[daigle65]

I was thinking of getting a soloist C* for alto on eBay since they usually go for a decent price compared to the more open ones.
I would want to have it opened up to an .80 or .85, is that possible?
Would it make the tip more susceptible to damage?

 

[EZ]

It's probable it can be opened that much. It would be easier to damage. It can be mitigated to a certain extent. Hard to say precisely without the piece in hand.

 

[Stan]

I was thinking of getting a soloist C* for alto on eBay since they usually go for a decent price compared to the more open ones.
I would want to have it opened up to an .80 or .85, is that possible?
Would it make the tip more susceptible to damage?

Why not? 0.83-0.85 is a very good range of tip openings for that kind of vintage mouthpieces. I have three vintage selmer soloists opened up to 0.85, they play OK!

All the best,

Stan

 

[daigle65]

That's good news !
I'll start looking into that.
Thank you Stan and EZ.

 

[MM]

Stan do your Soloist opened to .085" just play OK, or good or excellent?

 

[Stan]

Stan do your Soloist opened to .085" just play OK, or good or excellent?

Excellent of course

Stan

 

[LeftySaxDude]

Fred Rast opens up vintage C*'s to a .096" I had one like this, but it was a C, not a C*

 

[MM]

I'm still kicking around whether to have this done. Some people say the Soloists really speak well with a wide range of colors when opened up, but others say there are better choices for jazz alto mpcs. I won't know for sure until I try one, but a can anyone compare how an opened up Soloist plays compared to an opened up Meyer?

Or would I be be better off buying a Selmer Metal Jazz F rather than have a rubber Soloist opened?

 

[tinpalaceroach]

well i have two custom Selmer soloists and one stock C* soloist and a custom Meyer. my main soloist is a .88 tip if i remember right while the other is an .90 tip and they both play very well with some cut and projection. the .88 is a rollover and dare i say brighter and flexible,colorful and the .90 is darker powerful deep flexible dependent on what reeds too. i think a stock soloist(Steve Wilson) can be played as is and still be powerful with good tone in all ranges of the horn. the Meyer is a custom .85 and a very good one at that but to me the least played because the vibe it brings out is typical Meyer and seems only to me locked in step. to me soloists are great on altos but my other main alto mpcs are Brilhart Personalines hr and they beat all of the above by a New York mile.

 

[DaveR]

You'll find that the modern soloists have less leeway to be opened than vintage, which tend to have more material to work with. I recently sent a modern C* to an excellent refacer in France but he can only open it a little because of this. If you are buying a modern piece for refacing, bear in mind that it is easier to close a facing than to open it, so buy more open than you need.

 

[daigle65]

If you are buying a modern piece for refacing, bear in mind that it is easier to close a facing than to open it, so buy more open than you need.

My plan is to buy a vintage soloist, preferably a short shank.
Thanks for the input everybody.

 

[MM]

Brilharts and Soloists both have straight sidewalls with an arch chamber right? But I guess the chambers are a bit smaller on the Brilharts? I have seen some older B's but not a Personaline.

 

[daigle65]

I don't know about Brilharts but Soloists have what is referred to as a "horse shoe" chamber.

 

[Stan]

Hi,
I have Soloists, Meyers and Brilharts alto mouthpieces. What do you want to know exactly and why? I can maybe check them.
All the best,

Stan

 

[MM]

Stan, I guess it can help if you discuss the similarities and differences in playing characteristics and chamber/baffle design between Brilharts and Soloist mouthpieces.