[crestfallinman]

I'm just starting to get playing again and I have a Beecher metal mouthpiece and it's a 7 so it's too much for me anymore ( it was too much for me in high school but I made it work haha) but I was looking at the Otto Links Vintage because ibhad one in middle school and it was outstanding but then ibsaw the Jody jazz and I was curious

And if it makes a difference I have a 1956 Buesher Aristocrat

Thanks!

 

[Atonal]

All Jody Jazz mouthpieces are well made. The Classic and the HR* models are both an excellent value. The Classic can be played with or without the spoiler, which gives the piece a brighter, more cutting sound. I'm not sure about the JJ models compatibility with a '56 Aristo??

 

[martinm5862]

I've used them on alto and baritone. They are based on the 1950's Runyon. Jody worked for Santy Runyon. Since it's a copy of a vintage mouthpiece I would think it would work on a Buescher. They can be ordered with or without the spoiler. I used the spoiler with the baritone mouthpiece but not with the alto. You can order these directly from Jody and they will recommend the best facing for you based on the information you supply. The classic alto mouthpiece is very versatile. You can use it in concert band and jazz band and if you need more volume you can use the spoiler.

 

[artstove]

I had one. I thought it was okay, and easy to play, but I found it a bit thin sounding. There are others that I like better. That said, mouthpieces are pretty personal, so I would see if you can try one out, or buy one from somewhere with a return policy.

If your 7 is hard to play, maybe just try a softer reed first before dropping more coin on a new mouthpiece. Or you might be able to get it refaced with a smaller opening for less than the cost of a new piece.

 

[dogbert]

My 2 ct: The JJ Classic is the same as the Runyon Custom (but the Runyon is much cheaper). I have the Runyon and checked the JJ but they are really identical. They are good flexible and *very* easy playing mouthpieces. I wouldn't say the sound is thin, but it is definately not very mellow. It is good for blues, rock and pop.

 

[crestfallinman]

i appreciate all of the feedback, im still bouncing back and forth between the otto link and the JJ but im leaning more towards the otto link at this point, i just liked the JJ because it seems like the size of the mouthpiece is smaller like a metal one (granted i havent seen one in person) and i have gotten used to playing on a metal mouthpiece and i like the slim size better, i will have to see if i can test them out this friday, but from what i have heard the JJ seems to have a much more cutting tone

i just saw them on Musicians friend for around the same price haha

 

[gsaxman100]

The classic is my least favorite of the tenor JJ pieces, I didn't like it at all. The baritone ones are great though. For me, the tenor one had too much of a harsh nasal sort of quality that bugged me.

 

[crestfallinman]

Well I went on impulse and got the JJ so I will definitely post up my reportings after playing it a little, there is also a 2 week money back guarantee on it so I figured why not haha

 

[Benny]

I'm just starting to get playing again and I have a Beecher metal mouthpiece and it's a 7 so it's too much for me anymore ( it was too much for me in high school but I made it work haha) but I was looking at the Otto Links Vintage because ibhad one in middle school and it was outstanding but then ibsaw the Jody jazz and I was curious

And if it makes a difference I have a 1956 Buesher Aristocrat

Thanks!

The jody jazz classic will play very well on a Buescher, but it depends on what sort of sound you're after.
I have 2 runyon customs that I sometimes use on my 'The Martin' also and they sound great.

 

[dogbert]

i just liked the JJ because it seems like the size of the mouthpiece is smaller like a metal one (granted i havent seen one in person) and i have gotten used to playing on a metal mouthpiece and i like the slim size better.

Not sure here what JJ piece we are talking about. The classic is definately much bigger than any metal mp I have tried (even bigger than any non-metal pieces I know). However, the DV and DVNV are very slim pieces.

 

[crestfallinman]

well i got the JJ today and i absolutely love it, even my dad said he has never heard my sax sound that good

it comes with something you stick inside which gives you that edge like a metal mouthpiece

its VERY full bodied, my beechler is thin compared to it, and with the 6 i can play for much longer periods of time, but wow is my jaw weak compared to how i was like 4 years ago

 

[martinm5862]

well i got the JJ today and i absolutely love it, even my dad said he has never heard my sax sound that good

it comes with something you stick inside which gives you that edge like a metal mouthpiece

its VERY full bodied, my beechler is thin compared to it, and with the 6 i can play for much longer periods of time, but wow is my jaw weak compared to how i was like 4 years ago

If you like the fatter sound don't put that thing in, which is the spoiler. It will make the sound brighter and possibly thinner

 

[crestfallinman]

i am not a big fan of the spoiler, it gives it a unique sound, but the spoiler makes it harder to blow through

 

[JakeLampe]

I tried a few of these on tenor but preferred the HR* over this one. It seemed a little stubborn overall and a little more work. It was pretty nice once you got away from the lowest notes but with or without the spoiler it was just not 'effortless' like the HR*.

I'm am a big fan of this piece for alto though. I got my 9* around 2002 or so and have been playing it ever since. I use the Rovner dark that it shipped with and Rico Jazz Select 2 Hard Unfiled reeds.

I've found that I prefer to practice without the spoiler but perform with it in because of the volume of the groups I perform with. One thing you can experiment with is that you can adjust the spoiler by bending it up or down. Jody did this on a couple of pieces I tried back at his NYC shop on 35 White St. This was in late 2005 when I was looking for tenor pieces but I have never adjusted my alto spoiler which I had from before that visit.

Before I switched to this I had been on a Meyer 5 for the last 5 or 6 years which was great and had a nice sound but never provided enough volume for the louder bands.

This piece has almost the perfect balance of being able to subtone down low while still being able to get a usable straight tone without having to fight for it for me.

If you go to about 9:20 in this clip you can hear how this sounds for me.

http://maggieandjake.com/music/Mills-May-2009/17_CaffeineDreams.mp3

-jake

 

[Bill Mecca]

As has been said the JJ is a Runyon Custom. Santy worked with Jody on some customizations to the tip and facing and started his own line with that as a prototype, and the JJ's are made at the Runyon factory. I've played a Custom, it was pretty good, on Tenor that is, and have spoken with some refacers who say the "tweaks" to the JJ are not that much different, though some players say they can feel a difference. YMMV... but for me, i would save the bucks and go with a Runyon Custom. I believe if you dig really deep into the archives you can find a very detailed discussion of the JJ and Custom when the JJ was being designed. But it may be so long ago it was before the forum switched to vBulletin.

 

[madeingermanny]

I use the JJ Classic on my chu berry alto and it works pretty well. Definitely a good value.

 

[super20dan]

jody never worked for runyon -just took advantage of him

 

[crestfallinman]

i just switched from vandouren v16 reeds to an old rico royal 2 1/2 and what a difference the v16's just doesnt do this mouthpiece justice, im planning on stopping at the local music store and picking up a few different styles of reeds to get the right sound i am looking for

 

[Grumps]

For some reason old reeds always worked better on JJ Classics. Perhaps to compensate better for the uneven cut. My kid liked his though when he was in grade school and it was easier for him to get started on tenor with it. Plus it was red... and cool.

 

[crestfallinman]

i wasnt ballsy enough to get the red one haha but i found a handful of rico royal reeds unused! so im gunna try one of those