[hgiles]

There are lots of guys playing 82Zs and I was curious to see if there is a concensus on types of mouthpieces. Although I like a dark, edgy, chewy kind of tone, I play a bright set up on my Z:

Silver 82Z
Silver G3 neck
Roos w/domed metal resos
Saxscape Uptown Live
La Voz M


1 What is your sound concept (dark, medium, bright)...?
2 ...and what mouthpiece do you use?

 

[andrewfrankhouse]

1) Concept: Dark, even, malleable.

2) Setup:

82ZUL, lacquered neck from Randy Jones

Barone HW 7* (from mid-2000s)
OR
Saxscape Fat Cat .102

RJS 4S

 

[BabyBoomer]

I like a dark "smoke-filled-night-club" kind of sound, so I was using an Otto Link STM NY 8* but I found it lacking in volume and projection. I was disappearing when playing with a band. I've tried a number of medium and high-baffle mouthpieces, but they were always too bright, almost tinny sounding. Then I tried a Theo Wanne that my sax instructor had, and I loved the combination of power and edge without the tinny sound. After several iterations, I ended up with a Vintified Durga 8 that I had refaced by Wolf Taninbaum to play more like my old Link, and it has both amazing power and projection as well as a soft, breathy sound when I want it, all while remaining dark or medium-dark. My 82z tenor is a regular gold/lacquer basic model, and while it sounded great with my old Link, the horn comes alive with this new mouthpiece setup and Vandoren Java (2.5) reeds. I also use a Legere 2 plastic reed sometimes and it sounds great too, but I like the natural cane reeds better for bending notes and giving more character to the tone.

 

[BBMozee]

Leaning towards a brighter Charles Lloyd tone concept, a Barone Jazz 7* works great for me with La Voz MS or RSJ 2H.

 

[Jazztenor87]

Medium dark to medium bright for jazz- Vandoren Java T55 with Java 3s
Medium bright to bright for rock and roll - Guardala LT MBII with Java 2 1/2s or 3s

82z tenor - lacquered model

 

[mike713]

I have a lacquer Z with the standard G1 neck. I have a fairly dark sound concept, and play a Phil-Tone Otto Link Tone Edge 7* which I like because it balances out the natural brightness of the Z.

 

[stevem]

82Z tenor lacquered
G3 neck
Guardala MBII
Vandoren Java 2.5 or Rico Select Jazz 2M filed

 

[Wietse]

On both alto and tenor i have the 82Z UL without F# and i feel that they are full sounding horns, but on the brighter side. They have a very full low register and a high register with a lot of overtones, making them brighter to me.
I'm playing a fairly dark set up, which i use to play any musical genre. For me it's easier to brighten up a sound on a dark set up than to darken up a bright set up. It's like a looking for something that's not there, to me...
So on alto: Morgan Fry NYZ 085 with Rigotti 3 light
Tenor: Morgan Fry FLZ 135 with Rigotti 2,5 strong

 

[russellxenia]

I am currently playing a Dukoff 8*, but looking for something else.

 

[Borganiboy]

Sakshama Brecker 1 but just got a great metal Freddie Gregory mkIII that gives me more warmth but still loads of juice when i need.My goal for years is to get as close as i can to the sound of UK sax god Andy Sheppard who is my fave player and i feel with my silver Z ,FG mp and rico jazz select 3soft i am a little closer.

 

[shmuelyosef]

Hard to imagine getting lost in the mix with and 82Z. I just use the same style mouthpiece on everything. Basically, I only play Link STMs and equivalent. Floridas, reworked STMs, copies (Sakshama) etc...works on my Yanagisawas and Yamahas equivalenty, but in the past has been fine on Conns, a Borgani, a bunch of Keilwerth tenors, and previously on Selmers. It's my concept...independent of the saxophone. I finally realized that and that's why I now play Yani and Yamaha...best built neutral palettes for my sound with exceptional keywork and easy to achieve intonation.

