[zxcvbnm]

Which (modern) mouthpieces work best and give the best intonation on bueschers? I want to focus more on jazz pieces, since the classical pieces that work for bueschers are usually known (pretty much only Raschers and Caravans). I've played a metal link, a rubber link, and a lakey on a tt and a 140 alto, and they were all horrendously out of tune. Also I want to focus especially on tt, aristocrat, and big b altos, because I'm currently considering buying one of these. Thanks!

 

[Dave dix]

I use a lawton 7* metal piece on my true tone last night and it was spot on
Dave

 

[silvin]

Try a Morgan 6L and 6EL, with ZZ2,5 or Rico 3

 

[AG]

I use an earlier HR Tone-edge 6 link on a 140 alto....intonation is fine, but I've been thinking of trying a Runyon SR 7; haven't seen anyone say they've used one of those though.

 

[saintsday]

Some of the smaller Lelandais pieces work well on a Big B/140. I don't remember what a Super Trompette does for intonation, but I don't recall it as a problem. I've been playing a Streamline on both my Bueschers and Couesnons with good results from a DC 3.5.
Most of the Lelandais small body pieces will give you plenty of punch for jazz.

 

[rambert]

I use an earlier HR Tone-edge 6 link on a 140 alto....intonation is fine, but I've been thinking of trying a Runyon SR 7; haven't seen anyone say they've used one of those though.

I have a Big B alto and tried a Runyon SR 7 once. It was good, but correcting the low D that's about 15 to 20 cents flat was hard work for me.

I now use a Lamberson 7M with Rigotti Gold 2.5M reeds and the intonation is spot on. It allows me to correct for the D with minimal effort.

 

[Dave Dolson]

Soprano - Super Session J, Morgan Vintage 6 & 7, STM Link 7* and 8*, Selmer S-80 G & J.

Alto (three Buescher altos) - Meyer 6S-M, Morgan-Bilger 6, Super Session F, Soloist F, Don Sinta.

C-Mel - Kessler for tenor

DAVE

 

[Grumps]

It's not unusual for a TT to blow out of tune; especially in certain spots such as sharp at B3 and above and flat around G1-A1. A later Aristocrat neck can fix it, otherwise you just gotta learn to loosen up a bit up top and pinch a bit in other spots down low. Some folks put plastic tubing inserts in their TT necks to cure the problem as well. Mine has an Aristocrat neck and is very mouthpiece friendly.

 

[luispa]

I actually play a TT for big band work. It plays very in tune. I'll tried a lot of mouthpieces and a few of them play out of tune. The mouthpieces which didn't work for me were:
- Meyer HR 6
- Yanagisawa Metal 5
- Vandoren Java A45

While the ones which worked were:
- Berg Larsen 85 2/(Offset)M Metal ---> the one I'm actually using
- Berg Larsen 85 3/M Metal
- Bari 95 (Bullet Chambered) Metal
- Bari WT II 8 Metal
- Brilhart Level Air 7 ('70s model) Metal

 

[JL]

One of the reasons I sold my Yamaha Custom in favor of my TT alto, was because the TT played more in tune than the Yamaha, with any mpc. I know few will believe this but it's absolutely true. Of course the main reason was tone.

 

[luispa]

One of the reasons I sold my Yamaha Custom in favor of my TT alto, was because the TT played more in tune than the Yamaha, with any mpc. I know few will believe this but it's absolutely true. Of course the main reason was tone.

That's perfectly possible. I guess every saxophone has an intonation tendency and every saxophone player has also an intonation tendency. Saxophones which plays in tune for somebody could not do it for other players. I sold a YTS 62 in favor of my TT tenors (1 Silver plated and 1 gold plated). I.e. the B3 always sounded flat With the YTS 62.

 

[luispa]

For avoiding any kind of confusion: I also play an alto True Tone and I was talking about alto mouthpieces when I listed the mouthpieces which worked/didn't work for me. I also have a Yamaha YAS 62S and it's case is getting dust because the last time I played was 4 years ago.

 

[Grumps]

One of the reasons I sold my Yamaha Custom in favor of my TT alto, was because the TT played more in tune than the Yamaha, with any mpc. I know few will believe this but it's absolutely true. Of course the main reason was tone.

Oh, I believe it's true. I dumped an SBA alto for mine.

 

[Rahspeak]

a couple of comments, one general and one specific:

Is it really possible to say things like "a vintage Buescher needs a large-chambered mouthpiece to play well in tune"? Doesn't the player's own characterisitics play a huge role in this, I mean like a gigantic role? I am primarily a tenor/bari player, I like big, dark, warm sounds on both those horns, and when i play my Big B alto (only for classical literature in my lessons at school) I find mouthpieces like the Hite, the Morgan 3C (often recommended for buescher altos) and the huge chambered "The Buescher" mouthpiece (which should obviously be very compatible) all play extremely flat for me, especially in the higher register. i have a huge oral cavity (a big mouth ) and this could be the culprit.

I found what works best for me BY FAR is the Vandoren Optimum AL 3, but conventional wisdom (read: stuff i've read on SOTW) says that these traditional kinds of smaller-chambered classical mouthpieces are not supposed to play well in tune on my horn. I'm satisfied now, so this question is less about advice for me and more of a general principle, but how much should one take these kinds of general statements into account when figuring out their setup?

 

[JonF992]

I play a metal Yani 6 on my 1926 TT alto. I already had the mouthpiece when I got the sax, and just shoved it on and played. Tone and intonation both great.

I don't believe thare are any rules about matching saxes and mouthpieces. Some guidelines, sure, but no rules - whatever works, works.

 

[luispa]

I play a metal Yani 6 on my 1926 TT alto. I already had the mouthpiece when I got the sax, and just shoved it on and played. Tone and intonation both great.

I don't believe thare are any rules about matching saxes and mouthpieces. Some guidelines, sure, but no rules - whatever works, works.

You're right. I played a metal Yani 5 and it didn't work for me. I actually use a Berg Larsen 85 2/(Offset)M which work far better for me.

 

[Hornlip]

i have a huge oral cavity (a big mouth ) and this could be the culprit.

When you get down to it, its probably the wide variation in human mouths rather than variation in the horns that makes the difference.

 

[Grumps]

Is it really possible to say things like "a vintage Buescher needs a large-chambered mouthpiece to play well in tune"?

It's possible to say it, but it's more true of vintage Conns.

 

[Dave Dolson]

I for one almost always reply to such comments about vintage saxophones requiring large chamber (or vintage) mouthpieces. I don't believe it. And, I don't think it is common wisdom here on SOTW - yet it is still perpetuated by some. I use a variety of modern mouthpieces on all my vintage saxophones and they play fine.

Grumps, as to vintage Conns - I've owned 'em and I've never had one that had a solid scale with whatever mouthpiece I used on them. Yes, yes - some have Conns that tuned well, I've just never experienced them.

What I DID find that was true for me with Conns is that if the horn had a microtuner-neck, I needed a shorter shanked mouthpiece. So on my Chu alto I used a Super Session and a Meyer - short enough to allow the horn to generally play in tune. DAVE

 

[saintsday]

I don't believe thare are any rules about matching saxes and mouthpieces. Some guidelines, sure, but no rules - whatever works, works.

Amen, brother.