[nn1229]

Hey all, I recently picked up an early Meyer NYUSA piece off of eBay for a pretty great price. As you can probably see from the before pictures it was in pretty rough shape. The rails were pretty banged up and the piece was generally used and worn. I sent it off to Brian after having some wonderful communication via email and boy, I could not believe how well it turned out. This was the first time I've ever experienced both the magic of a vintage Meyer and the magic of Brian's work. I have never played anything close to this with respect to resonance and response. And to top it all off Brian has worked through his consistent backlog and I got the piece back in just over a week. Consider this post to be an outspoken endorsement for Brian's mouthpiece services.

I also have a couple of questions for you all: It originally was marked a 3L, something that I have rarely seen on any websites or even museum collections. Any ideas as to why this combination was so rare? Maybe such a small tip opening on this piece was not complemented by the longer facing curve? Also: I picked up this piece for just $350 plus shipping. After sending it off to Brian and paying shipping I am all in about $480 give or take. Even with the rough shape of the piece on the eBay listing do you all think that it was a fair price? Sitting here I'm thinking I made out pretty well for it

I look forward to your thoughts! See pictures below for the before and after. It really is crazy to see the transformation.

 

[lostcircuits]

Happy for you, but how does it play? Compared to before? Or maybe just how does it play?

 

[jman1977]

I think it';s an ok price. What really matters is how it plays, but the reason these usually go for very high prices is that they are “vintage” and they are rare (plus some premium due to the mythos associated with them). Once they';ve been touched/altered, they essentially cease to be Meyer NY';s and the value comparison (price-wise) becomes comparisons to similar modern pieces as opposed to other Meyer NY';s.

For example, the 100th anniversary Meyer NY';s, which by many accounts are just as good (if not better) than the vintage ones can be had for a little over $100. And I';m saying this as someone who has owned 3 Vintage Meyer NY';s at various points in the past and know how good they can be.

 

[saxtek]

I know Brian is very familiar with the original Meyer facings. He learned from Ralph Morgan, who really knew the great Meyers inside and out. Plus, Brian is a full time mouthpiece maker and his skills are sky high. It's not a hobby with him.

 

[jman1977]

I know Brian is very familiar with the original Meyer facings. He learned from Ralph Morgan, who really knew the great Meyers inside and out. Plus, Brian is a full time mouthpiece maker and his skills are sky high. It's not a hobby with him.

I once owned a Brilhart Designed by Arnold Great Neck piece that had been worked on by Brian. No doubt his work is top notch. But the thing is that a vintage piece that has been worked on (regardless of how top notch the work is) is no longer a vintage piece and loses the "vintage" premium. If the work was done by one of the well-known guys (like Brian), the loss in premium is not as great as in cases where the work is done by someone not as well known (or if it is not known who did the work).

The only rare cases I've seen where an altered vintage piece actually appreciates in value is if Freddie Gregory did the work, and even then, I haven't seen an example of a Meyer NY that Freddie worked on so I don't know if it applies to the vintage Meyers as well.

 

[J-Moen]

I think you'll love this piece! I've heard nothing but great things about Brian, and it seems like you picked it up for a good price!

Resale is unimportant, the real matter is how much you like it! Is it your new primary piece?

 

[jman1977]

Yeah, ultimately it's how it plays that matters (as I indicated earlier), but OP specifically asked for input on the total price he paid.

 

[J-Moen]

Yeah, ultimately it's how it plays that matters (as I indicated earlier), but OP specifically asked for input on the total price he paid.

Ah yeah, I commented to that note that he paid a fine price. Didn't take it as thoughts on the resale though, just a good grab of an old Meyer NY and a great reface for under $500 is pretty good in my book!

 

[jman1977]

Ah yeah, I commented to that note that he paid a fine price. Didn't take it as thoughts on the resale though, just a good grab of an old Meyer NY and a great reface for under $500 is pretty good in my book!

Brian's work is really top-notch. I still regret selling that Brilhart every now and then. Because it had been worked on, I only paid half of what I would've paid if it had been unaltered, and it's one of the best mouthpieces I've ever owned (I just had a very different sound concept then).

