower beak is more comfortable for me to take in the amount of mouthpiece needed to have my lower lip at the break by default, especially with a long facing. – The jaw is kept in a more relaxed position.– My upper teeth are kept more perpendicular to the mouthpiece.So that’s what I was going for, I appreciate you being willing to give it a chance, please let me know what you think once you’ve spent some time on it. I will have a 7 day trial period for these, so if people don’t like anything about the mouthpiece, they can return it. Because I make my own blanks, I can very easily make people a new mouthpiece with customizations like a different beak, at the same price point. NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As I had anticipated, the duckbill beak felt very strange to me at first. The height of the beak made it feel kind of like I was playing a soprano saxophone mouthpiece but this big tenor sax sound was coming back to my ears.

Over time, as I played the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece non-stop over the next couple of weeks, I did get used to the lower beak profile and really ended up loving it.

I found that getting used to the lower beak profile and the different jaw position while relaxing my embouchure really was the key as Nick described. Once I relaxed, the lower beak profile felt even more comfortable than a regular height tenor sax mouthpiece beak profile to me. Relaxing the embouchure allows the reed to respond more freely and the sound of the mouthpiece becomes much bigger, fuller and more resonant.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle of the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is of medium high height. The baffle is long and gradually rolls over before descending down into the medium chamber. The sidewalls on either side of the baffle are straight until the point where the baffle rolls down into the chamber. At that point the sidewalls are scooped out as the baffle descends into the chamber area.

For comparison sake, I compared the NJS Hummingbird to two other high baffled tenor mouthpieces I own. Compared to the Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage MB tenor saxophone mouthpiece, the baffle of NJS Hummingbird is a bit lower and not as long as the Pilgrimage mouthpiece.

Compared to my Retro Revival Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece, the baffle of the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece is also lower and slightly shorter before it rolls over and descend down into the chamber.

The lower and shorter baffle of the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece led me to believe that the NJS Hummingbird wouldn’t be as bright as the Pilgrimage or RR Double Ring tenor sax mouthpieces which are two of my brighter tenor saxophone mouthpieces in my collection and when I started to play the NJS Hummingbird I found my assumption to be correct.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece chamber looks to be what I would consider a medium-large sized chamber although Nick describes it as a medium chambered mouthpiece. The roof of the chamber is of average thickness as you can see in the photo above.

I found the NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece to play great with stronger tenor saxophone reeds of 3 or 3 1/2 strength. Usually on a .115 tip opening tenor sax mouthpiece, I would use a 2 1/2 strength reed but because the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece has a longer elliptical facing of 54, I believe it can be used with harder reeds like 3 or 3 1/2 strength reeds.

The BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Black Label 3 1/2 strength tenor saxophone reed I used on the first two sound clips below played amazingly well for me. The BSS Black Label reeds are normally a darker sounding reed but they could get pretty bright and powerful on the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece.

Nick had suggested that I try a Lavoz medium tenor saxophone reed as that is his favorite reed on the Hummingbird mouthpiece so I ordered a box of those to try as well.

I included two clips using the Lavoz medium reed which are clips 3 & 4 below. The Lavoz medium reeds had a very different tone for me that was much warmer and darker than the BSS Black label 3 1/2 reed clips.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As I stated above, the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece played incredibly well. The mouthpiece was powerful and in your face when pushed but I didn’t find it overly bright and edgy like I have felt about Guardala tenor sax mouthpieces I have tried in the past.

The tone seemed focused and concentrated in power while keeping the core to the sound and the tone didn’t thin out in the higher register. When pushed the NJS Hummingbird would get a bit brighter but it’s EQ sounded like it had more mid frequencies rather than the typical high frequency boost most high baffle mouthpieces have at louder volumes.

At first, I felt like the lower beak was throwing off my tongue position or oral cavity shape and I started to bite to get the altissimo notes. I quickly realized what I was doing, relaxed and then worked on voicing those altissimo notes with overtones while remaining relaxed and quickly got comfortable with how those notes needed to be voiced with this mouthpiece. After this adjustment, the altissimo range was easy to get and play on the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece.

On the subject of overtones, I have to say that the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece plays exceptionally easy when playing overtones. In a couple of the clips, I play some Breckeresque overtone lines and was surprised with how easily they were produced. Usually I have to really work on voicing those overtones to come out correctly and with the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece I felt like I just put my fingers down and the overtones popped out really effortlessly and in tune.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Patina forming on Bronze-Patina can be wiped off with included polishing cloth)

The intonation on the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was very good and the mouthpiece was a great match for my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone (from the 50’s).

The evenness and smoothness of notes throughout the range of the saxophone was nice when playing fast lines. The NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece sub-toned beautifully as well down in the lower range of the saxophone.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with Included Ligature

The NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a good amount of power and volume when pushed. I would say the volume was about a 8 1/2-9 when pushed on my 1-10 volume scale. It wasn’t as loud and bright as some higher baffled tenor sax mouthpieces are when pushed to maximum volume, but where those mouthpieces can tend to get thinner sounding and excruciatingly brighter the louder they get, the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece retains it’s nice full bodied tone that is thick and full sounding as it gets in that louder range.

Of course, part of what carries the sound through the mix of a loud band is the brightness of your sound so seeing how the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece would perform on the gig can only be tested in a live setting with a band to see how the Hummingbird’s tone carries through the mix of the band. In my home studio, The NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece seemed to have plenty of power and projection at it’s disposal.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with Included Ligature

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles. There are four sound clips.

The first sound clip is a demonstration of the altissimo register of the saxophone while playing some “bluesy” type lines. I added reverb to the sound so you can hear how the mouthpiece might sound through a sound system with some reverb added to the mix like on a live gig.

The second sound clip below is a recording of me playing a bunch of random lines and ideas like I usually do with a BSS Black Label 3 1/2 reed. This sound clip has no reverb or any other effects added to the sound so you can hear how the NJS Hummingbird sounds without effects.

Clips 3 & 4 are more mellow sound clips demonstrating the warmer side of the NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece with the Lavoz Medium tenor saxophone reeds.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece that is inspired by the Guardala concept but with less of a baffle to it. The NJS Hummingbird still provides power and focus but without the strident brightness that can many times accompany high baffled saxophone mouthpieces. As I demonstrate in the sound clips, the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece can sound great for straight ahead jazz paying as well as more popular music like funk or pop music.

Nick Stahl did an absolutely incredible job creating this mouthpiece. His artistry and craftsmanship are evident from his work. I am looking forward to seeing more of his mouthpiece work in the future.

If you like the sound and look of the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Nick Stahl, you can find them at the Nick Stahl Music website.

If you try a NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/NJSBSSReverb3.mp3*NJS Hummingbird 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Boston Sax Shop Black Label 3 1/2 Reed-Reverb Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/NJSBSSBlack.mp3*NJS Hummingbird 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Boston Sax Shop Black Label 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/NJSLavozReverb24.mp3*NJS Hummingbird 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Lavoz Medium Reed-Reverb Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/NJSLavoz24.mp3*NJS Hummingbird 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Lavoz Medium Reed-No Effects Added**

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece released by Joe Giardullo at Soprano Planet. SL stands for Steve Lacy and this soprano sax mouthpiece is modeled after Steve Lacy’s personal mouthpiece that Joe Giardullo had for about a year after Steve Lacy’s death. Of course, Steve Lacy’s soprano sax mouthpiece was a 12 tip opening (.096) and most soprano player’s probably could not handle that large of a tip opening so Joe made his Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece with a .075 tip opening which is much more manageable for most players.

I have to admit that for whatever reason, I have not listened to much Steve Lacy in my 50+ years of living so I am not only curious to check out the Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece but some Steve Lacy recordings as well (I’m playing Steve Lacy “Soprano Sax” from 1958 and Gil Evans & Ten “Just One of Those Things” as I type this review……).

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is an email I received from Joe Giardullo explaining the Open Sky SL (Steve Lacy) soprano saxophone mouthpiece concept:

“The new mouthpiece, which I call the Open Sky SL (after Steve Lacy) is designed with no baffle at all. That means the chamber shape rules completely. The chamber is medium. It has a similar throat as Steve Lacy’s mouthpiece, which was a kind of race-track oval.

The short story is this: I’ve finally nailed down the real source of the short lived Otto Link Tone Edge model mouthpiece that Steve Lacy played. Turns out, there are four great soprano mouthpiece designs all made from the same blank, which was produced by Riffault. Of course, the Riffault soprano saxophone mouthpieces, and all the stencils, were made from that blank. As was the rare Brilhart ARB soprano sax mouthpiece, the old Beechler soprano sax mouthpiece (20 years ago and earlier) and the short-lived Otto Link Tone Edge soprano mouthpiece that Steve Lacy played.

That gave me the idea for producing the Open Sky-SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece. I wanted to stay away from a huge tip, because there are still too many players that think tip size is so significant, which it really isn’t. I made a few prototypes and .075 produced all the aspects that made Steve Lacy’s soprano saxophone mouthpiece so amazing, only instead of requiring # 1 1/2 reeds, this .075 played with ease on # 2 1/2 and even # 2 reeds.

The aspect that gives it the complete flexibility that Steve Lacy’s mouthpiece had is the complete lack of a baffle, which was what Steve’s mouthpiece had as well. Not even a hint of a baffle. It plays dark or bright or anywhere in between, according to what the player needs. It centers the tone back in the throat/oral cavity of the player, so there is quick and smooth transitions always available.”-Joe Giardullo

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece came well packaged with a ligature, cap and two Marca soprano sax reeds that Joe felt played well on the Open Sky SL soprano sax mouthpiece. The reeds were size 2 and 2 1/2 but felt too soft for my tastes on the Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece. In retrospect, as I type this and listen to Steve Lacy playing in the background, I realize that using the softer reeds would probably have given me a sound that is closer to Steve Lacy’s soprano sax sound as he sounds like he is using a soft reed in the recordings I am listening to.

The ligature looks a lot like a Brancher ligature and I really dug this ligature on the Open Sky SL mouthpiece. I asked Joe what it was and this was his response:

“I stumbled on that ligature at a music confab in France years ago. It looks like the one sold by Brancher. But when I compared them in terms of sound, I liked this ligature better. The plate is slightly smaller and has a different pattern in terms of interacting with the reed. I have no idea why ligatures do what they do, but I am convinced that it has to do with sympathetic resonance with the vibrating reed/ligature/mouthpiece combination.

It’s like when you strike a tuning fork and just hold it in your fingers, the sound is barely audible. But, anchor the end on a table or hard surface and the sound explodes in volume and resonance. Even if you hold the fork to a sheet of paper held in mid-air, the sound gets louder and fuller. So, that’s my guess on the ligature: they certainly can make a difference, for better or, sometimes, for worse.

But, I liked that one and started importing them for my mouthpieces.”-Joe Giardullo

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece with Ligature

Here is a description of the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece from the Soprano Planet website:

“The OPEN SKY SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece is an absolute amazing mouthpiece with NO BAFFLE at all, just like the legendary mouthpiece that inspired its creation: the mouthpiece played by the great Steve Lacy. There is no baffle! The mouthpiece opens up directly into the medium chamber and ends with a “racetrack” shaped throat, like Steve Lacy’s mouthpiece. You’ll be amazed when you play it.

The new OPEN SKY SL soprano sax mouthpiece is a working man’s version of the legendary mouthpiece played by Steve Lacy. It has all the qualities that made that mouthpiece so special and it’s been produced for soprano players that want the freedom, flexibility, feel and sound world that we love about Steve Lacy’s sound and spirit.

Here is a part of an email from a player in Great Britain. I think he nailed the thing that makes the OPEN SKY SL a powerful and utterly unique soprano mouthpiece:

“My surprise with this mouthpiece is that it is both fat and focused at the same time…it has a rich fat tone but also is incisive with lots of bite…It has edge and volume when needed and a fat velvety tone too! – best of both together. It is exceptional.”

Recent discoveries led me to recognize that I could use my OPEN SKY 2 blank as a basis for this new piece, allowing me to design the ultimate chamber shape and size, things that made Steve Lacy’s mouthpiece so special. I played Steve Lacy’s mouthpiece many times and had it in my possession for almost a year after he passed in 2004. I knew it well then and I know it well now.

But, with a # 12 tip opening, that legendary mouthpiece would pose a lot of challenges for most players. As you know, it takes much more skill to play very light reeds well than it does to play firmer reeds. Steve played on # 1 1/2 and even # 1 reeds at times.

With the OPEN SKY SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece, I was able to bring the tip opening down a lot so that the mouthpiece would play with moderate strength reeds.

I am currently making this mouthpiece with a .075 tip, which is about a #9 tip, and it plays easily with # 2 1/2 reeds. The intonation is solid throughout the range of the horn, the altissimo is quick and singing, it subtones with ease and it is flexible in terms of sound and texture.

Like Steve Lacy’s mouthpiece, there is no baffle at all. It’s one of the things that makes this piece sing as it does. The same air delivery that plays the lowest notes will play the highest notes with no workarounds requires. Like a lyric soprano singer, it’s all one, perfect continuum, from bottom to top.”-Joe Giardullo

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece is made of quality hard rubber (ebonite). It comes in one tip opening of .075 which is about a 9 tip for soprano saxophone mouthpieces. The Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece has “Open Sky SL” and “Soprano Planet” labeled on the top of the mouthpiece. I don’t see any tip opening markings or any other markings on the mouthpiece.

The table looks flat and even. The side rails look fairly even although the left rail has a bit of a waver to the inside line of the left rail. The tip rail is a bit uneven with the left side of the rail being thinner than the right side (photo below). In my mind, this kind of unevenness doesn’t really matter as long as there is enough tip rail there for the reed to seal, which it does.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

Joe Giardullo describes the Open Sky SL soprano sax mouthpiece as having no baffle and I see very little signs of one. As I examine the baffle under the light, I believe I do see a very slight roll to the baffle where the low baffle rolls a little bit to then decline into the medium chamber at a steeper angle but it is very subtle. From the tip down to the chamber, the baffle looks pretty darn straight.

Besides the tip rail being a little thinner on one side than the other, there are some other markings that show that this mouthpiece has been worked on by hand including some marks in the hard rubber at the bottom of the baffle and some marks in the wall of the bore as well.

The tip rail curve has an outer curve that is a bit steeper on the edges than the more gradual outer curves of my soprano reeds (Vandoren Java, Roberto’s Winds, BSS, Rigotti) but the reeds sealed well and always got suction.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The side walls of the Open Sky SL mouthpiece look and feel straight to me. The roof of the chamber is thick which I would assume helps to squeeze the air into and through the medium chamber and through the oval throat shape that exits into the larger bore of the mouthpiece. Joe Giardullo describes the chamber as “race track” shaped. It’s like a circle with the high point and low point being stretched away from the circle slightly to make it oval shaped.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

Once I found the right strength reed for me which was a Roberto’s Winds 3 soft soprano saxophone reed, I was ready to go. The Soprano Planet Open Sky SL mouthpiece had a big powerfully crisp sound to it right out of the gate. I was surprised by how much power I could get out of it by blowing a little harder. With soprano mouthpieces, I am always concerned about resistance and back pressure but the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL mouthpiece had no uncomfortable resistance while I was playing it.

While blowing less air, the Open Sky SL mouthpiece produced a lighter more delicate soprano saxophone sound but when I pushed more air through the mouthpiece the Open Sky SL produced a more in-your-face fat tone that you could shade to be more aggressive or really fat and beautiful sounding. I try to demonstrate these contrasts in the sound clips below.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece was excellent and I detected no issues intonation-wise while playing. The Open Sky SL mouthpiece played easily throughout the range of the soprano saxophone from low Bb up to the higher notes. I particularly liked how the high notes really had a fat resonance and “singing” quality to them. I could also easily sub-tone notes on the lower end of the soprano saxophone.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Open Sky SL responded well to vibrato, dynamics and bending of the notes as well as “voicing” of the notes. I really believe Joe Giardullo is on to something special with the “no baffle” aspect of this mouthpiece allowing the player to mold and shape the sound. I have a similar experience on my Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece that has little to no baffle yet I have played Top 40 gigs on that mouthpiece and it can really wail as far as volume and brightness when pushed in that direction. The Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano sax mouthpiece is similar in that regard.

The Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece responded cleanly and quickly to articulation and the tone was even and resonant throughout the range of the soprano saxophone.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of soprano saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece perform in different styles. I have provided three sound clips below.

The first is a sound clip with reverb added that I think sounds amazing. You can hear the resonance, fullness of tone and beauty that the Open Sky SL soprano mouthpiece provides in this sound clip. Although the reverb is added to the clip, it provides the listener an idea of how the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL mouthpiece might sound for them in a recording studio with effects or while played in a big hall, or room with a lively natural reverb.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The second sound clip is a clip of me playing with a bit more volume and energy at times. The tone is fuller, fatter and brighter sounding. I love how the Open Sky SL mouthpiece could be pushed to a louder volume but I felt no bad resistance or back pressure while playing. As I mentioned earlier, this is really important to me because of medical reasons. There are many soprano mouthpieces that give too much resistance when played at full volume and I find my throat and head filling up with back pressure. This has adverse effects on my health and luckily the Open Sky SL soprano sax mouthpiece has none of these negative effects on me.

As far as soprano mouthpiece volume goes, I felt like the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL could really provide ample volume when pushed and the more you pushed the volume the fatter the tone would get which is a real nice side benefit.

The third sound clip is a demonstration of the Open Sky SL soprano mouthpiece with a lighter tone at a more medium volume.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

I would have thought the more open .075 tip opening would have felt a bit too open for me as I usually play .070 tip openings on the soprano saxophone but I honestly didn’t notice the .005 increase in tip opening size. The Open Sky SL soprano mouthpiece felt incredible easy and effortless to play at the .075 tip opening.

The Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece really struck me as a mouthpiece design that allows the player to really shape and mold the sound to their particular tastes. I would really suggest listening to all of the clips below because I found the sound of the mouthpiece would change depending on how I wanted to play and if you just listen to one section of a sound clip you won’t get the full picture of how varied the Open Sky SL soprano sax mouthpiece can sound.

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece is a great soprano saxophone mouthpiece for those of you looking for a soprano sax mouthpiece with very little baffle whose tone can be molded and shaped to your desires. It can be played with energy and a brighter sound that is fat and in-your-face or it can be played with a warmer more laid back beautiful sound. The sound spectrum you get with the Open Sky SL soprano sax mouthpiece is really up to you.

Due to this fact, I believe the Open Sky SL is a soprano mouthpiece that the player should spend ample time with. Sure, you could buy an Open Sky SL mouthpiece, slap it on and go to the gig but my experience from playing this mouthpiece over the last month has taught me that there are multiple layers and unexplored dimensions to blowing this mouthpiece that leave the possibilities open for the player to discover through playing, experimentation and time. That makes playing the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano sax mouthpiece all the more exciting to play in my mind.

If you like the sound and look of the Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece by Joe Giardullo, you can find them for sale at Soprano Planet. Joe Giardullo has been excellent with responding to questions so if you have any, reach out to him through his website.

If you try a Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers. It makes a world of difference!

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/OpenSkySLReverb-Last.mp3*Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Soprano Saxophone Reed-Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/OpenSkySL6-Full.mp3*Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Soprano Saxophone Reed-No Effects Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/OpenSkySL6-Last2.mp3*Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Soprano Saxophone Reed-No Effects Added*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I will be reviewing three Selmer S80 classical tenor saxophone mouthpieces of different tip openings that I was able to borrow from a local music store. My goal is to see how they perform for my style of saxophone playing. To be fair, the Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces were designed for classical tenor saxophone playing so the whole premise for this review is not really fair to the S80 mouthpieces. At the same time, I am curious, so let’s give this review a shot and see how the Selmer S80 tenor sax mouthpieces play for me.

The last time I tried one of these Selmer S80 classical tenor sax mouthpieces was in college about forty years ago. Although my memory is patchy on a lot of things these days, I still remember my response to trying that Selmer S80 C* tenor saxophone mouthpiece all those years ago, I didn’t like it at all! As someone who was listening to Michael Brecker, Bob Berg and Bob Mintzer at the time, I remember thinking that the Selmer S80 saxophone mouthpiece didn’t have close to the power, brightness and projection I was looking for from a tenor saxophone mouthpiece. In fact, to my young developing ears, the Selmer S80 sounded way too dark and dull for the sound I was looking for at the time. Now, forty years later, I was curious to try these Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces again and see if my opinion of them has changed after forty years.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is widely known as a classical tenor saxophone mouthpiece. It is described on the Selmer website as having a very warm grained, broad and full toned sound. The three Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces I borrowed were a C*, an E and an F. Here are how those tip openings measure out according to the Selmer website (these are pre-2012 S80 mouthpieces):

Selmer S80 C*= 1.90 mm (.075″)

Selmer S80 E= 2.10 mm (.083″)

Selmer S80 F= 2.30 mm (.091″)

If you were to measure from the tip of the mouthpiece to the break where the mouthpiece starts to bend away from the reed, this would be the facing curve length. Facing curve lengths are most commonly measured in half millimeters, so a standard tenor facing length of 50 would be 25mm.

The facing curve on these three Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces is listed as 24 mm which is a 48. These three Selmer S80 mouthpieces were made before 2012. The Selmer S80 tenor mouthpieces made after 2012 have an even shorter facing curve length of 23 mm which is a 46 (for an excellent article on these Selmer S80 mouthpiece changes check out “A Selmer C is a C is a C* – or is it?” by David Kessler.) Most of the tenor saxophone mouthpieces that I have reviewed here at Neffmusic have facing curve lengths of 47-54 with most mouthpiece facings curves averaging around a 50 length.

Here is a great informative quote about facing curves from the BSS (Boston Sax Shop) website:

“With a longer facing curve, the reed is more flexible because the fulcrum, or break, is moved back, giving you more leverage against the spring of the reed. As a result, a longer facing curve offers less overall resistance, more efficiency and easier sub-tone. However, there is a downside if you go too far. The mouthpiece begins to feel mushy, loses its crispness of articulation and altissimo suffers.

In comparison, a shorter facing curve is like moving the fulcrum up, presenting less leverage on the spring of the reed. This gives the mouthpiece more cooperative resistance, as it takes more force to seal the reed which makes altissimo easier, gives you more control of articulation and presents the feeling of ‘pushing against something’. However, shorter facings often suffer from harsh low notes and are hard to play loud.”

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The three Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces were in relatively good condition although these three mouthpieces had been used as trial mouthpieces for students who wanted to try them at the local music store so there is some wear and tear on them. All three mouthpieces sealed well with the Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 1/2 tenor saxophone reeds I used on them. I used a different reed on each mouthpiece just to avoid issues that might occur by using the same reed on different facing curves.

The diameter and beak profile of the Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces is very close to the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece and the beak height felt very comfortable while playing.

All of my saxophone ligatures that fit comfortably on hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces fit on the Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces. I chose to use the Sax Clinic SVC Tonus Mundi String Ligature that I reviewed last year for this review.

The Selmer S80 table, rails and tip rail looked even and well balanced. The baffle looks to have a quick rollover baffle near the tip and then what I would describe as a concave low baffle floor that you can see clearly in the photo below. This concave baffle floor is not common on jazz tenor saxophone mouthpieces. Most jazz saxophone mouthpieces with rollover baffles have a rollover baffle that starts high near the tip and gradually curves down to the chamber area of the mouthpiece. As you can see below, the Selmer S80 mouthpiece has a concave curve that immediately curves low and then slides down as it travels through the chamber to the square exit into the round bore area.

The Selmer S80 tenor mouthpieces have straight sidewalls that travel from the tip of the mouthpiece to the square entrance to the round bore of the mouthpiece. The square entrance isn’t really an entrance to the chamber area but seems to me to be more of a square exit from the chamber area into the bore of the mouthpiece. The roof of the chamber looks relatively thick to my eyes.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Before I even played the three Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpieces, I had to wonder what effect that concave low baffle would have on the sound. In general terms, I have described a regular baffle like a ski slope that speeds up the air to travel faster over the peak of the baffle and then speed down the ramp of the baffle towards the chamber area. This creates more brightness and power to the sound.

In this case, the concave low baffle floor would seem to have the opposite effect by slowing down the air and creating more darkness and warmth and less power perhaps. I’m sure those reading this with more scientific knowledge can add more details to my layman’s description of saxophone sound production and acoustics………

In general, I have never been a fan of square chambers. I know this will sound rudimentary but I have always been of the opinion that round chambers produced a round sound. Square chambers produced a square and boxed in sound. Scooped sidewall produce a richer and rounder, more 3 dimensional sound while straight side walls produce a more one dimensional focused and pure sound. Even as I type this, I think it sounds pretty simplistic but I have experienced these characteristics more times with these variables than I can mention so I tend to think this way now.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The hardest reed I had on hand to try these mouthpieces was a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Silver Label 3 1/2 tenor saxophone reed. I chose the Silver Label BSS reeds on purpose just to liven up the sound and perhaps give the tone a little more brightness and edge. Although the BSS 3 1/2 reed felt a bit soft on the Selmer S80 C* tenor mouthpiece, it felt very comfortable on the Selmer S80 E and F tip openings.

My first impressions of the Selmer S80 C upon playing it was that it was way too small of a tip for me. This is of no surprise as I usually play tenor mouthpieces that have a tip opening of .100-.115 on average and the Selmer S80 C has a tip of .075 which is even smaller than the .080 tip opening I prefer on an alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer S80 C* had a warm tone that seemed to lack the higher partials in the tone that I am used to in my tenor saxophone tone. Players are always seeking out “warm” and “dark” mouthpieces and the Selmer S80 definitely fits in that category in my opinion.

The smaller tip opening really made it easy to whisper the notes and lines at a ppp dynamic level very easily. On the other side of the volume spectrum, I had a hard time pushing the Selmer S80 C to a louder volume like I am used to. It seemed like it would get to about 5 or 5 on the 1-10 tenor saxophone volume scale and kind of hit a wall for me in regard to volume.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Another characteristic I noticed when trying to push the mouthpiece louder was that unlike many tenor saxophone mouthpieces that get brighter the more you push the volume, the Selmer S80 C* just seemed to get more of an increase in the mid-range of the EQ as opposed to the treble side of the EQ. I wasn’t really a big fan of this mid-range boost in tone personally.

The Selmer S80 C* tenor sax mouthpiece really felt at home at softer volumes for me. When pushed, it would become more heavy sounding and at times had an edgy and nasally midrange quality to the tone.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer S80 E tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a bit more “oomph” and focus to it than the S80 C* mouthpiece. I could get more volume out of the E tip opening but the volume was still less than what I am used to from a tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Maybe around a 6 or 6 1/2 on the tenor mouthpiece volume scale from 1-10.

One characteristic I noticed on all three mouthpieces was that the altissimo range was hard to play with volume. I seemed to get the notes in that range easily when I backed off of the volume but if I tried to really push the volume on the high notes they would tend to break and I would lose them. If you seem to notice that the high notes seem softer in volume than I usually play, that is why.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer S80 F tenor saxophone mouthpiece had about the same volume available as the S80 E mouthpiece. I found the tone to be richer and more spread in tone than the E tip opening S80 mouthpiece. It seemed a little closer to an Otto Link type of tone but the tone still seemed boxed in and locked in if you will. Like the notes were more resistant to bending and manipulation by me. This might very well be because of the shorter facing curve. If you think about it, a shorter facing curve will be harder to bend and manipulate the reed where a longer facing curve will give you more of a gradual bend so that you can bend the reed easier and manipulate the tone.

Even though I felt like I could put more air through the F tip opening, I still felt like it was around that 6 1/2 volume level and I couldn’t push it past that point very easily.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on all three S80 mouthpieces was excellent and all three mouthpieces had to be placed pretty far on the neck cork to be in tune. I’ve heard that these mouthpieces are great for classical music because they have excellent intonation.

The low notes were good but again, they weren’t exactly what I hear in my head when imagining tenor saxophone low notes. What I mean by this is that I like more of a round sound from the low notes whether I am playing straight or sub-toning. The Selmer S80 mouthpieces played the low notes fine but again, this analogy probably stinks, but the low notes sounded boxy to me. Like the low notes are very defined and prepackaged within set borders.

An Otto Link round chamber type of mouthpiece seems to have more of a round tone in the low notes and if you push the volume the round circle of rich tone seems to expand outward to fill the room. The square chamber of the Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpiece seems to get more concentrated and mid-range heavy when you push it louder but in my mind the tone doesn’t seem to escape the square borders of the sound. (Feel free to add you own unique descriptions of what you hear and feel in the comments below because I’m not sure I am conveying my thoughts adequately……)

The shorter facing curve definitely seemed to make the low notes a little bit harder to jump to without honking a bit more than I am used to. I noticed this quite a bit on the second line of Donna Lee where the line jumps down from a low F to a low B.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the Selmer S80 C*, E and F tenor saxophone mouthpieces perform in different styles. There are six sound clips, two for each tip opening.

For each of the three Selmer S80 mouthpieces, I play one long sound clip which is my usual mix of varied lines, melodies and ideas I usually play when reviewing mouthpieces. There is no reverb or effects on each of these sound clips.

On the second shorter sound clip for each mouthpiece, I attempt to play some altissimo and bluesy type lines a bit louder and more aggressively. I added reverb to these examples so you can hear how the Selmer S80 might sound with reverb or in a room with a natural reverb in it.

Selmer S80 C* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

So, in my opinion, can you play jazz on the Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpiece? Sure, you can, but I would say “For me, not really”.

First of all, the Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a tenor sax mouthpiece suited more for the classical genre. Secondly, playing these three mouthpieces, the Selmer S80 mouthpieces don’t have the powerful dynamic range that I am personally looking for in a tenor saxophone mouthpiece when playing jazz. Thirdly, the altissimo range doesn’t come close to providing the wailing volume I need to cut through the mix on a gig. Fourthly, I prefer a richer tonal pallet of colors in the sound of the tenor saxophone than I hear in the Selmer S80 mouthpieces. The E and F tip opening were certainly closer to what I like in a tenor saxophone sound but for me but they still didn’t fully reach the rich sound that I was looking for while playing.

For classical music, many classical tenor saxophone players have played the Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpiece through the years and sounded terrific so in that genre of music it has proven its value and excellence. This review is more about my impressions in using the S80 for my personal style of jazz and modern saxophone playing.

If you have tried a Selmer S80 tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

Selmer S80 C Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece**https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerS80Cstar.mp3Selmer S80 C Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects Added****

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerS80CStarAltissimoReverb.mp3*Selmer S80 C Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 1/2 Reed-Altissimo Reverb Added**

Selmer S80 E Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiecehttps://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerS80E.mp3*Selmer S80 E Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerS80EAltReverb.mp3*Selmer S80 E Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 1/2 Reed-Altissimo Reverb Added*

Selmer S80 F Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiecehttps://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerS80F.mp3*Selmer S80 F Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerS80FAltissimoReverb.mp3*Selmer S80 F Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 1/2 Reed-Altissimo Reverb Added*

Disclosure: I borrowed these three mouthpiece reviewed above for the review on my blog. I returned them to the music store immediately after recording them for this review and I am receiving no commissions for this review. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Selmer Jazz Flow 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece released by Selmer Paris. A few months ago, I started reading some great customer reviews about these new Selmer Jazz Flow alto sax mouthpieces and just as my curiosity was peaking, Ryan Lillywhite, the woodwind category manager at Conn Selmer, reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing a Jazz Flow saxophone mouthpiece. I, of course, said “Yes”, and the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece arrived at my door just a few weeks later.

Selmer Paris Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Before I even received the Selmer Jazz Flow mouthpiece, I started doing some preliminary research on the mouthpiece just to see what was coming my way. While I was reading different facts about the mouthpiece I came across a description of the mouthpiece that said it had a facing curve length of 30 mm. The longest facing curve on an alto saxophone mouthpiece I had ever played was a 23 mm length curve and that was described as a really long facing curve by Brian Powell and Dave Valdez so reading that this Selmer Jazz Flow alto mouthpiece had a 30 mm long facing curve seemed like a mistake to me.

After chasing down the answer from multiple sources, Ryan Lillywhite at Conn Selmer sent me this message:

“In a nutshell, normal humans use the .0015 gauge to read the length of a facing curve but Selmer Paris looks at their CAD model which tells you where the first micron starts to curve. So if you had a .0000001 gauge it would get close to the 30 mm facing curve length.”

All that being said, to us mere mortals who have to use a .0015 gauge to measure a facing length, the facing length of the Selmer Jazz Flow mouthpiece comes out to about 22.5 mm which I would still consider a longer facing curve on an alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Selmer Paris Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a description of the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece from the Sweetwater website description (this is so perfectly written I wondered if perhaps AI wrote it):

The Jazz Flow’s rich timbre gives you an expansive sonic palette for a full range of expression. Drawing on its expertise in acoustic engineering and fruitful collaborations with professional alto players, Selmer has produced a mouthpiece that both complements and exploits the distinctive voice of the alto sax. Delivering a sound characterized by exceptional density, depth of grain, and luscious warmth, the Jazz Flow offers the versatility to excel in a wide variety of genres, from straight-ahead jazz to contemporary funk, pop, rock, electro, world music, and all fusions thereof. With that said, the right reed and embouchure will enable you to mellow it out and blend in beautifully with an orchestra. It’s this versatility that makes the Jazz Flow a perfect alto mouthpiece for just about any musical setting. Whether you’re a beginner who wants to get started with a jazz sound, an advancing student developing your own voice, or a professional who requires versatility and reliability, the Jazz Flow is your go-to alto mouthpiece.

The Jazz Flow is crafted of high-grade ebonite, considered the material of choice for mouthpiece fabrication for over a century due to its unique acoustical properties and superior durability. Selmer Paris uses ebonite made from natural rubber-tree latex that conforms to European Union standards for non-toxicity. Located within Selmer’s Mantes-la-Ville workshops, digitally controlled facilities maintain uncompromising quality standards. Here, Jazz Flow mouthpieces are meticulously fabricated on modified machinery formerly used by the Swiss watchmaking industry. To ensure unit-to-unit uniformity, this precision equipment is calibrated to tolerances of less than 0.03mm. In addition, a high-resolution 3D optical quality control machine scrutinizes every design parameter, guaranteeing the mouthpiece you get will be perfect and play flawlessly. The result of Selmer’s fastidious attention to detail is a mouthpiece that provides supreme playing comfort and optimal expressive malleability.

The Selmer Paris website also adds this information about the Selmer Paris Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece:

Inspired by the great mouthpieces that have marked the history of Jazz, this new alto saxophone mouthpiece is called Jazz Flow ; a tribute to musical improvisation and to one of the first SELMER mouthpiece models from the 1950s, the Air Flow. The ancestor of the Soloist, this very flexible mouthpiece offered musicians a wide palette of sound textures.**

It is available in two openings: 5 (1.95mm)(.077″) and 7 (2.05mm)(.081″).**

Selmer Paris Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece is made of quality hard rubber (ebonite). It comes in two tip openings of 5 (.077″) and 7 (.081″). I find it strange that Selmer just didn’t call these tip openings a 6 and a 7 but maybe it’s a French thing. Just remember that there is no 6 tip opening. Also remember, that the 5 (.077″) is very close in tip opening to the 7 (.081″). The difference is only .004″!

I have not played the 5 tip opening Jazz Flow mouthpiece but as someone who feels most comfortable on an alto mouthpiece with a .075-.080 tip opening, I felt very comfortable with the 7 (.081″) tip opening.

The Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece comes in a nice black velvety bag that is inside a beautifully designed cardboard box with what looks like mouthpiece engineering drawings and measurements all over the box. The tip opening of 7 is listed as well as the facing curve length of 30 mm.

The chamber is listed as round on the website as well as on the box and although it looks round from the tip end of the mouthpiece looking into the chamber, if you look at the photo of the bore further down in this review, the shape of the chamber entrance looks more like a round rubber ball that is pressed down on a flat surface to make the bottom of the circle flat rather than a round shape. It’s interesting how two different views of the same area can look markedly different from different perspectives.

Selmer Paris Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Flow mouthpiece has the “Henri Selmer Paris” logo beautifully engraved in gold on the top of the mouthpiece with “fabrique en France” (made in France) engraved below it. The words “JAZZ FLOW” are engraved on the side of the mouthpiece in what looks similar to the “jazz font” I use for writing music notation in Finale. The tip opening of 7 is machine engraved on to the middle of the mouthpiece table.

Interestingly, Selmer made the risky yet stylish decision to cut the shank of the mouthpiece at an angle. If you put the mouthpiece down on a flat surface by the shank end it will sit at a slight tilt to the horizontal table. Even at an angle, the Selmer Jazz Flow mouthpiece sits relatively stable on a flat service. This is an interesting and unique design as I have never seen a mouthpiece made with a slanted shank end like this before.

Selmer Paris Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece looks great to the eye. The ebonite is smooth and shiny and I don’t see an imperfection anywhere. The tip, rails and table look even, flat, precise and perfectly crafted. The mouthpiece tip rail and side rails are even and symmetrical. The shape of the tip rail matched the shape of the different reeds I used on the Jazz Flow very closely.

The baffle of the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece is scooped from side to side so that the middle of the baffle is lower than the outside edges of the baffle. The baffle does travel at a steady declining curve but ends at a medium height as it drops off into the round looking chamber. The chamber looks to be a medium-small sized chamber compared to the medium sized chamber of a typical Meyer alto sax mouthpiece.

I don’t feel much of a rollover baffle if any near the tip of the Jazz Flow mouthpiece when I run my finger over it but when I move the mouthpiece under the light I believe I can make out the slightest reflection of a rollover near the tip. The side walls look relatively straight to my eyes as they narrow heading towards the medium-small chamber opening.

Selmer Paris Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The diameter and beak profile of the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece is very close to the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece. It felt very comfortable to me as I was play testing it. The body size of the Jazz Flow is similar to a typical hard rubber alto sax mouthpiece as well and my Vandoren Optimum ligature which I use on most of my alto sax mouthpiece reviews fit on the Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece perfectly.

I tried a variety of reeds with the Selmer Paris Jazz Flow alto sax mouthpiece including Rigotti Gold, BSS, Roberto’s Winds, Vandoren Java and two of the new Selmer “Premium Reeds” that Selmer was kind enough to send me with the mouthpiece. I decided to record the sound clips on the Roberto’s Winds reed only because it was the last reed I tried but all of the above reeds played really well for me on the Jazz Flow. I did find, that for me, all of these reeds performed best around a 3 strength on the Selmer Jazz Flow’s 7 tip opening.

Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

When first playing the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece, my first impression was that it had a beautifully focused sound to it. The focus reminded me of a classical mouthpiece in that the notes just seemed to “slot” into place really nicely. The focus of this mouthpiece would also prove to be advantageous when adding reverb to the sound as you can hear when you listen to the last two clips of “The Summer Knows” with and without reverb.

I find a focused sound to be beneficial when it comes to reverb because there is a solid core to the tone that the reverb can fatten up and wrap around while still retaining the focused core sound in the middle. Many times, when I start with a mouthpiece with a big spread sound and then add reverb, the sound just ends up sounding like a “wash” of sound that seems too cloudy or diffused. I loved the sound of the Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece with the reverb added!

Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Flow also had that quality I really love in an alto sax mouthpiece which I describe as a “crisp singing quality”. I’m not a big fan of an overly bright alto saxophone sound and I am definitely not a fan of an edgy alto saxophone sound. What I am a fan of, is that beautiful crisp brightness in the upper register that has body and depth to the sound. What I am describing takes me back to high school when I first heard the Phil Woods recordings “Musique Du Bois” and “Warm Woods”. To this day, when I play a mouthpiece that gives me that crisp singing sound in the upper register on the alto sax, I am in love.

The low notes were surprisingly solid and full in tone. When I saw the medium-small chamber I thought maybe the low notes would be a weakness for the Selmer Jazz Flow but they performed beautifully at full-tone as well as sub-tone. Well done, low notes!

Although I wrote a bit about the crisp brightness of the upper register, I also love the depth and texture of the sound the Selmer Jazz Flow produces. The notes sound rich and full of character in such a way that playing a ballad on the Jazz Flow makes the ballad sound more mature and seasoned almost. This is a hard characteristic to describe but I would relate it to playing a ballad on a Yamaha 4C as compared to on a great round chamber alto sax mouthpiece. The 4C can play all the notes but to me, it always sounds kind of sterile and one dimensional where as the round chamber mouthpiece has more character, depth and textures to explore if that makes sense. The Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece is a great example of having that character, depth and texture I am writing about.

Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece was very good up and down the saxophone and the mouthpiece was a great match for my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone. One area of attention for me is my middle “E” on my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone. This note can tend to be rather sharp for me on a mouthpiece with a smaller chamber and this was true for the Selmer Jazz Flow for me. This was not a big concern for me though because that note is sharp with every mouthpiece to varying degrees, it’s just that the Selmer Jazz Flow’s medium-small chamber makes that note even more sharp compared to a medium chamber or large chamber mouthpiece. The solution? Get used to it and become comfortable with voicing that note a bit lower so it is closer to in-tune. I believe I succeeded in this on the demo sound clips for the most part.

The evenness and smoothness of notes throughout the range of the saxophone when playing fast lines made the notes smooth and fast while that crisp brightness was a nice sound for the accented notes in bebop lines. The Selmer Jazz Flow responded immediately to emotive manipulations such as dynamics, bends and vibrato and was really fun to play on the bending high C# of “On the Sunny Side of the Street” especially (1:04 on the 1st and 2nd sound clips).

The altissimo register of the saxophone was easy to produce on the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece and the notes were easy to control and manipulate. The altissimo range notes were round, full and quite beautiful to listen to. *I do not usually play in the altissimo resister of the alto sax because it aggravates my tinnitus but I did test it out off mic and it performed well in that range of the saxophone. ( Listen to the last clip of Alex Nyman to hear some altissimo register playing)

Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece had a good amount of power and volume when pushed. I usually tend to think that you can get less air through a mouthpiece with a medium-small chamber but I could get a surprising amount of volume out of the Selmer Jazz Flow mouthpiece.

I would say that the Selmer Jazz Flow could get me to a comfortable 8 in volume and maybe a 8 1/2 to 9 when I really pushed it but at that point I did experience some back pressure which is quite common for me when pushing more air through a medium-small or small chamber opening. I do imagine the Jazz Flow would be great as a lead alto mouthpiece because it has the focused core to the sound coupled with that power and volume when pushed. Someone who plays lead alto in a band will have to test the Jazz Flow mouthpiece out to see how it performs in that regard.

As a side note, something about the Selmer Jazz Flow reminds me of 80’s-90’s Brandon Fields. I was very into Brandon Fields as a young high school and college alto sax student. For me, Brandon Fields offered a more refined and beautiful alto sound than say David Sanborn who was another one of my idols. Dave Sanborn’s sound was raw, in your face and aggressive sounding even on a ballad. It was edgy and overblown at times. Brandon Field’s sound was prettier, rounder in tone, and more refined. Yes, he could push it to have more edge and angst in the sound but that was the exception and not the norm.

I feel like the Selmer Jazz Flow alto mouthpiece is similar to that sound concept. In funky modern alto saxophone sound terms, Sanborn’s sound would be like a Dukoff mouthpiece sound, Mark Russo’s sound was more typical of a bright Meyer mouthpiece sound and Brandon Field’s sound would be like this Selmer Jazz Flow mouthpiece sound. Smooth, flowing, beautiful, more refined sounding. This is all touchy feely stuff I am trying to describe so I might have lost some of you but those are my thoughts and this is my review, so I’ll stick with that…….

Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of alto saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the Selmer Paris Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece perform in different styles. There are four sound clips. (Five with the added Alex Nyman clip)

The first sound clip below is a recording of me playing a bunch of random lines and ideas like I usually do with no effects on the sound. This is just the sound of the mouthpiece dry. I try to run through a variety of bebop lines, jazz melodies, articulations and miscellaneous ideas up and down the range of the horn that you can listen to to get an idea of how the Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece sounded and performed for me.

The second clip is the same as the first sound clip, but I added reverb to the clip so that you can get an idea of how the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece might sound on a live gig with reverb or when played in a room with a natural reverb in it.

The third sound clip is of me playing “The Summer Knows” without any effects on the sound. This is my usual ballad melody that I love to play when trying out alto saxophone mouthpieces.

The fourth clip is the same as “The Summer Knows” sound clip but I again added reverb to the sound clip. I think this clip with reverb is absolutely beautiful if I do say so myself.

Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece is a great alto sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for an alto sax mouthpiece that can play with a focused sound that can be light and crisp or more fat and in your face. Like I wrote above, I think it sounds great for jazz playing and ballad playing but it also has a funky Brandon Field’s alto sax vibe to it for me on funkier stuff.

If you like the sound and look of the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece by Selmer, you can find them for sale at Sweetwater. I have agreed to be an affiliate for Sweetwater so if you purchase a Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece from this link, neffmusic.com will receive a small commission on the sale while your cost remains the same. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you…..). Sweetwater even offers the option to pay in three installments as well which is nice.

If you try a Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers. It makes a world of difference!

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerJF.mp3*Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Alto Saxophone Reed-No Effects Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerJF-Reverb.mp3*Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Alto Saxophone Reed-Same Clip as Above-Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerJF-TheSummerKnows.mp3*Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Alto Saxophone Reed-“The Summer Knows”-No Effects Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SelmerJF-SummerKnows-Reverb.mp3*Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Alto Saxophone Reed-“The Summer Knows”-Reverb Added*

Finally, here is a great sound clip of Alex Nyman playing the Selmer Paris Jazz Flow 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece as well. I believe Alex’s sound and recording embody some of the characteristics of the Jazz Flow I was trying to describe in the review but he ventures up into the altissimo range of the saxophone. Towards the middle of the clip (2:40) he plays a funky version of “You Don’t Know What Love Is”. Make sure to check out Alex’s Soundcloud page for other recordings he has made as he is an excellent player! Thank to Alex Nyman for giving me permission to share your clip here! *Alex is using a #3 Black Label Boston Sax Shop Reed with reverb added

Alex Nyman · Selmer Jazz Flow Demo And YDKWLIDisclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. I also receive a small commission when you purchase from the Sweetwater website using the link in the review above that helps to support this site. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new BSS (Boston Sax Shop) E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece released by Jack Tyler at the Boston Sax Shop.

I have already reviewed the excellent Boston Sax Shop S-Series tenor sax mouthpiece and the Boston Sax Shop R-Series tenor sax mouthpiece. Both of which I was very impressed with. When I heard of the new BSS E -Series tenor saxophone mouthpieces Jack was developing, I had to try one!

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Jack Tyler is the owner of Boston Sax Shop and has been my saxophone repairman for the last ten years. I usually head down to Boston about once a year for Jack to check out my saxophones and while he is giving them a look over, he always gives me the inside scoop on all the saxophone gossip around the world as well as updates on the new saxophone gear that he is working on. Of course, I always let him know about the latest saxophone goodies sitting on my desk waiting for a review as well.

Besides being a phenomenal repairman, craftsman and incredibly fashionable fellow, Jack is always up to some new saxophone related endeavor. Whether it be straps, cases, ligatures, saxophone necks, reed cases, reeds, etc….. Jack always seems like he has a new project on the horizon.

The other quality I have always loved about Jack is that he is a straight shooter. You ask him a question and he tells you exactly what he thinks whether it helps him get a sale or not. I love this about him!

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is described by Jack as being a reference to the “Early Babbitt” Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces of the past. From what I understand from Jack, he wanted to capture the essence, sound and power of the vintage Early Babbitt tenor saxophone mouthpieces but without sacrificing evenness of tone. To quote Jack:

“Modern players playing the Boston Sax Shop E-series can enjoy more of the power and brightness that these mouthpieces deliver when playing in a louder setting but still get the lushness and warmth required in a more intimate jazz setting.”-Jack Tyler

Here is how Jack Tyler describes the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece on his website at BostonSaxShop.com:

“The E Series is the all-rounder, the tenor sax mouthpiece that can both cut through a loud band but still whisper sub-tones on a ballad. Inspired by the tonal characteristics of the coveted ‘Early Babbit’ transitional Otto Links, I really wanted to find that perfect balance of brilliance and warmth that the best vintage tenor sax mouthpieces have. The end result (after many many prototypes) ended up with a interior profile that utilizes a unique longer roll over baffle. As opposed to the shorter and higher baffles found in the vintage EB models, I find the gentle roll over shape to provides an equal amount of power without sacrificing evenness which is so important to me. The end result is once again, incredibly versatile: punchy, warm and easy to play.”-Jack Tyler

Boston Sax Shop R-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is made of quality hard rubber. You can smell a little bit of that hard rubber smell that you typically smell on vintage hard rubber mouthpieces when you hold one up to your nose.

The mouthpiece has the BSS logo engraved in white on the top of the mouthpiece. The tip opening of 7* is not machine engraved on the mouthpiece but is hand engraved on the left corner of the body next to the butt end of the table. “Made in the USA” in engraved on the bottom of the bore of the mouthpiece.

Each of the Boston Sax Shop tenor saxophone mouthpieces (there are three models at the time of this review: the S, R and E Series) have different stylish designs around the shank of each mouthpiece. I like how each model has a different design. The BSS E-Series tenor sax mouthpiece has two white lines with a row of circles between the lines encircling the shank of the saxophone mouthpiece.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks great to the eye. The tip, rails and table look even, flat, precise and well crafted. The mouthpiece tip rail and side rails are even and thin, and the shape of the tip rail perfectly matches the curve of the BSS (Boston Sax Shop) saxophone reeds I used on the E-Series mouthpiece.

The baffle of the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a medium height, long and gradual rollover baffle. The floor of the baffle during the decent is slightly curved from side to side and the scooped-out sidewalls on either side of the baffle floor come inward as the baffle travels down into the chamber.

The BSS E-Series mouthpiece chamber looks to be what I would consider a large sized chamber similar to a typical hard rubber Otto Link sized chamber. The roof of the mouthpiece chamber under the table is thin at the start but then the roof angles down slightly as it travels through the chamber area to the bore.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The diameter and beak profile of the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is very close to the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

All of my saxophone ligatures that fit comfortably on hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces fit on the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I chose to use the Boston Sax Shop Gold Superlative ligature that I reviewed last year for this review.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I found the BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Black Label and Silver Label #3 and #3 1/2 strength tenor saxophone reeds to play very well on this 7* E-Series tenor saxophone mouthpiece. The BSS #3 reeds worked great right out of the box. I could just slap one on the mouthpiece after wetting it and play.

The #3 1/2 reeds were a bit stiffer as you would expect and I had to play for a little bit and break them in before they were perfect for me. Those three BSS reeds were hard enough to give some healthy resistance to blow against while not being so hard that it felt stuffy or too resistant to me.

I added the BSS Black Label 3 1/2 reed sound clip after I drove down to the Boston Sax Shop to have Jack replace a pad that had fallen out of my tenor sax. I was curious how the E-series tenor mouthpiece would sound with BSS 3 1/2 reeds as well and Jack was nice enough to hook me up with some 3 1/2 reeds to try for this review.

In keeping with the BSS brand, I also used a BSS Gold Superlative ligature on the BSS E-Series mouthpiece as I mentioned earlier.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

When first playing the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece, my first impression was that it was definitely brighter than the BSS R-Series and S-Series tenor sax mouthpieces that I have already reviewed.

In the BSS S-Series review, I described the S-Series mouthpiece as having a more focused and dark sound to it as the tone sounded more concentrated and warm to my ears. In the R-Series mouthpiece review, I described the tone as still being a warm tone but the tone sounded more spread and bigger in width when compared to the S-Series tenor mouthpiece.

The new BSS E-Series tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a brighter and more powerful tenor saxophone tone compared to the S-Series and R-Series mouthpieces. This is not like an Otto Link on steroids as many tenor sax players like to describe an Otto Link with an added baffle but more like an Otto Link that leans more towards the brighter even tone that a mouthpiece with a medium high rollover baffle can provide.

I describe it like this because for me, the E-Series is still in that ballpark of a brighter leaning Otto Link type of sound. In my experience, many “Link on Steroids” mouthpieces play and sound very different than a typical hard rubber Otto Link type of tone. When too much baffle is added to an Otto Link, it basically becomes a different mouthpiece which is way too bright even though it still looks like an Otto Link from the outside.

I have also experienced quite a bit of unevenness in tone with those “Link on Steroids” tenor sax mouthpieces. Almost like someone added a baffle to a Link to add brightness and power, but evenness of the timbre from note to note was not a consideration. Very often, these mouthpieces would play with different notes and registers sounding a lot brighter than other notes.

I write all this because I don’t notice this huge difference in timbre from note to note with the BSS E-Series tenor saxophone mouthpiece. The range of the saxophone sounds very even in timbre from note to note to my ears without any notes being substantially brighter than others.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was very good and the mouthpiece was a great match for my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone (from the 50’s). I actually thought the intonation would be quite a bit sharper on certain notes on my SBA because they usually are with higher baffled mouthpieces but the BSS E-Series was pleasantly close to perfect when I checked my tuner while warming up.

The BSS E-Series did sit out a bit further on my neck cork compared to a typical hard rubber Otto Link but that is because the raised rollover baffle takes up more chamber volume and the E-Series has to be placed further out on the cork to be in tune.

The evenness and smoothness of notes throughout the range of the saxophone was nice when playing fast lines. The E -Series sub-toned beautifully as well down in the lower range of the saxophone.

The altissimo register of the saxophone was easy to produce on the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece and the notes were easy to control and manipulate. That upper range of the tenor sax was definitely brighter and edgier than when playing the BSS R-Series or S-Series tenor sax mouthpieces but it was nowhere near as edgy as most high baffled tenor sax mouthpieces I have reviewed.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a good amount of power and volume when pushed. I would say the volume was about a 9 when pushed on my 1-10 volume scale. It wasn’t as loud as some higher baffled tenor sax mouthpieces are when pushed to maximum volume, but where those mouthpieces can tend to get thinner sounding the louder they get, the E-Series mouthpiece retains it’s nice full bodied and thick tone as it gets louder.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece perform in different styles. There are five sound clips.

The first sound clip below is a recording of me playing a bunch of random lines and ideas like I usually do with a BSS Black Label #3 reed and no effects on the sound.

The second clip is a more altissimo centered sound clip with the same BSS #3 Black Label reed with some reverb added. I like adding reverb to a clip so you can hear how the mouthpiece might sound through a sound system with some reverb added to the mix like on a live gig.

The third and fourth clips are similar to the first and second clip but I am using a BSS #3 Silver Label reed on those clips. The BSS Silver Label reeds are a new reed for me and I just reviewed them a few weeks ago here: BSS Silver Box Reed Review with Comparison Clips. You can listen to clips 1 & 2 (BSS Black Label Reeds) and compare them to clips 3 & 4 (BSS Silver Label Reeds) and see what differences the different reeds might make.

The fifth clip is an added clip of the E-Series with a harder BSS Black Label #3 1/2 reed with no effects added. I added this clip because I know there are some of you out there that like to use harder strength reeds and I wanted to provide a sound clip demonstrating the E-Series with that harder reed. *This 3 1/2 Black Label reed was broken in and played on for a few days before recording the sound clip.

Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the BSS Boston Sax Shop E-Series tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor mouthpiece with a hard rubber Otto Link type feel and playing experience to it but with added brightness and power without losing that authentic, full and thick sounding, classic tenor saxophone tone. The evenness of scale between the notes and throughout the range of the saxophone really differentiate and elevate the E-Series above most hard rubber Otto Links I have played throughout the years.

If you go to the BSS page for this E-Series mouthpiece you can hear more samples of some great modern tenor sax players such as Joel Frahm, Chris Bittner, Dayna Stephens, Steve Kortyka and Adam Larson playing the Boston Sax Shop E-Series tenor saxophone mouthpiece as well. *My personal favorite clip is the third one entitled “Chris Bittner E Series Ballad”. This is about as perfect a tenor saxophone tone as I have ever heard! Gorgeous!

If you like the sound and look of the E-Series tenor sax mouthpieces by the Boston Sax Shop, you can find them at the Boston Sax Shop website. *Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale using this link which helps support this website, so thank you in advance if you use the link.

If you try a BSS Boston Sax Shop E-Series tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/BSSESeries3Black1.mp3*Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Black Label 3 Reed-No Effects Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/BSSESeriesBlack3ReverbFinal1.mp3*Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Black Label 3 Reed-Reverb Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/BSSESeriesSilver31.mp3*Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 Reed-No Effects Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/BSSESeriesSilver3Reverb1.mp3*Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Label 3 Reed-Reverb Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/NewBSSEBlack35.mp3*Boston Sax Shop E-Series 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Black Label 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects**

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. I also receive a small commission when you purchase from the Boston Sax Shop website using the link in the review above that helps to support this site. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing the new BSS Silver Box custom tenor saxophone reeds released by Jack Tyler at the Boston Sax Shop. Jack has been my repairman for the last six years and always gives me the inside scoop on the newest Boston Sax Shop saxophone gear that is coming out.

Besides being a phenomenal repairman and craftsman, Jack is always up to some new saxophone related endeavor. Whether it be straps, cases, ligatures, saxophone necks, reed cases, reeds, etc….. Jack always seems like he has a new project on the horizon……When I heard of these new BSS Silver Box custom tenor sax reeds he was developing, I had to try them!

The Boston Sax Shop Silver Box Custom Saxophone Reeds

I have already reviewed the Boston Sax Shop BSS Black Box Custom Reeds which I totally love. You can read that full review here: The Boston Sax Shop Black Box Custom Tenor Saxophone Reeds Review.

What I loved about the BSS Black Box custom reeds were how dark, warm, lush and round the tone sounded while using them. When Jack told me that the Boston Sax shop was coming out with a BSS Silver Box custom reed that would be a brighter option for tenor sax players who dug the quality and thicker tip profile of the BSS Black Box custom reeds, I was immediately interested in trying them out.

Here is the description of the Boston Sax Shop custom saxophone reeds from the Boston Sax Shop website:

“The Custom Reeds ‘Silver Label’ are a more brilliant counterpart to our original ‘Black Label’ saxophone reeds. Utilizing the thicker tip profile that makes Boston Sax Shop saxophone reeds so unique, I designed a new reed cut that evokes a more modern, radiant sound.

The ‘Silver Label’ reeds are an ideal option for players looking for additional projection and a little edge without sacrificing the evenness, consistency and resilience that Boston Sax Shop saxophone reeds have become famous for. I couldn’t be prouder of the results.” -Jack Tyler (Owner and Designer)

The ‘Silver Label’ Custom saxophone reeds run with equivalent strength grading to our ‘Back Label’ Cut reeds.

Sold in boxes of 5 and 10 reeds

The Boston Sax Shop Silver Box Custom Saxophone Reeds

As I wrote in the disclosure at the bottom of this review, I received 6 10 reed boxes of the new BSS Silver Box tenor saxophone reeds. Two boxes of strength 2 1/2 reeds, two boxes of strength 3 reeds, and two boxes of strength 3 1/2 reeds.

Most saxophone players would probably only need one strength of tenor saxophone reed, but since I review so many saxophone mouthpieces, I find it beneficial to have a variety of reed sizes on hand so I can find the best saxophone reed for each mouthpiece I review.

The Boston Sax Shop Silver Box Custom Saxophone Reeds

When I first tried the Boston Sax Shop Silver Box reeds, I played them next to their Black Box counterparts as I have been playing the BSS Black Box reeds for almost five year now (I also play Rigotti Gold reeds a lot as well).

At first, I had the impression that the BSS Silver Box reeds were slightly softer than the Black Box reeds but I think that impression came from the fact that the BSS Silver Box reeds had more of a brightness and buzz to them. Usually, I associate that brightness and buzz to a softer reed but the more I played the new BSS Silver Box tenor saxophone reeds and compared them to the Black Box reeds, the more I realized that the strengths of both reeds were very close.

The Boston Sax Shop Silver Box Custom Saxophone Reeds

As of the writing of this review, I have played through one complete box of the 2 1/2 reeds. One complete box of the 3 reeds and half a box of the 3 1/2 reeds. The reeds seemed very consistent in strength and playability and of the 25 reeds I have tried so far 24 played great for me. There was some slight variation in the strength of each reed but I considered this pretty normal and found each reed pretty close in strength to one another.

There was one odd reed that didn’t work for me and kept closing up on me in the higher register for some reason. It felt like the tip area of the reed was too thin. I couldn’t see anything visually that was wrong with it and was a bit surprised by the difficulty I had with it. The other 24 reeds played great for me though. Still, 24 playable out of 25 reeds is a pretty good percentage in my book.

10 Boston Sax Shop Silver Box 3 1/2 Custom Saxophone Reeds

The BSS Silver Box tenor saxophone reeds were indeed brighter and they had a bit of a lively and resonant buzz to the tone compared to the BSS Black Box reeds. Where the BSS Black Box custom reeds sound more focused and round with that warm dark core in the sound, the BSS Silver Box reeds had more brightness and edge in the tone. This was even more apparent when I would put some more air through the mouthpiece. The BSS Silver Box reeds just seemed to go into overdrive when pushed and the tone seemed to have much more of a bright energy compared to the BSS Black Box reeds.

On the sound clips below, I think you can hear the difference between the clips. Especially in the higher range of the saxophone. Those high notes with the BSS Silver Box just seemed to have more of a sparkle and bright buzz to them whereas the BSS Black Box reed high notes seemed more focused and less bright to my ears.

The Boston Sax Shop Black (left) and Silver Box (right) Custom Saxophone Reeds (the new Silver Box reeds have a line under the strength to differentiate them from the Black Box reeds

For the sound clips, I used an Early Babbitt hard rubber Otto Link 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece that I have owned for about 20 years now. I consider this mouthpiece to be a “middle of the road” tenor sax mouthpiece because it sits in the middle of that dark to bright tone spectrum for the tenor saxophone.

I tried to play many of the same lines, melodies and ideas for both sound clips although there are of course unintentional differences in the way I am playing between the clips.

I was most surprised by the differences between the beginning of both clips on the melody of “My One and Only Love” especially. Even though I thought I played both clips very similarly, the Silver Box sound clip sounds more energetic and lively where as the Black Box clip sounds more refined, contained and laid back. If there is a difference in the way I am playing, I believe that perhaps that brighter energy of the Silver Box reed influenced me subconsciously to play a bit more energetically and the more refined warmth of the Black Box reeds influenced me to play more to that more mellow and laid back style. It was certainly not intentional on my part.

On the other hand, if I didn’t play “My One and Only Love” differently, it might just be that brighter energy of the Silver Box reed that is making me hear the clip as more energetic. Very interesting! I’m curious what you think about this……..

Both reeds articulated well and handled the extremes of the saxophone range well. I did find the altissimo range of the Silver Box reeds to lean towards that brighter and more aggressive type of altissimo tone you would use on a wailing sax solo over a pop or funk tune (it was easy to get that nice buzz and edge out of the tone that you need for those types of solos). Of course, I believe the Black Box reeds can do this as well but with a little less brightness, edge and buzz to those altissimo notes.

The Boston Sax Shop Silver Box Custom Saxophone Reeds

The bottom line opinion from Steve Neff is that I love both the BSS Silver Box and BSS Black Box tenor saxophone reeds. In my opinion, both reeds give me a different tone, response and vibe from each other. I believe this difference is real and tangible and as much time as we spend messing with mouthpieces, ligatures and screws, the reed, in my opinion, is the most immediate and impactful source (next to the player themselves) for our sound, response and player feedback.

It really is a very personal choice but I would encourage you to at least try these great Boston Sax Shop line of reeds and decide for yourself what your favorite tenor saxophone reeds are that help you travel closer to that ideal sound you imagine in your mind’s ear.

If you are interested in the Boston Sax Shop custom saxophone reeds, you can get them at these links Boston Sax Shop Silver Box Custom Tenor Saxophone Reeds and Boston Sax Shop Black Box Custom Tenor Saxophone Reeds. Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale using this link which helps support this website, so thank you in advance if you use the link.

Thanks to Jack for sending me these great Boston Sax Shop Silver Box Custom tenor saxophone reeds to try. Even now, weeks later, I am still just as excited to wet one of these reeds and put it on one of my mouthpieces. I still haven’t tried these on the rest of my favorite tenor sax mouthpieces so I am super excited about how these reeds will perform with them as well. Great job Jack!

If you try the Boston Sax Shop reeds, please come back and tell us what you think of them in the comment section below. Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/SilverBSSHRLink.mp3 *Early Babbitt 7 Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Silver Box 3 Reed**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/BlackBSSHRLink.mp3 *Early Babbitt 7 Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop Black Box 3 Reed**

*If you want to hear another great example that showcases the difference between the BSS Silver Box reeds and the BSS Black Box reeds, here is a video Dave Pollack made demonstrating the alto saxophone reeds.

*Dave Pollack demonstrating the BSS Silver Box and BSS Black Box alto saxophone reeds side by side*

Disclosure: I received six 10 reed boxes (two boxes 2 1/2 reeds, two boxes 3 reeds, two boxes 3 1/2 reeds) of the Boston Sax Shop Silver Box custom reeds reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try them and perhaps review them on my blog. I also receive a small commission when you purchase from the Boston Sax Shop website using the link above that helps to support this site. Regardless, I only review products that I believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing an exciting new tenor saxophone mouthpiece from 10mFan saxophone mouthpieces that is designed with a new innovative octagon shaped chamber by 3-D technology. This is the 10mFan Cabernet 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I have already reviewed a number of great 10mFan tenor, alto and soprano saxophone hard rubber mouthpieces in the past that you can find here as well as the great playing 10mFan Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece that is made with the same 3-D technology as this 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

This will be the first 10mFan tenor saxophone mouthpiece I am reviewing that is made with this new 3-D technology as well as the first tenor saxophone mouthpiece I have ever tried with an octagon shaped chamber so I am very curious to see what Mark Sepinuck at 10mFan came up with in regard to this new Octagon Series Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Whenever Mark Sepinuck, at 10mFan mouthpieces, comes out with a new saxophone mouthpiece model, I am always really excited to try it out because all of his 10mFan saxophone mouthpieces that I have tried have been great! Mark is always thinking about how he can meet the needs of the sax playing community with new, uniquely designed and originally crafted saxophone mouthpieces and this new 10mFan Octagon Series of saxophone mouthpieces is no exception to Mark’s standard for using innovative and original designs for each of his saxophone mouthpieces.

Mark sent me a 10mFan Fireball 6 & 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece and a 10mFan Cabernet 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece to try out. The mouthpieces came well packaged in sturdy cardboard tubes to protect them during shipping. This review is of the 10mFan Cabernet 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The first surprise about these mouthpieces as I unpacked them was how solid and weighty they are. Many of the other 3-D mouthpieces on the market that I have reviewed have been very light in weight compared to hard rubber mouthpieces of the same size and shape but these new 10mFan Octagon Series mouthpieces felt as solid and weighty as a hard rubber saxophone mouthpiece to me.

Here’s a description of the new 10mFan Octagon Series saxophone mouthpieces from the 10mFan website:

“The most revolutionary and proprietary saxophone mouthpiece chamber design in the marketplace! If you know anything about saxophone mouthpiece design, most of the magic happens at the chamber!!!

That’s why all of my German barstock 10MFAN hard rubber sax mouthpieces play different than any of the vintage saxophone mouthpieces. They don’t blow like a Link or a Berg or a Meyer or any other sax mouthpiece, because of the internal designs, including the chambers. They may not appear super different to you, to your eye, but there’s a lot going on there.…. and that’s why my sax mouthpieces sound and blow like 10MFAN mouthpieces, and NOTHING else.

I wanted to take that further with these 3-D printed mouthpieces, and actually do a super unique chamber design with a totally different shape, size, and added “chamber panels”, that have never been attempted before in the mouthpiece world.

These are saxophone mouthpieces using state of the art 3-D technology and design. These are not done on cheap home machines. These mouthpieces have real weight (they actually weigh more than my hard rubber mouthpieces), a truly unique octagon chamber with “chamber panels” all around on the inside of the chamber, and are 100% infill, so they are stable. This proprietary design concept has never been done in the saxophone mouthpiece world, and it continues to carry on with my 10MFAN design commitment to innovation over imitation.

I have tried many different shapes with the chambers and the octagon chamber was a dream come true. Those of us who got to try these designs here with both a normal round chamber and octagon chamber felt the same exact way too. The octagon chamber with “chamber panels” sounded phenomenal with added clarity and speed. The totally unique chamber and chamber panels give the throat a squeeze like nothing else in the marketplace, ever before. The combination of the sound bouncing off of the “chamber panels”, how the air interacts with the chamber, the size and shape of the chamber, the totally unique “squeeze” throat using 3-D technology has allowed me to make this unique internal design.

I design mouthpieces and I know when something plays great and when the designs work great…..and these two mouthpieces both play great and the designs work fantastic!!!!-Mark Sepinuck

The 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece is available in 6 tip openings:

6 – .095
7 – .100
7 – .105
8 – .110
8 – .115
9 – .125

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here’s a more specific description of the Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the 10mFan website:

“This mouthpiece was designed for a killer straight ahead classic tenor saxophone sound, with lots of warmth, really good power, nice resistance to push against, and FOCUS. But, it can also be used for pop music which is blowing everyone’s minds right now, because the baffle is low and people don’t understand how I could make a mouthpiece that could do this with this design.That’s what making innovative original designs is all about!!! Because of that focus, the intonation is locked in. If you want less resistance, just go to a softer reed.
Think Bob Berg, Pharoah Sanders, Coltrane, focus! It’s incredibly heartwarming to be able to put out this mouthpiece because it is so different from all my 10MFAN hard rubber mouthpieces. This mouthpiece will have more focus like a vintage metal Otto Link…. and for me, more power and body available.

There are lots of fat sounding tenor mouthpieces out there, and my hard rubber 10MFAN mouthpieces certainly fit in that category, but I’ve been asked by many players over the years to put out something that has much more focus, where the sound stays right in front of the player, and doesn’t get spread…..but still with a really big sound available when you want it! So here it is!!!!!

The Cabernet has resonance, fullness, focus, and power. It won’t be as wide sounding as a Slant or a Reso Chamber, because that’s NOT what I wanted here. I wanted more focus with this mouthpiece, but also really good power. This is different from anything I’ve put out, and I’m very excited about it. This mouthpiece has a low rollover baffle that allows for so much beauty in the sound, but still with plenty of presence and sparkle to carry that beautiful, rich classic tenor saxophone sound.

The vintage Otto Link players who wish their sound had more focus to it rather than spread, will LOVE this piece. This mouthpiece is going to please players who are using a whole TON of different straight ahead tenor mouthpieces. This mouthpiece just KILLS!-Mark Sepinuck

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The new 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece has the traditional three rings on the shank that all of the 10mFan saxophone mouthpieces have but they are only on the bottom of the shank and are not white. It also has “10mFan” and “Octagon Series” engraved on the top of the mouthpiece. On the bottom corners of the mouthpiece next to the mouthpiece table is engraved “Cabernet” on one corner and “7*” on the other corner.

The mouthpiece looks great and right up to the normal everyday 10mFan standards of excellence. From day one, Mark Sepinuck has been very serious about producing top of the line saxophone mouthpieces of the highest standards. Even though this Cabernet tenor sax mouthpiece is made with a new 3-D technology, the Cabernet still holds up to the standards that matter in regard to the way the mouthpiece plays. The table, rails, tip and baffle area all look perfectly balanced, even and precise. In fact, these mouthpieces, like the 10mFan hard rubber mouthpieces, are all finished by the expert mouthpiece refacers, Brian Powell and Erik Greiffenhagen.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The table, rails and tip rail look as good as any hard rubber mouthpiece I have seen and the surface area of these areas are as smooth and precise as a hard rubber mouthpiece. The baffle is glossy smooth for the first 1/4 inch of baffle and then there is some texture to the material from that point of the baffle down into the chamber of the mouthpiece. Mark address this fact in his description of the mouthpiece where he writes:

“The tables are flat, and the rails are symmetrical and measure properly. The baffles are hand worked so that the mouthpieces play their best. We do not remove all the 3-D lines on the inside floor of the mouthpiece because there is no need to remove more material, when the mouthpieces play perfect after they are hand finished. (To continue to grind the floor makes no sense, so we don’t do that).”-Mark Sepinuck

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece is what I would consider a low baffle mouthpiece with a nice gradual rollover to the baffle in that first 1/4 inch. After the rollover, the baffle then continues at an angle down to the rear of the mouthpiece chamber where it levels out. As the baffle travels to the bottom of the octagon shaped chamber, it narrows along the way.

The sidewalls on either side of the baffle feel slightly scooped out when I touch them with my fingers. Even though the sidewalls feel like they have a slight scoop to them, as the sidewalls travel inwards as they approach the octagon chamber and the baffle floor narrows, these two factors give the Cabernet mouthpiece a “squeezed throat” as Mark describes above and as you can see in the next two photos below.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The chamber of the 10mFan Cabernet tenor mouthpiece is indeed an Octagon shape having eight sides to the chamber. This is indeed original and unique to the mouthpiece world as I have never seen a tenor sax mouthpiece with this octagon shaped chamber before.

The octagon shape to the chamber area stops where it meets the round bore of the mouthpiece. Obviously, this is necessary for the 10mFan Octagon Series Cabernet tenor sax mouthpiece to fit onto a round neck cork.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Saxophone Mouthpiece Chamber Shape (mouthpiece cut in half to show chamber)

One of the best attributes to the 10mFan line of saxophone mouthpieces are the precise facing curves used on each mouthpiece. Mark uses the best mouthpiece craftsman in the business to fine tune every mouthpiece and make sure the facing curves are perfect. A perfectly balanced and even facing curve allows more reeds to play consistently and favorably and that was my experience with the Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

*As a side note, I want to write how impressed I am with Mark’s commitment to excellence. He could have just chosen to mass produce these 3-D mouthpieces and sell them as is to the masses for a cheaper price point without any hand work. But instead, he is sticking with his business model of sending every mouthpiece to Brian Powell and Erik Greiffenhagen to have them put the finishing touches on each mouthpiece and to make sure the areas that matter the most in relation to playing are fine tuned and as perfect as can be.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The 10mFan Cabernet tenor sax mouthpiece played great with a Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 strong tenor saxophone reed on it. Playing the Cabernet sax mouthpiece was a very unique experience for me as it has a unique feel and response to it when compared to a typical round chamber tenor sax mouthpiece. I assume this is because of the octagon chamber shape of the Cabernet mouthpiece coupled with the squeezed throat.

I have provided four sound clips below (more than I usually do) because I felt like the Cabernet tenor sax mouthpiece played and sounded different when played at a softer volume as compared to a louder volume and I wanted to provide those sound clips so that you also could hear the difference in the sound between the clips.

At a softer more laid back volume, the Cabernet sounded warmer and had a lushness to the tone that I really enjoyed. It was full and focused but it sounded and felt like the tone was wrapped in a nice velvety blanket at times. Like the outside edges of the tone were soft and buttery to me without being spread sounding. The tone seemed to sit in that midway point between dark and bright to me and could be leaned either way depending on what I wanted from the tone. You can hear what I am describing here in the 3rd and 4th sound clips I think.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

When I played the Cabernet at medium to full volume (1st and 2nd sound clips), it sounded and felt like the Cabernet mouthpiece became even more focused like the increased air being blown was having to travel through that squeezed throat and the focus, volume, power and brightness were multiplied. In the first clip, I can hear a bit more edge and brightness in the tone that leans towards a more Coltranesque type of tenor saxophone tone that I don’t hear as much in the softer volumes of sound clips 3 & 4.

When recording sound clip #2 (Wailing Altissimo), I made my self laugh when I recorded because I played for about a minute, then stopped and thought, “How high is this baffle again?” I took the reed off the mouthpiece and looked at the baffle while shaking my head because the baffle looked pretty low to my eyes. I was surprised I could get that much brightness and power out of the Cabernet with that low of a baffle profile. It is amazing what effect a squeezed mouthpiece throat can have!

I felt like that squeezed throat and focus of the Cabernet really allowed me to shape the tone in that altissimo range of the tenor saxophone so that I could more easily manipulate the notes in that range of the saxophone when compared to a mouthpiece with a more spread tone. I think you can hear this clearly in sound clip #2 entitled “Wailing Altissimo” by how expressive and effortless the lines sound. At least, that was my experience while playing and then listening back to sound clip #2.

10mFan Cabernet Octagon Chamber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece also played great when playing faster jazz lines. The tone was smooth and even from note to note and the articulation was precise and crisp for me. I love how the Cabernet sounded on “Moose the Mooche” on the 3rd clip at the :36-:50 mark of the clip but I also dig how “Donna Lee” sounded on the 1st sound clip at 2:14-2:28 at a super fast speed. On most mouthpieces, I would have to slur the lines at that speed and was pleasantly surprised that I could still use jazz articulation on those lines even at that really fast tempo. I usually can’t do that on most mouthpieces at that speed.

The low notes were nice and round sounding on the recording and sounded beautiful and fat with some sub-tone added to those notes. On the 4th sound clip with reverb, you can hear me go down to sub-tone low Bb a couple of times and fade out the note to ppp with no issues what-so-ever.

The intonation on the Cabernet tenor sax mouthpiece was terrific and the pitch felt locked in and stable on my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone.

As usual, I posted two clips with reverb added to them so you can hear what the 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece might sound like with reverb added. This is actually very close to how it sounds if I played it in my garage, basement or bathroom. I love how the Cabernet sounds with the reverb, but it sounds just as good on the sound clips with no effects in my opinion. These two clips with reverb are unique and not just taken from the “no effects” clips so worth a listen I think.

10mFan Cabernetl Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the 10mfan Octagon Series Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece, you can order one of them from Mark Sepinuck at 10mFan.com. I think this is a terrific all-round tenor saxophone mouthpiece choice for those of you who want a more focused tenor sax mouthpiece that can cover all the bases. I would love playing a jazz gig or even a Top 40 gig on the 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece and recording these sound clips for this review was so much fun. You can listen to the clips below and decide for yourself. I think they speak louder than any words I can write in this review……..

If you have any questions about the Cabernet model tenor sax mouthpiece or any of the other 10mFan mouthpieces, you can contact Mark Sepinuck through his website. Mark Sepinuck is a treasure trove of information about saxophone mouthpieces and is quite happy to answer any questions you might have about them.

*If you have played or end up playing a 10mFan Cabernet tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comment section below this review. Thanks, Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers. It makes a world of difference!

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/10mFanCabFullClip2.mp3*1.) 10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-Full Sound with No Effects*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/10mFanCabReverbFull.mp3*2.) 10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-Wailing Altissimo with Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/10mFanCabernetMellow2.mp3*3.) 10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-More Mellow and Laid Back Playing with No Effects*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2024/10mFanCabReverbLaidBack.mp3*4.) 10mFan Cabernet Octagon Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-Laid Back Bluesy Playing with Reverb Added*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing an exciting new alto saxophone mouthpiece from 10mFan saxophone mouthpieces that is designed with a new innovative octagon shaped chamber by 3-D technology. This is the 10mFan Fireball 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece. I have already reviewed a number of great 10mFan tenor, alto and soprano saxophone hard rubber mouthpieces in the past that you can find here.

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

This will be the first 10mFan mouthpiece I am reviewing that is made with this new 3-D technology so I am very curious to see what Mark Sepinuck at 10mFan came up with in regard to this new Octagon Series Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Whenever Mark Sepinuck, at 10mFan mouthpieces, comes out with a new saxophone mouthpiece model, I am always really excited to try it out because all of his saxophone mouthpieces that I have tried have been great! Mark is always thinking about how he can meet the needs of the sax playing community with new, uniquely designed and original saxophone mouthpieces and this new 10mFan Octagon Series of mouthpieces is no exception to Mark’s standard for using innovative and original designs for each of his saxophone mouthpieces.

Mark sent me a 10mFan Fireball 6 & 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece and a 10mFan Cabernet 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece to try out. The mouthpieces came well packaged in sturdy cardboard tubes to protect them during shipping. This review is of the 10mFan Fireball 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece. (I have not tried the 7 tip opening as of yet)

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The first surprise about these mouthpieces as I unpacked them was how solid and weighty they are. Many of the other 3-D mouthpieces I have tried have been very light in weight compared to hard rubber mouthpieces of the same size and shape but these new 10mFan Octagon Series mouthpieces felt as solid and weighty as a hard rubber mouthpiece to me.

Here’s a description of the new 10mFan Octagon Series saxophone mouthpieces from the 10mFan website:

“The most revolutionary and proprietary saxophone mouthpiece chamber design in the marketplace! If you know anything about mouthpiece design, most of the magic happens at the chamber!!!

