[cam95]

Just curious if there are any current artists out there who just play whatever mouthpiece came with their sax (like a Yamaha 4C, for example) and still get a great sound.

 

[reedsburn62]

Eddie Harris, Joe Henderson both played Selmer Soloists, C# and D respectively.

 

[Saxophone Strange]

You mean like Charlie Parker?

 

[reedsburn62]

Charlie Parker:
"He is sometimes pictured with a distinctive ivory coloured mouthpiece: that’s a Brilhart Tonalin Streamline. Charlie Parker is also known to have played a Brilhart Ebolin, a Runyon Model 22 and, perhaps surprisingly for an alto player of his style, a metal mouthpiece made by Selmer."
Ted Klum makes a London Selmer copy of the metal Selmer mouthpiece referenced:

Yardbird Model Brass Alto | Ted Klum Mouthpieces

www.tedklum.com

 

[cam95]

I could be wrong (don't know a lot about old saxophones), but I don't think any Selmer comes with a Soloist as its stock mouthpiece, or any King comes with a Runyon or Brillhart.

 

[J-Moen]

I could be wrong (don't know a lot about old saxophones), but I don't think any Selmer comes with a Soloist as its stock mouthpiece, or any King comes with a Runyon or Brillhart.

The Mark VI (when new)

 

[cam95]

The Mark VI (when new)

Oh, neat. I didn't realize that.

Eddie Harris, Joe Henderson both played Selmer Soloists, C# and D respectively.

Surely he isn't playing the original mouthpiece with this sax, right?

But seriously, both of them sound great.

 

[Aquarian]

Stock, maybe not many, but apparently Maceo Parker has played Ebolins since he first started. I don't remember if his was in the case with his first sax or not.

 

[KMR]

Charlie Parker:
"He is sometimes pictured with a distinctive ivory coloured mouthpiece: that’s a Brilhart Tonalin Streamline. Charlie Parker is also known to have played a Brilhart Ebolin, a Runyon Model 22 and, perhaps surprisingly for an alto player of his style, a metal mouthpiece made by Selmer."
Ted Klum makes a London Selmer copy of the metal Selmer mouthpiece referenced:

Yardbird Model Brass Alto | Ted Klum Mouthpieces

www.tedklum.com

just to clarify, in case this leads to confusion.

Parker did not play a Selmer Paris mouthpiece.

he played a Selmer London mouthpiece.
A different company, and a different mouthpiece to the French version.

 

[Saxophone Strange]

There are lots of people who played on stock pieces or didn’t have a piece made for them… if you are thinking of musicians today specifically, Bob Reynolds comes to mind. If the piece had to come with the horn, less.

 

[plbgbiz]

Just curious if there are any current artists out there who just play whatever mouthpiece came with their sax (like a Yamaha 4C, for example) and still get a great sound.

Considering the prequalifier of “current” artists, and that by ”artist” you mean the A list players that the average Joe would know as a famous sax player…

With all the attention focused on gear over the last several decades, I think not. One of the first things young players do after being subjected to “you must get a harder reed” school of thought, is to get a wider tip opening mouthpiece. I’d be SHOCKED to learn of an A list player using the stock piece that came with a horn.

 

[BalancedReaction]

With all the attention focused on gear over the last several decades, I think not. One of the first things young players do after being subjected to “you must get a harder reed” school of thought, is to get a wider tip opening mouthpiece. I’d be SHOCKED to learn of an A list player using the stock piece that came with a horn.

Well, only if you completely disregard classical saxophonists. New Selmers come with S80 and Concept mouthpieces which are widespread among the top players.

Also, some manufacturers (e.g. Cannonball, Kessler) ship Meyer/Otto Link type instead of the very closed classical mouthpieces. I can imagine some non-classical pros playing those (at least Cannonball claims that on their website).

 

[plbgbiz]

Well, only if you completely disregard classical saxophonists. New Selmers come with S80 and Concept mouthpieces which are widespread among the top players.

Also, some manufacturers (e.g. Cannonball, Kessler) ship Meyer/Otto Link type instead of the very closed classical mouthpieces. I can imagine some non-classical pros playing those (at least Cannonball claims that on their website).

Fair point. I didn't consider that avenue.

 

[Mark R]

Keith Anderson plays (or played) the stock Cannonball mouthpiece with his alto.

 

[1saxman]

It has always been common among pro players to ignore the original mouthpiece, which always seemed to get lost over the years. Most players buying a new premium sax already have a mouthpiece with which they try out the new horn. If the horn doesn't work with the mouthpiece, they find one that does. The original factory mouthpiece was not even tried in most instances - it was usually taken out of the case and put away somewhere or even literally thrown in the trash.

 

[rzzzzz]

I think I’d refer folks to Saxaholic’s recent, excellent post on “Paul Desmond” pieces, where he thoroughly describes the attributes of original stock, modified recreations and boutique pieces in pursuing a particular sound. That’s not the same thing as talking about what Jan Garbarek, sic., is playing these days, but I think it covers similar ground.

 

[Zasterz]

I misunderstood the title and thought it was about pros who play mouthpieces like “stock off the shelf” rather than vintage, handmade, refaced, modified etc. Pieces anyone/everyone could just go buy. I’d be more interested to know that since “stock with the horn”— with so many people playing old instruments— doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense.

 

[KeithL]

Now that we are well into the age of the influencer it seems like anyone even remotely well known has been offered an endorsement deal of some kind on equipment. It's trickled down to the point that folks that aren't even known for their playing but their teaching like Jay Metcalf and Wally Wallace have become part of it. What's more interesting, and comes up here from time-to-time, is how often guys who endorse certain brands or models are often seen playing other stuff. I learned this as an impressionable 20-something back in the early 90s when I went to see Josh Redman one night and was shocked to find out that he wasn't playing the "Joshua Redman Signature" tenor piece being sold by Woodwind & Brasswind but a HR Link. When I asked him about this directly after the concert his reply was "Ahhh man, that's just business."

 

[cam95]

It does strike me as odd that most professional saxophones come with a classical oriented mouthpiece, because yeah... how many pros play classical music on sax? I understand it with student model horns because they are mostly used by high school students in concert band, where a loud, bright sound is undesirable.

 

[Dr G]

It does strike me as odd that most professional saxophones come with a classical oriented mouthpiece, because yeah... how many pros play classical music on sax? I understand it with student model horns because they are mostly used by high school students in concert band, where a loud, bright sound is undesirable.

The saxophone companies are waiting for consensus from SotW regarding what mouthpiece to include in their horns.