[secretasianman999]

I wanted to share my latest tactic for finding mouthpiece caps. I've started buying cheap mouthpiece sets off eBay, Aliexpress, amazon. You can usually can get a set for fat plastic/hard rubber that includes a mouthpiece of questionable quality (tho sometimes good), a usable ligature, a cap, and some mouthpiece pads for $7-15.

Caps are surprisingly pricey for a piece of plastic that looks like a salt or pepper shaker. You can get a pair of these for a couple of bucks, so why are these mouthpiece caps so pricey especially when they lack a bottom and have a cutout portion?

The usability of the mouthpieces is always mixed - some are terrible and completely unusable. Other times, serviceable! (one looks like a copy of a Yamaha 4C - totally playable.)

My latest adventure is I'm looking for caps for my thin metal tenor mouthpieces (2 Guardalas and a Sugal). I found a generic metal tenor mouthpiece for sale for $11 on Amazon. It said last 2 available... so I snapped them up, but it says I won't receive them for several weeks. (I included a link - they had another with a larger tip opening for $45). I have low expectations, but perhaps they'll have good bones for a refacing project? Anyway, $11 for the metal cap (if it fits) would be a score.

Alto Sax Saxophone Mouthpiece Plastic With Cap Metal Buckle Reed MOUTHPIEC S4d6 for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Alto Sax Saxophone Mouthpiece Plastic With Cap Metal Buckle Reed MOUTHPIEC S4d6 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Generic Amazon Mpc

 

[turf3]

Some years ago I actually cut up a $2.00 plastic flashlight to make a cap for my bass sax mouthpiece (one of the huge ones).

 

[Sigmund451]

I dont know the ultimate answer but if I had to guess it would be that sale of alone caps relies on the, “We have it, you want it.” principle of economics. Basically they dont care if you buy them or not. They generally are sold to mpc companies is bulk. If they are going to go to the trouble of packaging them they are gonna ask a thousand zillion percent profit. So frankly, they really dont care too much if you buy it or not because when they do sell one they probably break even on a box of them. That is my guess.

 

[sopsax]

Why bother with metal or plastic mouthpiece caps? The silicone rubber Silverstein (or Silverstein-style) caps fit all kinds of mouthpiece, stay on, protect the tip, protect the reed, weigh nothing, fit easily in your pocket, are noiseless when dropped, are easy to clean, & don't pollute the environment.

 

[Sigmund451]

That is an 18 euro cap....

back to my original premise

 

[datsaxman]

18 Euro indeed. I admire the persistence of the OP here. Bravo!

 

[1saxman]

I'm a cap nut too. I got this way out of long-time experience with morons walking through my set-up and brushing reeds. Also, the caps help hold moisture in the reed longer. I'm so funny about it that I'm constantly putting caps on and taking them off during the set as i switch horns. Whatever, the caps are one benefit of using Rovner ligatures because the caps are well-designed and made, and they're always available in case you lose or break one.
The idea expressed above about buying cheap ones on ebay is something I've actually done. Take metal mouthpieces for example, some of which can be bought for $30 and come with a nice brass ligature and cap. If you don't like the mouthpiece, you can sell it or throw it to the dogs (woof, woof!) and you still have a new lig and cap at a great price.

 

[bruce bailey]

Jeez.....I have boxes of caps. Hard to match without measurements.

 

[Martin Williams]

I think the gnomes steal all my caps. They're hiding somewhere and someday I'll find them... along with all the mismatched socks, missing pens, that extra set of key from an old car, that...

 

[theneighbordubh]

My favorite caps are the rubberized Ricos and some Vandorens. The rubberized Vandorens get sticky after years in a box my humid basement. I once lost the cap that came with my Jody (long and skinny Rovner cap) and I called the number on their website and they sent me one for free. Also the shop I bought the mpc offered to sell me one for a few bucks.