That’s why all of my German barstock 10MFAN hard rubber mouthpieces play different than any of the vintage mouthpieces. They don’t blow like a Link or a Berg or a Meyer or any other mouthpiece, because of the internal designs, including the chambers. They may not appear super different to you, to your eye, but there’s a lot going on there. ?…. and that’s why the pieces sound and blow like 10MFAN mouthpieces, and NOTHING else.

I wanted to take that further with these 3-D printed pieces, and actually do a super unique chamber design with a totally different shape, size, and added “chamber panels”, that have never been attempted before in the mouthpiece world.

These are mouthpieces using state of the art 3-D technology and design. These are not done on cheap home machines. These mouthpieces have real weight (they actually weigh more than my hard rubber mouthpieces), a truly unique octagon chamber with “chamber panels” all around on the inside of the chamber, and are 100% infill, so they are stable. This proprietary design concept has never been done in the mouthpiece world, and it continues to carry on with my 10MFAN design commitment to innovation over imitation.

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Saxophone Mouthpiece Chamber Shape (mouthpiece cut in half to show chamber)

I have tried many different shapes with the chambers and the octagon chamber was a dream come true. Those of us who got to try these designs here with both a normal round chamber and octagon chamber felt the same exact way too. The octagon chamber with “chamber panels” sounded phenomenal with added clarity and speed. The totally unique chamber and chamber panels give the throat a squeeze like nothing else in the marketplace, ever before. The combination of the sound bouncing off of the “chamber panels”, how the air interacts with the chamber, the size and shape of the chamber, the totally unique “squeeze” throat using 3-D technology has allowed me to make this internal design.

I design mouthpieces and I know when something plays great and when the designs work great…..and these two mouthpieces both play great and the designs work fantastic!!!!-Mark Sepinuck

The 10mFan Supernova is available in 4 tip openings:

5 – .072
6 – .078
7 – .084
8 – .090

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here’s a more specific description of the Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece from the 10mFan website:

“This mouthpiece is a ton of fun to play. It’s a great lead alto mouthpiece, but it also can be sweet and go from very soft to nice and loud! It’s got a real classic vintage alto sound and I’m extremely proud of it.

It’s got a low rollover baffle and straight side walls, and my octagon chamber with chamber panels. I love the throat squeeze in this mouthpiece. I wanted the player to be able to fill up the mouthpiece how they wanted, and I’m really going to focus on rollover baffles with the Octagon Series Mouthpieces. The feedback so far has been incredible.

The 10mFan Octagon Series Fireball alto sax mouthpiece is an absolutely killer alto mouthpiece for the modern player! The vintage alto guys will go crazy for this mouthpiece, because it is a great alto mouthpiece with a low baffle that has that classic alto sound… but with extra punch, and brights available, and great altissimo. It is focused and not intended to be a fatter, more spread sounding alto piece. The sound of this mouthpiece will go straight in front of you right to the back of the room!

For those of you on Meyer or Link style alto mouthpieces, who want more focus and power, you will love how this Fireball alto mouthpiece plays. It’s got a ton of depth and color, a rock-solid core, and it stays incredibly stable and balanced even as you push it to the extremes. It’s so much fun to play!”-Mark Sepinuck

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The new 10mFan Fireball alto sax mouthpiece has the traditional three rings on the shank that all of the 10mFan saxophone mouthpieces have. It also has “10mFan” and “Octagon Series” engraved on the top of the mouthpiece. On the bottom corners of the mouthpiece next to the table is engraved “Fireball” on one corner and “6” on the other corner.

The mouthpiece looks great and right up to the normal everyday 10mFan standards of excellence. From day one, Mark Sepinuck has been very serious about producing top of the line saxophone mouthpieces of the highest standards. Even though this Fireball alto sax mouthpiece is made with a new 3-D technology, the Fireball still holds up to the standards that matter in regard to the way the mouthpiece plays. The table, rails, tip and baffle area all look perfectly balanced, even and precise. In fact, these mouthpieces, like the 10mFan hard rubber mouthpieces, are all finished by the expert mouthpiece refacers, Brian Powell and Erik Greiffenhagen.

The table, rails and tip rail look as good as any hard rubber mouthpiece I have seen and the surface area of these areas are as smooth and precise as a hard rubber mouthpiece. The baffle is glossy smooth for the first 1/4 inch of baffle and then there is some texture to the material from that point of the baffle down into the chamber of the mouthpiece. Mark address this fact in his description of the mouthpiece where he writes:

“The tables are flat, and the rails are symmetrical and measure properly. The baffles are hand worked so that the pieces play their best. We do not remove all the 3-D lines on the inside floor of the mouthpiece because there is no need to remove more material, when the pieces play perfect after they are hand finished. (To continue to grind the floor makes no sense, so we don’t do that).”-Mark Sepinuck

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The 10mFan Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece is what I would consider a low baffle mouthpiece with a nice rollover to the baffle in that first 1/4 inch. After the rollover, the baffle then continues at an angle down to the rear of the mouthpiece chamber where it levels out.

The sidewalls on either side of the baffle feel scooped out when I touch them with my fingers. Even though the sidewalls feel like they have a slight scoop to them, the sidewalls travel inwards as they approach the octagon chamber and give the mouthpiece a “squeezed throat” as Mark describes above.

The chamber of the 10mFan Fireball is indeed an Octagon shape having eight sides to the chamber. This is indeed original and unique to the mouthpiece world as I have never seen a mouthpiece with this octagon shaped chamber before.

The octagon shape to the chamber area stops where it meets the round bore of the mouthpiece. Obviously, this is necessary for the 10mFan Octagon Series Fireball alto sax mouthpiece to fit onto a round cork.

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The 10mFan Fireball alto sax mouthpiece played great with a Rigotti Gold 3 Light alto saxophone reed on it. One of the best attributes to the 10mFan line of saxophone mouthpieces are the precise facing curves used on each mouthpiece. Mark uses the best mouthpiece craftsman in the business to fine tune every mouthpiece and make sure the facing curves are perfect. A perfectly balanced and even facing curve allows more reeds to play consistently and favorably and that was my experience with the Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece.

*As a side note, I want to write how impressed I am with Mark’s commitment to excellence. He could have just chosen to mass produce these 3-D mouthpieces and sell them as is to the masses for a cheaper price point without any hand work. But instead, he is sticking with his business model of sending every mouthpiece to Brian Powell and Erik Greiffenhagen to have them put the finishing touches on each mouthpiece and to make sure the areas that matter the most in relation to playing are fine tuned and as perfect as can be.

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece has a beautiful and natural alto saxophone tone that I really loved. I found it to have a tone that could be sweet, light and focused at softer volumes and more intense and focused at louder volumes. The tone is not what I would describe as “fat” or “spread” but more focused sounding.

I loved how the 10mFan Fireball sounded over bebop lines with jazz articulation. At the 1:30 mark in the first recording, I play a little of “Kim No. 1” from the Charlie Parker Omnibook. At first, I play it at a slower tempo and I love how there is an evenness to the tone throughout the range of the saxophone while also having a crispness and accent to the articulation that just makes the line more interesting and compelling to me.

Right afterward, I play the same line at a much faster speed and again, I love the even smoothness of the flowing notes while still having that crispness to the accented notes even at a faster tempo. I think it is this quality to the lines that really make this a great sounding jazz mouthpiece.

I found the high notes on the Fireball to have that beautiful singing quality to them that I sometimes mention in my reviews. I’m not even sure how to describe this quality other than to write that the high notes have a certain beautiful resonance to them that stands out to me and that I love.

Besides this beautiful resonance, there is a perfect balance of healthy resistance to the 10mFan Fireball that allows the player to really fine tune the vibrato and expression that can be applied to the tone of the Fireball. I absolutely loved how responsive the tone felt for vibrato and bends as I played the Fireball alto mouthpiece.

10mFan Fireball Octagon Chamber Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

At the 3:05 mark of the first recording as well as the second recording, I add a bit of a bluesy style to the lines I am playing by adding some bends, growls and vibrato that I think sound great. As more volume is added, the tone of the Fireball gets a little bit fatter but doesn’t get too spread sounding because it still keeps that consistent focus to the tone.

The low notes were nice and round sounding on the recording and sounded beautiful and fat with some sub-tone added to those notes.

The intonation on the Fireball was terrific and the pitch felt locked in and stable on my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone.

For the second clip, I posted a short clip with reverb added to it so you can hear what the 10mFan Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece might sound like with reverb added. This is actually very close to how it sounds if I played it in my garage, basement or bathroom. I love how the Fireball sounds with the reverb, but it sounds just as good on the first sound clip with no effects in my opinion.

10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the 10mfan Octagon Series Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece, you can order one of them from Mark Sepinuck at 10mFan.com. I think this is a great alto saxophone mouthpiece choice for those of you who want an authentic bebop sound in the style of Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Art Pepper, Phil Woods and even some Paul Desmond when leaning in that direction.

Even though I think this is a killer alto mouthpiece for bebop playing, it is also more versatile than just being pigeon-holed for that one genre of music. This is a great sounding mouthpiece for more modern music as well and a great choice for students as well as professional players.

If you have any questions about the Fireball model alto sax mouthpiece or any of the other 10mFan mouthpieces, you can also contact Mark Sepinuck through his website. Mark Sepinuck is a treasure trove of information about saxophone mouthpieces and is quite happy to answer any questions you might have about them.

*If you have played or end up playing a 10mFan Fireball alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comment section below this review. Thanks, Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers. It makes a world of difference!

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/10mFanFireball.mp3*10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-No Effects*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/10mFanFireballShortReverb.mp3*10mFan Fireball Octagon Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-Reverb Added*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Here is a burnin’ tenor saxophone solo on Softly as a Morning Sunrise that the young saxophonist, Ryan Devlin posted on Facebook a number of months ago. As soon as I heard it, I saved the URL to my computer file entitled “Solos to Transcribe”. Yesterday, I decided to get her done and here is the transcription below in Bb, Eb and C.

Ryan Devlin (photo from his website)

If you haven’t heard of Ryan Devlin, then you are in for a treat. The first time I heard him playing on social media I thought, “Wow, this guy has listened to a lot of 70’s Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman!” Ryan uses a lot of that language which uses a ton of Coltrane 3-tonic lines, chromaticism and pentatonics (Check out Elvin Jones “Live at the Lighthouse” if you don’t know what I am writing about). Along with those concepts, Ryan adds a ton of energy and “in-your-face” rawness to create an edge of your seat performance.

Many of you will be confused by many of the lines played in this transcription. As I say in many of my video lessons, “you can play whatever you want while improvising as long as you play it with confidence and resolve it.” George Garzone basically told me this in lessons while I was at Berklee and the whole concept just totally blew my young “analytical-everything has to make sense and be correct” mindset at the time.

As you can see in the transcription, Ryan is sticking to the form and hitting the changes at some key spots but in between those moments, it’s like the wild west of jazz improvisation with lots of the concepts I mentioned above to fill the lines. This kind of playing always puts me on the edge of my seat because the listener doesn’t know where it is going or how the player is going to get out of these complicated lines. When they do, it feels incredible and magical. Ryan does a great job of this in this short solo. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did transcribing it.

If you want to know more about Ryan Devlin, check out his website and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. He is always posting new videos of his playing to check out. I love watching these young up and coming players progress and mature before our very eyes and I look forward to his future musical endeavors. Thanks to Ryan Devlin for sharing his playing with us in the video below,,,,,,,even if you are in your boxers……hahaha!

Ryan Devlin Burnin’ Tenor Sax Solo on Softly as a Morning Sunrise Transcription Bb PDF
Ryan Devlin Burnin’ Tenor Sax Solo on Softly as a Morning Sunrise Transcription Eb PDF
Ryan Devlin Burnin’ Tenor Sax Solo on Softly as a Morning Sunrise Transcription Concert PDFIf you would like to support me here at neffmusic.com, you can do so on the support page of my store by debit or credit card. Any support is appreciated and will go towards keeping this site running, saxophone reeds, mouthpiece patches, coffee, and towards justifying the many hours I spend on providing free transcriptions to the saxophone community! Thanks, Stevehttps://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SoftlyasaMorningSunrise-RyanDevlin.mp3Audio Clip of Ryan Devlin playing solo over Softly as a Morning Sunrise*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/Softly-RyanDevlin-Small.mp4Ryan Devlin Playing a One Chorus Melody/Solo over “Softly as a Morning Sunrise” from Facebook/Instagram

If you like these types of modern lines like I do, be sure to check out my Devastating Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing for Minor and Dominant Grooves. These two books are filled with great modern 16th note lines in all 12 keys that you can learn and use while soloing. Check out all the 5 star reviews! Steve

Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing

Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz & Funk

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Today, I am reviewing another tenor saxophone mouthpiece from SYOS mouthpieces in France. This is the SYOS “Take the A” signature model 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is modeled after the old SYOS Chad LB model which I reviewed in the past (Chad LB SYOS mouthpiece review).

The SYOS company hit the saxophone mouthpiece scene a number of years ago and immediately caught the world’s attention by producing these really bright colored 3D printed saxophone mouthpieces. I must admit, that at first, I was very skeptical of plastic 3D mouthpieces, but after reviewing quite a few SYOS mouthpieces (20 SYOS mouthpiece reviews to date), I have come to respect the SYOS business model and the quality and playability of the SYOS saxophone mouthpieces I have played.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

This “Take the A” signature model tenor saxophone mouthpiece I am reviewing today is dark blue and is an 8 tip opening. Although, I requested the 8 tip opening and the dark blue color for this mouthpiece review, the SYOS “Take the A” tenor sax mouthpiece can come in any of nine tip openings from 5-9 and in a variety of ten attention getting colors.

As I wrote earlier, the SYOS “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece is based off of the SYOS Chad LB model that I first reviewed years ago SYOS Chad LB Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review. The Chad LB model is no longer in production as Chad has moved on to create his own line of mouthpieces but the SYOS “Take the A” is the same design and specifications as the original Chad LB model. Here is what SYOS writes in the description of the “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

“Our best seller is back! This mouthpiece has changed its name but not its quality! Based on the mouthpiece we designed a few years ago for Chad Lefkowitz-Brown (Chad LB), this mouthpiece will give you edge and power with a nice amount of brightness.”-SYOS website

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Before we get to the playing of the SYOS “Take the A” tenor sax mouthpiece, let me give you a few tidbits of info from the SYOS website on these SYOS saxophone mouthpieces.

First of all, you have three choices when you visit the SYOS website and order a sax mouthpiece. You can order a “SYOS Signature Mouthpiece” which is basically what the mouthpiece that the player whose name is on the mouthpiece plays.

If, however, you want to be unique and are on a quest to find your own unique sound, you might want to pick the second choice of ordering a custom mouthpiece from SYOS which I have to say looks like a pretty cool process. Here’s what you do on the SYOS website:

1. First, you choose what saxophone you play. Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bari Sax
2. Second, you choose whether you are a beginner, intermediate or professional sax player
3. Third, you choose what type of music you play (you can pick more than one category)
4. Fourth, this is the coolest part, you choose your sound preferences. There is a slider for tone that goes from very dark to very bright. You can choose where in that tone spectrum you feel you would like to be. There is also a slider to choose how powerful you want to be. The slider goes from soft to powerful. Now here’s the coolest part because as you are reading this you might be confused about how you might choose what you want or you might be confused about what your preferences are. SYOS gives you a bunch of examples with sound clips! How cool is that? The following list of player are listed and rated for tone and power. Ben Webster, Chris Potter, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz and Wayne Shorter. (Can I just point out at this point, how awesome Chris Potter must feel about being included in this list!)
5. You click “Submit” and wait by your mailbox for your custom mouthpiece that will answer all your dreams to be delivered.

A third option, is that you can order a SYOS Originals saxophone mouthpiece. They make three mouthpieces for each saxophone (soprano, alto and tenor saxophone) called Smoky (darker and warmer), Steady (medium) and Spark (brighter and louder). I have reviewed all of these SYOS Originals saxophone mouthpieces in the past and they were excellent.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a few comments about the material SYOS mouthpieces are made from in case you are curious:

We use ABS plastic to craft our mouthpieces: this material allows us to get the highest degree of precision, with an improved resistance and durability. And you can get that in 18 colors to build a perfect style on stage!

The plastic we use to make Syos mouthpieces has been certified non-toxic in laboratory (EN 71 and CE 1907/2006 standards). In fact, the same kind of plastic is used to make toys for children, which can be put in mouth without any risks. At the opposite, with the “ebonite” plastic, some sulfuric acid releases are observed when the mouthpiece is old, which gives it a yellow-green color.

And finally, here is a quote about the manufacturing process and how the minute details affect your tone which I found interesting:

For wind instruments, it’s the internal geometry of the bore that gives all the acoustic properties. We work at 1/100th millimeter to adjust the shape and the length of the baffle, the chamber section and size, the tip opening, the facing length… We study and compute the effect of all these parameters on the sound, to predict the timbre of each combination of them.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Ok, so let’s get to the “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece I received. The “Take the A” mouthpiece came in the usual SYOS drawstring bag and was well protected in the package it came in. SYOS sent a dark blue slide on ligature with the mouthpiece as well although I used a Vandoren Optimum ligature on the mouthpiece for the sound clips just because I like to have the ability to move the ligature around and adjust the tightness of it.

The “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece felt really light as you would expect a plastic mouthpiece to feel. The table had a little bit of texture to it that you can see with the eye but the table feels smooth to the touch when I slide my finger over it. Whatever process they use to make these sax mouthpieces does leave some slight texture marks on the mouthpiece. You can see fine lines going across the table and fine lines going down the baffle as if the machine that cut the mouthpieces left these lines on the plastic. This texture does not effect the sealing of the reed to the mouthpiece on all the SYOS mouthpieces I have reviewed so I personally wouldn’t worry about it.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks well made. The table, rails and tip rail look even to the eye. The curve of the tip rail matches pretty closely with the curve of my tenor saxophone reeds. The outside corners of the tip rail do extend a tiny bit further than the width of the reed but it is nothing to be concerned with as the reed passes the suction test perfectly.

The baffle is what I would consider a high baffle that is about 5/8ths of an inch long. At that point, it meets a curved edge and then the baffle continues at a greater angle down towards the rear of the mouthpiece chamber. That baffle slope, through the chamber, has a slight curve to it from side to side and the baffle floor narrows as it descends towards the baffles termination at the rear of the chamber.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I would describe the mouthpiece chamber as a medium or even medium-small chamber. From the bore end of the mouthpiece, the chamber looks smaller than a typical Otto Link sized chamber. When you look from the front of the mouthpiece, it is pretty easy to see how the baffle cuts through the chamber floor to make the chamber even smaller. The mouthpiece chamber is definitely smaller in diameter than the bore of the mouthpiece. The sidewalls are scooped out nicely from the tip heading towards the chamber area.

There is an engraved S (SYOS) on the top of the sax mouthpiece and a “Take the A Mouthpiece” signature on the side of the saxophone mouthpiece. Usually, the tip opening is marked on the bottom side of the shank of the mouthpiece on SYOS mouthpieces but this mouthpiece does not have a tip opening engraved on it for some reason.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The first tenor saxophone reed I tried on the SYOS “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece was a Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 strong tenor saxophone reed. That is usually the strength reed I would use on an 8* tip opening but that reed was way too soft for me. I next tried a Rigotti Gold 3 light reed which played very nicely. The first two recording below were recorded with this reed.

The second two sound clips were done with a slightly harder Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed. I included these sound clips because the 3 medium reed played nicely as well and gave the tone and response a bit of a different flavor that some might like better than the 3 light reed.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I have to admit, I don’t remember much about the SYOS Chad LB model since I reviewed it a little over four years ago (before Covid was a word in our vocabulary). I remember that the Chad LB model was pretty bright and powerful when pushed and that it played easily for me but that is about it.

Since I don’t remember the details about that mouthpiece, I am not going to try to compare the new “Take the A” SYOS mouthpiece to the old one except in generalities. I will take SYOS’s word that it is the same design as that old Chad LB model tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I found the tone of the SYOS “Take the A” signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece to be similar in power and brightness as I remember the old SYOS Chad LB mouthpiece being. The tone had a substantial mass to it that I found tough sounding and thick when pushed.

The higher baffle and smaller chamber definitely gives the “Take the A” mouthpiece a ton of power and focus when the mouthpiece is pushed. One of the best attributes of this mouthpiece is that the high notes and altissimo notes didn’t get all thin and weak sounding. They still retained a thick, full core to their tone and sounded meaty and strong.

Usually, mouthpieces with this type of baffle and chamber have a low end that is wanting, but the SYOS “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a focused and fat low range of the saxophone that I really enjoyed. When the low end is played with volume the low notes are thick, full and focused. On the other end of the spectrum, the low end could also provide a lush sub-tone that was very beautiful and expressive.

The intonation was excellent and within normal parameters and the tone was even and balanced throughout the range of the saxophone. The articulation was clean, immediate and nice and smooth when playing fast jazz lines with jazz articulation.

SYOS “Take the A” 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I do play a few more R&B style lines on these sound clips and I think the SYOS “Take the A” saxophone mouthpiece would absolutely kill on those types of gigs. It has the power and crisp brightness to really cut through the mix in those loud playing situations in my opinion and the altissimo range of the sax just cranks!

As usual with my reviews, I have included two sets of sound clips below. Each set of sound clips has a clip with reverb added which I usually prefer for high baffled mouthpieces and one clip that has no reverb on it so you can hear how the SYOS “Take the A” sounds dry (without effects of any sort).

I personally prefer the sound clips with reverb as that sound is most likely what I would use in a live playing situation. The reverb sound clips also give you an idea of how the SYOS “Take the A” might sound in a big hall, bathroom or garage with a robust natural reverb going on.

SYOS Take the A 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the “Take the A” signature model tenor saxophone mouthpiece by SYOS, you can find them at the SYOS website. (Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale when you use this link which helps support this website).

The SYOS “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great mouthpiece that can really wail for modern pop and funk playing but also can be flexible enough to play in a jazz setting if you like a brighter jazz tenor saxophone tone (Ex. Bob Berg, Michael Brecker and Chad LB). Check out my sound clips below of the SYOS “Take the A” tenor saxophone mouthpiece and decide for yourself if it might be worth a try for you.

If you have played or end up playing a SYOS “Take the A” Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

*I introduce the clips by stating that this is the “Take the A Train” tenor sax mouthpiece but that is incorrect. The correct name is the “Take the A” mouthpiece.

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SYOSATrain3LightReverb2.mp3*SYOS “Take the A” Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SYOSATrain3Light2.mp3*SYOS “Take the A” Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-(Same clip as above but with no effects added)*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SYOSATrain3MedReverb.mp3*SYOS “Take the A” Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SYOSATrain3Med.mp3*SYOS “Take the A” Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-(Same clip as above but with no effects added)*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. I also receive a small commission when you purchase from the SYOS link above that helps to support this site. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Here is a killer Chris Potter line that I picked up off of the Youtube video below. Chris Potter is playing a tenor saxophone solo on a blues (Au Privave by Charlie Parker) and this short line just jumped off the video and knocked me upside the head. I thought I would share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Monster Lick #5-Chris PotterMonster Lick 5-Chris Potter Bb PDF
Monster Lick 5-ChrisPotter Concert PDF

If you would like to support me here at neffmusic.com, you can do so on the support page of my store by debit or credit card. Any support is appreciated and will go towards keeping this site running, saxophone reeds, mouthpiece patches, coffee, and towards justifying the many hours I spend on providing free transcriptions to the saxophone community! Thanks, Stevehttps://cdn.neffmusic.com/2020/Monster%20Lick%205-Chris%20Potter%2083924789.mp3Monster Lick of the Day #5-Chris Potter***



Chris Potter-Au Privave Solo Video on Youtube (Lick starts at :18-:23)

If you like these types of modern lines like I do, be sure to check out my Devastating Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing for Minor and Dominant Grooves. These two books are filled with great modern 16th note lines in all 12 keys that you can learn and use while soloing. Check out all the 5 star reviews! Steve

Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing

Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz & Funk

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Today, I am reviewing an original and uniquely designed alto saxophone mouthpiece named the “Geller Blackbird” that I received from Max Geller in Munich, Germany.

Max reached out to me a number of months ago to see if I was interested in trying his new Geller Blackbird ebonite tenor and alto saxophone mouthpieces. The drawings and mouthpiece photos he sent me of the designs of these two saxophone mouthpieces intrigued me enough that I was very curious to try these two mouthpieces out.

I have already reviewed the Geller Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece that I was very impressed with and today I will be reviewing the Geller Blackbird 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

As I wrote in the Geller Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece review, what intrigued me about the design concept of the Geller Blackbird mouthpieces are the original and unique designs of both of these mouthpieces. The Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece has a very unique body design and the mouthpiece baffle and chamber are like nothing I have ever seen before.

As you look at the photos in this review, you will probably agree that the Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece has a very beautiful, flowing, modern and futuristic look to it. Yes, the design and shape of this mouthpiece is different than what I am used to, but I am very curious to see how this mouthpiece will perform for me.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here’s a quote from the Geller Mouthpiece website about the Geller Ebonite Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpieces:

“Alto mouthpieces from Geller -Ebonit are unlike any other mouthpiece available on the market. An extremely large chamber and a gold-plated brass poke confers the mouthpiece an exceptional stability. The heavy gold-plated brass ligature contributes to a full resonance of the reed. The tone is extremely direct and neutral. Tip openings from 3-10 are available.“-Max Geller

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece came well packaged and protected from Germany. The Blackbird mouthpiece comes in a well made thick white box with a “G” gold logo on the lid and “Geller Ebonit” printed in gold below the logo.

The bottom of the box has the tip opening of 6 listed as well as more exact tip measurements of 1.90 mm/.075 inch. Below the tip opening, the facing length is listed as 22 mm as well as the description of the chamber as an “oval chamber”.

Inside the box, the Blackbird mouthpiece is nestled in a luxurious thick black velvet bag that has a red velvet interior.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece is absolutely beautiful to look at as you take it out of that lush velvet bag. The ebonite and gold are smooth and shiny with not an imperfection, fingerprint or smudge anywhere.

The tip, rails and table look flawlessly made and my alto sax reeds lined up with the tip rail pretty closely.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird alto sax mouthpiece has a beautifully smooth medium high and long baffle profile. The baffle has a very unique shape to it as you can see in the photos. It is not just a flat baffle but has a fluid shape to it. The shape is almost like water was flowing down from the tip into the chamber and was immediately frozen solid into that fluid shape.

Unlike the Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece which had straight sidewalls, the Blackbird alto sax mouthpiece has scooped out sidewalls. The chamber is described as “oval” with the top of the chamber scooped out slightly and the bottom of the chamber also scooped out slightly.

I would describe the Geller Blackbird chamber as a large chamber as it looks larger than a Meyer medium chamber when I compare the Meyer chamber and the Blackbird chamber side by side.

Geller Blackbird6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece also has a gold shank to it that looks smooth and beautiful as well. As you can see in the photo below, the gold shank is not just sitting on the end of the mouthpiece but the gold plated brass is designed to line a good portion of the bore of the mouthpiece which I would think would take a lot of craftsmanship and artistry to create.

Max describes the gold plated shank this way on his website:

“Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpieces by Geller-Ebonit are provided with a gold-plated brass stud, which creates an extremely direct connection to the instrument.”-Max Geller

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Whereas the Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a lower beak profile compared to most hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpieces, the beak profile of the Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece felt similar in height to the beak height of a typical Meyer alto saxophone beak. The beak height felt very comfortable for me.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Max Geller also sent a beautifully crafted gold ligature with the Blackbird alto mouthpiece. The contact points of the ligature to the reed are two raised bars. The ligature is not flimsy and bendable but made of thick brass.

Although the screw does tighten and loosen the ligature to a degree, my one complaint about the Geller gold ligature is that it is pretty tight on the mouthpiece body even with the screw all the way loosened. You can slide the ligature about 75% down the mouthpiece table and reed before it tightens pretty firmly around the mouthpiece body.

If you wanted the ligature placed more towards the back of the reed, you would have to push the ligature on further and my guess is that it would put marks on the body of the mouthpiece which really would be a shame for such a beautiful looking mouthpiece.

Geller Gold Ligature for the Blackbird Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

When first trying the Geller Blackbird alto sax mouthpiece, I noticed immediately that my normal stock of alto saxophone reeds were too soft for the Blackbird 6 alto sax mouthpiece. The .075 tip opening isn’t much smaller than my preferred .078-.080 alto sax tip preference, but what makes a harder reed more necessary is that 22 mm facing curve on the Blackbird alto mouthpiece. I don’t think I have another alto saxophone mouthpiece in my collection right now with that long of a curve on it.

A longer facing curve usually means that a harder reed will feel and blow softer than on a shorter curve. *For more information on facing curves you can see my article called “Sax Mouthpieces: The Length of the Facing Curve” where I compared five alto sax mouthpieces with facing curves between 20mm and 23mm.

I usually use Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 strong, 3 light or 3 medium alto saxophone reeds on alto sax mouthpieces with tip openings between .075 and .085 but for the Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece, I had to use a Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 medium alto saxophone reed.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

When first playing the Geller Blackbird 6 alto sax mouthpiece, my first impression was that the Blackbird has a medium bright crispness to the tone that was at the same time very solid and stable sounding. The Blackbird could sound light and sweet and then with more air added could sound more dense and fat sounding.

For me, the Blackbird tone kind of sat between a Phil Woods kind of vibe (light and sweet) and a Cannonball kind of vibe (fat and powerful). As it traveled between those two sounds, it never stopped sounding beautiful to my ears.

I loved playing my old reliable bebop lines on this mouthpiece as well as traveling away from that bebop sound and just improvising freely. The tone was moldable and flexible enough to really keep my interest while playing and even more so when I listened back to the sound clips.

The low notes were full and fat and the high notes did not get thin and edgy but retained a solid tone that was round and full sounding. The Blackbird mouthpiece responded immediately and easily to vibrato and I found it to be very expressive sounding.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I also found the Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece to have a unique “singing” tone in the upper register of the saxophone. The tone was light, playful and expressive at softer volumes but became fuller and more concentrated at louder volumes. When more air is added the tone tends to get more Cannonballesque with a toughness to it with it’s solid fat core tone.

The tone was even and smooth throughout the range of the saxophone and you can hear how the fast lines sound connected and smooth. This connection and smoothness between notes just inspired me to play faster and faster……..

The intonation was very good and the articulation was clean and precise as you can hear from the many bebop lines I played on the recordings below.

Two specific points on the recording I would like to point out:

• 2:29-2:48 of the first sound clip- At this point in the recording, I start playing “All Blues”. It wasn’t planned but for some reason I started playing it. I feel like this section is a great example of how beautiful the Blackbird can sound.
• 2:54-3:23 of the first sound clip- At this point in the recording, I put more air through the saxophone and the tone of the Blackbird changes from light and pretty to more dense and serious sounding. I like how the tone just gets fatter and more round. It still doesn’t lose that beauty to the sound and you can still hear that “singing”quality in the high notes as I add vibrato. The tone in this section of the recording is just a bit more “in-your-face” and aggressive sounding to my ears.

For the second clip, I recorded a short clip with reverb added to it so you can hear what the Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece might sound like with reverb added. This is actually very close to how it sounds if I played it in my garage or in my basement. I love how the Blackbird sounds with the reverb, but it sounds just as good on the first sound clip with no effects in my opinion.

Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

To wrap up this review, I am very impressed with the Geller Blackbird tenor saxophone and alto saxophone mouthpieces. These are both unique mouthpieces that provide the player with what I think is a beautiful sound. I really enjoyed playing these two mouthpieces because they gave me an experience and sound that I loved experimenting with and exploring.

If you read this review, listen to the clips, and decide the Geller Blackbird Ebonite alto saxophone mouthpiece is worth a try, you can purchase one on the Geller website. click here!

Congratulations to Max Geller for designing and creating a beautifully well crafted alto saxophone mouthpiece that is indeed unique and original. In this day and age where they say everything has been done and there is nothing new, Max Geller has thought outside the box and created mouthpieces that are different from all the rest in my opinion.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and if you get a Max Geller Blackbird alto saxophone mouthpiece, be sure to come back and let us know what you think in the comments below……..Thanks!!

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/GellerBBAlto1.mp3Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotii Gold 3 1/2 Medium Reed-No Effects

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/GellerBBAltoReverb.mp3Geller Blackbird 6 Ebonite Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotii Gold 3 1/2 Medium Reed-Reverb Added

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing an original and uniquely designed tenor saxophone mouthpiece named the “Geller Blackbird” that I received from Max Geller in Munich, Germany.

Max reached out to me a number of months ago to see if I was interested in trying his new Geller Blackbird tenor and alto saxophone mouthpieces. The drawings and photos he sent me of the designs of these two saxophone mouthpieces intrigued me enough that I was very curious to try these two mouthpieces out.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

What intrigued me about the design concept of the Geller Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece was the flowing and smooth medium high baffle, the extra large chamber and the unique outward design of this mouthpiece.

As you look at the photos in this review, you will probably agree that the Geller Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a very beautiful, modern and futuristic look to it. The side photo with the big fat body yet thinner beak profile really caught my attention as unique to the saxophone mouthpiece world.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here’s a quote from the Geller Mouthpiece website about the Geller Ebonite Blackbird mouthpieces:

“The new Geller Blackbird saxophone mouthpieces are made from German ebonite. The ergonomic design ensures the mouthpiece is suitable for all styles: the very shallow angle relaxes the throat muscles while the rounded edges reduce stress on the corners of the mouth. The mouthpieces have a gold-plated brass sleeve, which gives them a high level of stability in their tones. The blowing angle is flat and allows for a comfortable playing position. The chamber is oval-shaped. The ligature is also made of gold-plated brass.“-Max Geller

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece came well packaged and protected from Germany. The mouthpiece comes in a well made thick white box with the “G” gold logo on the lid and “Geller Ebonit” printed in Gold below the logo.

The bottom of the box has the tip opening of 7* listed as well as more exact measurements of 2.65 mm/.104 inch. Below the tip opening, the facing length is listed as 24mm as well as the description of the chamber as an “oval chamber”.

Inside the box, the Blackbird mouthpiece is nestled in a luxurious thick black velvet bag that has a red velvet interior. The bag feels and looks very classy.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece is absolutely beautiful to look at as you take it out of that lush velvet bag. The ebonite and gold are smooth and shiny with not an imperfection, fingerprint or smudge anywhere.

The tip, rails and table look flawlessly made and my tenor sax reeds lined up with the tip rail nicely. The outside curve of the tip rail on both sides has a more rounded profile suited to the tip shape of Vandoren reeds as opposed to the Rigotti reed cut that has a sharper decline at the outside corners of the reed tip. Regardless of this, both reeds sealed well on the Blackbird mouthpiece and performed excellently.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece has a beautifully smooth medium high and long baffle profile. The sidewalls look straight to my eyes with a scoop in the upper rear corners of the sidewalls as they approach the chamber area.

The chamber looks like an extra large chamber to me as it is larger in diameter than the bore of the mouthpiece. Max Geller describes the chamber as “oval” but as you look at the chamber from both ends of the mouthpiece, it looks round. If you look closer though, you will notice that the roof of the chamber, under the table, is scooped out and the bottom of the chamber has a pretty big scoop out of it as well. I believe that is what gives the chamber an “oval” shape even though it is hard to see.

This “oval” shaped chamber is most likely the reason that the Geller Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece has such a unique outward body shape. If you look at the body from the top, it has a pretty slim profile but if you look at it from the side, the body profile is much fatter to allow that “oval” chamber shape inside the mouthpiece.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Geller Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece also has a Gold shank to it that looks smooth and beautiful as well. As you can see in the photo below, the gold shank is not just sitting on the end of the mouthpiece but the gold plated brass is designed to line a good portion of the bore of the mouthpiece which I would think would take a bit of craftsmanship and artistry to do it so well.

Max describes the gold plated shank this way on his website:

“Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpieces by Geller-Ebonit are provided with a gold-plated brass stud, which creates an extremely direct connection to the instrument.”-Max Geller

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As you can see in the side photos of the Geller Blackbird mouthpiece, the beak profile of the Blackbird is very low as compared to most hard rubber or resin tenor saxophone mouthpieces on the market. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about playing on a mouthpiece with a thinner beak like this but once I played on it for a little bit, it felt very comfortable to me (more comfortable than a typical hard rubber Otto Link beak profile …..at least for me).

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Max Geller also sent a beautifully crafted gold ligature with the Blackbird tenor mouthpiece. The contact points of the ligature to the reed are two raised bars. The ligature is not flimsy but made of rather thick brass. Although the screw does tighten and loosen the ligature to a degree, my one complaint about the ligature is that it is pretty tight on the mouthpiece body even with the screw all the way loosened. You can slide the ligature about 75% down the table before it tightens pretty firmly around the mouthpiece body. If you wanted the ligature placed more towards the back of the reed, you would have to push the ligature on further and my guess is that it would put marks on the body of the mouthpiece which really would be a shame for such a beautiful looking mouthpiece.

Geller Gold Ligature for the Blackbird Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Along with everything else, Max also sent a brand new Vandoren Java Red Box #3 tenor saxophone reed because he loves how this reed performs on the Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece. I haven’t played a Vandoren Java Red reed in a very long time but I gave it a shot and it played great on the Geller Blackbird tenor mouthpiece.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The first thought I had when first playing the Geller Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece was: “Wow, that’s a pretty fat tenor saxophone sound!” The medium high and long baffle gives the tone some punch and brightness but the extra large chamber seems to really fatten up the tone nicely.

The tone has more of a pure sound to it than a grainy and textured tenor saxophone sound which I associate more with hard rubber Otto Links and mouthpieces designed like those Otto Links. The bottom range of the saxophone has a fatness that can be focused and pure or you can throw some sub-tone in there and the tone becomes more spread and lush sounding.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The high notes add some nice brightness to the tone that could be shaped easily for more brightness or less within the fat tone. The altissimo range was easily attained once I got used to the mouthpiece. I will admit that in the first 30 seconds of trying to go into the altissimo range of the saxophone it felt very different. What I mean, is that my normal “voicing” for that range of the saxophone didn’t quite get me to the notes as easily as usual.

After a bit of playing up there, I realized that I just needed to “voice” those altissimo notes a little bit differently and then they popped right out. My guess is that I was probably feeling the difference of that extra large oval chamber. As you can hear in the clips, I soon forgot about this issue once I adjusted to the altissimo “voicing” that this setup needed.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I found the Geller Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece to have a unique sound that correlates to it’s unique design. At medium and softer volumes, the Geller Blackbird had a fat and spread tone that was lush and full sounding.

When more volume is added, the tone seemed to center and focus more as the tone becomes less spread and more solid and compact sounding.

The Geller Blackbird tenor mouthpiece articulated well and the intonation was within the normal parameters on my tenor saxophone.

As far as volume, the Geller Blackbird tenor mouthpiece could be pushed to a respectable volume. It is certainly not a “paint peeler”, but it seems to me that Max Geller has designed this Blackbird tenor sax mouthpiece to blend a fatness of tone with power and added brightness in just the right combination. I think it sounds great with the reverb added on the altissimo sound clip.

Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you read this review, listen to the clips, and decide the Geller Blackbird Ebonite tenor sax mouthpiece is worth a try, you can purchase one on the Geller website.

Congratulations to Max Geller for designing and creating a beautifully well crafted tenor saxophone mouthpiece that is indeed unique and original. In this day and age where they say everything has been done and there is nothing new, Max Geller has thought outside the box and created a mouthpiece that is different from all the rest in my opinion.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and if you get a Max Geller Blackbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece, be sure to come back and let us know what you think in the comments below……..Thanks!!

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/GellerBlackBird4.mp3Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Red Box 3 Reed-No Effects

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/GellerBBAltissimoFinal2.mp3Geller Blackbird 7* Ebonite Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Red Box 3 Reed-Altissimo Clip with Reverb Added

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing another new Retro Revival tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Joel Peskin and Bob Sheppard at Retro Revival. This is the Retro Revival Modern Line Cutting Edge tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  This is a high baffled hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece with an 8 tip opening designed in the spirit of the vintage […]

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BRAND NEW NEFFMUSIC BOOKSuper excited to have finally finished this book. I have been working on this over a couple of years and am ecstatic about the content and it’s potential for students of jazz improvisation. Working on this material has radically changed my own playing and given me a new tool to use that’s sounds amazing over a blues and dominant chords. Check out the description and sound clips at the link below.-Steve“Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues” is an exciting new improvisational concept I have been working on over the last year. This book is a 444 page collection of my work on this dominant pentatonic concept and includes 52 blues exercises in all 12 keys. The book also comes with a 113 minutes video lesson on the background of the concept, tips on how to practice the material as well as some demonstrations of some of the lines on the soprano saxophone.

The origins of this concept came from a lick that I picked up somewhere along my musical journey that I used quite regularly on an F7 chord. I can’t even remember where I got this line from but it is a hip and modern sounding line that I absolutely love that uses the pentatonic scale of F,G,A,C and Eb over an F7 chord. This pentatonic scale is commonly known as the minor 6th pentatonic scale if you were to start it on C but I found that basing the pentatonic off the root of the dominant chord was much easier for me so I relabeled this pentatonic as the “Dominant Pentatonic” which is based off of the root of the dominant chord. I thought that if I dug this line so much, why don’t I try to use the concept it originates from over the whole blues progression and see where that leads.

Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (PDF Digital Book)-19.99

I began writing down a variety of patterns using the dominant pentatonic scale and applying them to the blues progression as well as tri-tone substitutions on a blues. I was shocked by how transformed my lines sounded over a 12-bar blues. I was playing ideas and lines I had never played before in over 40 years of playing the saxophone. The lines sound intervallic, flowing and modern. Here are seven examples that I took from my mouthpiece reviews over the last year as I was working on the dominant pentatonic concept using a few of the dominant pentatonic exercises from the book on a blues:

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/DomPentBlues3Alto.mp3One Chorus of Exercise 1C from the Book and One Chorus Improvisation-Alto Sax (10MFan SuperNova Alto Mouthpiece Review)

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/DomPentBlues4-Tenor.mp3The Same Exercise 1C but Slower with some Improvisation-Tenor Sax (Otto Link Tone Edge Early Babbitt Connoisseur Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review)

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/Dominant%20Pent%20Blues%202-Soprano.mp3Improvisation using the Dominant Pentatonic Concept on a Blues-Soprano Sax with Reverb (Ambika 3 Soprano Mouthpiece Review)

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/DomPentBlues5-Alto.mp3One Chorus of exercise 1C from the Book and some Improvisation using the concept-Alto Sax (GetASax GS NEW YORK Meyer Bros Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review)

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/DomPantBlues6.mp3 Improvisation using the Dominant Pentatonic concept-Tenor Sax (Johannes Gerber Vintage Slant 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review)

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/DomPentBlues7-Tenor.mp3 Improvisation using the Dominant Pentatonic concept mixed in with some other elements-Tenor Sax (Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review)

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/LambersonJ72021Blues.mp3 Improvisation using mostly the Dominant Pentatonic concept-Tenor Sax (Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review)

This book is a 444 page collection of my work on this dominant pentatonic concept and includes 52 blues exercises in all 12 keys. The book also comes with a 113 minutes video lesson on the background of the concept, tips on how to practice the material as well as some demonstrations of some of the lines on the soprano saxophone. I think you will find it as transformational as I have. Let me know what you think in the reviews section below once you get some time to work on it! Steve

Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (PDF Digital Book)-19.99

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Today, I am reviewing another tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and saxophone player from Russia named Kirill Poudavoff. Kirill is a great young tenor sax player that is in his fourth semester at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Kirill sent me four 3-D printed examples of his tenor saxophone mouthpieces made of plastic after I asked if I could perhaps try out his mouthpiece work. I have already reviewed the KPoudavoff Double Ring 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece, the KPoudavoff Florida 7 tenor mouthpiece and the Kpoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Today, I will be reviewing the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* tenor saxophone mouthpiece with Dexter Gordon’s unique facing curve applied to it. I have never played a Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece before so I am very excited to try out this KPoudavoff copy of this iconic (thanks to Dexter Gordon) tenor saxophone mouthpiece. The fact that this tenor mouthpiece has Dexter Gordon’s exact facing curve applied to it makes me even more excited to try this mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is some information about Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces as well as the Zimberoff model Dukoff Hollywood mouthpieces from Theo Wanne’s mouthpiece museum page:

“Dexter Gordon played on a Conn 10m tenor saxophone and a Dukoff BD Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece during the Blue Note era until the mid-sixties. There has always been a huge debate about which model BD Dukoff tenor sax mouthpiece Dexter Gordon played, the 1945 medium chamber or the 1949 large chamber model. I know there was a 1949 Dukoff BD Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece stamped “DG Special” on the side with a 6 tip opening. This might have been a ‘Dexter Gordon’ Special model, so I suspect he played on this model tenor mouthpiece. About 100 of these tenor mouthpiece blanks were sold to Zimberoff -House of Note, who produced a tenor saxophone mouthpiece under their own name. Some of these tenor sax mouthpieces had the model name Vibra Metal.”-Theo Wanne*

Theo’s page where this quote is from also states that there were only 200 1949 BD Hollywood tenor mouthpieces made (same blank as the Zimberoffs), and then only 100 Zimberoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces made. That is only 300 Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff style tenor saxophone mouthpieces in total. I would love confirmation of this fact if any of you out there have more information on this subject……. If true, those numbers make the Dukoff Zimberoff Hollywood tenor sax mouthpiece pretty darn rare.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

Here is also a post from SOTW (Sax on the Web) by Doc Tenney about the Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces:

“The Zimberoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces are actually “stencil” mouthpieces in that the “real” ones were made by Dukoff and marked “Zimberoff House of Music” with five 5-pointed stars in a circular pattern on the top of the barrel. The actual blank is a one-piece cast brass “B.D.” series Dukoff mouthpiece with a rather unusual and very sophisticated baffle design that has a very distinctive longitudinal concavity or trough running from just behind the tip rail into the back chamber of the mouthpiece. Many of us refer to any Dukoff mouthpiece having these particular features as a “Zimberoff” even though they are not “stenciled” with the Zimberoff markings. I have had several of these mouthpieces through my shop recently. The “voice” is just as smooth as the original very early “stubby” model mouthpieces and has much more color complexity than any of the later “B.D.” 2-piece model tenor sax mouthpieces with no loss of center. For many players, including myself, the Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff model mouthpiece is the most preferred of the California Dukoff mouthpiece designs. Fortunately, I have two of my own!”-Doc Tenney

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you haven’t heard of Kirill Poudavoff yet, check him out in the video near the bottom of this review. Kirill sounds more like Dexter Gordon than any other tenor sax player I have heard. It is so interesting to watch Kirill play the tenor saxophone because not only does he sound like Dexter Gordon but he also imitates many of the same mannerisms as Dexter Gordon. The saxophone is hanging lower like Dexter held it. Kirill’s head is tilted down like Dexter tilted his head. Kirill’s embouchure and bottom lip position is similar to Dexter’s embouchure and bottom lip. The way Kirill breaths is like Dexter when releasing his lower lip to take a breath. Lastly, I was watching a Dexter Gordon video and took note of Dexter’s eyebrows going up when he jumped into the higher register of the saxophone (If you don’t believe me, check out from 4:00-4:30 of the Dexter Gordon video at the bottom of this review). Later that day, I was watching one of Kirill Poudavoff’s videos and he did the exact same eyebrow movement when jumping up to a higher note on the saxophone. That cracked me up.

All of these commonalities between Kirill Poudavoff and Dexter Gordon go to show the power of imitation when it comes to reproducing an idol’s saxophone tone. All of these factors, go towards reproducing a tenor saxophone sound that is similar to Dexter Gordon’s sound. These are just the things we can see outwardly. I am sure there are many techniques Kirill has discovered through his years of practice and imitation of Dexter Gordon that have brought him closer to sounding like Dexter. Perhaps the position of his tongue, the puff of his cheeks, the strength of his reed and looseness of embouchure, etc……. All this reminds me of a Tony Robbins quote I read years ago: “If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.” It looks to me like Kirill Poudavoff is doing just that. Kirill is still a young man and I for one, can’t wait to see where he goes from here.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

When I asked Kirill if I could try out some of his saxophone mouthpiece work, I had no idea that he would send me four 3-D printed tenor saxophone mouthpieces to check out. Here is what he sent me:

• KPoudavoff Double Ring 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Double Ring Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Florida 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 7- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff 7 model
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 6 (Dexter’s Curve)- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff (with Dexter Gordon’s 6 facing curve on it)

I have reviewed all of these tenor saxophone mouthpieces separately, one after the other, so you can get a complete sense of Kirill Poudavoff’s work.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

First, I have to start with the disclaimer that Kirill Poudavoff told me that he doesn’t make these 3-D printed tenor saxophone mouthpiece models any longer. Right now, at the time of this review, he is only making the tenor saxophone mouthpiece models listed above in solid silver for 750 dollars each. I have posted a few photos of the tenor mouthpieces in metal throughout this review so that you can see how the mouthpieces look in solid silver as well.

That being said, Kirill did say that these four 3-D printed tenor saxophone mouthpieces were a good representation of his work and played similarly to the solid silver versions of these mouthpieces.

The four KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces I received look to have the same outward size (diameter and length), shape and contours of the Otto Link and Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces they are copies of.

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6 tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a similar engraving and lines on the shank as an original Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor mouthpiece but instead of having “Zimberoff Hollywood” engraved on the shank, it has “KPoudavoff Hollywood” engraved on the shank. The tip opening of 6 is engraved on the corner of the body to the right of the table with the initials DG (Dexter Gordon) next to the facing number.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On initial examination, you can see the sanding marks on the plastic material of the mouthpiece where Kirill sanded the table and worked on the baffle area of the mouthpiece. Although the sanding marks look rough, the baffle area and table feel very smooth to the touch. These marks you see have no effect on how the mouthpiece plays that I can tell.

I know these sanding marks will bother some of you, but I am not bothered in the least. In my mind, they don’t matter to me. What matters the most to me, is how the mouthpiece plays. I have played some horrendous looking mouthpieces over the years that played phenomenally, so I don’t necessarily care how perfect a mouthpiece looks on the inside or outside. I have also tried mouthpieces that looked absolutely stunning and perfect to the eye, that didn’t play well at all for me. I believe Kirill’s main focus is making a mouthpiece true to the original version while also making a mouthpiece that plays great. The cosmetic stuff is not as important. Don’t let appearances sway you from what’s most important, how do these KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces play? My motto is “Don’t judge a mouthpiece until you play it!”

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks to have relatively even side rails. The tip rail looks well made and the tenor sax reeds I tried on this mouthpiece lined up perfectly with the tip rail curve. All the tenor saxophone reeds I tried on this mouthpiece sealed well when using the suction test.

I asked Kirill about the “Dexter Facing Curve” on this 6 mouthpiece and he responded, “Dexter’s 6 facing curve is the curve an 8 Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece would probably have. The curve is very open towards the tip. Dexter’s curve is a longer curve, something you’d see on an 8 Otto Link tenor mouthpiece. I myself play 6 Hollywoods either with La Voz medium or Rico orange 3 tenor saxophone reeds.”-Kirill Poudavoff*

When I asked Kirill where he got the measurements for Dexter’s curve, he replied, “From a Ted Klum mouthpiece and Sebastian Knox’s work. As he had been in the shop when Dexter’s mouthpiece was there.” ( I can find no information on the internet about Dexter’s facing curve nor the original Dukoff Hollywood 6* he played still existing out there somewhere but if anyone has information on this mouthpiece please let us know in the comments below)

Just like Doc Tenney described in his quote above, you can see “a very distinctive longitudinal concavity or trough running from just behind the tip rail into the back chamber.” I have reviewed other tenor sax mouthpieces which I described as having a side to side curve of the baffle but I think the Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff mouthpiece is unique in design because the side to side curve of the baffle starts much closer to the tip rail of the mouthpiece than other mouthpieces I have reviewed.

I asked Kirill Poudavoff if both the 7 and 6 Hollywood tenor mouthpieces he sent were copies of Zimberoff Hollywoods and what the difference between a Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood and a non-Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood was and he wrote, “Yes, both are copied from a Zimberoff Hollywood. Zimberoff Hollywood mouthpieces typically are the same as Dukoff Hollywood blanks, but have higher baffles”.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The sidewalls of the KPoudavoff Hollywood mouthpiece are scooped out nicely and the roof of the chamber underneath the table is nice and thin. The chamber is what I would consider an extra large chamber in that it looks to be larger than a typical modern Otto Link or Florida Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece chamber. The floor of the Dukoff Hollywood looks a bit deeper to me than on a Florida Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece. The chamber of the KPoudavoff Zimberoff mouthpiece looks closer in size to the chamber of a modern NY Otto Link model tenor saxophone mouthpiece which I also consider to have an extra large chamber.

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6 tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with Rigotti Gold saxophone reeds between 3 medium strength to the 3 strong strength for me. Since this mouthpiece is a 6 as opposed to the three KPoudavoff 7* models I have already reviewed, this mouthpiece didn’t play well with the softer 2 1/2 medium Rigotti Gold reeds I used for those reviews. That 2 1/2 medium reed felt way too soft.

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* tenor sax mouthpiece is not an altered “Hollywood” or a “Hollywood” on steroids. Kirill Poudavoff has expressed his goal of making these tenor sax mouthpieces as close to the originals as he can possibly get them. This is an admirable goal and refreshing to hear from a young up and coming mouthpiece craftsman.

*For the record, as I wrote earlier, I have never owned or played an original Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece up until this point in my life so I have no way to compare this mouthpiece to an original Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor saxophone mouthpiece like I did for the KPoudavoff Double Ring and Florida mouthpiece reviews.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6 tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great for me. The intonation on the KPoudavoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece was excellent on my Selmer Super Balanced Action (SBA) tenor saxophone. I believe it was even better than the KPoudavoff Double Ring and Florida tenor sax mouthpieces because the extra larger chamber and scoop in the run of the baffle into the chamber seemed to bring down the typically sharp middle range of my Selmer SBA tenor saxophone. The low notes were thick and full sounding and sub-toned beautifully and the altissimo range of the saxophone popped out nicely. I found the altissimo register much cleaner and prettier on the 6 than the 7* Dukoff Hollywood model.

Dexter Gordon on his Dukoff Hollywood 6* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was very even and smooth throughout the range of the saxophone and the fast lines sounded great. In comparison to the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor mouthpiece, which seemed like it had more of a warm smoothness within those fast lines and the Florida tenor mouthpiece that seemed to have more of an aggressive and crisp sound, the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood had more of a fatness to the tone. I think the tone was more in line with the KPoudavoff Double Ring as far as where it sat on the dark to bright spectrum. Where the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece was more focused in tone, the Hollywood mouthpiece seemed to have a much fatter tone while still having a nice focused core to the sound.

Compared the the KPoudavoff 7 Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff mouthpiece, the 6 seemed to have a bit more centered core and focus to the tone than the 7 mouthpiece. Usually on a 6 tip opening, I feel like the mouthpiece is too closed for my tastes but with this mouthpiece I didn’t feel that at all. Maybe it was the longer facing curve or the unique Dexter facing curve but the 6* felt quite comfortable to me.

I also felt like the upper register of the saxophone as well as the altissimo notes on the 6 Dexter Curve Dukoff Hollywood tenor mouthpiece had a bit more fatness and roundness to the notes than the 7 Dukoff Hollywood model tenor sax mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I really dig a fatter tenor saxophone tone, so I absolutely loved that aspect of the tone with the Kpoudavoff Hollywood Zimberoff 6* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I have always marveled at the fat and thick tenor saxophone tone of Dexter Gordon on his recordings. Dexter’s tone just sounded so huge and wide like he was filling up every corner of the room with his immense tenor sound.

Like I wrote in the review for the KPoudavoff 7 Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor mouthpiece, I believe I have more work to do with the KPoudavoff Hollywood 6 tenor sax mouthpiece as well. The extra large chamber and unique baffle shape makes me think that there are unexplored regions of sound to be discovered with this mouthpiece. That kind of exploration and discovery can only come with time and familiarity with a sax mouthpiece and although I have spent a few days with the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 6* tenor saxophone mouthpiece, I believe spending a few months with this mouthpiece would really prove even more worthwhile as I get used to this unique mouthpiece design and how to get the most out of it.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The sound clip below was recorded using a Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed. I loved this reed because of the thick, rich, solid core and character you can hear in the tone. The upper register had a nice round brightness while still retaining that fat and full tone. You can also hear more brightness and edge in the tone when I push the volume of this mouthpiece but it seems like the brightness and volume always stays within the limits of that tight round core of tone. It seemed to me like the 6 Dexter Curve Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor mouthpiece kept more of it’s warm tone and wasn’t as bright and edgy as the 7 KPoudavoff Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff mouthpiece when pushed to louder volumes. This quality would make the 6 mouthpiece great for jazz playing but I think the 7 model would give more brightness and volume for louder situations.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a mouthpiece that is similar if not exact to a vintage Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor sax mouthpiece. (This is purely based on my confidence in Kirill’s knowledge and work as well as the fact that the Double Ring and Florida models were so close in design to the originals) Although, I have not personally tried a Dukoff Hollywood tenor sax mouthpiece, I have had multiple communications with Kirill about this model and he seems very knowledgeable about these rare tenor saxophone mouthpieces.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece next to an Original Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff Tenor Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* tenor saxophone mouthpiece with Dexter’s curve by Kirill Poudavoff, you can order one from Kirill himself by contacting him via his email at kpoudavoff@gmail.com.

Thanks again to Kirill Poudavoff for sending me these four great tenor saxophone mouthpieces to play and review here on my site. After my sound clips below, is a video of Kirill soloing over “Days of Wine and Roses” with his metal KPoudavoff Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Make sure you check that video out as well!

Below that, is the master himself, Dexter Gordon, playing “Body and Soul” on his Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Be sure to check that video out as it is a real treat and has plenty of close-ups of Dexter’s embouchure. *Kirill Poudavoff also colorized this video which makes it look really cool as well.

If you are lucky enough to play a KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood Dexter Curve tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KPoudavoffDexter.mp3*KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6 Copy with Dexter’s Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with no effects – Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed**

Kirill Poudavoff playing “Days of Wine and Roses” on his Dukoff Zimberoff Hollywood Metal Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The master himself, Dexter Gordon on his Dukoff Hollywood Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Check out 1:56-3:00 for a full minute of close-ups of Dexter’s embouchure)

Original Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with a close-up of Dexter’s embouchure

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing another great tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and great saxophone player from Russia named Kirill Poudavoff. Kirill is a great young tenor sax player that is in his fourth semester at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Kirill sent me four examples of his tenor saxophone mouthpieces made of plastic after I asked if I could perhaps try out his mouthpiece work. I have already reviewed the KPoudavoff Double Ring 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece and the KPoudavoff Florida 7 tenor mouthpiece. Today, I will be reviewing the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is a copy of a Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the late 40’s-50’s. I have never played a Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece so I am very excited to try out this KPoudavoff copy of this iconic tenor sax mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is some information about Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces as well as the Zimberoff model mouthpiece from Theo Wanne’s mouthpiece museum page:

“Dexter Gordon played on a Conn 10m and a Dukoff BD Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece during the Blue Note era until the mid-sixties. There has always been a huge debate about which model BD Dukoff tenor sax mouthpiece Dexter Gordon played, the 1945 medium chamber or the 1949 large chamber model. I know there was a 1949 Dukoff BD Hollywood tenor sax mouthpiece stamped “DG Special” on the side with a 6 tip opening. This might have been a ‘Dexter Gordon’ Special model, so I suspect he played on this model. About 100 of these blanks were sold to Zimberoff -House of Note, who produced a mouthpiece under their own name. Some of these had the model name Vibra Metal.”-Theo Wanne*

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

Here is also a post from SOTW (Sax on the Web) by Doc Tenney about the Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces:

“The Zimberoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces are actually “stencil” mouthpieces in that the “real” ones were made by Dukoff and marked “Zimberoff House of Music” with five 5-pointed stars in a circular pattern on the top of the barrel. The actual blank is a one-piece cast brass “B.D.” series Dukoff with a rather unusual and very sophisticated baffle design that has a very distinctive longitudinal concavity or trough running from just behind the tip rail into the back chamber. Many of us refer to any Dukoff having these particular features as a “Zimberoff” even though they are not “stenciled” with the Zimberoff markings. I have had several of these through my shop recently. The “voice” is just as smooth as the original very early “stubby” models and has much more color complexity than any of the later “B.D.” 2-piece models with no loss of center. For many players, including myself, the Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff model is the most preferred of the California Dukoff designs. Fortunately, I have two of my own!”-Doc Tenney

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you haven’t heard of Kirill Poudavoff yet, check him out in the video at the bottom of this review. Kirill sounds more like Dexter Gordon than any other tenor sax player I have heard, which is very cool!

I would also like to add how refreshing it is to hear a young person like Kirill Poudavoff, playing long notes and melodies while improvising. I was listening to Kirill the other day, and like Dexter, he just played one note and held it for like 4-6 beats before continuing on with his idea. I think it was a video from Wally’s in Boston. I saw some Berklee students in the audience who looked totally confused and shocked as they thought, “Wait, you can play long notes when improvising?”. I love long notes and you don’t hear a lot of young guys doing that. For that matter, you don’t hear very many old guys doing it. (If you don’t know what I am talking about, go listen to some Dexter Gordon………)

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

When I asked Kirill if I could try out some of his saxophone mouthpiece work, I had no idea that he would send me four tenor saxophone mouthpieces to check out. Here is what he sent me:

• KPoudavoff Double Ring 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Double Ring Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Florida 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 7*- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff model
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 6 (Dexter’s Curve)- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff (with Dexter Gordon’s 6 facing curve on it)

I will be reviewing all of these tenor saxophone mouthpieces separately, one after the other, so you can get a complete sense of Kirill Poudavoff’s work.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

First, I have to start with the disclaimer that Kirill Poudavoff told me that he doesn’t make these plastic tenor saxophone mouthpiece models any longer. Right now, at the time of this review, he is only making the tenor mouthpiece models listed above in solid silver for 750 dollars each. I have posted a few photos of the tenor mouthpieces in metal throughout this review so that you can see how the mouthpieces look in solid silver as well.

That being said, Kirill did say that these four plastic tenor saxophone mouthpieces were a good representation of his work and played similarly to the solid silver versions of these mouthpieces.

The four KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces I received look to have the same outward size (diameter and length), shape and contours of the Otto Link and Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces they are copies of.

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 mouthpiece has a similar engraving and lines on the shank as an original Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood mouthpiece but instead of having “Zimberoff Hollywood” engraved on the shank, it has “KPoudavoff Hollywood” engraved on the shank. The tip opening of 7 is engraved on the corner of the body to the right of the table.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On initial examination, you can see the sanding marks on the plastic material of the mouthpiece where Kirill sanded the table and worked on the baffle area of the mouthpiece. Although the sanding marks look rough, the baffle area and table feel very smooth to the touch.

I know these sanding marks will bother some of you, but I am not bothered in the least. In my mind, they don’t matter to me. What matters the most to me, is how the mouthpiece plays. I have played some horrendous looking mouthpieces over the years that played phenomenally, so I don’t necessarily care how perfect a mouthpiece looks on the inside or outside. I have also tried mouthpieces that looked absolutely stunning and perfect to the eye, that didn’t play well at all for me. The lesson learned: Don’t judge a mouthpiece until you play it.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The point I am trying to make, is that Kirill worked on and sent me four examples of his work for free because I asked to try out his work. I believe Kirill’s main focus is making a mouthpiece true to the original version while also making a mouthpiece that plays great. The cosmetic stuff is not as important. Don’t let these plastic samples sway you from what’s most important, how do these KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces play?

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Looking past all the sanding marks, the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks to have relatively even side rails. The tip rail looks well made but Kirill warned me that this particular mouthpiece was made from an old blank and the curve of the tip rail doesn’t exactly match the curve of the tenor saxophone reeds. Regardless of this fact, all the tenor saxophone reeds I tried on this mouthpiece sealed well when using the suction test.

Just like Doc Tenney described in his quote above, you can see “a very distinctive longitudinal concavity or trough running from just behind the tip rail into the back chamber.” I have reviewed other tenor sax mouthpieces which I described as having a side to side curve of the baffle but I think the Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff mouthpiece is different because the side to side curve of the baffle starts much closer to the tip rail of the mouthpiece than other mouthpieces I have reviewed.

I asked Kirill Poudavoff if both the 7 and 6 Hollywood tenor mouthpieces he sent were copies of Zimberoff Hollywoods and what the difference between a Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood and a non-Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood was and he wrote, “Yes, both are copied from a Zimberoff Hollywood. Zimberoff Hollywood mouthpieces typically are the same as Dukoff Hollywood blanks, but have higher baffles”.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The sidewalls of the KPoudavoff Hollywood mouthpiece are scooped out nicely and the roof of the chamber underneath the table is nice and thin. The chamber is what I would consider an extra large chamber in that it looks to be larger than a typical modern Otto Link or Florida Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece chamber. The floor of the Dukoff Hollywood looks a bit deeper to me than on a Florida Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece. The chamber of the KPoudavoff Zimberoff mouthpiece looks closer in size to the chamber of a modern NY Otto Link model tenor saxophone mouthpiece which I also consider to have an extra large chamber.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with Rigotti Gold saxophone reeds between the 2 1/2 medium strength to the 3 strong strength for me. The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 tenor sax mouthpiece is not an altered “Hollywood” or a “Hollywood” on steroids. Kirill Poudavoff has expressed his goal of making these tenor sax mouthpieces as close to the originals as he can possibly get them. This is an admirable goal and refreshing to hear from a young up and coming mouthpiece craftsman.

*For the record, as I wrote earlier, I have never owned or played an original Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece up until this point in my life so I have no way to compare this mouthpiece to an original Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor saxophone mouthpiece like I did for the KPoudavoff Double Ring and Florida mouthpiece reviews.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great for me. The intonation on the KPoudavoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece was excellent on my Selmer Super Balanced Action (SBA) tenor saxophone. I believe it was even better than the KPoudavoff Double Ring and Florida tenor mouthpieces because the extra larger chamber and scoop in the run of the baffle into the chamber seemed to bring down the typically sharp middle range of my SBA tenor saxophone. The low notes were thick and full sounding and sub-toned beautifully and the altissimo range of the saxophone popped out nicely.

The KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece was very even and smooth throughout the range of the saxophone and the fast lines sounded great. In comparison to the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor mouthpiece, which seemed like it had more of a warm smoothness within those fast lines and the Florida tenor mouthpiece that seemed to have more of an aggressive and crisp sound, the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood had more of a fatness to the tone within those lines. I think the tone was brighter than the KPoudavoff Double Ring and more along the lines of the Florida brightness of tone (not quite as bright as the Florida). Where the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece was more focused in tone, the Hollywood mouthpiece seemed to have a much fatter and a more spread tone.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I really dig a fatter tenor saxophone tone so I absolutely loved that aspect of the tone with the Kpoudavoff Hollywood mouthpiece. I have always marveled at the fat thick tenor sax tone Dexter Gordon would get on his recordings. It just sounded so huge and wide like he was filling up every corner of the room with his sound. That being said, I believe I have more work to do with the KPoudavoff Hollywood tenor sax mouthpiece. The extra large chamber and unique baffle shape makes me think that there are unexplored regions of sound to be discovered with this mouthpiece. That kind of exploration and discovery can only come with time and familiarity with a sax mouthpiece and although I have spent a few days with the KPoudavoff Hollywood, I believe spending a few months with this mouthpiece would really prove even more worthwhile as I get used to this unique mouthpiece design.

I’ve included three sound clips of the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. The first one is with a Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed. I loved this reed because of the thick, rich, solid core and character you can hear in the tone. The upper register had a nice brightness and crispness to the tone. You can also hear more brightness and edge in the tone when I push the volume of the mouthpiece.

The second sound clip is with the same Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed. I play the melody of “When I Fall in Love” with a little bit of reverb added so you can hear how the mouthpiece might sound in a more lively room or with reverb added to the mix. I’m not a big fan of excessive reverb so I tried to add “just enough” reverb to sound good without over doing it.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In the last sound clip, I am using a softer 2 1/2 medium Rigotti Gold tenor saxophone reed. I personally like the sound of the harder reed a bit more as it seems like the tone is thicker and has more of an interesting character to the sound. There is enough difference between these sound clips in tone and response that I thought it was important to include all three clips, especially since some listeners like the sound of softer reeds and some like the sound of harder reeds.

In my opinion, the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a mouthpiece that is similar if not exact to a vintage Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor sax mouthpiece. (This is purely based on my confidence in Kirill’s knowledge and work as well as the fact that the Double Ring and Florida models were so close in design to the originals) Although, I have not personally tried a Dukoff Hollywood tenor sax mouthpiece, I have had multiple communications with Kirill about this model and he seems very knowledgeable about these mouthpieces.

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Kirill Poudavoff, you can order one from Kirill himself by contacting him via his email at kpoudavoff@gmail.com.

Thanks again to Kirill Poudavoff for sending me these four great tenor saxophone mouthpieces to play and review here on my site. After my sound clips below, is a video of Kirill soloing over “Days of Wine and Roses” with his metal KPoudavoff Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Make sure you check that video out as well!

If you are lucky enough to play a KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KPDukoff73Medium2.mp3*KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KPDZHWhenIFallReverb.mp3*KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-When I Fall in Love with Reverb**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KPoddavoffDZHollywood2.mp3*KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7 Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Medium Reed**

Kirill Poudavoff playing “Days of Wine and Roses” on his Dukoff Zimberoff Hollywood Metal Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (he is also accompanying himself on piano)

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing another great tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and great saxophone player from Russia named Kirill Poudavoff. Kirill is a great young tenor sax player that is in his fourth semester at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Kirill sent me four examples of his tenor saxophone mouthpieces made of plastic after I asked if I could perhaps try out his mouthpiece work. I have already reviewed the KPoudavoff Double Ring 7 model. Today, I will be reviewing the KPoudavoff Florida 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is a copy of an Otto Link Florida Super Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the late 60’s.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you haven’t heard of Kirill Poudavoff yet, check him out in the video at the bottom of this review. Kirill sounds more like Dexter Gordon than any other tenor sax player I have heard, which is very cool!

I would also like to add how refreshing it is to hear a young person like Kirill Poudavoff, playing long notes and melodies while improvising. I was listening to Kirill the other day, and like Dexter, he just played one note and held it for like 4-6 beats before continuing on with his idea. I think it was a video from Wally’s in Boston. I saw some Berklee students in the audience who looked totally confused and shocked as they thought, “Wait, you can play long notes when improvising?”. I love long notes and you don’t hear a lot of young guys doing that. For that matter, you don’t hear very many old guys doing it. (If you don’t know what I am talking about, go listen to some Dexter Gordon………)

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Brass

When I asked Kirill if I could try out some of his saxophone mouthpiece work, I had no idea that he would send me four tenor saxophone mouthpieces to check out. Here is what he sent me:

• KPoudavoff Double Ring 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Double Ring Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Florida 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 7*- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff model
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 6 (Dexter’s Curve)- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff (with Dexter Gordon’s 6 facing curve on it)

I will be reviewing all of these tenor saxophone mouthpieces separately, one after the other, so you can get a complete sense of Kirill Poudavoff’s work.

First, I have to start with the disclaimer that Kirill Poudavoff told me that he doesn’t make these plastic tenor saxophone mouthpiece models any longer. Right now, at the time of this review, he is only making the tenor mouthpiece models listed above in solid silver for 750 dollars each. I have posted a few photos of the tenor mouthpieces in metal throughout this review so that you can see how the mouthpieces look in solid silver as well.

That being said, Kirill did say that these four plastic tenor saxophone mouthpieces were a good representation of his work and played similarly to the solid silver versions of these mouthpieces.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The four KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces I received look to have the same outward size (diameter and length), shape and contours of the Otto Link and Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces they are copies of.

The KPoudavoff Double Ring and Florida models have the Otto Link ridge on top and the lines on the shank that match those Otto Link models. The ridge on the top of the mouthpiece has “KPoudavoff” engraved into it instead of “Otto Link”. The tip opening of 7* is engraved on the corner of the body to the right of the table just like it is on an original Otto Link Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On initial examination, you can see the sanding marks on the plastic material of the mouthpiece where Kirill sanded the table and worked on the baffle area of the mouthpiece. Although the sanding marks look rough, the baffle area and table feel very smooth to the touch.

I know these sanding marks will bother some of you, but I am not bothered in the least. In my mind, they don’t matter to me. What matters the most to me, is how the mouthpiece plays. I have played some horrendous looking mouthpieces over the years that played phenomenally, so I don’t necessarily care how perfect a mouthpiece looks on the inside or outside. I have also tried mouthpieces that looked absolutely stunning and perfect to the eye, that didn’t play well at all for me. The lesson learned: Don’t judge a mouthpiece until you play it.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The point I am trying to make, is that Kirill worked on and sent me four examples of his work for free because I asked to try out his work. I believe Kirill’s main focus is making a mouthpiece true to the original version while also making a mouthpiece that plays great. The cosmetic stuff is not as important. Don’t let these plastic samples sway you from what’s most important, how do these KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces play?

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Looking past all the sanding marks, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks to have relatively even side rails similar to an Otto Link mouthpiece. The tip rail looks well made and the curve matches fairly closely to my Rigotti Gold tenor saxophone reeds. All the reeds I tried on the mouthpiece sealed well when using the suction test.

The KP Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with Rigotti Gold saxophone reeds between the 2 1/2 medium strength to the 3 strong strength for me. The Florida tenor sax mouthpiece is not an altered “Florida” or a “Florida” on steroids, Kirill Poudavoff has expressed his goal of making these mouthpiece as close to the originals as he can possibly get them. This is an admirable goal and refreshing to hear from a young up and coming mouthpiece craftsman.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I do have a great Florida Otto Link mouthpiece here in my collection and the KPoudavoff model looks very similar in regards to the baffle profile and chamber shape.

In comparison to the KPoudavoff Double Ring mouthpiece that I have already reviewed, as I look at both tenor sax mouthpieces side by side, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor mouthpiece looks to have a longer rollover baffle than the Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece. It’s hard to tell because of the texture of the plastic material, but I think the Double Ring mouthpiece has a slightly deeper chamber floor than the Florida mouthpiece chamber floor. I’m not 100% certain of this, but that is what it looks like when comparing both tenor saxophone mouthpieces side by side.

The KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great for me and not surprisingly, like a terrific metal Florida Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece. The Florida mouthpiece had a round and focused sound that I would associate with a great playing Florida Otto Link Super Tone Master type of sound. It wasn’t at all tubby or too spread sounding like some modern metal Otto Link Super Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpieces can be.

For me, a great Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece has a balance between a fat, round sound full of character and warmth with a nice core to the sound. Usually, the tone of these Otto Link “Super” Tone Master tenor sax mouthpieces sits in a neutral position between dark and bright with some mouthpieces leaning to the darker and warmer side and some leaning to the brighter side. I found this KPoudavoff Florida 7* mouthpiece to lean to the brighter side of a tenor saxophone tone, especially in the upper register of the saxophone. (I found the KPoudavoff Double Ring mouthpiece to lean to the darker and warmer side)

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece was excellent on my Selmer Super Balanced Action (SBA) tenor saxophone. The low notes were thick and full sounding and sub-toned beautifully.

The KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece was very even and smooth throughout the range of the saxophone and the fast lines sounded great. In comparison to the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor mouthpiece, which seemed like it had more of a warm smoothness within those fast lines, the Florida mouthpiece seemed to have more of an aggressive and crisp smoothness within those fast lines. Almost like the Double Ring mouthpiece sounded like it was being played on the other end of the room and the Florida mouthpiece was being played right in front of me with the bell of the saxophone pointed right at my face.

The KPoudavoff Florida tenor mouthpiece was definitely brighter and more focused in tone for me than the Double Ring mouthpiece which sounded warmer and more spread in tone in comparison to the Florida mouthpiece. This was most apparent with the harder Rigotti Gold 3 medium reed as I put more air through the saxophone. The Florida mouthpiece just had more of that “in your face” brightness and volume to the tone when compared to the Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I’ve included two sound clips of the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece like I did for the Double Ring mouthpiece review.

The first one is with a Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed. I loved this reed because of the thick, solid core and character you can hear in the tone. The upper register had a nice brightness and crispness to the tone. You can also hear more edge in the tone when I push the volume of the mouthpiece.

The second sound clip is with a softer Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 medium tenor saxophone reed. This reed seemed to give me a fatter more lush sound in the lower end of the saxophone. Although I loved the low notes on this softer reed, I think the softer reed made the high notes a bit thinner and edgier than I usually like. I preferred the thicker sound of the upper register with the Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reeds.

There is enough difference between these two sound clips in tone and response that I thought it was important to include both clips, especially since some listeners like the sound of softer reeds and some like the sound of harder reeds.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a mouthpiece that is similar if not exact to a vintage Otto Link Florida “Super” Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece. It has a full sound that leans to a brighter and more focused tenor saxophone sound.

Although the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece is definitely brighter than the Double Ring tenor mouthpiece, the tone of the Florida mouthpiece can still be manipulated and shaped to the sound the player hears in their head. If your tenor saxophone sound concept is brighter, like John Coltrane, you can definitely go that way with the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece. If you like a fatter and darker tenor saxophone sound, you can go in that direction as well with this tenor mouthpiece. The great advantage to an Otto Link style tenor saxophone mouthpieces is that they allow you the freedom to shape and mold your own sound just the way you want it. That is why so many tenor sax players have played on Otto Link tenor mouthpieces over the years.

I wrote in the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece review that I probably wouldn’t use the Double Ring mouthpiece on a loud Top 40 kind of gig because I didn’t think it delivers enough volume and brightness for that type of gig. The KPoudavoff Florida tenor mouthpiece and it’s added rollover baffle is definitely getting closer to that brightness and volume line that could be used in that loud type of playing situation. I am never quite sure of that until I get a mouthpiece out on a gig but here in my home, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece really has some nice power and brightness when pushed.

Of course, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece would be right at home on a straight ahead jazz gig. I would love any of these four KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces on a jazz gig of any sort.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Kirill Poudavoff, you can order one from Kirill himself by contacting him via his email at kpoudavoff@gmail.com. Thanks again to Kirill Poudavoff for sending me these great tenor saxophone mouthpieces to play and review here on my site.

If you are lucky enough to play a KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KpoudavoffFlorida3Med.mp3*KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KpoudavoffFL.mp3*KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Medium Reed*

Kirill Poudavoff playing “More Than You Know” on his Florida Otto Link Metal Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (he is also accompanying himself on piano)

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

View Details

Today, I am reviewing the work of a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and great saxophone player from Russia named Kirill Poudavoff. Kirill is a great young tenor sax player that is in his fourth semester at Berklee College of music in Boston.

If you haven’t heard Kirill Poudavoff yet, check him out in the video at the bottom of this review. Kirill sounds more like Dexter Gordon than any other tenor sax player I have heard, which is very cool!

Kirill sent me four examples of his tenor saxophone mouthpieces made of plastic after I asked if I could perhaps try out his mouthpiece work. Today, I will be reviewing the KPoudavoff Double Ring 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is a copy of an Otto Link Florida Double Ring Super Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the 50’s.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

When I asked Kirill if I could try out some of his mouthpiece work, I had no idea that he would send me four tenor sax mouthpieces to check out. Here is what he sent me:

• KPoudavoff Double Ring 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Double Ring Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Florida 7- copy of an Otto Link 7 Florida Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 7*- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff model
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 6 (Dexter’s Curve)- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff (with Dexter Gordon’s 6 facing curve on it)

I will be reviewing all of these mouthpieces separately, one after the other so you can get a complete sense of Kirill Poudavoff’s work.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

First, I have to start with the disclaimer that Kirill Poudavoff told me that he doesn’t make these plastic tenor saxophone mouthpiece models any longer. Right now, at the time of this review, he is only making the tenor mouthpiece models listed above in solid silver for 750 dollars each. I have posted a few photos of the tenor mouthpieces in metal throughout this review so that you can see how the mouthpieces look in solid silver as well.

That being said, Kirill did say that these four tenor saxophone mouthpieces were a good representation of his work and played similarly to the solid silver versions of these mouthpieces.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The four KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces I received look to have the same outward size (diameter and length), shape and contours of the Otto Link and Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces they are copies of.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Silver and Brass

The KPoudavoff Double Ring and Florida models have the Otto Link ridge on top and the lines on the shank that match those Otto Link models. The ridge on the top of the mouthpiece has “KPoudavoff” engraved into it instead of “Otto Link”. The tip opening of 7* is engraved on the corner of the body to the right of the table just like it is on an original Otto Link Florida Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Next to the 7 engraving are the initials WT. These initials were on some vintage Otto Links and from what I understand, they meant that Wolfe Tannenbaum (aka Wolfe Tayne) had put his special facing curve on the mouthpiece. I asked if the facing curve was a WT facing curve and Kirill said that it was not. He included the WT initials just because he thought it was cool looking. The facing curve of this 7 Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece is at traditional factory standards for an Otto Link Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On initial examination, you can see the sanding marks on the plastic material of the mouthpiece where Kirill sanded the table and worked on the baffle area of the mouthpiece.