 

[Borganiboy]

Hard to imagine getting lost in the mix with and 82Z. I just use the same style mouthpiece on everything. Basically, I only play Link STMs and equivalent. Floridas, reworked STMs, copies (Sakshama) etc...works on my Yanagisawas and Yamahas equivalenty, but in the past has been fine on Conns, a Borgani, a bunch of Keilwerth tenors, and previously on Selmers. It's my concept...independent of the saxophone. I finally realized that and that's why I now play Yani and Yamaha...best built neutral palettes for my sound with exceptional keywork and easy to achieve intonation.[/QUOTE

Same here,love the Yamaha Z sound and ergonomics on yamaha and yanis cant be beat for my shape hands.For some time now i have only bought modern horns.Cant see me ever going back to a vintage horn.I still think the Z is the best modern horn going ,2nd and a very close 2nd is a mauriat 66RUL.I only play high baffle pieces on tenor and most i had worked great on both models,i like a nice zing to my sound and a free blowing set up.

 

[INTJazz]

I play a lacquered 82Z with a G3 neck, Jody Jazz HR*7, Rico H lig and Vandoren ZZ 2.5 or 3 reeds.

I agree that the 82Z is naturally a bright horn. The medium round chamber JJ HR* darkens it somewhat. I would describe the end result of my tone as not quite dark, but "smooth" with a syrupy quality. It's hard to describe in words, but the sound I'm getting is very liquid and sweet. It's definitely not edgy or pleading.

I like the tone I'm getting, it's very sultry. But in fact, my tone concept is definitely more towards the Selmer SBA/Mark VI focus, core, and edginess but I'm not convinced it's possible to achieve on the Z.

 

[musiciscool]

Too bad this thread doesn't include sound clips...
I dig the Ted Klum focustone precision on the 82z, with a G3 neck.

 

[mike713]

Too bad this thread doesn't include sound clips...

There are soundclips of my setup on my Soundcloud, the link to which is in my signature.

 

[McTenor]

I play a New Vintage Slant #8 refaced by Phil Engleman on my 82z UL, when I am walking on the dark side.
Great on my Borgani, too

 

[gary]

Haywood, I think you are asking for players who currently play Zs, but I'm adding this just in case you can use it.

Previously I had two Z tenors:

82Z UL (one of them w/o F# key)
Ponzol .105 M1 brass mpc
Rico Royal 2.5 reeds
Rovner dark ligatures

I also had played a Jody Jazz ESP. Nice sound, but it didn't have the cojones when I needed them, so I went to the Ponzol.

Regarding sound, my goal was to have as dark and full a presence as I could, with enough carrying power to cut through as a big band soloist and pop/classic soul band player. I do not like bright.

full disclosure: each time I had the Zs, I went back to Keilwerths because there was something in their core sound that I was missing in the Z's sound. No matter what I did with mpcs and reeds, I could not fully compensate for that.

 

[sinkdraiN]

I like link type pieces on the 82z. On a keilwerth, I liked a ponzol m2 to balance out the big spread tone of the jk. The Z's have a nice compact core which I love paired with a more spread sounding mouthpiece.

 

[gary]

I like link type pieces on the 82z. On a keilwerth, I liked a ponzol m2 to balance out the big spread tone of the jk. The Z's have a nice compact core which I love paired with a more spread sounding mouthpiece.

You know, now that I think of it sinkdraiN, I believe Peter himself, said that his M2s were good match-ups with JKs for the reason you mention.

 

[Rockplayer]

Lacquered 82Z
G3 UL neck and a G3 gold plated neck
Drake NY mouthpiece (.115)
Rico Royal #3 reeds (bari)
Medium bright/dark - I strive to get the most balanced tone I can, I'll have to play the full gamut of blues/jazz to R&R and this combo pretty much does what I need. I primarily use the G3 unlacquered neck, I don't hear much difference between it and the GP G3 but there's a noticeable difference between the G3 and G1 necks, mostly in response from the horn and intonation in the upper register.