Rampone setups

[bkiser]

Seems like every other brand has a setup thread, so I am starting one for R&C. Please list horn type (SATB), model, finish, and setup. Also, feel free to make subjective analysis about what you *do* and *don't* like about your current setup.

R1 Jazz Alto - heavy polished gold plate
Hite Artist mpc
Brancher Jazz 2.5
cheap generic metal ligature

What I like- this setup is ready to play just about anything.
What I don't like- mid-partials are too strong in tone...sounds too "thick". Ditching an old Rovner lig for a $3 nickel student model has done wonders though.

[Joe Jazz]

R1 Curved Soprano in silver plate
Selmer S-80 mpc
Vandoren ZZ reeds
Still trying to find the best lig, trying a Rovner MKII right now. Wish they made the Optimum in silver plate, as it's my lig of choice!

[singlereed]

Buy the Optimum for Eb ('sopranino') clarinet - it's the same size as the soprano sax one and is silver plated. Unfortunately, the Optimum is a shade too loose for my Soloist mouthpiece and I tried the Eb clarinet one in hopes it might have been a touch smaller. It wasn't and seemed identical to the sop sax one except for the plating.

[Joe Jazz]

Many thanks! I ordered one for B Flat clarinet on the off chance it might fit, but will now order the other. Life is good! :)

[Captain Beeflat]

"Customised" matte gold (polished keywork & bell interior) R1 Tenor.
Jody Jazz ESP mouthpiece.
Rovner type lig. (provided with mouthpiece)
Plasticover 2.5 reeds.
Also works well with Link STM

[pepesax]

"Customised" sandblasted gold (polished keywork & bell interior) R1 Jazz Tenor;
Berg Larsen metal mouthpiece #115 1SMS;
Rovner ligature;
Rico Royal and Alexander Superial 2.5 reeds.
(Also used a link STM #7* as a good alternative, but I find sound edgier with Berg Larsen)

[phatenomore]

R1 sandblasted heavy silver plated tipped bell sop.
Berg Larsen 75 ebonite
Marca 2

[Paul S]

R1 Jazz Sandblasted silver (with polished silver neck - new design from when i visited the factory a few months ago - didn't have a sandblasted neck)
Otto link HR 7 (early babbit)
RJS 3s/3m filed

The horn seems to respond well to large round chambers, although I am battling with altissimo a bit on the horn.

[Joe Jazz]

Paul,

I bet the sandblasted silver body is a nice contrast to the polished keys and neck.....is yours an alto or tenor?

[Paul S]

sorry joe, it is tenor. yeah the silver keys and neck look nice on the sandblasted body - not pretty like the gold, but nice vintage look. FWIW, the silver was a little brighter, more powerful and resonant than the gold one I tried. That said, I should add the the silver was a demo model that was probably better adjusted - this may account for the difference.

[xuanvu]

Customized R1 Jazz curved sop, Dukoff D5 mpc., Brancher 2.5 reed. Warm smooth sound and bright when needed... A little bit too freely response for my taste, I want a little more resistance :)

Kenny.

[bkiser]

Update- I came across a wood King A2 mouthpiece. It has a huge chamber and no baffle. I was expecting to get a very mellow, smooth sound out of it, but man is it ever a killer on the R1. The facing is a little too closed, but the horn still projects nicely. Altissimo is suffering however. Still, this might just become my #2 setup. Unless of course I find out there is a market for this piece like their was for my old Link WT, then its "see ya!"

[jjgold]

JDX 6 and a Rico Grand Concert 2.5 or 3 on my Vintage HeavySilverPlated Bari! :twisted:

[hanson74]

R1 Jazz Alto - Goldplated
Selmer Soloist C* (New Version)
Vandoren or Hemke 3 - 3 1/2

[bkiser]

Hanson-

How does the R&C like the soloist? I am guessing this is a classical setup? I briefly tried my old S80 C* on my horn, and it just wasnt happening with the square chamber....way too dark and dead sounding.

[hanson74]

Bkiser,

The R&C likes the soloist just fine. The new ones have the horse-shoe chamber like the old ones. I have not played the square chambered selmers, so i can't directly compare the two. It's a good balanced piece...not too dark, not too bright. I'm playing big band/small group stuff right now so no, it's not a classical setup. I like to stick with one setup though, so if I was playing that type of music I'd use the same piece.

