[Saxophone Strange]

So... recently, I picked up this Superba I. As with most horns, I then begin the great mouthpiece search. Please let me preface that I think there are more than one mouthpiece that can work for any horn and I don't really change mouthpieces too often. If anything, I just try to match them to the horn itself. Amusingly enough, I tried a handful of pieces, thinking that they would be a good starting point. I also thought I would have different results than I did but, I digress. Below are the pieces I tried:

Navarro Bop Bop (HR)

I expected this piece to sound really nice. On every other horn I tried it on, it was very consistent and had a very cheery feel to it. I was actually thinking beforehand that this may be my main piece. There was a little more focus to it than I was thinking it would have. It actually took away a bit of the edge I was looking at. Now I do mention that the EchoMaster Ligature I am using on it doesn't sit very forward. It is a little further back so that may have something to do with it but the reeds were the same on each mouthpiece so... Ultimately, on this horn, it seemed the weakest of the three pieces.

Lawton 7*B Special (Bronze)

I think this one may have surprised me the most. I have had this piece for over 10 years. It generally played second banana to a Dukoff that I had for years and year and years before that. Unfortuantely, that Dukoff took a hit on the tip and well... we all know how that goes. The funny part if that this one was definitely very clean in but when I pushed it a little, it gave me some of that nasty sexy sizzle, I was looking for. I was actually a little shocked. Happily shocked but still shocked.

Otto Link New Vintage

I think this one shocked me more than the Lawton only because I tried this one a whim. It was literally a gift. Where as I tried the Navarro on a slew of horns and it felt really nice, this one was quite... stuffy... I thought it was probably just the issue with the Otto Link stock lig and the had work that Link does being inconsistent, but... When I threw it on the Couf, I was shocked to say that it had a thick fat sizzling roundness to it. I'm not saying it was perfect but, it was quite nice and shocking.

So... with all this said... I tried to keep these impression brief because ultimately, I will try things again and again until I come to what I am looking for. Then I just play the hell out of it until I can make it do everything I want it to but, this brought to mind some questions. If your experience are there characteristics of any mouthpieces that seem to work well with the Couf/Keilweth horns? Example. Chamber size: The Lawton has the smallest chamber of the three but similar baffle to the Navarro. The link had the largest chamber (not by much) but the baffle is a quicker rollover. I did notice some characteristic similarities in the Navarro and the Lawton but the Lawton just did it better in regards to this horn. Plus when I pushed it, it gave me more of the type of sizzle I got from the link. That leads me to think that the curve is similar between the Lawton and the Link and that the air speed/volume was intrinsically better for this particular horn combination than the Navarro. So what does that mean for bullet and drop baffles? I actually do like drop baffles generally. Do these horns like a lot of fast air? It seams like that may be the case. Perhaps like, give it all you can rely on your diaphragm control to slow things down? I like playing this way normally so this is fine, just wondering others experiences while I work on getting used to this horn. As always, thank you in advance for any help.

 

[FunkyHorn626]

I sent you a pm

 

[JCBigler]

I play a bronze (Geoff) Lawton 8B on my nickel-silver tenor with green box Java 3 1/2 reeds. I absolutely love the Lawton and think that are near perfect for Keilwerth saxophones.

I also play an Ebonite 7*B (Geoff) Lawton on my alto and an ebonite (Jason) Lawton 7B on my new SX90 soprano. Love them all for the jazz/rock/pop styles. Obviously I wouldn't use them for classical stuff. I'm a fan of the Rousseau mouthpieces for classical playing.

The thing I like about the Lawtons is that they have the lush warm sound when you play softer and want to hold back. But you can throttle them up and push them hard when you want to cut through for solos or rock and blues playing, without the harshness that a full on Berg or Dukoff would have. I liken them to the middle ground between a Link and Berg.

 

[Lambros]

I tried a 70s vintage slant sig Link on a Superba I tenor and found it round but a bit on the tubby side. Morgan mouthpieces sound great on these horns and there’s enough clear response that doesn’t disguise the depth or darkness these pre SX series horns have but removes any hollow or tubby quality.

 

[mmichel]

I find that STMs and other large-chamber, moderate baffle Link-type mouthpieces work very well on my SX90R.

I'm currently playing primarily on a Marantz Double Ring Legacy, but I also enjoyed years of playing on various STMs and on a Wanne Gaia.

For a while, it seemed to be common wisdom that Keilwerths play better on small-chambered mouthpieces, but I've tried a number of different small/medium-chambered pieces on it and haven't liked any of them. I think that this "wisdom" originated from Peter Ponzol, who helped design the precursor to the SX90 series (and who just happened to make and sell small-chambered mouthpieces). I once saw a video of a Saxquest talk/masterclass in which he advanced this theory.

 

[raghav]

I used to play an SX90R for many years. I also found myself favoring the large chamber pieces with it - my favorites were the newer generation STM NY Links and the older Tonemasters.

 

[gary27]

Gaia 3 - for the last 3-4 months I have been playing one on my Superba 2 and I really like it. Very free blowing, needs a harder reed, very large chamber...gotten couple of nice
comments on my playing with it. My favorite mouthpiece, but i can't get it to do everything.

Robusto, Metal - I also use this a lot on my horn as it is a very good all around mouthpiece that is easier to control than the Gaia. Blends well too...

Sakshama Florida - Don't use it very often but it works well on my Superba. another very good all around mouthpiece.

 

[Carter]

My Black Widow works great on my Superba I. Big fat tone with an edge.

 

[ZootTheSim]

My Armstrong 3055T is a Couf after a fashion. It has a great big bell and fantastic tone, but intonation can be tricky, especially above C2. Lately, I've been having good results with my d'Addario Select Jazz (certainly loud, a spectacular low end, great sizzle, and nice subtones); a Drake NY Jazz (good core and projection); and a 10mfan Robusto prototype (versatile). My Metalite sounds good too, meaty with easy altissimo to boot. And my drummer used to prefer my vintage SS Berg 105/0, when we could still play together.

Of course, it really depends on what tonal concept you're after.

 

[datsaxman]

Morgan Excalibur

 

[ZootTheSim]

Morgan Excalibur

Thanks for reminding me. I dug my Excalibur out of the drawer, and sure enough, it sounded great on my Armstrong. Good intonation, too, and I really like its slim low profile. Plus it gets a nice Germany-stock rubbery smell when warmed up.

 

[datsaxman]

+4 then.

Great sound, good intonation, SLIM like a metal MP. And ... well, mine does not seem to smell. Okay, +3.

 

[Saxophone Strange]

I had one a long time ago. Excellent mouthpiece. Neck strap broken and the horn fell. Shattered the tip. Weird thing is there was absolutely zero damage to the horn.