What Kind of a Mouthpiece Patch do you use?

[Bari Gordon]

I've found BG thin clear patches to be my favorite, although in a pinch I've used 2" wide PVC tape (black) and cut to shape (better than electrical tape).

[Joseph Boucher]

I've been using three layers of black plastic electrical tape cut to fit on my HR Otto Link. Hmmm....black PVC tape? I just might give that a try. Joe

[Dr. Love]

Thin over Thick on Alto and Bari, those are the horns most affected by my teeth. One thick on Clarinet and Tenor, two if I'm playing on my Tenor Quantum.

[Bari Gordon]

I have a couple of mouthpieces (tenor and bari) that are fairly thin at the beak, extremely duckbilled I guess. Compared to my other mouthpieces, they have been hard to get used to. Last night I tried stacking thin mouthpiece patches up to get the bite to feel the way I wanted. I ended up putting 3 thin patches on top of each other and now the pieces feel much better. I like this method instead of a thick and a thin because the thin patches are not as soft as the thick ones.

[Saxy Man]

What the :D:D:D:D is a mouthpiece patch?

[youngsaxman]

I use the Yamaha clear patches. They seem quite expensive, but they're pretty hardwaring, had them on my mps for about 4-5 months, and just recently managed to bite my way through both of them!!!!!!!!!

[ThunderWhale]

I just use one clear thin patch. I've never bitten hard when I play, so the patch is basically just to keep the mouthpiece from getting scratched.

[Jonathan C.]

I use a small clear thin patch. It doesn't mess me up, and stops the viberations (works really well on the metal:D)

[ianhart]

I use a thing patch on all of mine, and even though it happens to be black, it is the same as a clear thin patch from yamaha or vandoren.

Not too sure where I got them from, but I've had them for quite some time on my alto pieces, and I've had one on a bari piece for close to eight months now.

Of course, I also wear a clear retainer thing that goes over my top and bottom teeth ever since getting my braces off, basically acts like a mouthpiece patch, just on my teeth instead of on my mouthpiece.

[tomsch]

I use the generic 3M thin patches simply because I hate the vibrations directly on my teeth.

[Pete Thomas]

I wonder when someone will invent lip patches and finger patches, so you don't have to actually touch the horn at all.

[BigHunk]

I use the Jody Jazz thin,they seem to last longer than any i have tried.

[ChuBerry47]

I don;'t even seem to notice the runyon poatches. They are practically invisible in feel, but they are moderately thick, and do not effect my playing. I also use BG France on my hard rubber pieces. My tenor patch on m runoyn, has not even a little sign that it has been used, and I bite my mouthpiece a little bit hard, but I am happy with my tone and intonation.

Ian

[Agent27]

I use Runyon thick patches. It's amazing how much better you hear your actual sound when the mouthpiece isn't causing your head to vibrate.

[ChuBerry47]

Yeah. :) I highly agree with you. It makes it a lot more fun. :)

[spiderjames]

Runyon thin over thick.

[milandro]

I use thick patches BG or some other brand like that, but I have been using, just once, a patch which was very thin but looked like it was made of something like carbon fiber. It went when I sold that mouthpiece. I haven't found them anywhere but I still look for them. Any suggestions?

[ianhart]

Milandro, that's the same patch that I use! I have a nice supply of them back home, if I can find them, I'll send you one or two. They are amazing patches!

[milandro]

Thanks Ianhart! If you can tell me the brand I will most certainly look for them. Don't want to deprive you of those you have left! But Thanks, really :)

[ianhart]

I have absolutely no idea what brand they are, they were given to me by my old private instructor, they come on a white piece of paper (like a roll of stickers), and just peel off.

Not too sure when I will be home, I'm stuck in school until May, but I will look around and see what I can find online.

[milandro]

Well, if you cant find the brandname on the patches I will be very grateful if you send me 1 or 2 :) most kind of you really!

[ianhart]

Sure thing, it just might take a while...

[jimmitch]

Runyon thin over thick. If I just use the thick I cut right through them.With the thin clear one, over the thick one they last forever.

[milandro]

Thank you! I surely can wait! ;) Maybe someone else knows them....:)

[Graftonsax]

I use Runyon, I think they are the thick. I've also used them on horns with metal table keys.

[bronzZoot]

I do what jimmitch does: thin clear on top of thick black. It gives a little due to the thick part, but it still grips via the clear one. Been doing this for years, they last a very long time.