[Paul S]

Hi All :)

Little update from me - I put an old Dukoff P7 i had lying around on the R1Jazz Tenor a few days ago. (The P is like a D, but with a larger chamber) . RJS unfiled 3s reed a nice match. The dukoff looks like hell - not a symetric line on it, but its a good player.

The dark, big toned horn really likes this bright piece. Absolutely monstrous sound :twisted: No intonation issues to speak of to my surprise - the dukoff on an early aristocrat was all over the road intonation wise.

If you have a bright large chamber piece - give it a try - neighbours will love it :shock:

[-88-]

Well, it's been awhile, so I am posting this. It amazes me.

I got a Jody DV 7* and a Tensing Ring. Good. But then I went back to the Oleg Maestro I got back a ways back, and tried an Optimum ligature on it. Boy! I've got the right combination now -- I think.

<time passes> it's now late Feb-2006 and I had posted the above remarks in Dec-2005. Switching back and forth over these past months and getting in more time has made me settle on the Jody DV 7* with the Tensing Ring. The Oleg Maestro is a very good piece and I keep it for backup. Love the DV with Tensing so much I got another for my Rampone & Cazzani Alto.

--------------
Soprano -
Yanagisawa 991 w/Selmer Super Sessions
Tenor -
Rampone et Cazzani R1-J w/Oleg Maestro, Optimum Ligature, Vandoran ZZ#2

[saxman06]

Soon to receive my 1950's R&C Alto-Silver finish
Meyer 5M Medium face mpc
Vandoren Java 3 1/2
Rovner Dark Lig

[Corkster]

Brancher J15 Mouthpiece
Brancher Jazz #4 Reeds


Need to find a FRANCOIS-LOUIS Ultimate Ligature for small metal mouthpiece but this seems impossible.

Horn is the Heavy Silver Plate , Red Brass.

[baribassdan]

R1 Jazz bari in silverplate, (formerly jjgold's), bob ackerman lost wax 60's medium large chambered brass piece. (Copy of a Florida link w/ added baffle) .128 opening. Rico Jazz Select 3s

[saxman06]

Brancher J15 Mouthpiece
Brancher Jazz #4 Reeds


Need to find a FRANCOIS-LOUIS Ultimate Ligature for small metal mouthpiece but this seems impossible.

Horn is the Heavy Silver Plate , Red Brass.
Check at www.wwbw.com, they have everything, and if they don't have it, they can get it. . .

[-88-]

Well it's been quite a while since I last posted this thread Dec-05 and my setup has changed to a huge improvement in tone, dynamics, fortissimo reach, and speed. Same Rampone & Cazzani R1-J but have retired the Meyer, the Lawton 7*, the Jody DV 7*, an Oleg, various HR's to a box.

What spoiled me were two pieces: a Fred Lamberson 7SB, and an RPC short rollover at .105. Whew! What amazes me most is that these two pieces are not a little better, they are hugely more sophisticated in the sense of finesse and much much easier to do everything. What were those other companies thinking? It frightens me that I almost went through life believing my other pieces were 'it' and almost missed never blowing these Lamberson and RPC pieces. That would have been a tragedy indeed, missing these.

Oh, almost forgot. Using the stock ligatures with each and either Vandoran ZZ 2.5 or 3.0, or Superial DC 3's. Great!

[jacobeid]

and if they don't have it, they can get it. . .

If you're willing to wait a year..or two..or four.

[-88-]

Know what you mean about wwbw. It's been months for a couple of simple accessories. I figure it's their suppliers. Really don't know but for the wait, it goes on. Weinermusic.com s'been okay. A smaller company but good experience with them.

Guess I went off topic. Anyone using as part of their Rampone setup a FF ligature on either a Lamberson or RPC?

[wyliecoyote]

R1 Jazz bari in gold plate

Jody jazz esp #6 A little more edge and responsiveness then the VanDoren mpc.
VD ZZ #2 reed

Van Doren #35 Nice traditional sound, almost clarinet like in the upper register.
VD ZZ #2.5 reed

Edit:
Changed to a Brancher L29, setup and baffled by John Reilly...Vandoren ZZ 2.5 (well sanded)...nice piece. John does great work.

