[2phunkey4u]

So I have this D'Addario D7M Marble, and it takes almost all the 2.5 reeds I put on it well (Vandoren ZZ and Java Red, Rigotti, D'Addario Select, Alexander NY). I am still looking for a Super Tone Master type of mouthpiece, and I run into reed pickyness issues. What is up with that? I currently own a refaced 6* EB STM, and I only have one single reed that works on it (an Alexander NY). All other reeds that work well on the D'Addario make me sound very stuffy in the upper register and I get difficulties controlling the airstream. Currently, I am trying out a 7* Florida copy, too, and all the reeds that work well on the D'Addario make me sound very stuffy in the low register and I get difficulties controlling the airstream.

What is going on here? Could it have something to do with the facings? The Florida copy supposedly has a long facing and the largest chamber of the three. The D'Addario has a medium chamber and a medium facing. I do not know about the EB STM.

 

[whaler]

I’d look for an original EB STM. Every one that I’ve seen refaced they take down the baffle right after the tip. This is what makes these play well. Good luck with finding an original but they're out there.
You’re comparing apples and bowling balls if you think a Link is going to play like a high baffled mouthpiece. The Link copies always have the part right after the baffle sloping into the chamber wrong. They seem to be too low and the chamber too big.
I’ve had my best luck with Rigotti and Links.
Some people seem to like the idea of playing Links more than actually playing them.

 

[1saxman]

In the past, before all this mouthpiece 'wisdom' was available, we simply used the mouthpiece we liked without regard to what somebody else thought we 'should' use. When I try a mouthpiece that sucks, I don't use it. Real simple.

 

[Ixthusdan]

I started working my reeds (leveling the table side and occasionally thinning the edges) and have discovered that more reeds play and less reeds are poor. I have a Link STM-NY 7 and a Vandoren Java Jumbo T55 and they work better as well. Most of the guys have already been doing this, but I just started. It is a good practice.

 

[Atonal]

Tip opening, facing curve, reed cut & strength, plus a few other factors contribute to the overall response/feel and playability of any mouthpiece-reed-ligature combination.

I have a rubber Early Babbitt Link that literally plays any cut/brand and even varying strengths of reeds and performs great. I have several other mouthpieces, original and refaced, that are very picky about reeds...very annoying.

Trial & Error to find the right combo.

 

[mrpeebee]

I have a lot of Otto Link mouthpieces (vintage and modern) and they work well with most reeds I try (mainly Rico types and La Voz).

What's important is that the facing curve is the same on both sides. If not, you can get reed issues. Another reason can have to do with the facing length. Some reeds perform better with shorter facings and some better with medium or longer facings.

Another cause of your issue can be the table of the mouthpiece not being flat, the reed table becoming curved (reed geek or other methods can solve that) or a bad functioning ligature that doesn't keep the reed tight enough on the table (Link ligatures are sometimes known for that).

 

[mijderf]

+1 to mrpeebee above. Also, terms like long or medium facings can be misleading since they do not list the actual facing length. But the facing length can help determine the reed strength that best works with a given mouthpiece (I actually think that it is often more important than the tip size). So if you are up to it, you might try slightly harder reeds with the longer facings and see if that helps.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I believe there is a crucial relationship between the position heart of the reed and facing length.

How do you change this position? You can sandpaper it down, but I’d say that is very tricky and could ruin a few reeds.

An easier and safer approach, for mouthpieces with a shortish facing is to use a softer reed than you normally would and clip the end - to bring the heart slightly closer to the tip

 

[skeller047]

...
What's important is that the facing curve is the same on both sides. If not, you can get reed issues. Another reason can have to do with the facing length. Some reeds perform better with shorter facings and some better with medium or longer facings.
...

This is one of the most important factors regarding reed pickiness, and it is easy to check with a flat surface and a business card, or a piece of paper. Lay the mouthpiece on the flat surface and slide the card gently under the facing curve, noting where it stops. When the card is stopped by both rails, it should be straight across, not at an angle. If it is at an angle, the facing is crooked and you will have more trouble with reeds.

I believe there is a crucial relationship between the position heart of the reed and facing length.
...

This is why I personally can't use Vandoren Blue Box reeds on saxophone. (Clarinet is another matter.). I use a 6 or 7 opening on alto, and a 7* on tenor. These tip openings tend to use longer facings than less open mouthpieces, and Vandoren Blue Box reeds have their heart much closer to the tip than D'Addario Select Jazz or Rigotti Gold/Jazz reeds. Vandoren Java reeds have their heart farther back too. The easiest way to control the position of the heart is by brand selection

 

[Hornlip]

I started working my reeds (leveling the table side and occasionally thinning the edges) and have discovered that more reeds play and less reeds are poor. I have a Link STM-NY 7 and a Vandoren Java Jumbo T55 and they work better as well. Most of the guys have already been doing this, but I just started. It is a good practice.

Being self-taught it had been playing for a while before I learned that you could often improve "bad" reeds just by sanding down the table a bit, and making other minor adjustments. Made a lot of difference, right away, when I started. Also saved me a lot of money since it could turn bad reeds into good ones.

It should have occurred to me earlier that you could work on them - I had known some oboe players, and had watched them make their own reeds.

 

[BH9]

I think it’s not just the length but the shape of the facing. Facings that are more elliptical, with most of the arc closer to the tip, seem to be pickier about reeds. I’ve called them shorter facings in the past, and been called on it. Facings that start gradually at the table side and then get steep at the tip seem to be more aggressive, and will squeak with an imperfect reed. Or that’s been my entirely unscientific impression.