[Lorenzo Muan]

After a relatively long period of satisfaction, my sound on soprano seems too bright (and maybe a tad thin).

Where would you advise I go from a Morgan Vintage 7 ?

thanks,
L.

 

[Raphyel]

mouthpiece

Try a large chamber mouthpiece. That should help a bit. I like dark sounding tenors and alto's, but I like a bright sounding soprano.

 

[Grumps]

Finding an old George Bundy mouthpiece might do the trick, but they won't be very open. A Selmer Metal Classic is a nice sounding piece as well.

 

[EZ]

You want a low baffle piece like a vintage Buescher or Martin. Also, some modern BARI pieces are rather dark with a low baffle.

 

[Pflugshaupt]

I find the Morgan Vintages to be quite bright in general. I'd recommend a current or vintage (if you're rich) Otto Link HR. In my opinion they feel similar but are less bright than the morgan.

 

[J.Max]

Depends how dark you want to go. If you want REALLY dark, get a Caravan and have it refaced.

 

[wmclean]

Depends how dark you want to go. If you want REALLY dark, get a Caravan and have it refaced.

JMax

What do you get out of a refaced Caravan that you don't get out of a stock Caravan ?

W.

 

[J.Max]

JMax

What do you get out of a refaced Caravan that you don't get out of a stock Caravan ?

W.

A bigger tip opening. I'm assuming that Lorenzo is looking for a jazz mouthpiece if he's currently playing a Morgan Vintage 7. (Which is around a .65 if memory serves me.) You'll need to be able to put more air through the horn for jazz/commercial playing.

 

[Dave Dolson]

Morgan Vintage 7 is shown as .070" in the info for those pieces. The #6 is
.065". The Super Session J is shown as .069" for comparison purposes. I find the Morgan Vintage 7 to be the warmest sop mouthpiece I've ever played. DAVE

 

[Lorenzo Muan]

Thanks for the various input ...

I must say I do love the medium and low register that I get with the Morgan, maybe I just have to work more on the upper register ... actually that is highly likely ;-)

thanks,
L.

 

[Lorenzo Muan]

Dave,

BARIs are often indicated as dark, as subjective as that label is.

Have you ever played any BARI mpcs?

thanks,
L.

 

[Dave Dolson]

L. I have a Bari Esprit and it is okay, but nothing like my SS-J's and Morgan Vintage pieces. I have not played the more open Bari pieces - would like to some time but honestly, I won't go out of my way to do it.

Reason? I love my SS-J's and Morgan Vintages and I have no need for something else (not there isn't anything better out there, I just don't have the need). DAVE

 

[potiphar]

Direct comparison between hard rubber Bari and Morgan Vintage of similar opening showed the latter was much darker.

 

[MojoBari]

After trying darker mouthpieces, if you still want a darker sound, you will need to consider getting a darker sounding soprano. Several of the vintage ones are darker than their modern versions. My straight Conn is very dark. Vintage curved sops can be even darker. If I use a Buescher mouthpiece it really wallows in darkness.

 

[Dave Dolson]

Mojo: Funny, I think my three Yanagisawa sopranos are all darker than my '28 Buescher TT. Our counter-opinions in this regard just serve to make my earlier point - one person's dark is another person's bright. DAVE

 

[MojoBari]

There are usually exceptions to general trends. I might think your Yanas sound brighter than your Buescher too. Or I might not.

Some say all curvys are darker than straights. I agree with in the same brand. But many straight vintage sops are darker than a modern curved sops.

 

[Dave Dolson]

Mojo: There's another one with which I don't agree. I have three Yanagisawa sopranos . . . SC902 (curved), S992 (straight) and S901 (straight). Both straight Yanagisawas sound darker to my ear then the SC902 . . . except when I recorded on the SC902. Then, it just sounded like a soprano (subject of another thread, by the way).

Both straight Yanagisawa sops sound the same when I play them (one bronze, one brass). DAVE

 

[J.Max]

Mojo: There's another one with which I don't agree. I have three Yanagisawa sopranos . . . SC902 (curved), S992 (straight) and S901 (straight). Both straight Yanagisawas sound darker to my ear then the SC902 . . . except when I recorded on the SC902. Then, it just sounded like a soprano (subject of another thread, by the way).

Both straight Yanagisawa sops sound the same when I play them (one bronze, one brass). DAVE

You've got a lot of horns, Dave...no criticism meant, just an observation...:shock:

 

[Martinman]

You've got a lot of horns, Dave...no criticism meant, just an observation...:shock:

At least they aren't Itallian .

 

[Dave Dolson]

Ah, but they WERE Italian a while back . . . three Rampones (tipped bell sop, sopranino, R1 alto).

Yes, I know I have a lot of horns, but there are others here who have a HUGE number of saxophones. DAVE