[allenlowe]

I hope people remember him, but Carmen Leggio, who was truly one of the greats, payed with a mouthpiece he found in the case when he got the horn (this was on tenor). I don't remember what it was, however.

 

[2phunkey4u]

Keith Anderson had decided to stick with the Cannonball 5J mouthpiece that came with his tenor, IIRC.

 

[tranesonic]

I believe Sam Rivers used the stock mouthpiece that came with his Keilworth when he finally gave up his SML tenor.

 

[whaler]

I don’t have a Kessler sax but i play one of their Custom “stock” mouthpieces that comes with their saxes.
‘it’s the best hard rubber mouthpiece I have and I have Slant and EB original Tone Edges. I hate to tell you but it plays better, brighter, than either of those and is a lot cheaper. Supposedly it’s a combination of the smaller Florida STM chamber and an EB baffle.

 

[billpf]

I have read in earlier posts that Lee Allen played a Selmer D later in his career.

Bill

 

[Peter Wright]

…consensus from SotW…

😂😂😂

That isn’t a thing.

 

[Leon]

I believe Sam Rivers used the stock mouthpiece that came with his Keilworth when he finally gave up his SML tenor.

Yes, he did indeed.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

I’ve owned both custom made and stock and it’s definitely hit and miss. Right now I play mouthpieces that are not in the mainstream.

 

[ottoconnman]

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.

I agree. I would define an Otto Link Tone Edge an 'off the shelf' mouthpiece. I would also define it as a 'stock' mouthpiece also, provided that it had not been modified.

 

[BH9]

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.

I think you’re right about most, but not all. Yanagisawas come with a rubber piece that is a little closed but is pretty Link-like. It’s really a pretty good jazz piece.

 

[Nigrut]

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.

You might be pleasantly surprised if you back and try the Yamaha 4C that the sax came with.

 

[B Flat]

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.

He did however play a Selmer Super Series alto at one point.
With a Tonalin piece or similar.

 

[plbgbiz]

You might be pleasantly surprised if you back and try the Yamaha 4C that the sax came with.

That could be. I’ve never had the opportunity with a new YT or YA. I do however have a Yahmaha soprano that I only have the piece that came with it. I must admit I rarely play it, and have no clue what the piece is other than it’s not metal. I keep a MS Carbon reed in the case that’s ready on days that I get the itch.

 

[cam95]

You can get a surprising range of tone from a Yamaha 4C, or any mouthpiece with a rolled baffle and a medium chamber. Having a larger tip opening makes it even better, but it would drive band directors mad.

 

[PigSquealer]

Anyone ever play a Martin with a stock Martin mouthpiece? It’s my understanding these were designed and made by the Woodwind Company for Martin.

 

[Seraphim]

Antonio Hart: The Saxophone Set-Up Trifecta

Antonio Hart: The Saxophone Set-Up Trifecta

www.dansr.com

Antonio plays stock Vandoren V16’s in a small chamber. Surprisingly not a medium chamber.

He is a great player as everyone knows, and a great teacher. He is at Queens College in NYC, which probably is the best music school for the money anywhere. I just finished paying off my Berkeley School of Music Student loan.. and I’m ONLY 53! 🎉🥂🎊

Lord I wish I knew then what I know know!
I would have went to Queens College and saved millions. Sorry about the rant! It’s good to celebrate that loan pay off!!!

Anyways He is a great player on a stock mouthpiece. I sat in on some of his classes, and he really plays on it!


“I’ve found consistently with the Vandoren V16 S8 (I like the small chamber, the medium chamber is a little too much for me) is that it allows me to stand comfortably and blow and it allows me to do the things I want to do.”

 

[Seraphim]

It’s always good to remember with horns, mouthpieces and audio gear this rule:

It wasn’t vintage when Bird or Trane played on it.

It wasn’t vintage when when Rupert Neve made his first 1073!

 

[swperry1]

I agree. I would define an Otto Link Tone Edge an 'off the shelf' mouthpiece. I would also define it as a 'stock' mouthpiece also, provided that it had not been modified.

What horns came/ come stock with an Otto Link tone edge?

 

[J-Moen]

What horns came/ come stock with an Otto Link tone edge?

Lol right? The list is significantly longer if you include players playing unaltered off the shelf pieces... lots of players doing that.

FYI to the recent contributors: the OP specifically asks for players playing the stock mouthpiece that came with their sax (IE Yam 4C, Selmer, etc).

 

[geoffroach]

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.

Slightly not answering the question - Sonny Rollins, Pete Christlieb, and Bill Clinton all play Berg Larsen. Pete said his is 130/0. Drive a truck through that. I play hard rubber 100/2 on tenor.
Geoff