[saxman06]

My setup hass also changed. 1940's R&C Alto (same horn as before, just got more info. . . ), Selmer LT Mouthpeice (classical), Meyer 5M mouthpeice (Jazz), Vandoren 3 for classical with Rovner Dark lig, Vandoren JAVA 3 1/2 for jazz, also with Rovner dark lig. Still experimenting, though, so this will all change again.

[wyliecoyote]

Using a modifed Link #7 and a #7 Jody Jazz ESP on my new tenor. Tried a JJ DV mpc, it was awful. The Link provides a great sound, richer than the JJ...but not quite as responsive.

Edit: favorite mpc has become...holy cow!..the stock mpc, of course, improved by John Reilly...big rich fat sound!

[Captain Beeflat]

Since I posted early in this thread to say that I used a JJ ESP, I have found another mouthpiece....a Colletto; sensational harmonics & colour. Another Italian "best kept secret"?

[wyliecoyote]

Since I posted early in this thread to say that I used a JJ ESP, I have found another mouthpiece....a Colletto; sensational harmonics & colour. Another Italian "best kept secret"?

Do you have a source for this mpc? I absolutely love this tenor. The only other horn I've personally heard that matches its sound quality is a friends 70 year old Selmer Balanced Action in silverplate. Both horns beat the Mrk VI's I've experienced.8-)

[Captain Beeflat]

wyliecoyote......I bought a very old R&C (probably around 1910) that had been lying, for the last 40 years, in the attic of an old manor house in deepest Devon. It had belonged to a pro who played it in South Africa.
In the case were 3 mouthpieces....the inevitable scroll shank Selmer C*, a tatty old metal Lewin with side rail lig. and an evil little ebonite Colletto with an aluminium shank. Judged by the history, the mouthpiece must have been an early (1950s) R&R offering. The Colletto is only the size of a typical metal Dukoff & had the most amazing range of sounds. As the tip opening was only .080", I searched ebay Italia & found another with a 0.125 tip opening......although this latter piece is obviously louder I prefer the original as the harmonics are so delightfully easy; I now use this piece exclusively....it has no downside.
I have asked about Collettos on this site but no-one seems to know anything about them except that they were all handmade by one professor Colletto in Italy some decades ago. I still keep an eye on ebay italia & sometimes they do come up...usually a model known as "Super Swing" about which I know nothing....they, like my large Colletto, are metal & have side rail ligs. I have yet to see another combination ebonite/ aluminium piece like my favourite.
All in all a very lucky accident.
The combination of this mouthpiece with my R1 R&C is all that I will ever require in the way of saxophones.....huge, soft, or incredibly gritty, low end with a screaming high range.

[Captain Beeflat]

Should perhaps have mentioned that my horn is a tenor.

[-88-]

Hey Captain, would you please, please post of couple of nice photo's of that Colletto here? My R&C R1-J heard what you said and is sniffiing around.

.

[pandala]

Hi everybody

I play two of a beautiful Rampone & Cazzani R1 Jazz saxes:
- R1 Jazz Tenor, 24 karat gold plated, no lacquer, no F#, lowered angle neck,
and a Phil Barone Hollywood 8 mouthpiece, Rico Jazz select or Alexander Superial D.C. reeds;

- R1 Jazz curved soprano, 24 karat gold plated, no lacquer, f# present, with a R&C mouthpiece.

About the tenor I can say that I'm satisfied at 100%. No dubt, if I born again I would play a Rampone sax!

About the soprano, I missed the mouthpiece...I picked up a too open piece so my intonation is awful... The voice of this baby is amazing, warm, wonderful...
I'm going to buy a good sop mouthpiece (probably a Barone HR) closed, so I can use a harder reed.

Bye,
Frank

[sycc]

R1 POLISHED SILVER ALTO: Brancher L19 mthpc w/ a Hemke 2 1/2 and 2 1/2 brancher reed. ON ORDER: A R1 JAZZ low Bb Baritone in polished gold plate w/ no high F#.probably will use a Brancher L29 mthpc.w/ a 2 1/2 reed

[Captain Beeflat]

Hey Captain, would you please, please post of couple of nice photo's of that Colletto here? My R&C R1-J heard what you said and is sniffiing around.

.
Abject apologies 88 but I have just spotted your post.
The Colletto is a gorgeous piece, but since my comment I have discovered the RPC 115B. I now no longer even look on the Mouthpiece board of this forum...the RPC is, for me, perfection.
Again, my apologies.

