[radams]

When looking for mouthpieces on EBAY, I keep coming across ads for metal mouthpieces that make no mention of the manufacturer. Where do these come from? Are they worth a risk assuming they're cheap?

Example, see below;

http://cgi.ebay.com/TENOR-Saxophone...182?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5640ebee0e

 

[Pete Thomas]

It's almost impossible to know how good they are, probably from China which (as we are discovering more and more) is not necessarily an indication of poor quality as it used to be. Some that look like that are actually quite good, and Musical Wheel is by all accounts a reputable company.

 

[Stephen Howard]

I've got one for my bari - quite a nice piece. I just wanted something loud and shouty, and it serves the purpose very well indeed. I've played pieces costing well into three figures that didn't sound as good.

On the flip side, I wanted one for my tenor - and had the chance to blow through whole boxful of pieces...about 40 or 50...and not one of them was any good.

I'd say you have to think in terms of hoping to get lucky, or buying them as a blank for modification.

Regards,

 

[rispoli]

I have 2 CE Winds mouthpieces and there is plenty of China-made ones on Ebay that look the very same. Both my tenor pieces are very nice and great value. I have tried better mouthpieces, yes, but at 10x the price.
Finish appears flawless and response is great. I'd say they are high grade ones.

Another player I know bought a Zhenghao for 16$ plus shipping and is very happy.
IMHO they are worth considering.

 

[sskilton]

I have seen these on ebay. I have always fancied the idea of one for my sax but dont want to risk £30 from China. Cant believe at that price they'd be any good. Get one and let me know lol. x

 

[saxpiece]

I've also seen Otto Link styled Chinese mouthpieces but with a baffle and made from brass with gold plating.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I have seen these on ebay. I have always fancied the idea of one for my sax but dont want to risk £30 from China. Cant believe at that price they'd be any good. Get one and let me know lol. x

The problem is just because someone says that one Chinese unnamed mouthpiece is good does not mean another one is. That's why you either need a return policy or be happy to gamble. Or expect to spend money on a reface which could salvage what on first trying appears to be no good.

 

[radams]

I worry about chemicals leaching out of the plastic or metal over time. Somehow I have a hard time believing this is something these manufacturers would care much about. I don't want to personally particpate in a program to re-cycle all of Chinas lead through my body.

 

[Stephen Howard]

I have seen these on ebay. I have always fancied the idea of one for my sax but dont want to risk £30 from China. Cant believe at that price they'd be any good. Get one and let me know lol. x

I know what you mean, but I've actually had pretty good service from the Chinese sellers I've bought from via ebay. It's been mostly IT/camera stuff - but it's all turned up quite quickly and it's all worked. That's better than some stuff I've bought via UK sellers.
It doesn't mean the mouthpiece will be any good - but at least it stands a good chance of arriving!
Check the feedback - it's usually a good indication of service.

Regards,

 

[Stephen Howard]

I worry about chemicals leaching out of the plastic or metal over time. Somehow I have a hard time believing this is something these manufacturers would care much about. I don't want to personally particpate in a program to re-cycle all of Chinas lead through my body.

I assume you mean they're going to be using the cheapest materials possible - which kind of knackers the lead in brass theory as it tends to be rather more expensive.
It's been discussed before on SOTW - it's not an issue you need worry about.

Regards,

 

[BOPITY FUNK]

I have 2 CE Winds mouthpieces and there is plenty of China-made ones on Ebay that look the very same. Both my tenor pieces are very nice and great value. I have tried better mouthpieces, yes, but at 10x the price.
Finish appears flawless and response is great. I'd say they are high grade ones.

Another player I know bought a Zhenghao for 16$ plus shipping and is very happy.
IMHO they are worth considering.

The "C E Winds" pieces are excellent and great value for money

 

[radams]

Thanks for all the inputs, maybe I'll give it a try

 

[Pete Thomas]

Thanks for all the inputs, maybe I'll give it a try

Check the return policy, all you have to lose is the shipping or 20%:

We are confident that you will like the product you purchased from us. Still if for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase we will accept it back and either exchange it or issue you a refund less shipping/handling. It is Buyer's responsibility to ship the item back. If you purchased an item with free shipping, a restocking fee of 20% will apply to all returned products. Please return the product in the original condition with all parts and packaging included.

 

[rispoli]

I'd also inquire about their numbering scale before ordering one, as you cannot assume they follow the Otto-Link standard.
My CE Winds are narrower than Otto Link in the same opening.
Problem is that some sellers may have no clue...

 

[ratracer]

I have one of the Zhenghao #8s from China. I've no problems with the quality of it's manufacture. (fyi-I do have a degree in mechanical engineering, fwiw). Supposed to be a Link but has a much higher baffle. Quality of construction is good. I chirp like the dickens on it though unless I have to use a reed specifically for just that piece and use a very loose embouchure. It does not like reeds used on other mouthpieces for any length of time. My embouchure is apparently more Link-friendly than a high baffle piece. It is very good for checking if my embouchure is too tight. Too tight and the chirps are automatic, a given.

 

[Gary59]

I just purchased an alto mouthpiece, so we'll see how it is after it arrives.Paid 31.00 for it.

 

[Grumps]

I assume you mean they're going to be using the cheapest materials possible - which kind of knackers the lead in brass theory as it tends to be rather more expensive. It's been discussed before on SOTW - it's not an issue you need worry about.

The price of lead is relative in China, as they seem to be the ones producing the most of it these days. But limiting safety issues to the brass itself ignores the potential danger of what's in the plating and how it was done; as this is the material that tends to wear on mouthpieces and can possibly be ingested. Material engineers and folks who have done business with Chinese manufacturers have urged caution in this regard on this very site, so the issue hasn't been closed to inquiry. I myself would urge caution when dealing with certain generic imports as there won't be a manufacturer to hold accountable should there be an issue of product safety.

 

[edwin]

I bought a Zhenghao bari #5 direct from the company, and it arrived the other day. I really like it! I hadn't been all that happy with the Rico Metalite piece I'd been using - I thought the tone was rather thin in the upper register. I had thought it may well be just me and/or the horn rather than the mouthpiece; I'd felt the same about a Graftonite piece and an old yamaha piece that came with the horn - but figured for the price it was worth a punt on the Zhenghao .. at worst I'd have a somewhat pricey but fairly decorative paperweight. But I much prefer the Zhenghao to the Rico (which in turn I'd preferred to the other two pieces I had tried). It sounds (to me) much richer throughout the range of the horn, and especially up top where I'd been unhappy with the sound I was getting. All of a sudden I really want to spend more time playing my bari.
Of course the comparison I'm making is with pretty cheap, unheralded mouthpieces, and I don't know how it would compare with something a bit further up the food chain. But (for me) it doesn't really matter.

 

[Gary59]

I just purchased an alto mouthpiece, so we'll see how it is after it arrives.Paid 31.00 for it.

Mouthpiece is finished quite well. It has a 6 stamped in the shank.It plays well,but I wonder about the composition of the metal.

 

[milandro]

But does anybody wonder about the composition of the metal of any mouthpiece made in the west, which, for all we know, could very well be made with Indian or Chinese or whatever prejudicial location in the world takes your fancy and excites your antennae ?

Does any mouthpiece ( made currently or in the past ) maker reveal the composition of any metal or plating or talk about it in an information sheet?

Does anybody think of the less than remote possibility that many vintage mouthpieces might contain high level of a number of contaminants that were allowed backed then and are no longer allowed?

Is distrusting anything Chinese on principle being based on any factual things specific to the item in question...... other than being based on other (toys, milk scandals) unrelated product?

I have given before a list of American product recalls for American made items, let alone that one shouldn't trust crossing any bridge in America due to many authorities failing to deal with failing bridges structures........should then one, because of it or those recalls distrusts the entire American production and control system once we know it doesn't always work?

But we've been there numerous times. :shock:[rolleyes]:faceinpalm: