Mouthpiece recommended for SBA tenors?
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what do you mean by doesn't fit? all mouthpieces might or might not fit on a cork but that has only to do with how thick a cork is and you can replace that or sandpaper it and have it fit at leisure! A mouthpiece choice is not a matter of size to fit a horn but rather to fit your preference in terms of sound and playability!
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What sort of sound are you after? Scott Hamilton uses a Link on his SBA and his tone's OK 
so if you like that more vintage, rich, deep, spread, subtone type sound a link or link style mouthpiece might serve you very well. On the other hand if you want something more bright or more pure or more raucous then you might need something else. As Milandro says, any tenor piece should work, it's more down to personal preference. Good luck finding something to suit you!
so if you like that more vintage, rich, deep, spread, subtone type sound a link or link style mouthpiece might serve you very well. On the other hand if you want something more bright or more pure or more raucous then you might need something else. As Milandro says, any tenor piece should work, it's more down to personal preference. Good luck finding something to suit you!
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there is really no substitute for trying yourself! Look, everybody told me I shouldn't use my otto link on my Martin alto, but I found it a great combination (perhaps I use a little too open one but that is another problem). I've tried all the " appointed" combination and only one came close and that was a Selmer Super Session.
Try the guardala if you want, it won't bite you! Just make sure that you can go to a shop where you can try the mouthpiece without buying it before.....
how about a Selmer Soloist, short shank or long shank?
Try the guardala if you want, it won't bite you! Just make sure that you can go to a shop where you can try the mouthpiece without buying it before.....
how about a Selmer Soloist, short shank or long shank?
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This may be kind of "geekey" but I think you should match the vintage of your mouthpiece with that of the horn.
I play a "Master Link" on my BA tenor and a Fla. STM on my mk6.
On my BA alto I play Brilharts.
There are exceptions, of course. On my 1932 Conn alto, I play a Conn "Comet" made by Runyon. I sometimes play Brancher mouthpieces on alto & tenor, and for many years I played a Francois Louis rosewood mouthpiece (c.1980) on my mk6 tenor.
Long story short: Play anything you find comfortable. I will point out, however, that many a classic jazz saxophonist in the 50s and 60s, played SBAs with NY Link tonemasters. Arnett Cobb, Paul Gonsalves, Trane, Jimmy Forrest, Illinois Jacquet etc...
I play a "Master Link" on my BA tenor and a Fla. STM on my mk6.
On my BA alto I play Brilharts.
There are exceptions, of course. On my 1932 Conn alto, I play a Conn "Comet" made by Runyon. I sometimes play Brancher mouthpieces on alto & tenor, and for many years I played a Francois Louis rosewood mouthpiece (c.1980) on my mk6 tenor.
Long story short: Play anything you find comfortable. I will point out, however, that many a classic jazz saxophonist in the 50s and 60s, played SBAs with NY Link tonemasters. Arnett Cobb, Paul Gonsalves, Trane, Jimmy Forrest, Illinois Jacquet etc...
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I don't think that SBA's have mouthpiece issues the way other horns from that era do. Every mouthpiece I've ever tried has worked well. It's always been a matter of taste which one I use. That being said, I have had my greatest successes with a short shank soloist, a short shank brass Dukoff and a slant Link.
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Berg 110/2.
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I thought it would be more cost and time efficient if I can shortlist certain mouthpieces for my SBA tenor based on general players' preference, instead of buying and selling without a list. Problem here in HK is that we don't have an active second market for mouthpieces. Even our water is supplied from China!
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You're not gonna find anything that will do your SBA any justice. However, if you had a Martin tenor (re-lacquered) I think you might be very happy with whatever you have right now. It just so happens I have one that I would be willing to trade you for your SBA.
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I don't want to spoil the fun of telling someone how the combination we found after years of research works well and that we get the best sound ever produced on a horn with it, but do you realize that in a few pages the unforunate man will have not less than 20-30 brands and sizes to choose from, most of which might not even be readily available to him?Frank D said:
Yes , I call it the usual merry-go-round, in doing so one only gets the usual list of name and sizes with beautiful, personal, motivations , all combinations which might work or not for our friend. He has no way to know it beforehand. Even buying the most credited mouthpiece on this site would never be a safe bet but just another type of informed guess.
There is no substitute for the hands-on approach, get out, go to the shops (Hong Kong is big enough to have several) and, first of all, l would try everything that is available to me . Then, and only then, if completely dissatisfied, try to pick something someone has advised you, but it is a randomized approach based on other people's perceptions (hard, soft, free-blowing, resistent, big, small, all personal non-objective considerations) based on horns you don't know and whose owners might play or have an idea about music which is totally different from youurs.
exactly as this quote by joelsp says one needs to try and by the trial and error process (that's why most shops in the world let you try the pieces)you will establish your criteria and with a process of elimination you will get to your holy grail.joelsp said:
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It is pretty common to ask this kind of question. "What mouthpiece is a good match for brand X sax?" What is uncommon is a good answer. There is none. The question is missing the needed information.
What you need first is a sound concept. Then you need some results of what you have tried. Then you (we) can use that info to recommend which way you should head. Brighter/darker, more open/closed, etc.
The same goal and sax for different players will often yield different "best mouthpieces" due to different embouchure and experiance levels.
What you need first is a sound concept. Then you need some results of what you have tried. Then you (we) can use that info to recommend which way you should head. Brighter/darker, more open/closed, etc.
The same goal and sax for different players will often yield different "best mouthpieces" due to different embouchure and experiance levels.
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Brecker also played an SBA with a Guardala. Try it. Just sand down the cork. If Brecker can make it work why can't you? Just try it and sand it down. If you don't like it, try a Bari WT II Mouthpiece or a Florida Link, they know how to play!
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