[Henry H]

Normally I don't use one- as I use very little upper tooth pressure. I have, however, replaced the bite plate on an "E-Bay special" Brilhart tenor piece and placed a patch over sever toothmarks on the beak of an old Conn Comet alto piece. After trying several different brands of stick on pads I decided to use "Shoe Goo". This is a black glue substance which comes in a tube and is designed to repair/ build up after wear the soles of running shoes. I was able to neatly emplace a layer on the cleaned and lightly sanded beaks of the two pieces and, after waiting two days for it to completely dry, sanded it down to the contour that I wanted. Its proved both very durable (shoe sole repair- you'd sort of figure it would be), has no perceptible chemical taste or smell (one of my concderns when using it) and is pretty comfortable in use. The stuff is available (at least in the US) in most mall shoe stores. It seems to REALLY be on there. Though its proved very durable and would probably be pretty easy to touch up if it ever came to that I'd imagine a lot of foul language would be involved in completely removing the stuff were you to wish to do so.

[hakukani]

Patches? Patches? We no need no steenking patches!;):twisted:

[bandmommy]

No patches on my HR pieces except for the new one I just bought from Glen. It came 'pre-patched' with a clear thin.

I do use a clear thin patch on a crystal O'Brian clarinet piece that is just plain painful to play without one.

[Smooth Sop Berator]

Thin as possible, only to preserve the resale value of mouthpieces. I want to feel the vibes, man. 8-) The best thing I've found is Scotch Photo Laminating Sheets with self adhesive (no heat required). You have to cut it to shape, and the adhesive is a bit weak, but the price is right, and it's hard and thin.

[knighttrain]

Black BG Medium - They stand up the best for me.

[Bill Mecca]

Two black Runyon (3M) patches on my Tenor Quantum.
One yamaha clear on my Link.

[EZ]

Vandoren clear. The Yamaha patches are great for silencing keys.

[milandro]

Does anybody know these patches that I was talking earlier about, they are thin, very hard and appear to have a carbonfiber-like (wowen) structure.
I am looking for them but don't know the brand. I would appreciate some suggestion and pictures.

[Alexk]

I use a thing patch on all of mine, and even though it happens to be black,

That's what I like to see, young folk practicing safe sax.....:twisted:

[Ric164]

I use Runyon thick.

[shotgun]

I don't use them at all on clarinet. I don't use them on my metal pieces, STM and Reglein, but I really like using one on my HR Berg. It helps me get more of the beak into my mouth and keeps my teeth from gradually working down toward the tip. I also use one on my Morgan but that's mostly to protect the piece. I'm using a black Van Doren patch.

[Little Sax]

Thin Vandoren.

[milandro]

I use thick patches BG or some other brand like that, but I have been using, just once, a patch which was very thin but looked like it was made of something like carbon fiber. It went when I sold that mouthpiece. I haven't found them anywhere but I still look for them. Any suggestions?

I am still looking for them, please can anyone help?:!:

[CustomRam]

Vandoren Black Thick. Lasted the entire semester. Wasn't too crazy about Runyon.

[Mal 2]

Vandoren clear. The Yamaha patches are great for silencing keys.

A strip of thin patch, then a layer of heatshrink tubing (when possible of course), and that linkage or backcheck should stay in good shape for a long, long time.

[porbem]

I'm using BG thick (I didn't succeed yet to avoid some biting).

[milandro]

biting on top of your mouthpiece is not a bad habit it is a consequence of playing and most players do, biting in your lip on the underside is a bad habit but there the mouthpiece patch plays no role

[AltoRuth]

I use black electrical tape----don't know whether that's considered thick or thin, but it works for me.
Ruth

[porbem]

biting in your lip on the underside is a bad habit but there the mouthpiece patch plays no role

Hopefully I don't do this!

The biting is not very significant (my patches last several months) because I try not to do it.

I tend to have a relaxed embouchure and sometimes my teacher tells me to have it a little tighter and to keep my chin forward. Maybe he is right about the tension, but I think I read here some people advising to keep a relaxed embouchure (almost just enough to stop the air to escape from the corners of the mouth).

I feel a bit uncertain about this!?

[AntonVonWebern]

I wouldnt dare put my front teeth on my mouthpiece, patch or no patch, they would probably shake loose and fall out or break, I use my upper lip.

[luzsax]

Runyon thick on tenor and alto; thin/clear on bari, clarinet and soprano. For clarinet and soprano I cut them in half.

[Mal 2]

I use the thin clear patches exclusively, and I always cut them in half (with one exception). The slightly narrower end I use on soprano, clarinet, or alto. The wider end I use on C-mel, tenor, or bari. I see no point in covering the parts my teeth don't touch.

The exception is on my alto Lakey, where the clear patch replaces the white bite plate that never fit properly. That one has to be cut to an exact size and shape. I keep the original plate around so I can trace around it.

[AmazingPhrasing]

I just use one thin runyon cut into thirds. one third goes on my alto's SS, another on my soprano S-80, and the third on my friends JodyJazz HR!!!!:evil: