[Turnaround]

I must say, I've been having some major G.A.S. to play a Meyer Bros since I learned that Cannonball played one. Today, I had a chance to play a 3M that had been modified to a 5M. It's had to be in the type of rubber they used. I have a NY Meyer 8M that plays very well, but there was a really big difference in the way the Bros rings. Why can't they make rubber with the same sulfur content that they made back then. Now I have to find one to purchase.

 

[dstack79]

Why are you so sure it's the rubber? Isn't it possible that there are numerous other factors contributing to the differences between the Meyer Bros and modern Meyer mpc you tried?

-Dan

 

[MM]

Good followup question. Have you compared the chamber design between the two?

 

[Bob M]

Find Ralph Morgan's article "A Meyer is a Meyer is a Meyer". It should be available as a .pdf on Sax Journal's website.

Its been a while since I read it, but IIRC Morgan compared a Meyer Bros. piece from the 40's to a NYUSA piece from the 70's. The article includes tip opening specs, along with detailed measurements (with diagrams) of the chamber configuration of each. The upshot is that the two are quite different from a structural standpoint. For example (again from memory) a Meyer Bros. 5 for Alto had a tip opening that is the equivalent of a Meyer NYUSA 7. According to the facing charts in this article, modern Meyer USA pieces from Babbitt have the same specs as the later Meyer NYUSA pieces.

From what I would gather, the current Meyer USA pieces produced by Babbitt are generally more like the NYUSA pieces, than the older Meyer Bros pieces. It is noted that in addition to Cannonball, Phil Woods and Greg Abate (and I'm sure many others) play Meyer Bros pieces. IMHO, the difference in how these pieces are configured has a more significant impact on sound than does the rubber itself. That seemed to be Ralph's conclusion as well.

Hope that helps.

 

[Seasax]

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=68870
?

 

[Seasax]

oh, my bad, sold, and for tenor

 

[Rackety Sax]

Mojo's got one for sale on his site, or did recently.

 

[Dr G]

Hello, Mouthpiece Guys, there exists an "opportunity".

How 'bout it? What is in the works for altos?

 

[Turnaround]

Sorry about the delayed response. Just to clarify, I am talking about an alto piece. I have tried and own a lot of Meyers and Meyer copies. I currently have in my Meyer collection :

2 NY USA 8Ms (one is the older model with more scooped side walls)
NY LTD 6M
early Babbit 5M
and a 6M USA (which was my main piece all through college).

Meyer copies I have are:

GW NY 7 touched up by MOJOBARI (this piece actually plays the closest to the Bros)
Lamberson Fmaj7
SR Tech L85 (clear and HR)


I've tried a few others over the years. Most of the pieces play very similar. Can't say there is a bad playing piece in the bunch. So as far as my experience with other pieces, I feel I have a good bit of it. I don't have measuring tools so I can't tell you exact numbers, but most of my pieces are around .85, other than the smaller Meyers, and they play similar but don't need as much air.

So they Bros I played measured around .70. It had similar sidewalls to the older NY 8M and the GW NY 7. It just played VERY well. I could take the tone anywhere I wanted. It was very versatile. And it was very consistent throughout the range of the horn. I could get a great throaty sound as well as a nice smooth tone, altissimo was easy and brilliant. It really was what I had hoped a Bros would be. It met my expectations. I'm working on getting it.

So considering all the other pieces I've tried, most with very similar specs, my only conclusion must be that it has something to do with the rubber. I have heard this from many sources as well. Something to do with higher sulfur content. I'm not the expert though and only basing this on my personal experience.

 

[Ptrick]

The debate goes on... the jury is still "out" on whether mouthpiece material makes a difference due in large part to tiny differences in any 2 mouthpieces.
However some food for thought - IF material matters at all, could it be possible that it just takes some years for the rubber to leach off enough of the sulphur to cure to this magical state?
And then there are the good ole EPA laws that might interfere with the same recipe for todays HR mouthpiece manufacturing....?

On the measurement issues - only by measuring with the correct tools can you see exactly what you are dealing with. Eyeballing it will only get you so far...