I know these sanding marks will bother some of you but I am not bothered in the least. In my mind, they don’t matter to me. What matters the most to me, is how the mouthpiece plays. I have played some horrendous looking mouthpieces over the years that played phenomenally, so I don’t necessarily care how perfect a mouthpiece looks on the inside or outside. I have also tried mouthpieces that looked absolutely stunning and perfect to the eye, that didn’t play well at all for me.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The point I am trying to make, is that Kirill worked on and sent me four examples of his work for free because I asked to try out his work. I believe Kirill’s main focus is making a mouthpiece true to the original version while also making a mouthpiece that plays great. The cosmetic stuff is not as important. Don’t let these plastic samples sway you from what’s most important, how do these KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces play?

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Looking past all the sanding marks, the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece looks to have relatively even side rails similar to an Otto Link mouthpiece. The tip rail looks well made and the curve matches fairly closely to my Rigotti Gold tenor saxophone reeds. All the reeds I tried on the mouthpiece sealed well when using the suction test.

The KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor mouthpiece played great with Rigotti Gold saxophone reeds between the 2 1/2 medium strength to the 3 strong strength for me.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece is not an altered “Double Ring” or a “Double Ring” on steroids, Kirill Poudavoff has expressed his goal of making these mouthpiece as close to the originals as he can possibly get them. This is an admirable goal and refreshing to hear from a young up and coming mouthpiece craftsman.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The KPoudavoff Double Ring played great for me and not surprisingly, like a terrific metal Otto Link mouthpiece. I do have an Otto Link Double Ring here in my collection and the KPoudavoff model looks very similar in the size and shape of the chamber. The point where the baffle rolls over is also similar to my Otto Link Double Ring as well although my Otto Link Double Ring’s baffle rollover is lopsided where the KPoudavoff is even and balanced.

My Otto Link Double Ring chamber floor looks to be slightly higher at the beginning of the chamber than the KPoudavoff chamber floor which looks to be scooped out closer to the beginning of the mouthpiece chamber.

Writing all this, just acknowledges the fact that if you were to get ten original Otto Link Double Ring mouthpieces and line them up side by side, you would probably get these same variations between the ten mouthpieces. Every Otto Link I have owned, whether vintage or new, has had variations between them. It is what it is. I think that is why it is so exciting to try one that is amazing! You might try out a bunch that are just OK or even bad but when you try one that is amazing, it is the best feeling in the world.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece had a thick, round and rich tone that I would associate with a great playing Otto Link Super Tone Master type of sound. It wasn’t at all tubby or too spread sounding like some modern metal Otto Link Super Tone Master mouthpieces can be.

For me, a great Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece has a balance between a fat, round sound full of character and warmth with a nice core to the sound. Usually, the tone of these Otto Link “Super” Tone Master mouthpieces sits in a neutral position between dark and bright with some mouthpieces leaning to the darker and warmer side and some leaning to the brighter side. I found this KPoudavoff Double Ring to lean to the darker and warmer side for me.

The intonation on the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor mouthpiece was excellent on my Selmer Super Balanced Action (SBA) tenor saxophone. The low notes were thick and full sounding and sub-toned beautifully.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece was very even and smooth throughout the range of the saxophone and the fast lines sounded great.

The articulation was clean and crisp when playing fast jazz lines with jazz articulation and the lines were incredibly smooth and flowing which I really loved.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I’ve included two sound clips of the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece for you to check out. The first one is with a Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed. I loved this reed because of the richness and character you can hear in the tone.

The second sound clip is with a softer Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 medium saxophone reed. This reed seemed to give me a fatter sound that I also dug. There is enough difference between these sound clips in tone and response that I thought it was important to include both clips, especially since some listeners like the sound of softer reeds and some like the sound of harder reeds.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a mouthpiece that is similar if not exact to a vintage Otto Link Florida Double Ring “Super” Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece. It has a full sound that leans to a darker and warmer tenor saxophone sound and has that classic tenor sound reminiscent of Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, etc….. I would imagine with a harder reed and more air you could also get a brighter Coltrane kind of sound out of it.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Like an Otto Link “Super” Tone Master, the KPoudavoff has a neutral tenor sound that can be manipulated and shaped to the sound the player hears in their head. If your sound concept is brighter, like Coltrane, you can go that way with the KPoudavoff Double Ring mouthpiece. If you like a fatter sound like Dexter Gordon, you can go in that direction with this mouthpiece. The great advantage to Otto Link style tenor saxophone mouthpieces is that they allow you the freedom to shape and mold your own sound just the way you want it.

I wouldn’t choose to use the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece on a loud Top 40 kind of gig because I don’t think it delivers enough volume and brightness for that type of gig but the KPoudavoff Double Ring mouthpiece would be right at home on a straight ahead jazz gig.

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Kirill Poudavoff, you can order one from Kirill himself by contacting him via is email at kpoudavoff@gmail.com.

If you are lucky enough to play a KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KPoudavoffDR3Medium.mp3*KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/KPoudavoffDR2.mp3*KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Medium Reed*

*Kirill Poudavoff playing his Florida Double Ring Otto Link Metal Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today I am reviewing another great tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Phil Engleman at Phil-Tone mouthpieces. I have reviewed quite a few Phil-Tone sax mouthpieces on the site already and am always interested when Phil announces a new Phil-Tone saxophone mouthpiece model.

A couple of months ago he announced that he had a new Phil-Tone tenor sax mouthpiece model called the Rift model. I reviewed the Rift alto saxophone mouthpiece about 8 1/2 years ago and absolutely loved that mouthpiece so was excited to hear the news about the Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece coming out.

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here’s a quote from Phil about the new Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece from his website:

The Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece takes after its alto counterpart. The Rift is a full bodied tenor sax mouthpiece with the power of a high baffled mouthpiece. Unlike high baffle tenor sax mouthpieces, the Rift mouthpiece is easy to control and it does not peel paint. It was designed to meet the demands of performing sax players who need a versatile mouthpiece that will blast through the mix when needed.

The Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece is only sold directly through Phil-Tone. Each chamber is tweaked individually to get the best tone and power you will find in a hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Each Rift tenor mouthpiece is also adjusted to make altissimo a breeze. Don’t let appearances fool you, while it has a bullet baffle it DOES NOT sound like a Berg Larsen tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

In terms of tip size, I generally suggest players go up a half size from the tip opening they would play on an Otto Link style tenor sax mouthpiece.-Phil Engleman

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece I received to review is made of hard rubber. The exterior of the Rift tenor sax mouthpiece is pretty plain looking. The only engraving on it is “Phil-Tone” hand engraved in gold on the top of the body of the mouthpiece and the name “Rift” engraved by hand into the body of the mouthpiece next to the table. The tip opening of 8 (.110) is engraved by hand on the side of the shank of the mouthpiece. It’s body diameter is similar in size to a modern hard rubber Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece diameter and I used a Vandoren Optimum ligature on it.

At the end of Phil’s description of the Rift tenor sax mouthpiece above, he writes: “In terms of tip size, I generally suggest players go up a half size from the tip opening they would play on an Otto Link style tenor saxophone mouthpiece.” I usually play a 7* tip opening on Otto Link tenor sax mouthpieces and the 8 tip opening he sent feels perfect for me so his advice on tip opening sizes is perfect in my opinion.

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Rift mouthpiece tip rail is very close in shape to all of my tenor sax reeds. The outside edges of the tip rail do extend a little bit farther out than the reed tip width but the mouthpiece and reed performed well when applying the suction test to the mouthpiece.

The table looks flat and the rails look even and thin. The side rails flare out a little bit as they travel towards the tip of the mouthpiece.

I would definitely describe the mouthpiece baffle as a high baffle. The baffle travels at a pretty high height before it reaches a “bullet” chamber. A “bullet” chamber is commonly found in Berg Larsen mouthpieces and describes a chamber that has a bullet shape taken out of the center of the rear of the baffle. The sidewalls are slightly scooped out and look to angle inward slightly as they approach the chamber area.

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece has what I would consider a medium chamber. The chamber looks smaller than a typical hard rubber Otto Link chamber size and the floor of the chamber is raised where the baffle terminates. The chamber floor then angles down smoothly until it is even with the bore of the mouthpiece.

The baffle edge, bullet chamber and chamber floor transition to the bore of the mouthpiece are all really smooth to the touch. Maybe it’s all in my head, but I have always found that mouthpieces with smooth edges to the baffle shape always seem to play less edgy and fatter sounding than similar mouthpieces with sharper edges to the baffle. I’m a big fan of smooth edges………

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with the first reed I put on it which was a SYOS Arcane #3 tenor saxophone reed. It played so well that after about 15-20 minutes of warming up, I decided to record the sound clips below.

I asked Phil about this beak height and he said it was the same beak height as a hard rubber Otto Link mouthpiece. I compared it visually to a couple hard rubber Otto Link mouthpieces I have and it does look very close to a typical hard rubber Otto Link beak to my eyes.

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

When I first saw the high baffle on the Phil-Tone Rift tenor sax mouthpiece, I was worried that the 8 tip opening would not be open enough for me with a baffle that high, but the .110 tip opening of the Rift mouthpiece felt very comfortable to me.

The Rift tenor sax mouthpiece had a tone that I would describe as meaty, husky and thick. I heard the sound as having a mid-range boost that made the tone tough and weighty sounding.

At softer volumes, the Rift had a thick and focused tone that was a lot warmer than I was expecting and when I pushed more air through the mouthpiece the tone seemed to become much more focused and brighter. Although, the tone does become brighter when pushed it still retains that thick, fat and beefy tone.

The altissimo register of the saxophone was incredibly easy to play. Although I can play the altissimo range of the saxophone on every tenor mouthpiece I review, there are tenor mouthpieces that make the altissimo range feel so much easier. This is definitely one of those mouthpieces. I felt like I could play a lot of ideas and lines up there much easier than on other mouthpieces and the “less stable” altissimo notes felt much more stable and solid to me.

The low notes are big and full sounding and sub-toned beautifully. At first, the higher baffle seemed to make these notes a bit more challenging to jump to, but once I figured out the best “voicing” of these low notes in combination with the high baffle they really popped out nicely.

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a nice smoothness and evenness throughout the range of the horn. I believe the intonation was very good although I didn’t check a tuner after I tuned up initially. I didn’t notice any notes that stuck out as out of tune or much sharper than usual for me. Intonation would be a concern when playing on a mouthpiece with as high a baffle as this one but I didn’t notice anything strange with intonation while playing. * On listening back to the sound clips I did notice a few times where my high G and high A were sharper than usual. This kind of sharpness is easily remedied by becoming aware of it and adjusting my voicing for those notes. Keep in mind that I only played this mouthpiece for about 20 minutes before recording. That sharpness at times is common with my Selmer SBA tenor saxophone and high baffled tenor sax mouthpieces.

Since the Phil-Tone Rift mouthpiece has so much potential for volume and power, I decided to record it at different playing levels to highlight how it can sound while playing at different volumes. I recorded separate clips at soft, medium soft, medium and loud volumes. I have also included photos of the waveform of each sound clip via the program Amadeus Pro so you can visually see the volume difference of each clip.

I think these separate sound clips at different playing volumes are important because some listeners might make the mistake of writing the Rift tenor mouthpiece off as a high baffled “paint peeler” of a mouthpiece when it is much more versatile than that.

Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great mouthpiece for those of you who value power without sacrificing thickness and depth of tone. Many tenor sax mouthpieces that are built for power lose some richness of tone, thickness and a fat full sound especially in the upper register and altissimo range of the saxophone. The husky and thick sound of the Rift tenor mouthpiece would make it a great choice for Rock n’ Roll, funk, pop and I think even jazz music once you learn to control the unbridled power of the Rift. Listen to the clips below and decided for yourself if it might be a good mouthpiece choice for yourself.

If you like the clips below and the Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece interests you, contact Phil Engleman via his website at Phil-tone.com. Phil is very knowledgeable about sax mouthpieces and will answer any questions you might have about the Rift or any of his other mouthpiece models. Thanks for letting me try the Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece Phil!

If you have played or end up playing a Phil-Tone Rift tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

*1.) Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-SYOS Arcane #3 Reed-Soft Volume*https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/RiftTenorSoft.mp3This is the softest clip. I blew less air and rolled out more of my bottom lip to get more of a sub-tone effect on this clip. I also played quite a few jazz lines and melodies. At the very end of the clip, I play a C Major scale into the altissimo range and it sounds pretty locked in to me. You can hear some of the untapped brightness underneath the surface of the tone but I tried to keep the tone warmer throughout the clip.

*2.) Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-SYOS Arcane #3 Reed-Soft Medium Volume*https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/RiftTenorMediumSoft.mp3The second clip is with a little bit more air and I would describe it as medium soft. The increased air starts to transform the foo foo sub-tone sound of the first clip into a more solid focused mass of tone.

*3.) Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-SYOS Arcane #3 Reed-Medium Volume*https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/RiftTenorMedium.mp3The third clip is at a medium volume with less roll-out of the bottom lip. You can hear the increased brightness, focus and edge to the tone.

*4.) Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-SYOS Arcane #3 Reed-Loud Volume*https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/RiftTenorLoud2.mp3The fourth clip is what I call 80% air. I am playing at 80%. This is the volume I would normally play on a loud gig if I had to wail on a solo. I like being comfortable at that 80% so when needed, I can have 20% more to add for emergency situations.

*5.) Phil-Tone Rift Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-SYOS Arcane #3 Reed-Loud Volume-Reverb Added*https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/RiftTenorLoudReverb2.mp3The last clip is the same as the fourth clip but I added some reverb to the clip so you can hear what the Phil-Tone Rift tenor sax mouthpiece might sound like with reverb added.

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing the Avel Sound Concept (ASC) Mistral model alto saxophone mouthpiece made by Max Even at Avel Sound Concept Mouthpieces. These are really reasonable priced, quality hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpieces that play incredibly well. The hard rubber ASC Mistral alto sax mouthpiece I am reviewing today has a 6* tip opening (.078).

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is how the Avel Sound Concept website describes the new ASC Mistral hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece:

The Mistral is a strong wind that blows from Southern France into the Mediterranean.

The hard rubber ASC Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece has a medium round chamber and a small rollover baffle. It is inspired by two of my favorite alto sax mouthpieces, the Brilhart Tonalin and the Meyer Bros. The ASC Mistral has a medium bright sound with rich lows, clear mediums and powerful, but not harsh, highs. This is a very versatile mouthpiece that allows you to easily shape your sound the way you like it.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Avel Sound Concept Mistral alto sax mouthpiece came well packaged and protected. The Mistral mouthpiece is made of high quality hard rubber that is really shiny. The shine of the mouthpiece was so brilliant that it made me question whether it was some sort of plastic or resin but Max at Avel Sound Concept assured me that it is indeed pure high quality hard rubber that he works hard to make shine.

The mouthpiece has “ASC” engraved as a logo on the top of the mouthpiece and the name “MISTRAL” engraved on the side of the mouthpiece body next to the table. The tip opening of 6* is engraved by hand on the other side of the mouthpiece next to the table.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The ASC Mistral alto mouthpiece tip, rails, table and baffle all look great to the eye. The tip rail is thin and even and the tip matches up with my alto saxophone reeds nicely. The side rails are thin as well although there is a little bit of a waviness to the inside edge of the side rails along their length. This is very minor and hardly noticeable unless you hold it up to the light and examine it closely. The sidewalls on either side of the baffle look to be straight until they reach the round chamber of the mouthpiece.

The roof of the chamber is thick and the chamber is what I would describe as a medium-small round chamber when compared to a typical Meyer medium chambered alto saxophone mouthpiece. (ASC describes the chamber as medium but the Mistral chamber looks a little smaller than a Meyer medium chamber to my eyes)

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle of the ASC Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece is what I would describe as a medium rollover baffle. The baffle travels at a medium height for about a half an inch before it rolls into a steeper decline down into the chamber. For comparison, the baffle of the Mistral mouthpiece is a little higher and a little longer than a couple of Meyer Bros Connoisseur alto sax mouthpieces I have sitting on my desk right now.

The baffle is slightly scooped from side to side as it travels down to the mouthpiece chamber. The baffle profile looks slightly higher on the right side of the baffle as I look at the baffle from the tip end of the mouthpiece. Just from inspecting the baffle, my guess is that the ASC Mistral alto sax mouthpiece would play with a nice amount of brightness and power.

The mouthpiece beak of the Avel Sound Concept Mistral alto sax mouthpiece feels a little higher than the beak of a typical Meyer alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Mistral alto sax mouthpiece played great for me with a Rigotti Gold 3 strong alto saxophone reed as well as with an Ishimori Wood Stone 3 1/2 alto saxophone reed. The Wood Stone 3 1/2 reed felt slightly harder than the Rigotti Gold 3 strong reed. I have included a sound clips of both reeds just because the tone and response of the different strength reeds might appeal to different listeners who might prefer one sound clip over the other.

I found that softer alto saxophone reeds than the two reeds I used just felt too soft for me on the ASC Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Avel Sound Concept Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece played great for me. I found the ASC Mistral mouthpiece to be similar in sound concept to a great Meyer alto sax mouthpiece but with more power, brightness and weight to the tone when pushed. The added power seemed to make the tone bigger and thicker to my ears than the tone a typical Meyer alto sax mouthpiece would produce. The added brightness and power given by the baffle allows the ASC Mistral to be a good choice for a lead alto mouthpiece while still keeping a traditional alto saxophone tone.

I thought the Mistral alto mouthpiece sounded great on classic bebop type lines with a sound that reminded me of Charlie Parker and Phil Woods at times. I also found that the tone could be fattened up to lean towards a Cannonball Adderley type alto sound as well by blowing more air and voicing the notes slightly lower while playing.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The ASC Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece had a clear and responsive articulation that worked well for fast jazz articulation. You can hear many samples of this in the two sound clips.

The intonation was within normal parameters on my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone as well. The scale and range of the saxophone sounded smooth and even to me as I played throughout the range of the alto saxophone.

The low notes were round and full sounding and sub-toned beautifully when desired. The high notes had a lighter more lyrical tone to them when I played at a soft to medium volume that I found really pretty. I found that those high notes could be played with that more gentle light tone or I could lay into them more to make them even brighter and heavier sounding if I wanted.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tone of the ASC Mistral had a nice bright clarity to it and singing quality to the notes. I did note some buzz to the tone at times that was more apparent with the slightly softer Rigotti Gold 3 strong reed. Softer alto saxophone reeds than the Rigotti Gold 3 strong had even more buzz and brightness because of the softer reed. I liked the reeds that I used on the Mistral sound clips because they felt so comfortable but also because they lessened that buzz in the higher register of the saxophone.

The tone was easily molded and flexible for vibrato and note bends which made me feel like it was easy to be expressive on the ASC Mistral alto sax mouthpiece.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Check out the two sound clips below and decide for yourself if the ASC Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece is something that interests you. I enjoyed playing it for this review and feel it is a great choice for those who love traditional alto saxophone tones like Charlie Parker, Phil Woods, Cannonball Adderley, etc……… but want a bit more power and brightness held in reserve for when needed.

Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the Avel Sound Concept Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece, you can find them on the Avel Sound Concept website. Max Even has always been very responsive to communications and emails so if you have any questions at all, feel free to contact him via his website. They come in a variety of tip openings and Max will even make you one in a custom tip opening (like my 6* mouthpiece) if requested.

I always receive emails asking me what is a great mouthpiece for alto saxophone players that is also affordable and the Avel Sound Concept Mistral alto sax mouthpiece fits that description perfectly. I would have no problem playing this alto sax mouthpiece on a jazz gig or even as a lead alto mouthpiece with a big band.

If you are lucky enough to play an Avel Sound Concept Mistral alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/ASCMistralNew24.mp3*Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Ishimori Wood Stone 3 1/2 Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/ASCMistral12.mp3*Avel Sound Concept (ASC)-Mistral Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Strong Reed*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Here is another masterful solo by the great tenor saxophone player from Italy, Max Ionata. I absolutely love this short rendition from Youtube of Max soloing on the changes to “All the Things You Are”. This solo is so full of great jazz vocabulary perfectly crafted into a beautifully melodic solo over this classic jazz standard.

Max Ionata and his SYOS Max Ionata Signature Model Tenor Mouthpiece (check out the review)

If you are a saxophone player, and you don’t know about Max Ionata, you are in for a real treat. Max Ionata is a swingin’ tenor saxophone player and is one of my favorite jazz saxophone players. I have transcribed a number of his solos over the years that you can check out here: Max Ionata Transcriptions. Max has an amazing tenor saxophone sound but also an amazingly tasteful gift for jazz improvisation. In this age of whomever plays the fastest wins, Max Ionata seems to focus more on the elements of feel, swing, melody and the connection of his lines and vocabulary. He combines the best of the foundational language of jazz improvisation from the past masters with his own individual laid back feel while also mixing in some incredible cool and modern improvisational concepts.

Don’t get me wrong, Max Ionata does indeed lay it out and smoke at times but he does it in such a casual, laid back and relaxed manner, that many times you don’t realize how incredibly technical and difficult what he is playing is. Max Ionata is a tru modern day jazz pioneer and one of my favorite tenor sax players. You can also find out more about Max Ionata and his fabulous recordings at his website. Check it out!

I typically get a few emails a month asking me about what jazz etude books to get and most of the time my response is: “Transcribe or take a transcription like this one that you love, and master it! Listen to the recording over and over. Sing along with it by memory, hum it while you are walking and driving. Play it over and over trying to match every note, every articulation, every bend and nuance. There is no better etude to study than that!”

Hope you enjoy this melodic solo! Thanks to Max Ionata for his incredible tenor sax playing that always brings a smile to my face! If you appreciate the solo and Max Ionata’s playing please feel free to say so in the comments below……….. Thanks, Steve

Max Ionata Soloing on “All the Things You Are”

Max Ionata Solo on I Remember You-Bb PDF
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Today, I am reviewing another tenor saxophone mouthpiece from SYOS mouthpieces in France. This is the SYOS Max Ionata signature model 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece I will be reviewing today. The SYOS company hit the saxophone mouthpiece scene a few years ago and immediately caught the world’s attention by producing these really bright colored 3D printed saxophone mouthpieces. I must admit, that at first, I was very skeptical of plastic 3D mouthpieces, but after reviewing quite a few SYOS mouthpiece (18 SYOS mouthpiece reviews to date) over the years (SYOS Mouthpiece Reviews), I have come to respect the SYOS business model and the quality and playability of the SYOS saxophone mouthpieces I have played.

Max Ionata on his SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Sax Mouthpiece (photo by Paolo Iammarrone)

This Max Ionata signature model tenor saxophone mouthpiece I am reviewing today is forest green and is a 7 tip opening. Although, I requested the 7 tip and forest green color for this mouthpiece review, the SYOS Max Ionata model mouthpiece can come in any of nine tip openings from 5-9 and in a variety of ten attention getting colors.

If you are a saxophone player, and you don’t know about Max Ionata, you are in for a real treat. Max Ionata is a swingin’ tenor saxophone player who lives in Italy and is one of my favorite jazz saxophone players. I have transcribed a number of his solos over the years that you can check out here: Max Ionata Transcriptions. Max has an amazing tenor saxophone sound but also an amazingly tasteful gift for jazz improvisation. In this age of whomever plays the fastest wins, Max Ionata seems to focus more on the elements of feel, swing, melody and the connection of his lines and vocabulary. He combines the best of the foundational language of jazz improvisation from the past masters with his own individual laid back feel while also mixing in some incredible cool and modern improvisational concepts.

Don’t get me wrong, Max Ionata does indeed lay it out and smoke at times but he does it in such a casual, laid back and relaxed manner, that many times you don’t realize how incredibly technical and difficult what he is playing is. Max Ionata is a tru modern day jazz pioneer and one of my favorite tenor sax players. You can also find out more about Max Ionata and his fabulous recordings at his website. Check it out!

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Before we get to the playing of the SYOS Max Ionata tenor sax mouthpiece, let me give you a few tidbits of info from the SYOS website on these SYOS saxophone mouthpieces.

First of all, you have three choices when you visit the SYOS website and order a sax mouthpiece. You can order a “SYOS Signature Mouthpiece” which is basically what the mouthpiece that the player whose name is on the mouthpiece plays.

If, however, you want to be unique and are on a quest to find your own unique sound, you might want to pick the second choice of ordering a custom mouthpiece from SYOS which I have to say looks like a pretty cool process. Here’s what you do on the SYOS website:

1. First, you choose what saxophone you play. Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bari Sax
2. Second, you choose whether you are a beginner, intermediate or professional sax player
3. Third, you choose what type of music you play (you can pick more than one category)
4. Fourth, this is the coolest part, you choose your sound preferences. There is a slider for tone that goes from very dark to very bright. You can choose where in that tone spectrum you feel you would like to be. There is also a slider to choose how powerful you want to be. The slider goes from soft to powerful. Now here’s the coolest part because as you are reading this you might be confused about how you might choose what you want or you might be confused about what your preferences are. SYOS gives you a bunch of examples with sound clips! How cool is that? The following list of player are listed and rated for tone and power. Ben Webster, Chris Potter, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz and Wayne Shorter. (Can I just point out at this point, how awesome Chris Potter must feel about being included in this list!)
5. You click “Submit” and wait by your mailbox for your custom mouthpiece that will answer all your dreams to be delivered.

A third option, is that you can order a SYOS Originals saxophone mouthpiece. They make three mouthpieces for each saxophone (soprano, alto and tenor saxophone) called Smoky (darker and warmer), Steady (medium) and Spark (brighter and louder). I have reviewed all of these SYOS Originals saxophone mouthpieces in the past and they were excellent.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a few comments about the material SYOS mouthpieces are made from in case you are curious:

We use ABS plastic to craft our mouthpieces: this material allows us to get the highest degree of precision, with an improved resistance and durability. And you can get that in 18 colors to build a perfect style on stage!

The plastic we use to make Syos mouthpieces has been certified non-toxic in laboratory (EN 71 and CE 1907/2006 standards). In fact, the same kind of plastic is used to make toys for children, which can be put in mouth without any risks. At the opposite, with the “ebonite” plastic, some sulfuric acid releases are observed when the mouthpiece is old, which gives it a yellow-green color.

And finally, here is a quote about the manufacturing process and how the minute details affect your tone which I found interesting:

For wind instruments, it’s the internal geometry of the bore that gives all the acoustic properties. We work at 1/100th millimeter to adjust the shape and the length of the baffle, the chamber section and size, the tip opening, the facing length… We study and compute the effect of all these parameters on the sound, to predict the timbre of each combination of them.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Ok, so let’s get to the Max Ionata tenor sax mouthpiece I received. The mouthpiece came in the usual SYOS drawstring bag and was well protected in the package it came in. SYOS did not send a slide on ligature with the mouthpiece because they are probably aware that I am not a big fan of slide on ligatures by this point. (I’ve mentioned it in almost every SYOS review…….)

The Max Ionata tenor saxophone mouthpiece felt really light as you would expect a plastic mouthpiece to feel. The table had a little bit of texture to it that I could feel with my fingers and you can see in the photos. Whatever process they use to make these sax mouthpieces does leave some texture marks on the mouthpiece. You can see fine lines going across the table and fine lines going down the baffle as if the machine that cut the mouthpieces left these lines on the plastic. This texture does not effect the sealing of the reed to the mouthpiece on all the SYOS mouthpieces I have reviewed though so I personally wouldn’t worry about it.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS Max Ionata tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks well made. The table, rails and tip rail look pretty even to the eye. The curve of the tip rail matches pretty closely with the curve of my tenor saxophone reeds. The outside corners of the tip rail do extend a tiny bit further than the width of the reed but it is nothing to be concerned with as the reed passes the suction test perfectly.

The baffle is what I would consider a medium high baffle that is about 5/8ths of an inch long. At that point, it meets an edge and then the baffle continues at a greater angle down towards the rear of the mouthpiece chamber. That baffle slope, through the chamber, has a slight curve to it from side to side and the baffle floor narrows as it descends towards the baffles termination at the rear of the chamber.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I would describe the mouthpiece chamber as a medium small or even small chamber. From the bore end of the mouthpiece, the chamber looks smaller than a typical Otto Link sized chamber. When you look from the front of the mouthpiece, it is pretty easy to see how the baffle cuts through the chamber floor to make the chamber even smaller. The mouthpiece chamber is definitely smaller in diameter than the bore of the mouthpiece.

The sidewalls are scooped out nicely from the tip heading towards the chamber area. The sidewalls look to angle in slightly as they connect to the smaller chamber on the sides.

There is a nicely engraved S (SYOS) on the top of the sax mouthpiece and a Max Ionata signature on the side of the saxophone mouthpiece. The tip opening is marked with a 7* on the bottom side of the shank of the mouthpiece.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The first sax reed I tried on the SYOS Max Ionata tenor saxophone mouthpiece was a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 tenor saxophone reed. The BSS reed played well and is the reed I used for one of the sound clips.

The other sound clip was done with a harder Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 medium tenor saxophone reed. I must write that I was really surprised by the strength of reeds the SYOS Max Ionata mouthpiece preferred for me. Most of my tenor sax reeds are in sizes from 2 1/2-3 strengths and the majority of these reeds felt way too soft on the Max Ionata tenor sax mouthpiece. Even the BSS #3 reed felt a little bit soft but I felt it was good enough to try a sound clip.

The Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 medium reed felt the best on the Max Ionata tenor mouthpiece. I tried a few Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 light reeds as well that felt pretty good but the medium felt perfect. Max Ionata told me that he personally uses D’Addario Select 4S unfiled tenor sax reeds on his 7* SYOS mouthpiece.

I have included a sound clip of the stronger Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 medium reed as well as the softer BSS #3 reed below just because I know there are some players that prefer the sound of a harder reed and some that prefer the sound of a softer saxophone reed.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with Ligature

I have to admit, I was really surprised when I received the SYOS Max Ionata tenor sax mouthpiece. As I stated earlier, I am a big fan of Max Ionata. In my opinion, he has one of the best tenor saxophone tones in the world. A big, rich, warm, vibrant and authentic tenor saxophone sound. I assumed the SYOS Max Ionata mouthpiece would be similar in design to a classic vintage hard rubber Otto Link kind of design and have a large chamber and a low to medium rollover baffle but was shocked when I saw the baffle height and the smaller chamber size. That being said, after playing the SYOS Max Ionata signature model tenor saxophone mouthpiece, I can understand why Max likes it so much.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I found the tone of the SYOS Max Ionata signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece to be quite intriguing and perplexing. Normally with a baffle like this and a smaller chamber, I would expect an abundance of brightness. While this mouthpiece did have a certain brightness and edge to the tone for me, it also had a warmness and darker tone that was complex and rich. This balance of the warm, complex and rich with the slight brightness and edge made the brightness and edge more balanced and beautiful to listen to. Although, brighter mouthpieces are cool to play and wail on at times, many times I find myself getting irritated or bothered by the excessive brightness in the tone of those mouthpiece. I didn’t feel this way at all with the SYOS Max Ionata tenor sax mouthpiece.

Usually, mouthpieces with this type of baffle and chamber have a low end that is wanting, but the SYOS Max Ionata mouthpiece had a gorgeous low range of the saxophone that I really enjoyed. When I listened back to the sound clips, I was amused by how I kept playing fast lines and then would end them in the low end of the saxophone as I slowed down at the end of the line. I think I was subconsciously liking that low end so much that I kept ,going down there without thinking about it to enjoy those lush low notes and sub-tones.

The higher baffle and smaller chamber definitely gives this mouthpiece a ton of power and focus when the mouthpiece is pushed. The SYOS Max Ionata signature model has plenty of brightness when pushed but one of the best attributes of this mouthpiece is that the high notes and altissimo notes didn’t get all thin and weak sounding. They still retained a thick, full core to their tone and sounded meaty and strong.

The intonation was excellent and within normal parameters and the tone was even and balanced throughout the range of the saxophone. The articulation was clean, immediate and nice and smooth when playing fast jazz lines with jazz articulation.

SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the Max Ionata signature model tenor sax mouthpiece by SYOS, you can find them at the SYOS website. (Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale when you use this link which helps support this website). The SYOS Max Ionata tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great mouthpiece that balances on that fine line between brightness and power while still being able to produce a full, thick and rich tone for jazz playing. Check out my sound clips below as well as the video of Max Ionata playing on his SYOS mouthpiece and decide for yourself.

The SYOS website has a ton of artists and signature models available so if the Max Ionata model isn’t your cup of tea, there are a ton of other saxophone mouthpieces to choose from. Or, like I wrote above, you can be courageous and go for a custom sax mouthpiece made specifically for you. The amazing thing is that SYOS has a 30 day return policy which is unheard of in the sax mouthpiece industry.

If you have played or end up playing a SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SYOSMaxRigotti.mp3*SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 Medium Reed-No Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SYOSMaxRigAltRev.mp3*SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 Medium Reed-Short Altissimo Clip-Slight Reverb Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2023/SYOSMaxBSS.mp3*SYOS Max Ionata Signature Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-BSS (Boston Sax Shop) 3 Reed-Slight Reverb Added*

Max Ionata soloing on “All the Things You Are” with his SYOS Signature Mouthpiece

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. I also receive a small commission when you purchase from the SYOS link above that helps to support this site. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Here’s another mind-blowing tenor saxophone transcription of Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek totally smokin’ on the jazz standard Limehouse Blues. This transcription was done by German tenor saxophonist Fabian Willmann (he has studied with Chris Potter, Mark Turner and Joe Lovano). Fabian was nice enough to let me post this transcription here on my site but please check out Fabian Willmann’s website as well. He has many other great tenor saxophone solos transcribed by the likes of John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Warne Marsh, Sonny Rollins, Chris Potter and many more………

Seamus Blake & Chris Cheek-“Reeds Ramble”

Fabian Willmann has done a great job with this 24 page transcription of Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek just tearing it up on Limehouse Blues. As well as the tenor sax solos, Fabian has also transcribed the melody and the harmonies of Seamus and Chris playing together over the melody.

Seamus and Chris recorded this popular jazz standard “Limehouse Blues” a half step down from the Real Book key of Ab concert so this version is in G concert (A for the tenor saxophone)

What caught my interest on this solo first were the interesting rhythmic lines Chris Cheek was playing on measure 105-112, 122-127, 169-174, 217-222, 267-273, 297-305, etc…. Chris Cheek is playing repeated 8th note lines that many times are what is called a “hemiola” and is laying a 3 beat pattern on top of a 4/4 key signature. I thought these lines were very hip and incredibly cool as they weave and float over the 4/4 time signature.

Seamus Blake uses the same concept of laying one time signature over another on measures 377-383 (3/4 over 4/4), 485-498 (6/4 over 4/4), 625-626 (3/4 over 4/4), 649-653 ( 7/4 over 4/4), 654-656 (5/4 over 4/4), 702-712 (3/8 over 4/4).

Besides these cool rhythmic lines, Chris Cheek and Seamus Blake do a masterful job navigating the changes. There are a lot of great lines in this solo worth slowing down and dissecting to figure out the concepts being utilized.

Seamus Blake & Chris Cheek-“Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”

Chris Cheek and Seamus Blake are two great sax players who were fellow student at Berklee College of Music around the same time as I was there in the late 80’s. For more information on these two fabulous saxophone players, you can check out their websites at Chris Cheek and Seamus Blake. They have many terrific recordings that you can check out as well.

Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek soloing over “Limehouse Blues”

Thanks again to Fabian Willmann who did an incredible job transcribing these two incredible tenor saxophone solos and was kind enough to let me share his transcription here. Check out Fabian’s site for more great transcriptions and information about him.

Chris Cheek & Seamus Blake Limehouse Blues – Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription-Bb PDF

If you have any thoughts on Chris Cheek, Seamus Blake or this transcription of their solos on Limehouse Blues, I would love to hear from you in the comments below. Steve

*If you would like to support me here at neffmusic.com, you can do so on the support page of my store or better yet pick up a jazz improvisation book or lesson while you’re here. Any support is appreciated and will go towards keeping this site running and towards justifying the many hours I spend on providing free transcriptions to the saxophone community! Thanks, Steve

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Today, I am reviewing the GetASax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe MARK II Copy tenor saxophone mouthpieces in a 7, 7* and 8 tip opening. These GetASax Mark II tenor sax mouthpieces are replicas of great playing, original facing, Freddie Gregory MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces. These cool white mouthpieces are made by Brian Curry at GetASax.com. I have already reviewed the GetASax GS RESO tenor sax mouthpiece as well as the GS FG RESO and the GS SLANT tenor sax mouthpieces which were copies of vintage Otto Link Reso Chamber and Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpieces. I have been looking forward to reviewing these GetASax GS Freddie Gregory MARK II Copy tenor saxophone mouthpieces as well because I have played some great Freddie Gregory mouthpieces in the past and know how special they can be.

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe MARK II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Freddie Gregory was a great mouthpiece refacer and creator who died on October 12th, 2014. I have played a number of his fabulous mouthpieces over the years including three hard rubber Mark II tenor sax mouthpieces, one hard rubber Mark IV tenor sax mouthpiece and a metal Mark II and Mark IV tenor sax mouthpiece. I have also owned 3 or 4 mouthpieces over the years that were refaced by Freddie Gregory. These were all great playing mouthpieces (one hard rubber Freddie Gregory 8* Mark II tenor mouthpiece I still regret selling even all these years later)! Freddie Gregory’s mouthpieces were like immaculate works of art that were perfect in every way down to the last detail and played heavenly as well.

The GetASax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces are very precise copies of Brian at GetASax’s personal Freddie Gregory Mark II 7, 7* and 8 tip opening tenor saxophone mouthpieces. Brian is the owner of GetASax and has over 750 saxophone mouthpieces in his collection, so when he says that these mouthpieces are replicas of some of his favorite Freddie Gregory tenor saxophone mouthpieces, we should pay attention.

I have seen original Freddie Gregory tenor saxophone mouthpieces sell from anywhere from 1000-3000+ dollars over the last 10 years but these new reproductions from GetASax are only $199 which is a great deal for a copy of a world class Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II tenor saxophone mouthpiece!

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe MARK II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is how Brian at GetASax describes the GetASax GS Freddie Gregory MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpiece on his website at GetaSax.com:

The GS Mark II tenor saxophone mouthpiece is an extremely precise copy of my favorite Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

What is this?

Many players may not know much about Freddie Gregory’s Super Deluxe mouthpieces. That’s not a big surprise, as Freddie did not make that many of them, and the ones he did make are mostly still in the hands of their original owners. The few that have come up for sale over the last 5 years that I’ve seen have been priced way out of the reach of most players– typically $2400-$4000– for a mouthpiece! Which is nuts, but those who know these mouthpieces REALLY seem to be willing to pay to get one. And sadly, since Freddie died eight years ago, no more of these are available. (Till now.)

Freddie Gregory was known both for refacing and for making his own mouthpieces. The original Super Deluxe Mark II tenor sax mouthpiece is not a refaced mouthpiece made by someone else , the way my favorite Reso Chamber tenor mouthpiece is. The Super Deluxe model was entirely designed and made by Freddie Gregory.

It was sold in four variations on the same design: Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, and Mark IV. They all have a good amount of projection, but the Mark I is darkest and the Mark IV is brightest. We may copy my favorite Mark IV someday as well, but I wanted to start with the Mark II because it’s bright and projecting but not too bright, and it seems to be one of the most popular ones of these.

Bob Mintzer played a Mark II model for a long time, and may still from time to time. I know he has a lot of Freddie’s pieces. Jeff Coffin plays a Mark IV, which sounds a whole lot like the Mark II that we copied for this project (Jeff was kind enough to make several audio comparison samples of the GS Mark II and his Freddie Mark IV, and they are definitely more similar than different.) Steve Neff has some original Mark II sound clips on his website here. We will do some videos as soon as Tyler is finished with the GS New York alto videos he’s working on.

OK so that should be fairly clear now: The GS Mark II is an extremely precise copy of my favorite Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II, which is a different design from anything that Otto Link or Berg Larsen or Dukoff made etc. Along with the Mark IV model mouthpiece, it’s his most popular design for sure.

How does it play?

Describing the tone is hard, because people probably haven’t played one of these. They’re also not that similar to other common mouthpieces like Meyer, Dukoff, or Berg Larsen. It’s different from any model of Otto Link, and is not a redesigned Link chamber at all. The baffle curves from nearly flat at the tip rail, into the chamber in a smooth curve, and the throat opens out into a medium-large chamber. Chamber volume is similar to a metal Otto Link, so it tunes great on basically any saxophone. The shank is long enough that you can pull out on a Conn 10M or something that wants a large mouthpiece volume, and it works well. The side walls start out nearly straight and are more scooped as it moves into the chamber. The magic in these pieces is in the baffle, and we spent a long time getting that just right.

Tonally, my best attempt at a verbal description would be to say that this has a more projecting tone than a GS Slant or a vintage Otto Link, but it kind of opens out and gets wider and more robust as you push it. Some mouthpieces get more shrill the more air you put into them. The GS Mark II gets more lush and almost ‘operatic’ as you push it. It’s really fun to play. If you want something different from a Link style tenor mouthpiece, and you want a piece that is brighter but not too bright, and that has plenty of power and projection when pushed without getting thin and shrill, that’s what the GS Mark II really does well.

Facing Information:

Freddie Gregory’s facing curves are usually about .001″ more open than the equivalent Otto Link, so we are reproducing his curves on the GS Mark II. The original that we copied was a 7 measuring .101″ and I also have a 7 and 8 that we used for the .106″ 7 and the .111″ 8 tip. As an interesting side note, most Freddie 8’s are actually stamped 7, but I think that’s probably because he had them stamped 7 and then would just add another star for an 8. I’ve seen that enough times now to think it’s definitely intentional. They always seem to measure .111-.112″ for me, and we settled on .111″ as it’s closer to what people are used to in an 8.*

A word on price: People are constantly* telling me that I should raise the prices of the GS Mouthpieces. However, they are intended to be a service to the saxophone community, so that as many players as possible can get a great mouthpiece that is entirely faced by hand and that plays as well as a much more expensive original. The GS Mark II tenor mouthpiece would probably sell almost as well at double the price, but we will be keeping the price $199 as long as possible, because that’s the whole point of the project.-Brian Curry*

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe MARK II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpiece is made of white biocompatible dental resin. Here is what Brian at GetASax writes about the material:

“GS Mouthpieces are made of a premium biocompatible dental resin, and printed at an especially high resolution. You don’t see messy print lines everywhere, because the print is so high quality! This dental resin is designed to be in your mouth, so it’s ideal for a mouthpiece.

The density and the hardness are almost identical to vintage hard rubber! So GS Mouthpieces vibrate like hard rubber and feel familiar and comfortable to play. The resin is also extremely durable. I have dropped the prototypes on hardwood again and again, and they just bounce and are fine. They even survive being dropped onto concrete (for a while)! So if you’re hard on equipment, this mouthpiece should be able to take quite a beating and hold up well over time.”-Brian Curry

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe MARK II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I received three GetASax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces in a 7, 7* and 8 tip opening. The facing curve of the GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces are a copy of the original Freddie Gregory facing curve on the Freddie Gregory Mark II tenor saxophone mouthpieces that Brian owns. Each facing curve of the GS MARK II mouthpieces is measured at ten points to make sure that each mouthpiece produced is an accurate reproduction of the original Freddie Gregory facing curve.

The GetASax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces look great to the eye. The tips, rails and tables look even, flat and well crafted. The tip rails and side rails are nice and thin, and the tip rails shape perfectly matches the shape of the Roberto’s Winds tenor saxophone reeds I used on these three mouthpieces for the sound clips below.

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe MARK II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffles of the GetASax MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces are what I would consider to be medium rollover baffles. The baffles start at a medium high height and look to be about an inch long before they roll over and descends down at a greater angle into the large chambers. The floor of the baffles during the decent has a slight side to side curve to it.

Going from my memory, I believe the GetASax MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a higher rollover baffle than the GS RESO and GS SLANT tenor sax mouthpieces I reviewed last year.

The baffle of the GS MARK II travels at an angle down through the chamber of the mouthpiece where it terminates at the beginning of the bore at the end of the chamber. The opening to the mouthpiece chamber looks to be a large sized chamber that is similar in size to other typical hard rubber Otto Link sized chambers I have seen. The roof of the mouthpiece chamber under the table is what I would describe as thin.

The sidewalls are slightly scooped out from where they start near the tip all the way to the chamber where they expand out to round out the mouthpiece chamber. I typically like scooped out sidewalls because they seem to go hand in hand with a fatter more round tenor saxophone tone in my opinion.

All three GetaSax MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces had a thick, fat, round tone with both character and focus. There are some differences in tone between the mouthpieces as you will hear in the three sets of recordings.

Get·A·Sax GS Mark II 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece next to a vintage Otto Link Slant Signature Mouthpiece

The diameter and beak profile of the GetASax GS MARK II tenor sax mouthpiece feels the same as the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece. All of my ligatures that fit comfortably on hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces fit on the GS MARK II tenor sax mouthpiece perfectly.

The weight and consistency of the dental resin feels more substantial than the weight of other materials like Delrin mouthpieces and SYOS mouthpieces I have reviewed in the past. As I hold the GS MARK II tenor sax mouthpiece in my hand, the weight feels similar to a hard rubber saxophone mouthpiece. You can see a side by side comparison photo of the GS MARK II and the Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II tenor saxophone mouthpiece that it was copied from in the photo below.

Get·A·Sax GS Mark II Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece next to a Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Tenor Sax Mouthpiece

I found that the facing curve of the GetASax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces seemed to prefer a reed with a 3 Soft, 3 Medium or 3 Hard strength when using the Roberto’s Winds tenor saxophone reeds. I chose the Roberto’s Winds reeds for this review because the Rigotti Gold reeds seemed to brighten up the tone and my BSS (Boston Sax Shop) reeds seemed to darken the tone. The Roberto’s Winds reeds seemed to have more of a neutral tone between bright and dark which I think was best for this review.

The one defining memory I have of the Freddie Gregory hard rubber Mark II tenor saxophone mouthpieces I have played throughout the years, is how smooth and buttery they seemed to play. The full range of the saxophone was very even and uniform in tone from note to note. The GetASax Mark II mouthpieces did indeed remind me of those Mark II Freddie Gregory tenor sax mouthpieces because of how smooth and even the notes were throughout the range of the saxophone.

Get·A·Sax GS Mark II 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece next to a vintage Otto Link Slant Signature Mouthpiece

I am glad that Brian Curry sent me three GetASax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces to review as I was unsure of which tip opening I would prefer.

The 8 tip opening GS MARK II seemed to be the darkest in my opinion and had a bigger more spread tone to it although still with plenty of focus. The 7 tip opening GS MARK II was brighter and much more focused in tone when compared to the 8 tip opening. The 7* tip opening GS MARK II mouthpiece sat in-between the 7 and 8 tonally as far as sitting between the darker tone of the 8 and the brighter tone of the 7. It also sat in-between the 8 and 7 tip opening mouthpieces as far as focus and spread were concerned.

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

All three GetaSax MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces had a thick, fat, round tone with both character and focus. There are some differences in tone between the mouthpieces due to the different tip openings as you will hear in the three sets of recordings. You can judge for yourself what you hear as differences when you listen to those sound clips.

The low notes on all three GS MARK II saxophone mouthpieces were fat, thick and robust while having a nice tight core quality to the tone. I felt like the 8 tip opening had the fattest and biggest low notes with a bit more spread to the tone. All three mouthpieces sub-tones beautifully and had a nice rich, fat and feathery sub-tone down low.

The intonation on all three GetASax MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpieces was very good and all three mouthpieces were a great match for my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone (from the 50’s).

The evenness and smoothness of notes throughout the range of the saxophone was nice when playing fast lines. The character and warm tone seemed to blend well as I played faster lines throughout the low, mid and high range of the saxophone. I think you can hear this smoothness in the fast technical lines I play on the sound clips below. It is this same “buttery” smoothness that I always loved about the original Freddie Gregory Mark II tenor sax mouthpieces I have played in the past.

The altissimo register of the saxophone was easy to produce on the GetASax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpiece and the notes were easy to control and manipulate. I have added a short clip with reverb added of each of the altissimo lines for each tip opening just so you can hear how those more modern and bluesy lines might sound with reverb added for each tip opening.

The three GetaSax MARK II mouthpieces had a good amount of power when pushed. I would say the volume was about an 8 to 8.5 when pushed on my 1-10 volume scale. I think that all three mouthpieces were similar in volume and power. I seemed to get the most air through the 8 tip opening to produce more volume but this was hard to judge because the 8 tip opening seemed less bright to my ears than the 7* and 7 did when I pushed the air through them.

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the GetASax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those of you looking for a great playing tenor sax mouthpiece with a rich and robust tenor tone that sits more in the middle of the dark to bright tone spectrum of the tenor saxophone. The GS MARK II tenor sax mouthpieces can get a nice brightness and power when pushed but can also get a great jazz tone (think Bob Mintzer type of tenor sax tone) that would be incredible for straight ahead jazz playing in my opinion. It’s lush full textured tone is also incredible for ballads as I try to demonstrate a bit in the sound clips below.

Although I do try to show what it can do with louder blues and altissimo lines, I am not sure how successful the GS MARK II mouthpiece would be at cutting through in really loud rock and pop settings. I am referring to really loud rock, pop and funk gigs. The truth is, that I have had three Freddie Gregory Mark II tenor mouthpieces that played phenomenally and ended up selling all three because I couldn’t use them on the super loud dance sets. It wasn’t an issue of volume or power, but that they didn’t have enough brightness and focus in the tone to cut through the mix for me on those gigs. The truth be told, if you do these kind of gigs, the only way to test a mouthpiece like this is to try it on a gig and see how it does.

That being said, like I have stated in other reviews, Bob Reynolds plays a hard rubber 9 Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece while touring with John Mayer and playing with Snarky Puppy and Bob Mintzer played a Freddie Gregory MARK II for many years in a variety of musical settings, so maybe for the right player this mouthpiece could work in that setting as well. You never know until you get it on the “live” gig.

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you are interested in the GetASax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpiece you can purchase one from Brian at GetaSax.com for a very reasonable price in my opinion (199 US at the time of this review). Listen to the sound clips below and see what tip opening you prefer.

Brian has said he has about 750 saxophone mouthpieces in his collection and that he would put 20 of those mouthpieces in his “holy grail” category. He is hoping to release reproductions of many of these “holy grail” saxophone mouthpieces in the near future which I am very excited to review! Thanks again to Brian Curry for sending me these great mouthpieces to review.

If you try a Get·A·Sax GS MARK II tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-7 Tip Openinghttps://cdn.neffmusic.com/2022/GSMarkII7New.mp3*Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-7 Tip Opening-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Reed-No Effects Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2022/GSMarkII7AltReverb.mp3*Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-7 Tip Opening-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Reed-Reverb Added*

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-7 Tip Opening**https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2022/GSMarkII7starNew.mp3Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-7 Tip Opening-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Reed-No Effects Added****

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2022/GSMarkII7starAltReverb.mp3*Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-7 Tip Opening-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Reed-Reverb Added**

Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-8 Tip Openinghttps://cdn.neffmusic.com/2022/GSMarkII8New.mp3*Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-8 Tip Opening-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Reed-No Effects Added*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2022/GSMarkII8AltReverb.mp3*Get·A·Sax GS Freddie Gregory Super Deluxe Mark II Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-8 Tip Opening-Roberto’s Winds 3 Soft Reed-Reverb Added*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpieces reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try them and perhaps review them on my blog. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Here’s another great Michael Brecker tenor saxophone solo transcription I am excited to share with everyone. This is a transcription of Michael Brecker’s insane tenor sax solo on the jazz standard, “Invitation” from the Jaco Pastorius’ album “The Birthday Concert” (this is not the Invitation solo from Jack Wilkins album “Merge”). The Jaco Pastorius “Birthday Concert” album was recorded live in 1981 but wasn’t released until 1995.

Jaco Pastorius “The Birthday Concert”

Michael Brecker’s solo on this jazz standard, Invitation, is just ridiculous in my mind. First of all, you have the tempo. Peter Erskine and Jaco Pastorius start this tune off in the ballpark of 172-176 bpm. When Michael Brecker comes in for his tenor solo, in typical Michael Brecker fashion it is mostly all 16th notes. Michael Brecker just crushes this solo! I love the energy and interplay between Brecker and Jaco. Michael Brecker is usually high energy to begin with but when you add Jaco’s incredibly energetic bass lines it just pushes Brecker into maximum overdrive. (I really feel bad for Bob Mintzer who had to take the solo after Brecker. I mean, Bob Mintzer does great, but I have to wonder what he was thinking while listening to Brecker solo………)

One interesting observation while working on this transcription is that there is some weirdness to the form of the tune during the solo. Pages 1-3 is a typical chorus of Invitation. On page 4 however, the band goes back to the top of the head but then Jaco sounds like he is going to the ending again during those 16 bars of that A section. Bars 9-16 has just Jaco playing the bass line behind Brecker and it seems a bit odd to me. Almost like Brecker is hesitant and is not sure where Jaco is going. I don’t know if this was planned, a mistake, or maybe just too many drugs taken before the concert. It did throw me for a loop while transcribing though as there is an extra 16 bars added to the form right there in the solo.

Insane Michael Brecker Invitation Tenor Sax Solo from the Jaco Birthday Concert

Sadly, Michael Brecker and Jaco Pastorius are no longer with us. Jaco died in 1987 as a result of injuries sustained in a beating outside a South Florida after-hours nightclub (this still makes me so mad every time I think about it). Michael Brecker died in 2007 from leukemia. Both of these incredibly gifted musicians had a lasting and profound impact on the landscapes of the saxophone world and the electric bass world.

Thanks again to Michael Brecker. It’s hard to believe he has been gone for almost 15 years already. His contributions to music and as a person are still having a lasting impact on those he interacted with and influenced as well as all those who have yet to hear his great recordings in the future. We miss you!

Insane Michael Brecker Invitation Tenor Sax Solo Transcription from Jaco Birthday Concert-Bb PDF

Insane Michael Brecker Invitation Tenor Sax Solo Transcription from Jaco Birthday Concert-Concert Key PDF

If you have any thoughts on Michael Brecker, Jaco Pastorius or this transcription of Brecker’s Invitation solo, I would love to hear from you in the comments below. Steve

*If you would like to support me here at neffmusic.com, you can do so on the support page of my store or better yet pick up a jazz improvisation book or lesson while you’re here. Any support is appreciated and will go towards keeping this site running, saxophone reeds, mouthpiece patches, coffee, and towards justifying the many hours I spend on providing free transcriptions to the saxophone community! Thanks, SteveIf you like these type of outside modern sounding lines like I do, be sure to check out my Devastating Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing for Minor and Dominant Grooves. These two books are filled with great modern 16th note lines like Michael Brecker demonstrates in this solo in all 12 keys that you can learn and use while soloing. Check out all the 5 star reviews! Steve

Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing

Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz & Funk

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Today, I am posting a battle royal, fight to the death, comparison between six Theo Wanne tenor saxophone mouthpieces that I have already reviewed here at Neffmusic.  Here are the six Theo Wanne mouthpieces doing battle in round one today with links to their reviews: Theo Wanne Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Lineup (From Left to Right-Ambika […]

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the Gaia 3 & 4 hard rubber soprano saxophone mouthpieces made by Theo Wanne.  I reviewed the original Gaia soprano sax mouthpiece about 12 years ago and have been playing that mouthpiece on the soprano sax ever since.  This week I will be reviewing three Theo Wanne soprano […]

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Ambika 3 hard rubber soprano saxophone mouthpiece made by Theo Wanne.  I reviewed the original Gaia soprano sax mouthpiece about 12 years ago and have been playing that mouthpiece on the soprano sax ever since.  This week I will be reviewing three Theo Wanne soprano saxophone […]

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Today, I am reviewing the new BetterSax Burnin’ 6 hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece made through a collaboration between Jay Metcalf of BetterSax and Jody Espina of Jody Jazz saxophone mouthpieces.  I reviewed the BetterSax Burnin’ tenor saxophone mouthpiece a few weeks ago and am equally excited to review this Burnin’ alto sax mouthpiece as […]

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Today, I am reviewing the new BetterSax Burnin’ 7* hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece made through a collaboration between Jay Metcalf of BetterSax and Jody Espina of Jody Jazz saxophone mouthpieces. Jay Metcalf has a fantastic Youtube channel on all things saxophone entitled “Better Sax” with over 284K subscribers at the time of this review.  […]

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Today, I am reviewing the new Windy City Woodwinds 56 Mark II alto saxophone mouthpiece.  The 56 Mark II alto sax mouthpiece is the same design as the 56 Select alto saxophone mouthpiece I just reviewed last week (56 Select Alto Sax Mouthpiece Review) but the 56 Mark II mouthpiece is 3-D printed and at […]

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Today, I am reviewing the new Windy City Woodwinds 56 Select alto saxophone mouthpiece.  The 56 Select alto sax mouthpiece is advertised as capturing the warmth and singing quality of the 1950’s “cool school” of alto saxophone playing in the style of Art Pepper, Bud Shank and Paul Desmond.  As someone who listened to a Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing a new alto saxophone mouthpiece from 10mFan saxophone mouthpieces.  This is the Supernova 7 hard rubber alto saxophone mouthpiece.   I have already reviewed a number of great 10mFan tenor, alto and soprano saxophone mouthpieces in the past that you can find here. Whenever Mark Sepinuck, at 10mFan mouthpieces, comes out with Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing two new Meyer Bros New York 7 and 8 Connoisseur series alto saxophone mouthpieces made by JJ Babbitt.  The Connoisseur Meyer Bros NY alto saxophone mouthpieces are advertised as being a reproduction of the original Meyer Bros New York alto saxophone mouthpiece that Cannonball Adderley played as described in this quote Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing the new Otto Link Early Babbitt remake connoisseur series tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by JJ Babbitt.  The Connoisseur EB (Early Babbitt) tenor saxophone mouthpieces are advertised as being from the same molds as the original hard rubber Otto Link Early Babbitt tenor sax mouthpieces as described in this quote from the Read More...

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Here is another swingin’ melody/solo by the great tenor saxophone player from Italy, Max Ionata.  I absolutely love this short rendition from Instagram of the melody of “I Remember You” with Max’s signature bebop lines weaved within the spaces.   Max Ionata plays with a perfect blend of hip jazz lines, crazy technique, a swingin’ time Read More...

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Here is a great transcription of the great guitarist, Pat Martino, soloing on the classic standard “Just Friends”.  This was in a file on my computer labeled “Solos to Transcribe”.  Usually, I put music in this file that peaks my interest and that I would like to dig in to at a later date.   After Read More...

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A bunch of you have asked me about these beautiful wooden mouthpiece stands I have been using lately on social media.  They are made by a friend of mine up here in Vermont whose name is Pat Slater.  I met Pat at church one Sunday and as we were making small talk, I asked him Read More...

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Today,  I am reviewing the GetASax GS NEW YORK Meyer Bros alto saxophone mouthpiece replica, that is an extremely precise copy of a Brian Curry’s favorite Meyer Bros New York alto saxophone mouthpiece. These cool white mouthpieces are made by Brian Curry at GetASax.com.  I have already reviewed the GetASax GS RESO tenor sax mouthpiece Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing the new Gaia 4 gold tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Theo Wanne.  I have reviewed the original Gaia model many years ago and the hard rubber Gaia 3 and gold Gaia 3 in 2019.  I even posted a comparison review between the the hard rubber and gold Gaia 3 models as Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing the new Roberto’s Winds Uovo {woh-voh} tenor saxophone ligature for metal tenor saxophone mouthpieces.  The Uovo ligature is advertised by Roberto’s as being “the only tenor saxophone ligature designed to generate sympathetic resonance, enriching the harmonic palette to enable your very best sound.  It opens up, enriches, and projects its sound Read More...

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new BSS (Boston Sax Shop) R-Series 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece released by Jack Tyler at the Boston Sax Shop. Jack Tyler is the owner of Boston Sax Shop and has been my saxophone repairman for the last eight to nine years. I usually head down to Boston Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing the Avel Sound Concept (ASC) Foehn model tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Max at Avel Sound Concept Mouthpieces.  These are really reasonable priced, quality hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpieces that, as you will soon hear, play incredibly well…..  The hard rubber ASC Foehn tenor sax mouthpiece I am reviewing today has Read More...

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing a brand new “top secret” tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Theo Wanne called the Lakshmi. This Lakshmi gold tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a 7*  tip opening and is being released here (Lakshmi page) by Theo Wanne at the same time as I am posting this review today.  I have Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing and comparing three new SYOS Originals series alto saxophone mouthpieces.  SYOS mouthpieces has released this new Originals SYOS line of tenor, alto and soprano saxophone mouthpieces to give saxophone players a simpler way to order a quality saxophone mouthpiece at a more affordable price point.  I have already reviewed the SYOS Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing and comparing three new SYOS Originals series tenor saxophone mouthpieces.  SYOS mouthpieces has released this new Originals SYOS line of tenor, alto and soprano saxophone mouthpieces to give saxophone players a simpler way to order a quality saxophone mouthpiece at a more affordable price point.  I have already reviewed the SYOS Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing a great soprano saxophone mouthpiece made by Ken Okutsu at Okutsu mouthpieces in Japan.    This is a hard rubber Okutsu Traditional model soprano saxophone mouthpiece with an 8 tip opening. Ken Okutsu Traditional Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Here is some information from the Okutsu website about the Okutsu Traditional soprano saxophone Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing a Johannes Gerber Vintage Slant 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Johannes Gerber mouthpieces.  I first reviewed a Johannes Gerber Vintage Slant tenor mouthpiece here over 12 years ago.  I was incredibly impressed with Johannes Gerber’s craftsmanship 12 years ago when I first played the Gerber Vintage Slant tenor saxophone mouthpiece Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing the Durga 5 gold tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Theo Wanne.  Last year, I reviewed Theo Wanne’s darkest tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is the Ambika 3 (Ambika 3 Review), as well as Theo Wanne’s brightest tenor saxophone mouthpiece called the Shiva 3 (Shiva 3 Review). The Durga 5 is ranked second Read More...

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Today, I am posting a personal experiment of mine to answer some questions I have about the discernible differences a mouthpiece patch and the mouthpiece beak height make to the sound of the saxophone.  I know many of you out there will perhaps think this is foolish but I am doing this to satisfy my Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing an Alexander Superial I Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Tom Alexander at Alexander Reeds Intl..  Tom Alexander reached out to me on January 24th of 2020 asking if I would be interested in reviewing his new Superial I Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  He was very excited about the Superial Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing a couple of great new quality saxophone ligatures that I received from the Sax Clinic in North Macedonia. The Sax Clinic sent me a Sonus Divinus and Tonus Mundi model ligature for hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpieces and a Sonus Divinus model ligature for Guardala sized metal tenor saxophone mouthpieces.  I have Read More...

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Today, I am reviewing a Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Aaron Drake at Drake mouthpieces.  This Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece was inspired by a Freddie Gregory  hard rubber tenor sax mouthpiece that Jeff Coffin plays and that Aaron Drake did some work on. Aaron told me that Read More...

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Wow!   I’m almost speechless after watching this video of saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Doug Webb’s performance on El Cerdo Gordo by Ladd McIntosh.   Doug plays over 150+ instruments on this video.  Many of which I have never seen before or knew existed.  This is such a monumental undertaking and I can’t even begin to comprehend the Read More...

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Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Heritage tenor saxophone neck released by Jack Tyler at the Boston Sax Shop.   Jack had told me about this new BSS Heritage tenor sax neck a number of years ago and although I am a bit tentative to add another variable to Read More...

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I wanted to write a blog post on this subject because there has been a lot of discussion and confusion over the years about the Guardala tenor saxophone mouthpiece that Michael Brecker played on.    I started a discussion on this subject on Facebook but thought it would be good to post what I discovered Read More...

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Here is another transcription of a great Mike Tucker tenor saxophone solo that Mike posted on Instagram a few days ago. This is a short but sweet one chorus solo on the changes to the tune “Confirmation” by Charlie Parker. I can’t resist transcribing these short solos as I can do them pretty quickly and Read More...

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Here is another great tenor saxophone solo by the always amazing, Chris Potter. If you are a tenor sax player, you probably know who Chris Potter is. I first heard of him during the early 2000’s when a fellow musician told me about Chris’s amazing sax playing. I have been listening to him ever since……..

Chris Potter

Chris Potter is known for his amazing technique, rhythmic complexity and advanced harmonic concepts and lines. His improvised solos are always creative and on the cutting edge of exploring interesting new harmonic and rhythmic frontiers in my mind. His tenor sax solo here on Scrapple from the Apple is no exception, he just kills it.

This is an acapella tenor saxophone solo of Scrapple from the Apple by Charlie Parker from the Liceu Conservatory Masterclass in Barcelona on October 23rd, 2021. This a great tenor sax solo on this classic jazz standard.

When I first heard it, I thought that transcribing it would be pretty difficult and it was. I was astounded as I wrote out the solo that Chris stuck pretty darn close to that 4/4 time signature. My first couple of listens through the solo, I thought that this solo would for sure have some odd meter stuff in it even if Chris didn’t do it on purpose. It just seemed like he was messing around with the time too much for him to keep that 4/4 beat perfect. Boy, was I wrong. When the transcription was finally done, from beginning to end, it had four beats per measure and the form was absolutely perfect. I don’t know how he does it! Amazing!

Special thanks, as always, to Chris Potter for all of his contributions to jazz music and the saxophone. You can check out Chris Potter’s website to see what he is up to and what new recordings he has coming out. I also must add that I am totally digging his tenor saxophone sound more and more on what I am assuming is a vintage metal Otto Link tenor mouthpiece. Love it!

Chris Potter’s Incredible Scrapple from the Apple Solo Tenor Saxophone Transcription-Bb PDF

Chris Potter’s Incredible Scrapple from the Apple Solo Tenor Saxophone Transcription-Concert Key PDF

*If you would like to support me here at neffmusic.com, you can do so on the support page of my store by debit or credit card. Any support is appreciated and will go towards keeping this site running, saxophone reeds, mouthpiece patches, coffee, and towards justifying the many hours I spend on providing free transcriptions to the saxophone community! Thanks, Steve

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I was excited to hear that Theo Wanne was releasing a new classical alto saxophone mouthpiece called the Theo Wanne WATER classical alto saxophone mouthpiece a few months ago and asked Theo Wanne if I could review it here on the site. I was even more excited to hear that it was only $99 dollars! (It is listed as 180.00 on the Theo Wanne website but I am told the site will deduct 80 dollars for US and Canadian customers)

Although I haven’t really played classical music on the saxophone outside of teaching for the last 34 years, I have always wanted a classical sounding alto saxophone mouthpiece that could get me closer to a more authentic sounding classical alto saxophone sound.

Years ago, I went to a local music store and tried a bunch of classical alto saxophone mouthpieces but just couldn’t find anything that I felt comfortable with. Up until this point, I have been kind of faking the classical saxophone vibe for teaching with a Meyer 6 alto mouthpiece I used to have but that mouthpiece was way too bright for an authentic classical alto saxophone sound in my opinion.

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece was shipped with the usual high standards of the Theo Wanne company. The Water alto sax mouthpiece comes in a perfectly designed box with stylish gold printing on it with all the details of the mouthpiece inside. Inside the box is a maroon velvet drawstring bag that holds and protects the Water alto saxophone mouthpiece.

The Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece has a Theo Wanne metal band ligature included. This ligature is not the Enlightened ligature but is metal and has two metal bands that are parallel to the reed and are what contacts the reed when it is being held on the mouthpiece. This Theo Wanne band ligature has one screw on the top of the ligature to adjust the tightness of the ligature.

The Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece comes with a reed replacer cap which is on the mouthpiece where the reed goes and the ligature is tightened down on the reed replacer cap to protect the mouthpiece in shipping and when you are not playing it.

Although the reed replacer cap is a cool idea, the Water alto saxophone mouthpiece does not come with a “regular” mouthpiece cap that you slide on the mouthpiece over the reed and around the ligature. At the time of this review, there is a page on the Theo Wanne website that has new Theo Wanne mouthpiece caps for sale so hopefully he will start including these with his mouthpieces in the future.

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is how the Theo Wanne website describes the new Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece:

YOU ASKED FOR THE ULTIMATE ALL-AROUND AND CLASSICAL MOUTHPIECE, AND HERE IT IS! IT’S ALREADY WINNING AWARDS! The Theo Wanne WATER classical alto saxophone mouthpiece has been in Research and Development for over five years. The sound concept of the WATER alto mouthpiece is unlike any other Theo Wanne mouthpiece. You will find a rich beautiful core to the sound, in fact, richer than any other classical or all-around mouthpiece we tested, vintage or new. This is intentional and due to a truly unique small chamber/throat that compresses the airstream into the saxophone neck to create a rich sound, that is not pinched at all like other small chamber designs.

“The WATER alto saxophone mouthpiece draws out my true classical sound. Intonation and response are fantastic. It has an incredible dynamic range I’ve never experienced on any other classical mouthpiece. Definitely now my favorite mouthpiece for classical music!” – Professor Matthais Anton (Professor at Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen, lecturer of ear training & music theory at the Hohner Conservatory Trossingen)

The Shark-Gill Baffle developed by Theo is also very unique. It both channels and disrupts the airstream at the same time. This is similar to the flow of water over a shark’s skin allowing it to travel faster. The air fills up the full volume of the small chamber/throat more efficiently. You will find the WATER alto sax mouthpiece to have enough resistance for the classical musician and most general music too, yet it never feels clogged or like you must fight the mouthpiece.

The WATER alto sax mouthpiece is made from our revolutionary Black A.R.T. material. This is not a cheap ABS or Delrin plastic, but a very high quality and expensive proprietary material that actually resonates better than vintage hard rubber. In fact it is the only material that we like better than vintage hard rubber.

The WATER mouthpiece comes only in size 3 (.061), as the design is optimized for this size. You will notice, however, how big a sound you can get from this WATER alto mouthpiece:

“The WATER is great. Really really nice! I see exactly what you mean about the way a small tip shouldn’t trouble us ‘jazzers’. In fact, you can very quickly attain a full and relatively big sound. The sound is also very defined, plenty of core, and above all quality.” – Jim Cheek (sax.co.uk)

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

We are very proud of this very unique design, and hope you enjoy it as much as we do. As part of the new Elements Series, this mouthpiece has ALL the Theo Wanne quality, yet we can offer it at a very nice price. The Elements Series is already winning awards! Truly a super-high-quality alto saxophone mouthpiece.

SOUND * The ultimate all-around AND classical alto saxophone mouthpiece. * The most expressive traditional alto sax sound you’ve ever heard! * Retains the resistance and body to the sound classical musicians require.

DESIGN * Small chamber for a full, yet clean yet articulate sound. * Theo Wanne’s proprietary Shark-gill baffle. * Crafted to the highest accuracy in the history of classical mouthpiece history; perfect side and tip rails! * Designed by Theo Wanne, the foremost expert on the design and manufacturing of vintage mouthpieces.

DETAILS * Black A.R.T: The WATER uses revolutionary A.R.T material. The only material with better resonance qualities than Hard Rubber! * Vintage Style Box: Our dark grey and metallic gold Theo Wanne mouthpiece box. * Drawstring Pouch: A beautiful Theo Wanne microfiber draw-string mouthpiece pouch. * Pairs Perfectly with ourAlto ENLIGHTENED Ligature (not included) * Ligature and Cap: Comes with our Proprietary Band-Style Ligature and Reed Replacer Cap.

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece only comes in one tip opening which is a 3 (.061). I thought this tip opening would be way too small for me to feel comfortable on since my preferred tip opening on the alto saxophone is .076-.080 but I actually really enjoyed playing this .061 tip opening as I will write about later.

The Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece is very different than all the other Theo Wanne mouthpieces I have reviewed. When I first opened the package, my first thought was, “Did they send me a mouthpiece fresh off the CNC machine that hadn’t been refaced?” The reason for this thought was because the side rails and tip rail on the Water alto saxophone mouthpiece are super thick in comparison to all the other Theo Wanne mouthpieces I have reviewed. The side rails are so wide that the window of the mouthpiece under the reed is much smaller than most alto saxophone mouthpieces.

These wider tip rails are not an accident but a purposeful design by Theo Wanne. The wider rails mute and mellow some of the reeds vibration, brightness and edge creating a darker and warmer sounding tone that lends itself to classical playing. I asked Theo about these wider tip rails and this was his response:

“The thick tip rail helps add control over your sound, so it does not feel wild and out of control. It also gives the option of moving the reed forward and back to adjust the amount of resistance one prefers. The thick tip rail is an important feature for this design, and partly why the mouthpiece can have such a big sound, that is easy to control, and a smaller tip size, all at the same time.”-Theo Wanne

Besides the unusually wide rails, the rest of the Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece looks great. The Water alto sax mouthpiece has a thin profile to it. The mouthpiece engraving is perfect as can be like it is on all the Theo Wanne mouthpieces I have reviewed. Not a flaw or mistake anywhere. Each mouthpiece has a unique serial number on the bottom of the shank next to the tip opening. The top of the mouthpiece has “WATER” engraved in gold as well as a cool logo that looks like a wave to me.

The Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece is made of A.R.T. (Acoustic Resonance Technology) which Theo Wanne describes as:

“The WATER is made from our revolutionary Black A.R.T. material. This is not a cheap ABS or Delrin plastic, but a very high quality and expensive proprietary material that actually resonates better than vintage hard rubber. In fact it is the only material that we like better than vintage hard rubber.”-Theo Wanne

The tip and rails do take some getting used to. Although really wide, they look even for the most part. The sidewalls are straight and angle inwards as they head towards the small rectangular chamber. The baffle is what I would describe as a low baffle.

The baffle actually looks to curve down slightly and then back up as it nears the mouthpiece chamber entrance. I guess if most saxophone mouthpiece baffles have what is described as a “rollover” baffle, this WATER alto sax mouthpiece might best be described as a “rollunder” baffle? The baffle ends where the rectangular chamber begins. This rectangular chamber is higher than it is wide and the roof of the WATER mouthpiece chamber is nice and thin.

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle of the WATER alto saxophone mouthpiece also has Theo Wanne’s patented shark-gill design which the Theo Wanne website describes as:

“The Shark-Gill Baffle developed by Theo is also very unique. It both channels and disrupts the airstream at the same time. This is similar to the flow of water over a shark’s skin allowing it to travel faster. The air fills up the full volume of the small chamber/throat more efficiently. You will find the WATER to have enough resistance for the classical musician and most general music too, yet it never feels clogged or like you must fight the mouthpiece.”

The Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece does not have a bite plate built into the mouthpiece like many of the other Theo Wanne mouthpieces do. This is of no importance to me because I use a mouthpiece patch on every mouthpiece I play, so it makes no difference to me whatsoever.

I play tested the Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece with one and only one reed. Since the Water alto sax mouthpiece was a smaller tip opening than I usually played, I took out a box of Marca Jazz alto saxophone reeds in size 3 that I had in my drawer. I had found these reeds to be a bit too stiff for me in the past so haven’t used them much. The Marca Jazz size 3 alto sax reed was perfect for this Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece with the smaller tip opening.

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece (notice the little insect that landed on the end of the mouthpiece just as I took the photo)

So, what did I think of the new Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece? I absolutely loved it! The tone is on the darker side of the alto saxophone tone spectrum in my opinion but it is also pleasantly focused as well. It has a pretty dark alto saxophone tone that is also delicate and very beautiful. The light and delicate singing alto tone is really distinct from many other alto saxophone mouthpieces I have reviewed on this site.

I loved the way this Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece tone leaned to the darker and warmer side of an alto saxophone tone. I was really quite surprised by the evenness of tone throughout the range of the saxophone. Usually, on the alto sax, when I jump up to the higher end of the saxophone, there is a huge increase in brightness and volume. A couple times in the sound clips below I jump up to a high D and the tone sounds just as dark and warm as the lower notes to me.

The intonation is really excellent on the Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece also. I think the combination of the low baffle with the rectangular chamber seemed to bring the high notes of the saxophone right in to tune. I did find my middle “E” to still be quite a bit sharp in the middle of the saxophone but that is not unusual for my Selmer Reference 54 alto sax and can be adjusted for when you are aware of it. What was unusual was playing the high end palm notes, which are usually quite sharp on my Selmer Reference 54 alto sax, perfectly in tune. This was a nice surprise with this WATER alto saxophone mouthpiece.

I also found the articulation on the Water alto sax mouthpiece to be very clean and precise. I have to be honest in admitting that when I played classical music on my Meyer 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece, I felt like I was playing short soft staccato notes with a sledge hammer. I don’t feel this way with the Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece. The soft staccato notes are crisp, clean, light and precise.

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I made two sound clips of the Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece below. The first clip is all excerpts of me “attempting” to sightread classical saxophone music that I have not practiced. I use the word “attempting” because I haven’t tried to seriously play classical music on the saxophone in exactly 34 years. I’m sure if Dr. Steven Mauk (Ithaca College) and the late Joe Viola (Berklee College) were to listen to this, they would probably just shake their heads in sad disappointment at where I am at classically after 34 years. I apologize from the bottom of my heart to my past classical mentors for the lack of perfection in these clips……. I tried to make the notes as even as possible but there are times in the clip where I can hear that jazz articulation and swing fighting to come out.

Most of the classical lines in the first sound clip are from a piece of music I last played in high school I believe. The piece is “Variations On a Gavotte by Corelli”. This is not the piece in it’s entirety but just sound clips of random lines from the piece. I think there might be one or two Ferling quotes at the end of this sound clip as well.

The second sound clip is of me just playing the melody of “The Summer Knows” with a tiny bit of improv at the end. These sound clips are not my usual jazz sounding clips and lines. I’m trying to take a more refined classically oriented approach to these sound clips for this mouthpiece.

The Theo Wanne Water alto saxophone mouthpiece gets a surprising amount of volume out of the .061 tip opening. What I love about the Water mouthpiece the most is that although it gets louder, it doesn’t get a lot brighter. The mouthpiece still retains that core sound and roundness to the tone but just magnified with more power.

Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the new Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece, you can find them at Theowanne.com. Believe it or not, at the time of this review, these are only $99 on the Theo Wanne website. (It is listed as 180.00 on the Theo Wanne website but I am told the site will deduct 80 dollars for US and Canadian customers) This is a great deal for a classical alto saxophone mouthpiece that plays this well and sounds this beautiful in my opinion.

I have agreed to be an affiliate for Theo Wanne, so if you purchase a Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece from this link, neffmusic.com will receive a small commission on the sale. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcription coming to you…..).

If you are lucky enough to play a Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/Water3Classical.mp3 *Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Marca 3 Jazz Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/Water-The%20Summer%20Knows.mp3 *Theo Wanne Water Classical Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Marca Jazz 3 Reed*

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. If you purchase a mouthpiece through the link I provided in the review, I will also receive a small commission on any Theo Wanne mouthpieces sold through the link provided. Since I need a classical alto saxophone mouthpiece desperately, I have also asked to be able to keep this WATER mouthpiece following the review. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing the Shiva 3 gold tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Theo Wanne. I just reviewed Theo Wanne’s darkest tenor sax mouthpiece which is the Ambika 3 (Ambika 3 Review), so today, I thought I would jump to the complete opposite end of the saxophone tone spectrum and review Theo Wanne’s brightest tenor saxophone mouthpiece called the Shiva 3.

Theo describes this Shiva 3 tenor sax mouthpiece as “Our brightest tenor mouthpiece. The biggest, baddest sound possible!” (I’m assuming the “baddest sound possible” is a good thing…….. we will see as I complete the review.)

Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Shiva 3 tenor sax mouthpiece was shipped with the usual high standards of the Theo Wanne company. Each mouthpiece comes in a perfectly designed box with stylish gold printing on it with all the details about the sax mouthpiece inside. Inside the box is a beautiful black leatherette Theo Wanne mouthpiece case with the Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece well protected inside. The Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece I am reviewing today has an 8 tip opening which is measured at .110.

The Shiva 3 metal tenor sax mouthpiece has a built in ligature included called the “Liberty Ligature” that is already attached to the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece comes with a detailed information card with specific directions on how to adjust the built in ligature, the affects on the saxophone tone when the ligature is in different positions and directions on how to change the pressure plates on the ligature.

