[tempesax]

I have an 84,xxx Selmer soprano.

When I use a modern mouthpiece with a wide tip opening, the middle C and C# are way, way flat.

However, when I use a vintage Selmer metal E they play almost perfectly in tune.

Can anyone explain why this is the case?

What is happening here?

What mouthpieces will I need to restrict myself to in order to avoid the way, way flat C and C#?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[whaler]

I think that it is hard to beat a good old Selmer S-80 in almost any tip opening on a Selmer soprano. Why would you want to play a wide tip opening on soprano anyway.. A Selmer E is a good match for your horn, ask Coltrane,

 

[Dave Dolson]

Tempesax: It may have to do with the internal volume of the modern mouthpiece compared to what you were using. My experience witha MKVI was that ALL mouthpieces I tried could not bring the horn into tune. I have the same problem now with a Taiwanese-made clone of the MKVI. Still, many MKVI owners don't have that problem. It may be individual instruments.

I use open tips on all of my sopranos (.065 to .070) and find them to be a much better combination than closer-tipped mouthpieces on all of my sops (vintage, modern, straight, curved). Why one would want to use a certain mouthpiece on any soprano involves many factors and it boils down to personal choice.

I played Selmer S-80 pieces (G and J tips) for years before the newer Super Session series was released. But once I had an SS-J and played it alongside my S-80 J, the marked improvement was huge. DAVE