Sax on the Web

Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Baritone Saxophone / Which mouthpiece? Help!

sinkdraiN
User ID: 0756324 Nov 30th 11:19 AM
I haave a bari student in my top middle school jazz baand. He is playing a couf superba II with a stock mouthpiece. He asked me for a mouthpiece recomendation and I told him too try the Otto Link 5*. I mostly play alto tenor and sop so i am out of the loop when it comes to baari mouthpieces. Is an Otto Link 5* a safe direction to go?

RS
User ID: 9209903 Nov 30th 12:46 PM
A metal Link 5* would be an improvement but is still a pretty small piece (.095" tip). If the kid has some chops he should be able to handle a 6 (.100" tip) or a 6* (.105" tip). A metal RIA in the same range would be even better as the higher baffle will give him more power and better projection than the Link. Runyon Quantums are worth a look too, although some people find the extremely narrow beak uncomfortable. But definitely get him off the stock piece.

RS
User ID: 9209903 Nov 30th 12:49 PM
Also, if he goes to a bigger piece have him drop down a notch in reed strength until he gets used to blowing into a larger tip opening.

MojoBari
User ID: 1320554 Nov 30th 4:04 PM
Chops in middle school? I would doubt he's ready for .095"+ yet. If he is, a RR Graftonite 5 would be .100" and would not set him back much at all. He could then grow into it. His stock MP is probably around .080". I have a RIA and a couple Quantums and they are good, but I'm thinking whe he's a HS Junior+. A Runyon Custom Spoiler 7-8 would be worth a look. Again, not too $.

RS
User ID: 9209903 Nov 30th 4:45 PM
If the kid is playing a 3 or 3 1/2 reed on an .080" piece without straining he could probably handle a .095" piece with a 2 or 2 1/2 reed. Mojo's probably right though. A .100" or .105" tip might be pushing it at this stage.

J. Calhoun
User ID: 0673084 Nov 30th 4:47 PM
I will chime in here with my general recommendation to try the Vandoren HR pieces.

J. Calhoun
User ID: 0673084 Nov 30th 4:48 PM
I will chime in here with my general recommendation to try the Vandoren HR pieces. There is a danger with a young bari player of the buzzsaw sound substituting for projection.

RS
User ID: 9209903 Nov 30th 5:04 PM
I like the Vandoren (hard rubber) too. I think as a general rule a jazz player should play the most open piece he can handle with a 2 1/2 reed ( or at the least a 2). If sinkdraiN's student is scuffling with a 1 1/2 or 2 on an .080" piece than he should probably just stand pat and let his chops develope for a few more months before moving to a bigger piece. But if he can handle a 3 reed than maybe he could move up .010" or .015" more tip opening.

StevenW
User ID: 0833354 Nov 30th 5:18 PM
I bought a Link Tonemaster 6* when his age and haven't found anything worth changing yet!

Also have a Runyon which though a Bari custom extra long faced Mpc I usually play only on the Bass Sax.

super20dan
User ID: 7705853 Nov 30th 6:34 PM
runyon custom works great on bari or a rico royal metalite (if you can still get one)

Bari. Student
User ID: 0617234 Nov 30th 7:47 PM
Metalights (5,9) has really thin sound i don't like it too much but it does the job and i don't really mind playing it. 5 seems to sound more rounder with a hard reed, 9 seems to be quiet bright and edgy using RJS 2m unfiled.

Noel
User ID: 1669454 Dec 2nd 1:58 PM
Those metallites are great mouthpieces. So are the graftonites. I play Link 7* with medium soft fibrecell works great. But a friend of mine who is a very good high school bari player plays a metallite with an amazing sound.

sinkdraiN User ID: 0756324	Nov 30th 11:19 AM I haave a bari student in my top middle school jazz baand. He is playing a couf superba II with a stock mouthpiece. He asked me for a mouthpiece recomendation and I told him too try the Otto Link 5. I mostly play alto tenor and sop so i am out of the loop when it comes to baari mouthpieces. Is an Otto Link 5 a safe direction to go?
RS User ID: 9209903	Nov 30th 12:46 PM A metal Link 5* would be an improvement but is still a pretty small piece (.095" tip). If the kid has some chops he should be able to handle a 6 (.100" tip) or a 6* (.105" tip). A metal RIA in the same range would be even better as the higher baffle will give him more power and better projection than the Link. Runyon Quantums are worth a look too, although some people find the extremely narrow beak uncomfortable. But definitely get him off the stock piece.
RS User ID: 9209903	Nov 30th 12:49 PM Also, if he goes to a bigger piece have him drop down a notch in reed strength until he gets used to blowing into a larger tip opening.
MojoBari User ID: 1320554	Nov 30th 4:04 PM Chops in middle school? I would doubt he's ready for .095"+ yet. If he is, a RR Graftonite 5 would be .100" and would not set him back much at all. He could then grow into it. His stock MP is probably around .080". I have a RIA and a couple Quantums and they are good, but I'm thinking whe he's a HS Junior+. A Runyon Custom Spoiler 7-8 would be worth a look. Again, not too $.
RS User ID: 9209903	Nov 30th 4:45 PM If the kid is playing a 3 or 3 1/2 reed on an .080" piece without straining he could probably handle a .095" piece with a 2 or 2 1/2 reed. Mojo's probably right though. A .100" or .105" tip might be pushing it at this stage.
J. Calhoun User ID: 0673084	Nov 30th 4:47 PM I will chime in here with my general recommendation to try the Vandoren HR pieces.
J. Calhoun User ID: 0673084	Nov 30th 4:48 PM I will chime in here with my general recommendation to try the Vandoren HR pieces. There is a danger with a young bari player of the buzzsaw sound substituting for projection.
RS User ID: 9209903	Nov 30th 5:04 PM I like the Vandoren (hard rubber) too. I think as a general rule a jazz player should play the most open piece he can handle with a 2 1/2 reed ( or at the least a 2). If sinkdraiN's student is scuffling with a 1 1/2 or 2 on an .080" piece than he should probably just stand pat and let his chops develope for a few more months before moving to a bigger piece. But if he can handle a 3 reed than maybe he could move up .010" or .015" more tip opening.
StevenW User ID: 0833354	Nov 30th 5:18 PM I bought a Link Tonemaster 6* when his age and haven't found anything worth changing yet! Also have a Runyon which though a Bari custom extra long faced Mpc I usually play only on the Bass Sax.
super20dan User ID: 7705853	Nov 30th 6:34 PM runyon custom works great on bari or a rico royal metalite (if you can still get one)
Bari. Student User ID: 0617234	Nov 30th 7:47 PM Metalights (5,9) has really thin sound i don't like it too much but it does the job and i don't really mind playing it. 5 seems to sound more rounder with a hard reed, 9 seems to be quiet bright and edgy using RJS 2m unfiled.
Noel User ID: 1669454	Dec 2nd 1:58 PM Those metallites are great mouthpieces. So are the graftonites. I play Link 7* with medium soft fibrecell works great. But a friend of mine who is a very good high school bari player plays a metallite with an amazing sound.