The Shiva 3 mouthpiece comes with a reed replacer cap which is on the mouthpiece where the reed goes and the ligature is tightened down on the reed replacer cap to protect the mouthpiece in shipping and when you are not playing it.

Although the reed replacer cap is a cool idea, the Shiva 3 tenor mouthpiece does not come with a “regular” mouthpiece cap that you slide on the mouthpiece over the reed and around the ligature. At the time of this review, there is a page on the Theo Wanne website that has new Theo Wanne mouthpiece caps for sale so hopefully he will start including these with his mouthpieces in the future.

Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As you can see above, the Liberty ligature on the Gold Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is connected to the mouthpiece through screws on the ligature that tighten into holes on the sides of the Shiva 3 mouthpiece. The mouthpiece comes with a hex screwdriver that can be used to loosen these screws and move the ligature forward or backwards in relation to the reed and mouthpiece table.

The Shiva 3 tenor sax mouthpiece has five positions (holes) that can be used to adjust the ligature. I personally liked the ligature in the middle hole setting as it puts the ligature plate towards the rear of the saxophone reed allowing the reed to vibrate and flex freely but not so far back that I feel it might not put enough pressure on the reed to seal.

Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Even before you look at the Theo Wanne mouthpieces themselves, everything about the Theo Wanne packaging and presentation just speaks to quality and high standards. Just the process of opening the package and unpacking the mouthpiece brings about an excitement and anticipation that this mouthpiece you are about to play is going to be amazing!

Here is how the Theo Wanne website describes the new Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

The SHIVA 3 ‘The Destroyer’ tenor saxophone mouthpiece has EVEN MORE power, fullness, and ease-of-play!!!

The SHIVA 3 uses Theo’s newest design technology to optimize the airflow across the high step baffle. This means more dynamics, to the effectiveness of the airflow; you can literally put more air into the mouthpiece, but doing so with greater ease. This makes the SHIVA 3 a very expressive saxophone mouthpiece! Of course the SHIVA 3 also includes the Theo Wanne proprietary “shark-gill” chamber too. These features give the SHIVA huge power and edge making it suitable for Rock n’ Roll, R&B or any situation where dynamics and power are important.

The SHIVA 3 tenor sax mouthpiece is currently being used by Gerald Albright, Warren Ham on tour with Ringo Starr, as well as by Mark Douthit (Elton John, Michael McDonald), Najee, Nelson Rangell, and many many others.

“I LOVE the Shiva! I’m a happy man. I love the brightness and the added bonus is how ‘full-bodied’ it is.” – Gerald Albright (3 Grammy Nominations)

“I just stopped and said WOW – I Feel Like I’ve Come Home! The SHIVA is very aggressive and great for those screaming tenor solos.” – Mark Douthit (Elton John, Billy Joel, Lionel Ritchie, Amy grant, Vanessa Williams, Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus)

Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SHIVA 3 tenor sax mouthpiece is available in 24K gold plated brass! Like all Theo Wanne products the SHIVA 3 is made using state-of-the-art design and manufacturing technologies. You will receive the most consistent and highest quality mouthpiece available in history.

“I have been a Rock & Roll and Blues-Rock sax player since the late 50’s when I performed with some of the early pioneers of rock and rockabilly as a teenager. Early in my career I had the vintage Duck Bill Bergs, Dukoff’s and Brillhart Level aire’s. Later on it was Guardala’s and a Clarence Clemon’s favorite – the Rovner Deep V. But with all the credibility of my many years wailing a tenor sax to back me up, this latest mouthpiece, SHIVA the Destroyer from Theo Wanne tops them all. It brings back the edge, projection and brightness of the classic vintage pieces, but with a less shrill tone, more volume, and a easier bottom end. The DESTROYER came along late in this rocker’s career, but I’m sure thankful it did!” – Ace Barton (Bobby Vee, The Champs “Tequila fame”)

SOUND * Great for Jazz, R&B, Rock & Roll even softer music when a sweet tone with clarity is wanted. * Projects a sensual tone that is flirtatious and erotic. It makes everyone want to dance! * It is so unique; it really has to be played to be understood and believed.

DESIGN * Theo Wanne proprietary “shark-gill” chamber. Uniquely shaped long step baffle, with roll-over. * Crafted to the highest accuracy in the history of saxophone mouthpieces. * Designed by Theo Wanne, the foremost expert on the design and manufacturing of vintage and new saxophone mouthpieces.

DETAILS * Case: Beautiful Leatherette Case! * Plating: Reticulated 24K Gold plating. * Ligature: The metal SHIVA 3 includes our integrated two-point contact Gold Liberty Ligature and Alive Gold pressure plate. To truly individualize your sound, try our premium pressure plates, which fit all of our mouthpieces and ligatures!. * Cap: Patented Reed Replacer Cap. The most secure cap in the world. * Bite Pad: User replaceable bite pads allow you to peel and stick on new bite pads. Try our varying hardness bite pads to personalize the feel.

Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is beautifully made and has a perfect looking symmetry and balance to it. The mouthpiece engraving is as perfect as can be. Not a flaw or mistake anywhere. Each Theo Wanne mouthpiece has a unique serial number on it which I really love as I know which mouthpiece is mine and if I decide to sell a mouthpiece everyone knows from the serial number that this is the mouthpiece I reviewed on my site.

The tip, rails, baffle, table and chamber all look perfect as well. Smooth, even, symmetrical…….flawless. The sidewalls are straight as they head towards what I would describe as an extra large chamber but flare out at the end of the baffle as the chamber starts.

The mouthpiece chamber is bigger in diameter than the bore of the mouthpiece and the bottom floor of the chamber looks to be scooped out starting where the baffle terminates. The chamber has ribbed walls which Theo refers to as a “shark-gill” chamber. The ribbed floor of the chamber looks like each rib is lower almost like stairs. You can see this clearly in the bore photo below. I have never seen a chamber with a ribbed floor and ribbed walls before. The roof of the chamber does not have ribs and is smooth and thin.

The Shiva 3 mouthpiece baffle is a high baffle as you can see in the photos above. The first inch of baffle is high, slightly angled and flat. I don’t see any rollover or curve to the baffle at all. After the inch long high baffle, the baffle descends at a greater angle and then reaches a straight edge where the chamber starts.

Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Shiva 3 played great with Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 strong tenor saxophone reeds. Actually, I found the Shiva 3 tenor mouthpiece to play well with Rigotti Gold reeds ranging from 2 1/2 medium-3 light (I didn’t try anything harder than Rigotti Gold 3 light reeds). I decided to use the Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 strong reeds for the sound clip below although I did add a fourth sound clip at the end with a Rigotti Gold 3 light reed for those interested in how a slightly harder reed sounds on the Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

The Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece was indeed on the brighter side of the tenor saxophone tone spectrum. This brightness of tone is most easily heard in the upper register of the saxophone when I listen to the clips. From the very first note it just had a very “in your face” bright and powerful sound. The tone is ultra focused and concentrated. I would describe the tone as having a laser beam type focus to it.

The Shiva 3 is probably a 14 on my 1-10 volume scale. I honestly found the volume to be too much for my “old man” ears. (I am deaf in one ear and have some hearing loss in the other ear). When I really pushed the Shiva 3 it easily transitioned into overdrive as far as volume and brightness. So much so, that if I was playing facing a wall, the volume would hurt my ear. That’s pretty darn loud!

For comparison sake, the Theo Wanne Shiva 3 tenor sax mouthpiece records at about twice the volume of most of the other mouthpieces I have reviewed here at neffmusic.com. I realized this while editing the sound clips and seeing how close the recording came to peaking at times throughout the recording.

One aspect of the Shiva 3 tenor sax mouthpiece that can’t be heard on the recording is that at times, I did find it to suddenly get edgy if I wasn’t paying attention to how I was playing. If I let my bottom lip get too hard, then the tone would get really edgy on me. I would just have to readjust and make my bottom lip fatter to fatten up the tone again. This is the kind of adjustment that would become second nature as a player got used to the mouthpiece over a few days.

Like I have described with other high baffle type tenor sax mouthpieces I have reviewed, I find these kind of mouthpieces to blow best with what I describe as an extra fat air column. I know that might sound strange, but these high baffle type of mouthpieces really seem to become more versatile when I imagine my air column being wider in my throat. Something about that mental thought seems to produce a fatter more rounded tone out of these high baffled tenor mouthpieces for me.

The intonation on the Theo Wanne Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece was within normal limits. Many of the notes that I find sharp on my Selmer SBA tenor saxophone were within that same range with nothing out of the ordinary noticed as far as intonation. I make sure to check intonation with any high baffle mouthpieces I try because sometimes they can throw the different octaves of the saxophone way out of wack with the upper register being really sharp. The Shiva 3 tenor mouthpiece was within normal limits and expectations as far as intonation.

The low notes were thick and full and sounded great when subtoned. The altissimo range was almost too easy to produce and the notes in that higher range of the saxophone just popped out really easily. This ease of altissimo playing made it easier to try some different lines up in that register than I usually play.

On the sound clip below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the Theo Wanne Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles. I demonstrate the sound of the Shiva 3 tenor mouthpiece with all my usual lines and melodies so if you want to compare it to my other sound clips and reviews, you should be able to find many of the same lines to compare this sound clip to.

All the sound clips were recorded in a big barn with loads of natural reverb in it. Sound clips 2 & 3 are louder clips that feature more altissimo playing because I didn’t use much altissimo in the first clip.

• Of special note, is the differences in sound and tone between the 2nd clip using the softer Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 strong reed and the 3rd clip where I use a slightly harder Rigotti Gold 3 light reed. For a live gig, I would most definitely opt for the slightly stronger 3 light reed as it handles the altissimo register easier and gives even more power and volume to the Shiva 3 sound.

Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Theo Wanne Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great metal tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a modern, bright, focused, incredibly powerful tenor sax tone along the lines of a Michael Brecker & Lenny Pickett kind of vibe. Although the tone is bright and powerful, it can still be manipulated to sound fat and full sounding throughout the range of the saxophone.

Although I wouldn’t use this Shiva 3 tenor sax mouthpiece on a straight ahead jazz gig, cocktail hour or private lesson because of it’s brightness and sheer volume and power when pushed, this mouthpiece would be a killer option when you need to really bring the power and volume during a rockin’ gig that is for sure.

If you like the sound and look of the Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Theo Wanne, you can find them at Theo Wanne’s website. I have agreed to be an affiliate for Theo Wanne so if you purchase a Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece from this link, neffmusic.com will receive a small commission on the sale. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you…..).

If you are lucky enough to play a Theo Wanne Shiva 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/TWShiva8Reverb.mp3 *Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-Playing in a Barn*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/Shiva3AltRev.mp3 *Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-Altissimo in a Barn I*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/TWShiva3AltRevFinal.mp3 *Theo Wanne Shiva 3 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-Altissimo in a Barn II*

Disclosure: I borrowed the sample mouthpiece reviewed above in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. I will be sending it back after this review. If you purchase a Theo Wanne mouthpiece through the link I provided in the review, I will receive a small commission that helps to support my work here at neffmusic.com. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing a beautifully crafted Macsax Jalapeño 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I was contacted by Jeff Gjertsen at Macsax earlier this year and asked if I would be willing to review the brand new Macsax Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Of course, I was super excited to try this beautiful tenor sax mouthpiece as I have already reviewed a Macsax Soco tenor saxophone mouthpiece as well as a Macsax Queso tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Both of these Macsax mouthpieces looked absolutely beautiful and played incredibly well so I would expect the same from this new Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece from Macsax!

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

First of all, the Macsax Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece is beautiful to look at. When I received the package and unwrapped the Jalapeño mouthpiece, I was floored by how beautiful this gold Macsax Jalapeño mouthpiece looks. These mouthpieces are beautifully crafted works of art.

The Macsax Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece feels heavy in your hand as you hold it as it is made from a solid rod of brass. The gold plating looks thick and perfect with not a flaw or blemish anywhere in sight. The mouthpiece comes with a stylish green marble bite plate that looks fantastic as well. On the top of the mouthpiece is engraved MACSAX in all capital letters and on the top side of the shank is engraved Jalapeño ATX (I assume ATX stands for Austin, Texas as that is where Macsax is based out of). On the underside of the shank is the tip opening of 8* and USA.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is the description of the Macsax Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the Macsax website:

The MACSAX JALAPEÑO was created to be a tenor saxophone mouthpiece for a player who wants to soar above a band with a clear and even tone. The sound of this mouthpiece is bright and projecting, while maintaining a thick core sound we all like in a tenor sax mouthpiece. This mouthpiece was designed to be played in pop or rock settings, but it is also extremely fitting for a soloist in front of a big band or in a jazz fusion group. If you are looking for a sax mouthpiece to make you stand out in the crowd, the JALAPEÑO tenor saxophone mouthpiece is the mouthpiece for you.

Each MACSAX JALAPEÑO is made from a solid rod of brass with a green marbled hard rubber bite plate which is CNC milled for a very consistent and high quality tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tip, rails, table and baffle of the Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece all look perfectly crafted. The window of the mouthpiece looks extra long and wide in comparison to my other tenor sax mouthpieces. This extra long window is a feature of all the Macsax tenor sax mouthpieces to let more of the reed vibrate and resonate while playing. The side rails and tip rail look thin, even and precise. The tip rail is close to the shape of my Rigotti Gold reeds although the outside curve of the tip rail looks to bend towards the side rail a little bit sooner than the shape of my Rigotti Gold reeds but it is really close in shape.

I would describe the baffle as a high baffle. The baffle is higher than the Macsax Soco and Queso model tenor saxophone mouthpieces I have already reviewed. The baffle heads at a straight angle for about 7/8 of an inch and then curves to a steeper rate of decline until it terminates at the edge of the chamber.

The sidewalls are straight as they head back to the chamber as well. The chamber is the same diameter as the bore of the mouthpiece. The bore of the mouthpiece comes right up to where the baffle ends and the extra long and wide window gives the impression of an extra large chamber area to me because that window takes out material from where the chamber is.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Macsax Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece is slightly thicker in diameter than a typical metal Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Ligatures that fit an Otto Link metal tenor sax mouthpiece will fit on the Macsax metal mouthpieces as well if you open the ligature up a bit. For example, my fabric Rovner ligature for metal tenor mouthpieces worked great on the Jalapeño as did my Selmer 404 silver metal ligature if I opened it up a bit more. (Although, my Francois Louis Ultimate ligature for metal Otto Links would not fit on the Jalapeño mouthpiece as it was too tight)

The bore of the Macsax Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece was similar in diameter to the bore of a typical metal Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece as well and fit on my neck cork nicely.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I found the Macsax Jalapeño 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece to be very free blowing and reed friendly. I tried Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 medium, 2 1/2 strong and 3 light reeds on this mouthpiece and all of them played great. Although I didn’t try harder reeds, I have the impression that the Macsax Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece would have played just as easily with the Rigotti Gold 3 medium or 3 strong reeds.

On the sound clips at the bottom of the review, I tried to show a variety of different sounds that the Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece could get when I was playing it.

• Clip 1 is a dry recording in my office with no reverb or effects on the sound. This is the bare bones natural sound of the Macsax Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece.
• Clip 2 is a recording I made in a big barn close to where I live. I love playing in this barn because of the natural reverb that is present.
• Clip 3 is an added clip that features more altissimo register playing that I decided to add at the end of the review.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Macsax Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great for me with a tone that definitely leans to the brighter side of a tenor saxophone tone at louder volumes but still retains a smooth fattness to the tone. The tone is thick, full and round while having a strong core to it. The more air I pushed through the Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece, the more focused the tone seemed to get just like when I reviewed the Macsax Soco and Queso tenor saxophone mouthpieces. The difference is that while the Soco seemed to retain a round warmth and control, and the Soco is a bit brighter and edgier sounding at louder volumes, the Jalapeño adds even more brightness and power to the mix.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tone was even and smooth throughout the range of the horn. The intonation was really good. I think the extra large chamber is a good fit on my Selmer SBA (Super Balanced Action) tenor sax as many of the notes that tend to be sharper were right on the “0” of the tuner when I checked them which is pretty rare without me having to adjust to get them there.

The low notes sound thick, fat and lush to me and it was easy to play the notes in the lower range of the saxophone and to subtone. The altissimo register was also very clear and super easy to produce. The altissmo register was so easy to play that I think I spent a lot more time playing up there than I usually do on my sound clips so keep that in mind when you listen to the clips.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Just to clarify, when I write that a sax mouthpiece is free blowing, what I mean is that in comparison to other mouthpieces with more resistance the Jalapeño mouthpiece gets to the top volume a lot easier and faster with less air. My impression is that if I blow the amount of air that gives me a 5 on the volume scale of a mouthpiece with resistance (typical Otto Link), that same amount of air might give me a 7 or 8 in volume on the Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece. This is neither good nor bad in my mind but just feels different if you are use to blowing with more resistance and is just something you get used to as you play the mouthpiece.

Free blowing also means that I find that harder reeds work better on the mouthpiece than I might typically use on a mouthpiece with more resistance.

Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I did feel like the Jalapeño did have more volume potential for me than the Macsax Soco and Queso model tenor sax mouthpieces could produce. The Soco could bring me to a solid 9 for volume and the Queso seemed like I could push it to an 11 or 12 if I needed to. The Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece seemed like it could maybe take me to 12-13 with volume but also that the brightness was a bit magnified in comparison to the Queso and Soco tenor sax mouthpieces. It felt like there was more potential for volume with the Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

In my opinion, the Macsax Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece with a focused thick tone that also has a Brecker type of brightness to it. My complaint with other high baffle mouthpiece like Guardala mouthpieces that Michael Brecker used is that the tone can sometimes sound thin and frail in the high register. Macsax has created a high baffle line here with the Jalapeño that can not only give the brightness and power of a Brecker type of concept but also delivers a fatter thicker tone that so many sax players are looking for.

The Macsax Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece would be a great all round tenor mouthpiece for those of you looking for a mouthpiece that can handle multiple styles of music. At soft volumes it is thick and full sounding but at louder volume it gets brighter and more focused to cut through those loud band gigs. If I was playing in a loud R&B or Rock gig I would definitely consider trying the Jalapeño tenor sax mouthpiece for those types of gigs.

I think Jeff Gjertsen and Greg Wilson at Macsax mouthpieces have done a great job with this new Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece. It looks fabulous and plays great! Check out the sound clips below!

Make sure to check out the website at Macsax. Macsax also has a the Soco model tenor saxophone mouthpiece and a Queso model tenor saxophone mouthpiece that both have lower baffles than the Jalapeño model being reviewed today if you are interested in something with a slightly darker, warmer tone.

If you try a Macsax Jalapeño tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thought or comments on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/MacsaxJalDry.mp3 Macsax Jalapeño 8* Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Medium Reed – Dry Recording with No Effects

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/MacsaxJalBarn.mp3 *Macsax Jalapeño 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed – Recorded in Big Barn**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/MacsaxJalAltRev.mp3 *Macsax Jalapeño 8 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Medium Reed-Altissimo Demonstration in Barn**

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece mentioned above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing the Ambika 3 7* gold tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Theo Wanne. I reviewed the first version of the hard rubber Theo Wanne Ambika tenor saxophone mouthpiece over ten years ago when it first came out and am excited to be able to now review this new third version of the Theo Wanne Ambika 3 metal tenor saxophone mouthpiece for you as well. (I can’t believe I have been reviewing saxophone mouthpieces for 15 years now! Wow!)

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Ambika line of Theo Wanne mouthpieces are advertised as Theo Wanne’s darkest and warmest metal tenor saxophone mouthpieces. I reviewed the Theo Wanne Gaia 3 metal tenor saxophone mouthpiece in 2019 which I really loved also and have been curious about this metal Ambika 3 model tenor saxophone mouthpiece as well since it is described as being darker than the Gaia 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

The Theo Wanne Ambika 3 tenor sax mouthpiece was shipped with the usual high standards of the Theo Wanne company. Each mouthpiece comes in a perfectly designed box with stylish gold printing on it with all the details about the mouthpiece inside. Inside the box is a beautiful leatherette Theo Wanne mouthpiece case with the Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece well protected inside.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Ambika 3 metal tenor sax mouthpiece has a built in ligature included called the “Liberty Ligature” that is already attached to the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece comes with a detailed information card with specific directions on how to adjust the built in ligature, the affects on the saxophone tone when the ligature is in different positions and directions on how to change the pressure plates on the ligature.

The Ambika 3 tenor mouthpiece comes with a reed replacer cap which is on the mouthpiece where the reed goes and the ligature is tightened down on the reed replacer cap to protect the mouthpiece in shipping and when you are not playing it.

Although the reed replacer cap is a cool idea, the Ambika 3 tenor mouthpiece does not come with a “regular” mouthpiece cap that you slide on the mouthpiece over the reed and around the ligature. At the time of this review, there is a page on the Theo Wanne website that has new Theo Wanne mouthpiece caps for sale so hopefully he will start including these with his mouthpieces.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As you can see above, the Liberty ligature on the Gold Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is connected to the mouthpiece through screws on the ligature that tighten into holes on the sides of the Ambika 3 mouthpiece. The mouthpiece comes with a hex screwdriver that can be used to loosen these screws and move the ligature forward or backwards in relation to the reed and mouthpiece table.

I personally liked the ligature in the middle hole setting as it puts the ligature plate towards the rear of the saxophone reed allowing the reed to vibrate and flex freely but not so far back that I feel it might not put enough pressure on the reed to seal. I did experiment with the ligature up closer towards the reed tip but felt like the middle hole placement was the best for me.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Even before you look at the Theo Wanne mouthpieces themselves, everything about the Theo Wanne packaging and presentation just speaks to quality and high standards. Just the process of opening the package and unpacking the mouthpiece brings about an excitement and anticipation that this mouthpiece you are about to play is going to be amazing!

Here is how the Theo Wanne website describes the Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

The AMBIKA 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is our darkest mouthpiece. It has a deep, hauntingly gorgeous tone that only poetry can describe.

“The AMBIKA is WAY beyond the vintage mouthpieces. I was playing a vintage link for 20 years, but no more!” – Pat Rizzo (WAR, Sly and the Family Stone, Frank Sinatra)

“The AMBIKA is the only mouthpiece I’ll now use! I can approximate an ol’ school Coleman Hawkins/ Sam Butera sound AND a modern Michael Brecker/ Lenny Pickett sound by just by adjusting my embouchure.” – Karl Hunter (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy)

The AMBIKA 3 has a full bodied sound reminiscent of the vintage 1940’s mouthpieces, but with much improved projection, ease of play, and dynamics.

The Shark Gill Baffle works on the physics principle of ‘boundary layer effect’ pulling the airstream closer to the floor. This allows one to ‘fill’ the mouthpiece more, resulting in increased dynamics. The True Large Chamber is far more accurately produced than any other vintage and new mouthpieces due to our superior machining, which means the design is EXACTLY what Theo intended it to be, not just an approximation.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Metal AMBIKA 3 is plated with 24K gold with Vintified Ligature. The Hard Rubber AMBIKA uses real vintage style hard rubber just like the vintage mouthpieces of the 1940s-50s, and its new thin body allows the premium hard rubber to fully resonate, giving quite a fantastic sound. If you like the vintage sound, you will love the AMBIKA 3. The AMBIKA 3 has an even bigger, fuller sound than the AMBIKA 1 or 2, and greatly increased dynamics and sense of expression.

SOUND * Built to outplay Theo’s very best Vintage New York Tone Master and Master Link Otto Link. Theo succeeded!!! * A deep and haunting sound best left to poetry. Hauntingly dark! * Revolutionary in improving upon the true vintage sound!

DESIGN * Revolutionary Extra Large True Large Chamber, NO baffle, and rounded inner side walls. * Crafted to the highest accuracy in the history of saxophone mouthpieces. * Designed by Theo Wanne, the foremost expert on the design and manufacturing of vintage and new mouthpieces.

DETAILS * Case: Beautiful Leatherette Case! Like the case? See our other Mouthpiece and Reed Cases here! * Finish: Reticulated 24K Gold with highlights on logo (standard), and Vintified (special order). * Serial Number: Includes specific serial number showing care given to your mouthpiece. * Premium Hard Rubber: The Hard Rubber AMBIKA 3 uses the finest vintage style hard rubber on the planet! * Ligatures: The metal AMBIKA 3 includes our integrated two-point contact 24K Gold Plated Liberty Ligature and Alive Gold pressure plate. We recommend the Enlightened Ligature for the Hard Rubber AMBIKA. To truly individualize your sound, try our Premium Pressure Plates, which fit all of our mouthpieces and ligatures! * Cap: Reed Replacer Cap. The most secure cap in the world. * Bite Pad: Our User Replaceable Bite Pads, allow you to peel and stick on new bite pads. Try our varying hardness bite pads to personalize the feel.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is beautifully made and has a perfect looking symmetry and balance to it. The mouthpiece engraving is as perfect as can be. Not a flaw or mistake anywhere. Each mouthpiece has a unique serial number on it which I really love as I know which mouthpiece is mine and if I decide to sell a mouthpiece everyone knows from the serial number that this is the mouthpiece I reviewed on my site.

The tip, rails, baffle, table and chamber all look perfect as well. Smooth, even, symmetrical…….flawless. The sidewalls are scooped out as they head towards what I would describe as an extra large chamber although the very beginning of the sidewalls are straight and form a triangle before the scoop starts. (You can see this “straight sidewall triangle” near the tip in the photo below).

The mouthpiece chamber is bigger in diameter than the bore of the mouthpiece and the bottom floor of the chamber looks to be scooped out starting where the baffle terminates.

The Ambika 3 mouthpiece baffle is described as “no baffle” by Theo Wanne in his description but I wouldn’t describe it as “no baffle” just because the height of it could be lowered. I guess I would describe it as a “low baffle”. There is no rollover baffle at the tip that I can see with my eye and the baffle looks to head straight down to where it terminates with a curve at the beginning of the extra large mouthpiece chamber. The baffle looks to have a slight side to side curve to it.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The new Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a new baffle design with what Theo Wanne calls a “Shark Gill Baffle”. You can see these lines in the picture above.

Here is Theo Wanne’s take on the Ambika 3 Shark Gill Baffle in his own words on SOTW (Sax on the Web):

I know the shark-gill baffle is the obvious visible feature, so I’ll mention that it works with boundary layer effect similar to how a sharks rough skin helps it glide faster through water, or how the dimples on a golf ball help it travel with less resistance through the air. I’ve enjoyed experimenting with this principle as many of the effect of it are counter intuitive, which makes experimenting fun

Note: I have no idea what Theo is talking about in his description of the shark-gill baffle above but I have enough respect for his knowledge that I will trust his opinion of this feature even though I am a bit skeptical by nature.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Ambika 3 played great with an Ishimori Woodstone 3 1/2 tenor saxophone reed. Actually, I liked the way it played so much with the Woodstone tenor reed, that I didn’t try any other reeds on the Ambika 3 tenor sax mouthpiece. The tip shape of the Ambika 3 mouthpiece matched the tip shape of the Woodstone reed perfectly and the 3 1/2 reed was the perfect strength for the 7* (.105) tip opening in my opinion.

The Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece was indeed on the darker side of the tenor saxophone tone spectrum. From the very first note it just had a very warm, dark and full bodied tenor saxophone sound to it. I loved the thick richness of the husky tenor sax tone which was very even and full from the bottom of the saxophone and up into the palm keys.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Ambika 3 tenor sax mouthpiece also had a nice core focus to the dark tone. I find that many darker tenor saxophone mouthpieces have a more spread and diffused tone to them but the Ambika still has a nice focused roundness to it’s tone that I really loved.

The Ambika 3 tenor sax mouthpiece is probably a 7-8 on my 1-10 volume scale. It gets a descent amount of volume but because the tone lacks the brightness and volume of a higher baffled mouthpiece I would give it a 7-8. Also keep in mind that the mouthpiece I played before the Ambika 3 mouthpiece was the Theo Wanne Shiva 3 which is probably one of the loudest most powerful mouthpieces I have ever played. That review will be following shortly……..

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the Theo Wanne Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is excellent. Many of the notes that I find sharp on my Selmer SBA tenor saxophone were close to perfectly in-tune when I looked down at my tuner while warming up with the Ambika 3 mouthpiece. I was quite surprised by how in-tune it was.

The low notes were thick and lush and so beautiful sounding that I really didn’t want to even use the subtone effect to soften them. The altissimo range was easy to produce and the notes in that higher range of the saxophone were round and sweet sounding.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clip below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the Theo Wanne Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles. I find the clip below interesting to listen to just because of the absence of brightness and edge in the recording as you listen. Of course, it is not 100% absent but it struck me as I listened to the recording how much reduced the brightness is compared to other saxophone sound clips I have recorded.

I demonstrate the sound of the Ambika 3 tenor mouthpiece with all my usual lines and melodies so if you want to compare it to my other sound clips and reviews, you should be able to find many of the same lines to compare this sound clip to.

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Theo Wanne Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great metal tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a warm, dark mouthpiece for jazz playing. In one of the quotes above, Karl Hunter writes that he can morph into a Michael Brecker/Lenny Pickett vibe on the Ambika 3 tenor sax mouthpiece. I personally found the Ambika 3 too dark for the Brecker/Pickett vibe for me, but I did get a cool Dexter Gordon kind of vibe at times which I totally dug.

If you like the sound and look of the Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Theo Wanne, you can find them at Theo Wanne’s website. I have agreed to be an affiliate for Theo Wanne so if you purchase a Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece from this link, neffmusic.com will receive a small commission on the sale. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews and articles coming to you…..).

If you are lucky enough to play a Theo Wanne Ambika 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/TWAmbika.mp3 *Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Ishimori Woodstone 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects*

Disclosure: I borrowed the sample mouthpiece reviewed above in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. I will be sending it back after this review. If you purchase a Theo Wanne mouthpiece through the link I provided in the review, I will receive a small commission that helps to support my work here at neffmusic.com. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am again reviewing one of my favorite tenor saxophone mouthpieces, my beloved Lamberson J7 hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece that I have had for about 14+ years. I reviewed the Lamberson J7 many years ago here on the site but the original Lamberson J7 review is pretty lame compared to my standards for reviews these days. I wrote one measly paragraph that had few specific details about the Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece I was reviewing and only provided a short 1:36 minute sound clip demonstration of the J7 mouthpiece.

Now, 14-15 years later, I figure it is time to revisit this fabulous Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece and post an updated review with more photos, details and sound clips.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I had read a lot about Lamberson saxophone mouthpieces back in the early to mid 2000’s on SOTW (Sax on the Web) and was very curious about these Lamberson mouthpieces. Until that point in my life, I had always played metal mouthpieces on my tenor sax but was interested in finding a hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece that would still give me the power and volume I needed to cut through when gigging with loud bands. The talk and chatter on most saxophone chat rooms and forums back then about powerful hard rubber tenor mouthpieces was mostly focused on Lamberson and RPC tenor sax mouthpieces. I decided I wanted to try a Lamberson tenor sax mouthpiece………

I purchased this used Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece from a seller online after communicating back and forth about it. I had never tried a Lamberson sax mouthpiece before and although I was nervous about the purchase, the seller seemed pretty excited by how this mouthpiece played for him. He didn’t sound like he was just pumping the hype to sell this tenor mouthpiece so I took a chance and bought it from him. (Thanks G!)

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a 7 tip opening which on the Lamberson tip opening scale is a .110 tip opening (this is usually an 8 tip with most other tenor mouthpiece makers).

Lamberson describes the J7 mouthpiece on his website as:

The Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece is an L model(This is my traditional jazz mouthpiece. The bore and baffle are a copy of a 1950’s metal Link that Pharoah Sanders gave me. It has evolved somewhat over the years, but is still as close as I get to the old Link sound), modified to have almost no baffle, it is my darkest piece. It has an almost imperceptible amount of baffle, but I have heard from many players that say the sound is so huge that they don’t need a baffle.-Fred Lamberson

Basically, the Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is designed like a 1950’s metal Otto Link but with less baffle in the mouthpiece. Fred Lamberson describes it as having almost no baffle!

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

When the Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece first arrived, I was disappointed in how bad the chamber of the J7 tenor mouthpiece looked (see photos below). I held it up to the light and was alarmed to see major gouging and pitting all over the chamber. Instead of immediately freaking out, I decided to give the J7 mouthpiece a try. I had played other mouthpieces throughout the years that looked rough in the chamber that played incredibly well, so I knew that the cosmetic look of the chamber did not necessarily mean that this Lamberson J7 mouthpiece would not play well.

The tip, rails and table look even, flat and well crafted. The tip rail is nice and thin, and it’s shape perfectly matches the shape of the saxophone reeds I used on it.

The baffle of the Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is probably one of the lowest baffles I have seen of all the sax mouthpieces I have reviewed over the years. From the tip of the J7 mouthpiece to the chamber is almost a straight line. There looks to be a very slight rollover at the tip but then the baffle heads straight towards the rear of the mouthpiece chamber. The baffle floor has a side to side scoop to it and the sidewalls are scooped out as well.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a thinner beak profile than many other tenor saxophone mouthpieces. It feels much thinner than a typical hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece beak profile. I actually find the Lamberson J7’s thinner beak profile to be much more comfortable for my tastes. It also seems like the thinner beak profile gives me more resonance through the hard rubber when playing that I can feel through my upper teeth and hear inside my head. This is especially noticeable when I don’t use a mouthpiece patch.

The body of the J7 tenor sax mouthpiece is slightly larger than a typical hard rubber Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece body. I find that typical hard rubber tenor sax ligatures that fit on hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces will just barely fit on the front of the body of the J7 tenor mouthpiece. If you like to position your ligatures more towards the rear of the saxophone reed and mouthpiece like I do, then you will probably need a slightly larger mouthpiece ligature. I find that my Francois Louis Ultimate ligature fits perfectly on the Lamberson J7 and I can easily move it towards the rear of the reed when I choose to.

I have also found the Francois Louis ligature to be my favorite ligature on the Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece because it seems to add more focus to the warmer more spread tenor sax tone that I really like when comparing it to other ligatures.

The hard rubber that Fred Lamberson uses for the Lamberson J7 tenor mouthpiece is excellent in my opinion. I’m not a hard rubber expert in any way, but there is something about the hard rubber of the Lamberson mouthpieces that I find to be really resonant. It also has that vintage hard rubber smell to it that I have grown to love.

Here is what Fred writes about his hard rubber on his website:

RUBBER*, known as EBONITE*, is imported from Germany and contains no plastic in its composition. Mouthpieces with added plastic make the sound thin, bright and edgy. They have a notable lack of warmth and control. Also, the pitch of a hard rubber mouthpiece with plastic in it is less stable whereas with genuine hard rubber it is spot on even when you blow hard. Rubber creates a rich warm sound that resonates freely, even with the DD baffle. Other good qualities of rubber are that it plays well in tune and can be played in a variety of styles and dynamics.

Fred Lamberson also makes mouthpiece out of 1920 hard rubber which is described as producing a darker tone by Fred Lamberson. I have a review of a Lamberson J7 1920 tenor sax mouthpiece here.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a very unique blow to it. There is something about the facing curve that likes soft reeds and more specifically, Vandoren Java 2 1/2 tenor saxophone reeds. I believe that I had someone measure the Lamberson facing curve at one point and I remember them telling me that it had a facing length of 48 which is a slightly shorter facing than most of my other tenor mouthpieces that are at 50.

I also seem to remember that person telling me that the J7 tenor mouthpiece had a unique facing curve on it that created some added resistance in their opinion. The shorter facing does not perform as well with Rigotti Gold tenor sax reeds and many of the other reed brands I have tried on it. The Rigotti Gold reeds have a hard edge to the tone with the Lamberson J7 mouthpiece that I really don’t like. Vandoren Java Green box 2 1/2 tenor sax reeds play incredibly well on this J7 mouthpiece though. Usually Vandoren 2 1/2 reeds are way too soft for most of my tenor sax mouthpieces but the Lamberson J7 has enough resistance built into the facing curve that the Vandoren Java 2 1/2 reeds feel perfect to me on the .110 tip opening.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with a view of the rough looking chamber

In my first review of the Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece that I posted in 2007, I described it as having “mystical properties that I don’t understand”. This is still true now some 14 years later. The J7 gets way more brights, focus and volume than a tenor mouthpiece with this low of a baffle should get in my opinion.

When I look at the photo of the baffle above, I think that this mouthpiece will be a darker playing mouthpiece that probably doesn’t have a lot of power and volume. What surprised me about the Lamberson J7 tenor mouthpiece was that although the Lamberson J7 is incredibly warm and dark sounding at soft volumes, it can really ramp up the volume and brightness when played at full blast.

As I say in my old review, this Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a very versatile tenor sax mouthpiece for me. I’ve played tons of jazz gigs on this J7 tenor sax mouthpiece plus an equal amount of loud dance sets. Looking at the Lamberson J7 sax mouthpiece, you wouldn’t think it could cut a loud dance set but I could get enough highs, edge and volume out of it to make it work. Here’s a clip of the Lamberson J7 with a loud wedding band I used to be in.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with a view of the rough looking chamber

The tone of the Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece is incredibly rich, thick and organic to my ears. There is something about the Lamberson J7 that just feels so right to me as I play it. When I recorded the clips below, I was amazed at how comfortable I felt on the J7 mouthpiece. I haven’t played it in years, and it just played so easily with the first Vandoren 2 1/2 reed I put on it.

The intonation of the Lamberson J7 is excellent as well. I usually state that the intonation is good and as expected when the notes that are sharp on my sax are the usual sharpness I have come to expect. The Lamberson J7 is surprising in that the notes that are usually pretty sharp on my sax, like the middle E, are much closer in tune than usual. I think this is due to the larger chamber, lower baffle and the unique way the Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece blows.

The altissimo on the Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece is also very easy to produce and work with. I think that the built in resistance in the facing curve lends itself to the altissimo range because you have some resistance to blow against to achieve those altissimo notes and shape them.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with a view of the rough looking chamber

The Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpieces biggest strength is in the low notes of the saxophone. I just love playing on the lower range of the tenor saxophone with this J7 sax mouthpiece. The low notes are full, textured, rich and in a way that is hard to describe, both spread and focused at the same time. Usually I describe a mouthpiece as having a more spread tone or a more focused tone but the Lamberson J7 seems to be the rare mouthpiece that seems to be able to have both spread and focused qualities to my ears.

The spread tone makes it sound fat and lush during a jazz set but the focus of the tone is enough that the focused tone, brightness and volume can be picked up easily by a mic and cut through on a loud gig.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-view from the bore end of the mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece perform in different styles. I have included four sound clips.

• The first sound clip below is of my usual variety of jazz lines and melodies that I play on most reviews.
• The second sound clip below is a couple choruses of a mellow Bb concert blues.
• The third sound clip below is a louder altissimo focused sound clip with added reverb.
• The last sound clip is a “live” clip recorded from a wedding gig some 15+ years ago on the Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece. This is a good reflection of how the J7 mouthpiece sounds through a sound system with a loud band.

As has been my habit lately, I have added some reverb to the altissimo clip number three for those of you who like to check out the sax recordings with reverb added also. I try not to put a lot of reverb on the clip, but just enough to thicken the sound a little bit. The reason I think reverb is good to add to the clips is that you can get an idea of how the sax mouthpiece might sound in a room with natural reverb like a garage or in a recording studio with some effects added.

Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Before I close out this review, I just want to address the issue of the incredibly rough looking chamber of this J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece. In this modern age of ours, I have talked to so many sax players over the years that have equated physical symmetry and perfection to a perfect saxophone sound. Although symmetry and balance are incredibly important in facing curves, some of the best mouthpieces I have played over the years have had crooked facings, crooked baffles and mouthpiece chambers that look rough. What I have learned is that the roughest looking mouthpieces can sometimes play the best.

I have talked to sax players that were upset about a physical imperfection and when I ask them how the mouthpiece played, they say they didn’t play it but just sent it back without trying it. In my mind, the greatest mouthpiece craftsman are the ones who try out their mouthpieces as they work on them. I don’t know how Fred Lamberson works, but I like to think he tried this J7 mouthpiece while making it and perhaps thought, “This is perfect!” and left it just the way it is rather than make the chamber perfect and perhaps lose the magic of how it played in the process. That is what I imagine anyways. Regardless of all that, I love the way this Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece plays and I really could care less how the chamber looks in the least. What is important to me, first and foremost, is how a mouthpiece plays!

In my opinion, the Lamberson J7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece plays incredibly well! For those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece with a warmer tone that leans a bit to the darker side of the tenor sax tone spectrum but can still deliver brightness and power, this would be a great choice for a tenor sax mouthpiece in my opinion. You can check out the full line of Lamberson mouthpieces at Lamberson mouthpieces.

As of this review, Fred Lamberson offers a two week trial period which is rare in the mouthpiece world. From my communications with Fred, his main concern and focus is providing the right mouthpiece for each sax player. I get the impression that that is his mission and passion in life. In my opinion, he is great at it! Contact Fred Lamberson and find out for yourself!

If you try a Lamberson J7 tenor sax mouthpiece or have any thought or comments on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/LambersonJ72021Jazz.mp3 *Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Various Jazz Lines and Assorted Melodies(No Reverb)-Vandoren Java 2 1/2 Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/LambersonJ72021Blues.mp3 *Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Blues(No Reverb)-Vandoren Java 2 1/2 Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/LambersonJ72021AltisRev.mp3 *Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Altissimo Clip (Reverb Added)-Vandoren Java 2 1/2 Reed*

https://www.neffmusic.com/images/mp3/Get%20Down%20J7.mp3 *Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Live Clip from Gig in mid-2000’s-Vandoren Java 2 1/2 Reed*

Disclosure: I bought the mouthpiece mentioned above used in the mid-2000’s. I sold it once, but then pleaded with the buyer to let me buy it back later because I missed it so much. I have vowed to not sell it again. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am comparing three new SYOS Originals series soprano saxophone mouthpieces. SYOS mouthpieces has released this new Originals SYOS line of mouthpieces this month to give saxophone players a simpler way to order a quality mouthpiece at a more affordable price point (about 185 US dollars at the time of this review).

The SYOS Originals series comes in three models for tenor, alto and soprano saxophone. There is the Smoky model soprano sax mouthpiece which is describes as a dark sound, ample and warm. The Steady model soprano sax mouthpiece which is described as balanced and flexible across all registers and the Spark model soprano sax mouthpiece which is described as free-blowing and bright with great projection. All three soprano saxophone mouthpieces that I am reviewing today have a 7 tip opening.

SYOS Originals Series Smoky (Blue), Sparkle (Orange) and Steady (White) Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpieces

The SYOS company hit the saxophone mouthpiece scene a few years ago and immediately caught the world’s attention by producing these really bright colored 3D printed saxophone mouthpieces made of plastic at a more reasonable price than conventional saxophone mouthpieces.

Although today’s review is of mouthpieces in the colors of white, blue, and orange, you can order SYOS saxophone mouthpieces in almost any color you can think of.

Syos now has three series of saxophone mouthpieces that you can order:

• The New Originals Series–Syos Originals embodies the finest in Syos acoustic expertise, a streamlined collection of easy-to-play mouthpieces for every type of saxophone. Pick a dark (Smoky), balanced (Steady) or bright tone (Spark) and get the sound that was promised immediately.
• The Signature Series-Discover the Syos signature selection: we developed each of these saxophone mouthpieces with a Syos artist. If you find their style of music matches yours, you can order the same mouthpiece design as your favorite artist plays.
• The Custom Series-Get a 100% custom mouthpiece made with you and for you.

Here is a few comments about the brand new SCAL3D material SYOS mouthpieces are made from in case you are curious:

Syos debuts innovative SCAL3D material and new Originals collection

Over the last two years, Syos has worked tirelessly with leading French experts in additive manufacturing technologies to develop the ultimate material for premium quality 3D printed mouthpiece production.

Today we are proud to present a revolution in 3D printing materials: SCAL3D. Mouthpieces made in SCAL3D are of unparalleled quality, with a flawless table and pristine finish. Unlike ebonite, SCAL3D does not contain sulfur, the chemical element that turns mouthpieces green and can become toxic over time. SCAL3D is certified free of endocrine disruptors, is impact-proof and scored the highest in our accelerated aging study.

Creating this new material gave us the opportunity to design our own colors, deeper and more elegant than the ones before. We hope you’ll find them as compelling as we do!

Since 2016, Syos has come to be known for the precision and repeatability of its mouthpieces. Along with this new material comes a fully upgraded production facility, allowing us to set new standards in manufacturing accuracy.

SYOS Originals Smoky Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

First, I’ll start with the darkest of the three SYOS Original series soprano saxophone mouthpieces. This model is called the “Smoky” model. The Smoky soprano sax mouthpiece has “Smoky” engraved on the side of the mouthpiece as well as the SYOS symbol engraved on the top of the mouthpiece. On the inside bore of each mouthpiece is engraved “Made in France” as well as what looks like a serial number.

The table, tip and rails look fairly even and the mouthpiece table has a bit of a texture to it that you can see and feel when you rub your fingers over the table. This texture does not effect the sealing of the reed on this mouthpiece or any of the other SYOS saxophone mouthpieces I have reviewed to date as they have all sealed fine when applying the suction test.

SYOS Originals Smoky Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tip rail matched up fairly well with the Vandoren Java #3 soprano sax reeds I used on it. The #3 Java reed was a good strength for the 7 tip opening which measures to .070.

The three SYOS soprano sax mouthpieces that I received to review came with one slide on SYOS round ligature (three would have been nice, but I’m not complaining….). You just slide the round ligature over the mouthpiece with the reed on it as far as it will slide on and it holds the reed tightly to the saxophone mouthpiece.

Although the ligature seemed to work fine, I found it was a bit of a pain to get off and on each mouthpiece once I had it firmly placed. I chose to use a Rovner fabric saxophone ligature I have that fit the diameter of the SYOS soprano saxophone mouthpieces so I could adjust the tightness of the ligature how I wanted it.

The diameter of these SYOS soprano sax mouthpieces is a bit larger than other brands of soprano sax mouthpieces. My Theo Wanne Enlightened soprano saxophone ligature was too small for these SYOS mouthpieces and my Vandoren Optimum soprano sax ligature just barely fit on them. The table that holds the reed with that ligature was holding the reed at a weird angle with the rear of the plate not even touching the saxophone reed. If you don’t end up using the SYOS circular slide-on ligature you might have to dig through your saxophone ligature collection to find a good fit.

SYOS Originals Smoky Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

As you can see in the photo above, the baffle of the Smoky model soprano sax mouthpiece is a long rollover baffle that rolls over all the way to the rear of the chamber where the bore of the mouthpiece starts. The rollover looks to start gradually and then descend at a quicker curve closer to the mouthpiece chamber.

I would describe the mouthpiece chamber of the SYOS Smoky soprano sax mouthpiece as a medium large chamber compared to my Theo Wanne Gaia soprano sax mouthpiece which I consider a large chamber. Of the three SYOS Originals soprano sax mouthpieces, it does look to have the largest chamber of the three soprano mouthpieces.

The sidewalls of the mouthpiece feel like they are scooped out as they head towards the chamber and the roof of the chamber looks to be an average thickness (see photo below)

SYOS Originals Smoky Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS Smoky soprano sax mouthpiece played easily with the Vandoren #3 reed and gave me a darker, warmer, fat sound on the soprano saxophone. The tone seemed more spread than focused to me. I felt like the notes had a beautiful soft roundness to them that I really loved. Even at a loud volume that soft roundness was still there.

The intonation was good and what I would expect on the soprano sax. The tone was even and smooth throughout the range of the soprano saxophone. I could play fast with no problem on this SYOS Smoky soprano sax mouthpiece and all the notes blended well together as you can hear from all the fast lines I am playing on the sound clip below.

Besides the fast lines, I also tried to play a variety of melodies so you can hear how this mouthpiece sounds when playing simple melodies as I feel that is the best way to judge the tone of a saxophone mouthpiece. I thought the SYOS Smoky soprano sax mouthpiece sound killer on the slower ballad melodies I played.

You can hear the sound clips below. I have posted a clip that was recorded “dry” with no effects or reverb as well as the exact same clip with reverb. I personally like the clips with reverb the most just because I like to add reverb to the soprano sax when I play it on gigs just to fatten up the sound. Also, there is nothing better than playing a soprano sax in a huge church or hall and hearing it bouncing around the room. I love that……..

SYOS Originals Steady Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The second SYOS Originals soprano saxophone mouthpiece to review was the Steady model. This mouthpiece also has the same engravings on the mouthpiece except of course that the model engraving reads “Steady”. This mouthpiece is white which I really do not like. I find white mouthpiece just so hard to place a saxophone reed on with my fifty year old bad eyesight. They are also incredibly hard to take good photos of for the record. (Note to SYOS: Please do not send me any more white mouthpieces…….)

SYOS Originals Steady Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tip, rails, table and baffle look even and have the same texture of the first mouthpiece reviewed above.

The baffle of the SYOS Steady model soprano sax mouthpiece looks to start at the same angle as the Smoky model soprano mouthpiece but then looks like it has a few stages of baffle that descend at a greater angle than the Smoky model mouthpiece (you can see these stages in the photo above).

There also seems to be less baffle in the Steady model soprano sax mouthpiece before the chamber and in the floor of the chamber than the Smoky model mouthpiece has. Even though the Smokey model mouthpiece looks to have a bigger chamber than the Steady model mouthpiece, that lower baffle floor entering the chamber in the Steady model, probably increases the chamber a bit. I’d be curious which soprano mouthpiece actually has the bigger chamber between the two of these soprano sax mouthpieces.

SYOS Originals Steady Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

You can see in the photo above, that the Steady mouthpiece chamber looks a little bit smaller than the Smokey model soprano mouthpiece. The sidewalls are scooped out similarly. The outside of the Smoky and Steady soprano saxophone mouthpieces look to be exactly the same in length and diameter.

The SYOS Steady model soprano mouthpiece played great with the same Vandoren Java #3 soprano saxophone reed as I used on the Smoky model soprano sax mouthpiece. In fact, I used the same exact soprano saxophone reed on all three of these soprano sax mouthpieces for this review and it worked great for all three mouthpieces. I am assuming they have identical mouthpiece facing curves since I usually can’t use the same reed on multiple saxophone mouthpieces without encountering issues.

SYOS Originals Steady Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS Steady model soprano sax mouthpiece played slightly brighter than the Smoky model mouthpiece as you would expect with the smaller looking chamber. The tone was still fat but I think it was a little less spread and had a bit more focus to the tone.

I did feel like the SYOS Steady soprano sax mouthpiece was a bit more easy to shape the tone with my airflow and embouchure than the Smoky model mouthpiece was. I can best describe it as a faster response to airflow changes and bottom lip movement. I notice this even more with the next SYOS soprano mouthpiece up for review, the Spark model mouthpiece. I think the decreased chamber size seems to make the air flowing through the mouthpiece more concentrated so that the slightest changes effect the tone and response quicker. At least that is what I’m thinking.

The intonation was within normal limits and the tone was even and smooth throughout the range of the horn.

SYOS Originals Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

Lastly up for review is the brightest mouthpiece of the three which is the SYOS Originals Spark model soprano saxophone mouthpiece. This mouthpiece is bright orange which I think looks pretty cool. The Spark soprano saxophone mouthpiece is pretty much the same as far as engravings and mouthpiece condition as the two mouthpieces I have already written about above.

SYOS Originals Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tip, rails, table and baffle all look nice and even with no sloppiness or imperfections. The table has that same texture to it as the other two SYOS Originals mouthpieces but the Java reed sealed fine on it, so no worries.

The SYOS Spark soprano saxophone mouthpiece is a bit longer than the Steady and Smoky model soprano mouthpieces. The bore length of the mouthpiece looks longer to me. I guess this is because the Spark mouthpiece has a much smaller chamber and the extra length of the body makes it so the mouthpiece doesn’t have to be positioned way out on the saxophone cork to be in tune. This was a smart move by SYOS because a lot of sax players, including me, don’t like a mouthpiece sitting way out on the end of our neck corks. Good job SYOS!

SYOS Originals Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle of the Spark model soprano saxophone mouthpiece actually looks a little bit lower than the Steady and Smoky model soprano mouthpiece baffles initially. After the initial descent, the angle of the baffle drop is not as great as the Steady and Smoky model baffles and the baffle ends at a higher height right below a pea sized opening into the bore (see photo below). I usually refer to these soprano mouthpiece chambers as pea-sized chambers.

SYOS Originals Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS Originals Spark model soprano saxophone mouthpiece played great with the same Vandoren Java #3 soprano saxophone reed that I used on the Smoky and Steady model mouthpieces. The tone of the Spark soprano sax mouthpiece was much brighter, more concentrated and much more focused in my opinion.

Above, I wrote that the Steady model soprano mouthpiece made it really easy to shape and manipulate the tone of the soprano with my airflow and embouchure and this is even more true for the Spark model soprano sax mouthpiece. I could really feel a super fast response to airflow changes and bottom lip movement when I was using vibrato. It was really easy to be expressive and play what I was imagining with that quick response.

I will admit, I really do prefer this SYOS Spark soprano saxophone mouthpiece with reverb added to the recording. For me it just balances out the brightness and makes a brighter soprano saxophone tone more thick, fat and beautiful sounding.

The intonation of the SYOS Spark soprano sax mouthpiece was within normal limits and the tone was even and smooth throughout the range of the horn.

As far as volume, I think all three mouthpieces can put out some major volume on the soprano sax, but the difference between the three mouthpiece is more about the brightness and focus of that volume than the volume in my opinion. I don’t think the Spark mouthpiece is louder than the Smoky and the Steady because I could put a whole lot more air through the latter than I could through that pea sized opening of the Spark mouthpiece. That being said, the Spark had a lot more brightness and focus to the tone so those two ingredients put together usually mean a mouthpiece can cut through a loud mix pretty well.

SYOS Originals Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

Wow! SYOS really did a great job with this new line up of the Originals series soprano saxophone mouthpieces. Check out the sound clips below. They run a little longer than my usual mouthpiece review clips but that is because I was having so much fun! If you like the sound and look of these new Originals soprano saxophone mouthpieces by SYOS, you can find them at the SYOS website. Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale when you use this link to purchase a SYOS mouthpiece which helps support this website, so thank you in advance!

The other great thing about the SYOS Originals saxophone mouthpieces are the price point. As of today, the SYOS Originals sax mouthpieces are at about 157.50 EUROS (Approximately 185 USD as of today), which in my mind is a great price for a saxophone mouthpiece that plays this well.

If you have any other thoughts or comments about this comparison, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

SYOS Originals Series Smoky (Blue), Sparkle (Orange) and Steady (White) Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpieces

SYOS Originals Series Soprano Sax Mouthpiece Comparison-Reverb Added *For best results, it is best to listen to these clips with good speakers or headphones.

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/SYOSSmokeyReverb2.mp3 SYOS Originals Smoky Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java #3 Reed

Here is a few highlights from the SYOS Smoky model soprano saxophone mouthpiece:

• Bewitched 2:00
• Fast Legato Tonguing 3:51
• Moose the Mooche 3:59
• Everything Happens to Me 4:11
• I Can’t Get Started 4:36

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/SYOSSteadyReverb3.mp3 SYOS Originals Steady Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java #3 Reed

Here is a few highlights from the SYOS Steady model soprano saxophone mouthpiece:

• Green Dolphin Street Improv 1:26
• I Can’t Get Started 2:07
• Someday My Prince Will Come 2:57
• Fast Legato Tonguing 3:17
• Blues 3:24

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/SYOSSparkleReverb3.mp3 SYOS Originals Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java #3 Reed

Here is a few highlights from the SYOS Spark model soprano saxophone mouthpiece:

• I Can’t Get Started :35
• Green Dolphin Street Improv 1:11
• Blues 2:24
• Fast Legato Tonguing 2:33
• Amazing Grace 3:24

SYOS Originals Series Soprano Sax Mouthpiece Comparison-Dry Recording (No Reverb) https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/SYOSSopSmokey7.mp3 *SYOS Originals Smoky Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java #3 Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/SYOSSopSteady7.mp3 *SYOS Originals Steady Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java #3 Reed*

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/SYOSSopSparkle7.mp3 *SYOS Originals Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java #3 Reed*

If you like the sound and look of these new Originals soprano saxophone mouthpieces by SYOS, you can find them at the SYOS website. Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale when you use this link to purchase a SYOS mouthpiece which helps support this website, so thank you in advance!

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpieces compared above for free in the hope that I would try them and perhaps review them on my blog. I also receive a small commission when you purchase from the SYOS link above that helps to support this site. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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I am incredibly excited to share this full 17 page transcription in Bb of Mike Tucker and Tucker Antell taking absolutely ridiculous tenor sax solos over the tune “The Eternal Triangle”. I had started this transcription over two years ago and gotten four choruses into it when I got distracted with other matters. Luckily, a young man named Wesley Chin, was more determined than I was, and finished the whole 17 page solo of the two Tuckers doing battle over this burnin’ tune! These two tenor sax players are totally amazing and this video and the sax playing on it is just insane!

Thanks so much for Wesley Chin for completing this and agreeing to share it here on my site with all of you! Wesley has a website at wesleychin.com where he has many more transcriptions as well as some transcription books he has had published. Check out his great work! You can find a link to the PDF of the full 17 page solo at the bottom of the page.

I first heard of Mike Tucker years ago when I came upon a recording of Mike playing a gig with George Garzone. It had a “Live at the Lighthouse Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman sound” to the recording with Mike Tucker on the tenor sax and George Garzone on the soprano sax. Mike Tucker sounded amazing and I have been a fan ever since! Here is Mike Tucker’s website if you want to find out more information on him. He has been touring with Arturo Sandoval for the last four years.

Tucker Antell I have heard about more recently. He’s a phenomenal player with incredible technique and endless ideas and energy. I bought his CD “Grime Scene” last year and it is a great album. Here is Tucker Antell’s website if you want to find out more about him. When I saw videos of these two great players doing a gig together, I had to check them out ASAP! Enjoy! These are two incredible sax players that deserve wider recognition. Check them out! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

The Eternal Triangle (original video) – Mike Tucker and Tucker Antell (solo starts at :37) The Eternal Triangle (video with transcription) – Mike Tucker and Tucker Antell (solo starts at :37) Eternal Triangle-Two Tuckers Full Solo (17 pages)

*If you would like to support me here at neffmusic.com, you can do so on the support page of my store by debit or credit card. Any support is appreciated and will go towards keeping this site running, saxophone reeds, mouthpiece patches, coffee, and towards justifying the many hours I spend on providing free transcriptions to the saxophone community! Thanks, Steve If you love what you see here at Neffmusic, get a “Neffmusic Lesson Subscription“, which will give you all the lessons you need to improve your saxophone playing and become a great improviser!! Lessons are downloadable and yours to keep!

Enough Lesson to Last Years!!

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Today, I am reviewing the GetASax GS SLANT model tenor saxophone mouthpiece, that is a replica of a great playing, original facing, 7* Florida Otto Link Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece. These cool white mouthpieces are made by Brian at GetASax.com. I have already reviewed the GetASax GS RESO tenor sax mouthpiece as well as the GS FG RESO tenor sax mouthpiece which were both copies of two phenomenal Otto Link Reso Chamber tenor saxophone mouthpieces. I have been looking forward to reviewing this GetASax GS SLANT tenor mouthpiece as well and today is the day……….

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The GetASax GS SLANT 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a very precise copy of Brian at GetASax’s favorite Florida Otto Link Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Brian is the owner of GetASax and has over 750 saxophone mouthpieces in his collection so when he says that this is a replica of one of his favorite saxophone mouthpieces, we should pay attention.

I have never played an original Otto Link Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece just because they are so darn expensive ($1200+ dollars) but these new reproductions from GetASax are only $199 which is a great deal for a copy of a world class vintage Otto Link Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece!

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The most notable players that I know that played an Otto Link Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece at one time or another are Stan Getz, Jerry Bergonzi, Joshua Redman, David Newman and Joel Frahm (I am sure I am forgetting a bunch of other players).

Here is how Brian at GetASax describes the GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece on his website at GetaSax.com:

“The big idea here is to let you experience the magic of the best mouthpieces I have ever played, for a price that makes them widely accessible for the first time.

The GetASax GS SLANT is an extremely precise copy of my BEST vintage Otto Link Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece. More precisely, it’s a copy of an original facing 7 Florida Slant Signature Otto Link Tone Edge* tenor mouthpiece in perfect original condition.

This is the version of the ‘Slant’ that nearly everybody wants. It’s the most iconic and desirable hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece ever made. When I hear people describing their ideal tenor saxophone tone online, it’s most frequently a description of what a good vintage Otto Link Slant tenor sax mouthpiece sounds like: Dark and powerful, with a good amount of focus and projection. Brightens up and projects when pushed, but never thins out. Super even across all registers. Tunes great on almost any saxophone whether vintage or modern. That’s what the GS SLANT gives you, for only 15% the cost of an original vintage Otto Link Slant Tone Edge tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Compared to the GS RESO, the GS SLANT is a little brighter and punchier (but not bright), and more focused (though still warm and full). It has an instantly recognizable 50’s-60’s jazz tenor tone.

If you’re a pro looking for the best do-it-all jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece for an affordable price, I think you’d be hard pressed to beat the GS SLANT. It really captures the magic of the original mouthpiece, and that is saying a lot. It’s the only Slant copy I’ve seen that exactly copies a vintage Slant. Even upgrading to a vintage Link Slant at 8x the price wouldn’t actually sound better! And if you’re an amateur or younger player looking for your first good mouthpiece, this gives you the chance to jump right to an excellent mouthpiece that is completely hand faced, without messing with a bunch of machine faced intermediate mouthpieces.

Finishing:

Each GS Slant gets carefully hand faced and finished before coming to you. This is super important. The magic of a mouthpiece is in the facing. If you buy a generic, mass-produced mouthpiece, chances are the table is not flat and the facing is uneven between the side rails. As a result, the reed vibrates unevenly. It feels stuffy and dead, resistant, and all-around disappointing to play. SO many people have this problem, whether they know it or not. I don’t know how many players I’ve helped to get their first actually good mouthpiece, and all of a sudden playing is fun!

Since we flatten the table, you get an easy reed seal. There are no print lines or marks messing up the facing. It’s smooth and perfect like a boutique mouthpiece. The facing is also finished by hand, which is a BIG plus. I’m really picky about this, so I learned to do it myself so I could be sure these pieces were actually the same as the great facings on the original mouthpieces. Each facing is measured at ten points to make sure that it is even and consistent throughout.**

Mouthpiece facings are unforgiving. Small problems can make a big difference in playability. Unlike any other mouthpiece of its kind or anywhere near its price, each one of these GS mouthpieces goes out the door only when it is faced just right. Every one is as good as the best mouthpieces I have played.**

I have been collecting mouthpieces seriously for over ten years now, and I have been saving the very best ones over that time. I currently have about 750 pieces, and of those there are about 20 that I think are in that Holy Grail category. Those are the mouthpieces that will be coming out in the GS Mouthpieces line. Keep an eye on this, if you want to put together a collection of the best playing saxophone mouthpieces ever, while keeping costs to a minimum. Each one has a magic of its own, and each one gives you a unique and beautiful tone and response that makes it a joy to play!”-Brian Curry

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The GetASax GS SLANT 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is made of white biocompatible dental resin. Here is what Brian at GetASax writes about the material:

“GS Mouthpieces are made of a premium biocompatible dental resin, and printed at an especially high resolution. You don’t see messy print lines everywhere, because the print is so high quality! This dental resin is designed to be in your mouth, so it’s ideal for a mouthpiece.

The density and the hardness are almost identical to vintage hard rubber! So GS Mouthpieces vibrate like hard rubber and feel familiar and comfortable to play. The resin is also extremely durable. I have dropped the prototypes on hardwood again and again, and they just bounce and are fine. They even survive being dropped onto concrete (for a while)! So if you’re hard on equipment, this mouthpiece should be able to take quite a beating and hold up well over time.”-Brian Curry

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

This GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a 7* tip opening which measures at .105. The facing curve of the GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a copy of the original facing curve on the best original Otto Link Slant Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece that Brian owns. Each facing curve of the GS SLANT mouthpieces is measured at ten points to make sure that each mouthpiece produced is an accurate reproduction of the original facing curve.

The GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks great to the eye. The tip, rails and table look even, flat and well crafted. The tip rail and side rails are nice and thin, and the tip rails shape perfectly matches the shape of the Rigotti Gold tenor saxophone reeds I used on it.

The baffle of the GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a low rollover baffle. It is a short baffle and looks to be about 1/8 of an inch before it rolls over and descends down at an angle into the large chamber. The floor of the baffle during the decent has a side to side curve to it.

The GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks to have a higher rollover baffle than the GS RESO tenor mouthpiece I reviewed last year. The other big difference that I can see when comparing the GS SLANT to the GS RESO and the GS FG RESO is that the RESO mouthpieces look to have more of a scooped out floor to the chamber making the chamber bigger than the GS SLANT mouthpiece.

The baffle of the GS SLANT travels at an angle down through the chamber of the mouthpiece where it terminates at the beginning of the bore at the end of the chamber. The opening to the mouthpiece chamber looks to be a large sized chamber that is similar in size to other typical hard rubber Otto Link sized chambers I have seen. The roof of the mouthpiece chamber under the table isn’t what I would describe as thin but more of an average roof thickness.

The sidewalls are scooped out from where they start near the tip all the way to the chamber where they expand out to round out the mouthpiece chamber. I typically like scooped out sidewalls because they seem to go hand in hand with a fatter more round tenor saxophone tone in my opinion.

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The diameter and beak profile of the GetASax GS SLANT tenor sax mouthpiece feels the same as the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece. All of my ligatures that fit comfortably on hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces fit on the GS SLANT tenor sax mouthpiece perfectly.

The weight and consistency of the dental resin feels more substantial than the weight of other materials like Delrin mouthpieces I have reviewed in the past. As I hold the GS SLANT tenor sax mouthpiece in my hand, the weight feels similar to a hard rubber saxophone mouthpiece. You can see a few side by side comparison photos of the GS SLANT and the Original Florida Otto Link Slant Signature tenor sax mouthpiece that it was copied from in the photos below.

GetASax GS Slant 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece next to a vintage Otto Link Slant Signature Mouthpiece

I found that the facing curve of the GetASax GS SLANT 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece seemed to prefer a reed with a 3 Light or 3 Medium strength when using the Rigotti Gold tenor saxophone reeds I have left. (I have been out of BSS-Boston Sax Shop and Roberto’s Winds reeds for a number of months now unfortunately)

The Rigotti Gold 3 Light tenor sax reeds felt easy to play but a tad on the soft side when pushed. The Rigotti Gold 3 Medium tenor sax reeds felt better to blow harder against for more volume. I enjoyed aspects of the sound and tone while playing on both reeds so I included sound clips of both below.

GetASax GS Slant 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece next to a vintage Otto Link Slant Signature Mouthpiece

The GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a rich, warm balanced tenor saxophone tone that I found to be sightly brighter and perhaps more focused than the GetASax GS RESO tenor sax mouthpiece I have already reviewed. I have not played these two mouthpieces side by side but the GS SLANT seems to give me more volume when pushed than I remember the GS RESO giving me.

Although I describe the GS SLANT as slightly brighter than the GS RESO, I would still consider this as a darker and warmer mouthpiece especially when considering the plethora of mouthpieces with medium to high baffles out on the market today.

Compared to a modern day hard rubber Otto Link, I find the GS SLANT to be far superior in tone, balance and playability to the modern hard rubber Otto Links I have tried out. I would imagine that most of that improvement comes from the hand finishing and specific attention given to the exact 10 point facing curve, tip rail, baffle and chamber.

GetASax GS Slant 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece next to a vintage Otto Link Slant Signature Mouthpiece

The tone of the GS SLANT is a thick, round and warm tone with character to it. Although I would still describe it as having a darker tone, it does have some sparkle and brightness to make the tone more vibrant in the upper range of the horn. I found the Rigotti Gold 3 Light saxophone reeds to give a tone that seemed to be more spread, round and with a soft lushness to the tone.

The harder Rigotti Gold 3 Medium saxophone reed seemed to have more of a hard defined perimeter around the tone and a bit more brightness and edge in my opinion. I also felt like the harder reed had a bit more overtones and texture to the tone than the softer 3 Light tenor sax reeds.

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The low notes on the GS SLANT saxophone mouthpiece were fat, thick and robust while having a spread quality to the tone. The tone down low seemed more pillowy and round with the softer Rigotti Gold 3 Light saxophone reeds and more complex, rich and spread with the harder Rigotti Gold 3 Medium saxophone reeds.

Unfortunately, on the last clip with the harder Rigotti Gold 3 Medium reed, I was so focused on altissimo and volume that I didn’t demonstrate much, if any, sub-toning. You can hear some sub-toning in the first sound clip with the softer reed though.

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece was very good and the GS SLANT tenor mouthpiece was a great match for my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone (from the 50’s). I would imagine the GS SLANT tenor sax mouthpiece would be a great match for any vintage tenor saxophone like a Selmer or Conn since it is a reproduction of a vintage tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

The evenness and smoothness of notes throughout the range of the saxophone was nice when playing fast lines. The character and warm tone seemed to blend well as I played faster lines throughout the low, mid and high range of the saxophone. I think you can hear this smoothness in the fast technical lines I play on the sound clips below.

The altissimo register of the saxophone was easy to produce on the GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece and the notes were easy to control and manipulate. I believe the higher rollover baffle and slightly raised floor of the chamber compared to the GS RESO model mouthpiece makes the GS SLANT a bit easier to get around in the altissimo although both mouthpieces are great in regard to the altissimo range of the horn.

The GS SLANT mouthpiece had a good amount of power when pushed. I would say the volume was about an 8.5 when pushed on my 1-10 volume scale. (I gave the GS RESO a max volume of 7 on my scale)

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear the GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece perform in different styles with two different saxophone reeds.

The first clip is my usual mix of the random kind of Steve Neff licks that I usually play on these mouthpiece review clips.

The second clip is a short clip of the melody of Pure Imagination and the third clip is my usual Moose the Mooche/Donna Lee melody that I play on most of my reviews.

The fourth clip was an addition at the end because I realized that I did not play one note of altissimo in the first three clips. This clip was recorded in a barn near my house that has a big natural reverb to the recording. There is a lot of altissimo lines in this clip, so if you hate that high range of the horn, you might want to skip this clip. This last clip was made with the slightly harder 3 medium tenor sax reed because I wanted to show what the GS SLANT could do as far as volume, brightness and altissimo and I could push the 3 medium reed harder.

GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece with a tone that leans to the round warmer side of the tenor saxophone tone spectrum but can get a nice brightness when pushed. It is a great jazz mouthpiece that would be incredible for straight ahead jazz playing in my opinion. It’s lush full textured tone is also incredible for ballads as I try to demonstrate a bit in the sound clips below.

Although I do try to show what it can do with louder blues and altissimo lines, I don’t think the GS SLANT has enough brightness and edge to cut through in those loud settings for me. Although, like I have stated in other reviews, Bob Reynolds played a hard rubber 9 Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece while touring with John Mayer, so maybe for the right player this mouthpiece could work in that setting as well. You never know. For me, I would need something with some more brightness in the tone to cut through the mix of a really loud band I think.

If you are interested in the GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece you can purchase one from Brian at GetaSax.com for a very reasonable price in my opinion.

Brian has said he has about 750 saxophone mouthpieces in his collection and that he would put 20 of those mouthpieces in his “holy grail” category. He is hoping to release reproductions of many of these “holy grail” saxophone mouthpieces in the near future which I am very excited about! Stay tuned…….

If you try a GetASax GS SLANT tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/GSSlantMix.mp3 *Clip 1-Mix of Licks and Lines-GetASax GS SLANT 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-No Effects Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/GSSlantPureImagine.mp3 *Clip 2-Pure Imagination-GetASax GS SLANT 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-No Effects Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/GSSlantMoose-Donna.mp3 *Clip 3-Moose/Donna Lee-GetASax GS SLANT 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-No Effects Added**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/GSSlantBarn.mp3 *Clip 4-Altissimo Clip Recorded in Barn with Natural Reverb-GetASax GS SLANT 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-Barn Reverb Included**

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece mentioned above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve

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Today, I am reviewing a Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Aaron Drake at Drake mouthpieces. This Drake tenor mouthpiece is advertised as “rollover baffle contour – identical to the Drake Bergonzi “EB” model – with a raised floor contour which gives the mouthpiece greater projection without being bright”.* Since I am always on the lookout for tenor saxophone mouthpieces that can straddle the line between an Otto Link sound and richness of tone, with the ability to be super powerful as well, I was immediately interested in trying the Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance model tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is not made with hard rubber but it is made from Drake’s vintage resin material. Each mouthpiece is created as a one piece casting that Aaron finishes by hand. The entire process is done at his shop and nothing is outsourced.

Here are a few words from Aaron on the Vintage Resin material he uses for his saxophone mouthpieces:

“Our Vintage Resin is a resin composite material that incorporates ceramic to enhance its hardness and acoustic properties. This material is the closest to the properties of vintage hard rubber. The Vintage Resin is engineered for durability and will outlast hard rubber. I recently had an opportunity to take a look at one of my mouthpieces made 10 years ago. It was played every day by a top professional musician and the mouthpiece facing was unchanged and still spot on.

Also, speaking to the material – it is not possible to capture the level of detail in the reproduction process using hard rubber and the process of milling hard rubber has a completely different acoustic affect on the finished mouthpiece – our one piece casting method is much more homogeneous and resonates differently – it is more “alive”. -Aaron Drake

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is what Jerry Bergonzi and Aaron Drake write about the Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece from the Drake website:

“When I listen to all my favorite recordings of saxophone players, the sound is in front of the band like a vocalist would be, having great presence to hear all the nuances in the sound. That’s why I like the “Power Resonance” mouthpiece as it gives that type of presence.” – Jerry Bergonzi

The Bergonzi “Power Resonance” model features a rollover baffle contour – identical to the Bergonzi “EB” model – with a raised floor contour which gives the piece greater projection without being bright.-Aaron Drake

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece came well packaged and protected. The tenor mouthpiece looked great right out of the box. The resin material is shiny and smooth to the touch. The table, tip, rails, baffle and chamber look absolutely perfect. Everything is clean cut, even and smooth.

The mouthpiece has “Drake Handmade USA” faintly engraved on the side of the body and “Bergonzi Power Resonance” engraved on the other side of the body. The tip opening of “7*” is etched by hand into the copper band that is at the bottom of the shank.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks great as I examine it while writing this review. The table looks flat and smooth with not a mark on it. The side rails and tip rail are thin and look to be perfectly even to my eyes.

The baffle is a smooth rollover baffle that has a unique design in that the floor of the baffle is raised as it travels through the chamber area as you can see in the photo below. This has the effect of making the large chamber into more of a medium chambered mouthpiece. This design is unique in that the chamber isn’t squeezed smaller with a smaller chamber size or smaller chamber opening but is only made smaller on the bottom side of the chamber that has the raised baffle/chamber floor. I have never seen a raised floor design like this before and was curious to how it would play for me. The top roof of the mouthpiece chamber is nice and thin and the side walls are slightly scooped out.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece came with a slide-on Drake Dual Rails Ligature. The Dual Rails Ligature holds the reed with rails on each side of the ligature. Although the Drake Dual Rails ligature held the reed on fine when slid over the reed and mouthpiece, the slide-on ligature sat more towards the front of the reed on the mouthpiece table and I opted to try a different more adjustable ligature for this mouthpiece.

I chose to record the sound clip below with a Sax Clinic Sonus Divinus string ligature (review coming soon) that I just receive just because I like the flexibility of being able to adjust the ligature placement on the reed. The one negative to the Drake Dual Rails ligature (and all slid-on circular ligatures) is that the ligature placement on the reed can not be adjusted.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As a point of reference for other ligatures, the Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece will work with any ligature that fits a hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I also tried using a Boston Sax Shop Superlative ligature, a Vandoren Optimum ligature and a generic metal ligature for hard rubber tenor sax mouthpieces. All three of these ligatures fit on the Power Resonance mouthpiece perfectly.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

My first experience playing the Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was that it was very reed friendly and very easy blowing. I used Rigotti Gold 3 Light reeds and Rigotti Gold 3 Medium tenor saxophone reeds on the sound clips below.

The Rigotti Gold 3 Light felt super easy to play and free blowing. The tone with this reed sounds clear, pure and focused. The reed felt like it was on the verge of being a tad soft when playing at full volume so if I was using this mouthpiece on a live gig that was loud, I would probably lean towards the 3 Medium reed which could be pushed harder for more volume.

The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance tenor sax mouthpiece had a clear focused sound to the tone that has a richness and thickness to the sound that is similar to an Otto Link style mouthpiece but with more volume when pushed.

I thought the tone was of a darker spectrum than many of the “Early Babbitt” hard rubber Otto Links I have played throughout the years but when pushed the Power Resonance tenor mouthpiece could get quite a bit of volume without getting over bright and thin in tone.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The first sound clip below is with the Rigotti Gold 3 Light reed and the tone is focused and fat in my opinion. There is no reverb or effects on the sound clip at all. From the first note, you can hear a purity of tone that doesn’t have a lot of brightness in the tone. The high notes sound fat, full and round.

The second clip is with a slightly harder Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor sax reed. The tone of the mouthpiece with the slightly harder reed seems a little brighter to me. It sounds like it has more overtones in the tone which make it sound a bit more spread and brighter to my ear.

I like both clips for different reason but I can hear a clear difference in tone between the two slightly different reed strengths.

The last sound clip is a fun one I recorded in a barn near where I live. There is quite a huge natural reverb in this barn and I love going there to practice. This clip was with the harder Rigotti 3 medium reed and I play a bit more altissimo in this setting about half way through the sound clip.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance is a great tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a more powerful sound that still stays true to the Otto Link tone concept. The power and tone afforded by the raised floor seems to be quite different than the power and tone given by a higher rollover baffle in my opinion. To my ears, it sounds like the Drake Power Resonance tenor saxophone mouthpiece increases the power mostly in the mid-range EQ of the mouthpiece whereas a higher baffled sax mouthpiece seems to increase the bright side of the tone while perhaps taking a bit of thickness away from the body of the tone in comparison.

This boost in the mids seems to boost the overall thickness of the tone so instead of getting brighter and thinner up high, the Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance mouthpiece has more of a thick fat presence up in the high end of the horn.

The low end of the saxophone is also beautiful, resonant and fat as well. The mouthpiece subtones well and the notes down low are full, thick and fat sounding.

The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance tenor sax mouthpiece is even and smooth throughout the range of the horn. I did feel like the middle D was a bit more husky in tone with the harder reed and more smooth and uniform with the slightly softer reed in the first clip.

As far as volume, I would say it can play at 10 or 11 no problem if volume was rated from 1-10. I usually find typical hard rubber Otto Links play at about a 7 or 8 on that same scale so saying the Power Resonance can play at 10 or 11 is a pretty impressive leap in power in my opinion. I would have no problem suggesting this tenor mouthpiece to a sax player who plays a lot of jazz sets on a gig but then has to kick it into overdrive for the dance set. The Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Chamber tenor mouthpiece can do both of those genres quite well but don’t take my word for it, listen to the sound clips below………..

Besides my three sound clips below, I have also included a Youtube video of Carl Cox playing a Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance 7 (.100) tenor sax mouthpiece. I thought this video was a cool addition because Carl shows what this mouthpiece can do in a modern fusion type of setting with a band.

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Aaron Drake, you can find them at the Drake website. Aaron Drake has done an amazing job creating his own line of saxophone mouthpieces with an attention to detail that is top of the line. Beside being a great craftsman, Aaron Drake is also a great sax player, which, in my mind, is so important to dialing in the fine details to making a great playing saxophone mouthpiece.

If you have played or end up playing a Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/DrakeBergonziPR.mp3 *Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-Dry Recording (No Effects)**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/DrakeBergonziPR3Med.mp3 *Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-Dry Recording (No Effects)**

https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2021/DrakeBergonziPRBarn.mp3 *Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-Recorded in Big Barn with Natural Reverb**

Carl Cox playing a Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Above is a killer studio recording of Carl Cox playing a modern “fusion” type tune on a Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I am told that this mouthpiece is a .100 which is a 7 tip opening.

Finally, below is a video of the great Jerry Bergonzi playing the Drake Power Resonance model mouthpiece on Youtube. Jerry gets a sound on this mouthpiece that is all him. (I’d be curious what tip opening and reed size he is using as his sound suggests a much harder reed than I typically use……..)

Jerry Bergonzi playing a Drake Jerry Bergonzi Power Resonance Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece reviewed above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review it on my blog. Regardless, I only review sax mouthpieces that I enjoy playing and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. Steve