 

[nn1229]

Hey thanks for the comments everybody! I had been playing a JodyJazz HR* just before I picked this piece up, and before that I was on a JJ DVNY 5. I have to say, this being my main mouthpiece for about a month and a half I am absolutely loving it. Brian's work gave me a really responsive piece that sings in any octave. I particularly liked his baffle work and how it played for me after giving him some relative points as to how I play.

Overall this piece for me plays with a medium bright tone, as one would expect from a medium chamber meyer. It feels very open and is one of the more responsive and efficient HR pieces I have ever played. Pretty versatile too, I had one practice session blowing over some of Art Pepper's "Ill Remember April" album and then went straight to Cannonball's "Know What I Mean?" without issue. Some of my other mouthpieces have made me feel more restricted, especially my DVNY, but this brings me closer to my core sound in many ways.

I might be drinking the Kool-Aid here, but hear me out: This mouthpiece sings differently than any modern hard rubber piece that I have played. I know that vintage hard rubber compounds vs. modern ones are a huge debate so in the interest of remaining neutral I will say that there is a chance that this is due to Brian's great facing work. It's just I feel there's something else there. It's this resonant locked in feeling I get when playing this piece. As somebody who is reluctant to accept the common trend of "vintage is king" this piece really knocked my socks off. Even over a newer Babbit meyer (admittedly the facing work of Babbit pieces is nothing compared to a professionally refaced piece) it sung with a different voice than I have ever experienced.

I can confidently say that this is going to be my main piece for quite a few years to come.

 

[jman1977]

Hey thanks for the comments everybody! I had been playing a JodyJazz HR* just before I picked this piece up, and before that I was on a JJ DVNY 5. I have to say, this being my main mouthpiece for about a month and a half I am absolutely loving it. Brian's work gave me a really responsive piece that sings in any octave. I particularly liked his baffle work and how it played for me after giving him some relative points as to how I play.

Overall this piece for me plays with a medium bright tone, as one would expect from a medium chamber meyer. It feels very open and is one of the more responsive and efficient HR pieces I have ever played. Pretty versatile too, I had one practice session blowing over some of Art Pepper's "Ill Remember April" album and then went straight to Cannonball's "Know What I Mean?" without issue. Some of my other mouthpieces have made me feel more restricted, especially my DVNY, but this brings me closer to my core sound in many ways.

I might be drinking the Kool-Aid here, but hear me out: This mouthpiece sings differently than any modern hard rubber piece that I have played. I know that vintage hard rubber compounds vs. modern ones are a huge debate so in the interest of remaining neutral I will say that there is a chance that this is due to Brian's great facing work. It's just I feel there's something else there. It's this resonant locked in feeling I get when playing this piece. As somebody who is reluctant to accept the common trend of "vintage is king" this piece really knocked my socks off. Even over a newer Babbit meyer (admittedly the facing work of Babbit pieces is nothing compared to a professionally refaced piece) it sung with a different voice than I have ever experienced.

I can confidently say that this is going to be my main piece for quite a few years to come.

Brian's work likely had a lot to do with that. Don't get me wrong, these vintage Meyers can be really good, but having had the chance to own 3 pretty good examples and having tried a bunch of modern mouthpieces as well, I can truly say that there are several modern mouthpieces that are just as good, if not better (to me, of course... it's all so subjective depending on what you're looking for and how you want to sound). I can cite off the top of my head Mark's pieces, Phil's pieces and Theo's pieces.

For additional context, I am someone who to this date still thinks, based on my experience owning many, many horns, that there is no modern horn that is as good as a good Mark VI. I think it's just easier to replicate and improve upon mouthpieces as they are less complicated and involve less variables compared to horns, and with mouthpieces it's really more about the design rather than the material (I do think material has some impact based on my experience, but I am certainly not married to that idea).

Congrats on finding a great piece!

 

[J-Moen]

Congrats! I hope it serves you well!