[sycc]

Oh and my R1 SOPRANINO in vintage gold plate: Yanagisawa rubber 5 w/ a Vandoren 3 reed

[-88-]

Abject apologies 88 but I have just spotted your post.
The Colletto is a gorgeous piece, but since my comment I have discovered the RPC 115B. I now no longer even look on the Mouthpiece board of this forum...the RPC is, for me, perfection.
Again, my apologies.

YES!! Ron made an RPC 115B chamber for me . . .what a piece! I've been going back and forth between his 105 and his 115B that I have. Heart driven talent he poured into these pieces.

[andrewfrankhouse]

Played an R1 Jazz tenor in silver plate for the last two years. Rico JS 4S on a JodyJazz HR* in a 9* facing with a Francois Louis brass ligature. Sound was deep, warm, and thick. Sold it last month, bought a Z. The old R1 was mechanical garbage. I even had it overhauled, which shouldn't be necessary on a two year old horn. I still miss it sometimes, with it's almost good, but still-kinda-awkward keywork. Sigh...

[saxforte]

We are disappointed by such posts, never having heard anything about this saxophone since it was purchased from us 2 years ago. I have not seen this saxophone, however, my immediate conclusion, from the limited information I can read here is that there must have been some shock to the horn to create millimeters of clearance between parts. We have never received a R&C like this from the factory and regardles, we would never have let one out like that. Saxophones, as they are made of brass are not impervious to damage.

Regards,

Mathew Aaron

[wyliecoyote]

R1 POLISHED SILVER ALTO: Brancher L19 mthpc w/ a Hemke 2 1/2 and 2 1/2 brancher reed. ON ORDER: A R1 JAZZ low Bb Baritone in polished gold plate w/ no high F#.probably will use a Brancher L29 mthpc.w/ a 2 1/2 reed

Hi Dave..

John Reilly did a nice balancing act with my Brancher L29...improved the response, power, etc. without changing the sound quality (going nasal). Placed a baffle, checked the rails/tip..etc. You might consider sending it to him..or another mpc "doc". He's a craftsman no doubt about it.

[saxphil]

R&C R1 Jazz straight sop,red brass, vintage heavy silver plate
Brancher brass gold plate J17 mpc.
Barone V 6*
Selmer SA-80 C*
Yamaha Custom 4CM

No nasal tone here.

[thegregus]

Hello, everyone. My current mouthpiece setups are as follows: On the soprano, I play a Riffault R4 hard rubber with Hemke #4's because the tip-opening is small. On the alto, I play a Brancher L21 with with Alexander DC #3's for Jazz and Contemporary styles; and I just acquired a Jewel Concert for Classical, Teaching, and Musical Theatre work with Fred Hemke #2.5 and #3's. On the tenor, I switch between a Brancher L27 and a Phil Barone HR vintage #8, both with Rico Jazz Select #2M and #2H reeds for Jazz and Contemporary; for Classical and teaching, I play a Woodwind series II and use Hemke #3's.

For ligs., I have experimented greatly in the last couple of years; from string, zip-ties, traditional, FL's, Ripomonte slip-ons, and Rovner. Right now (subject to change), I am using Rovner EVO-5's on all of my mouthpieces. I configure these with the tightening mechanism on the bottom, contacting the reed. I seem to get a more responsive and sweeter tone than with the mechanism on top. The traditional Rovners, for me are little to stuffy, and I stayed away from Rovners for years. I only heard of the EVO-5 models about 6 months ago and have only used these EVO-5's in the last 3 months. Again only my opinion, these EVO-5 models are greaat and really work well for me.

I would like to give Mathew at Saxforte a huge "thank you" for all of the help in the selection of the fine instruments that I now own. He graciously allowed me to come to where his business is in Greenville, SC just after Christmas and before New Year's Day of 2007, and let me play for about 4 hours to determine what instruments would be best for me and my needs. Mathew exhudes a very personal and cordial touch of customer service that one is challenged to find anywhere these days. I HIGHLY recommend him and his services to anyone wanting to receive the absolute BEST in products and service in their saxophone needs.

To Mathew if you get a chance to read this, my utmost thanks and appreciation. Continued success to you, sir.