[saxandstrings86]

Ok, here's the scenario...you've got 500 students that you're giving the same YAS-23 alto to as their first horn...what mouthpiece do you give them that will make the most of them successful?

so, more accurately, this is another "what's the best student mouthpiece" thread, but I thought I'd spice it up a bit.

Seriously though, if you were buying 500 of one student mouthpiece, what would it be? What is the most consistent "good" student piece?

I was thinking either a Jewel, Brillhart, Goldentone, Yamaha, or Forbes. I'm looking for the best mix between cost and quality. Even if the most expensive is the best, if one of the cheaper ones is a nice one, too...you get my drift.

 

[saxandstrings86]

i don't quite actually need to 500 haha, but this is some really good input for me. I was shying away from the yamaha, too because of concerns with damage (i started with those...broke 3 in a year), but they're jsut so damn cheap...

unfortunately, money is an issue, so althought I'd love to jsut always pick up an S-80 c*, that's not feasible. the Bari pieces don't sound half bad though.

I'm thinking less than $30 or so at the most. Idealy, everyone would start on a nice piece and a decent horn but that;s not how things usually happen sadly. Most students are at the mercy of an over priced rental instrument and a piece pulled out of a box, or the garage sale special that needs more work than it's worth.

I guess what i'm really looking for it the middle of the road "get you through a couple of years" piece, not something you can start on and play forever.

I've heard the hite can be hard to control for a beginner, any one else heard this?

 

[saxandstrings86]

No offense, but no mouthpiece in the world can make anyone successful on an instrument. Talent, motivation, excellent instruction, and perseverance do that. A good mouthpiece can help facilitate a good embouchure and good tone production. I'm sure that's what you meant.

No offense taken, i understand completely that no mputhpiece will "make" you sound good, but some pieces are just bad, and some are more suited to someone with no breath/mouth control, plus, you would never start someone on a metal otto link mouthpiece, for example.

I'll take this all into consideration, but again, I'll be honest, i'm looking for cheap, so any other suggestions would be great.

I know that paying for quality is one thing, but not everyone can afford an S-80 or a Meyer 5, especially if they're having trouble paying for the $150 horn to begin with...that other $75-$100 for a little piece of "plastic" can seem ridiculous to a parent

 

[saxandstrings86]

I suppose I should have thrown this in already, but it slipped my mind...

I may not actually be buying 500 mouthpieces, but I've been buying and selling instruments for my friends and family for years now, and I've been doing it more and more lately. My little cousin just started on alto, and I've had siblings of my friends take up in band or orchestra in the past, and I'm always the one that seems to find the instruments...how often do you find a Selmer USA AS-300 in /good/ shape for $75 with an S-80 mouthpiece?

I'm doing this to help out the band program in an impoverished community, and I'm actually raising money to purchase them instruments and equipment and I've got a few horns now, but I'd hate to leave that collection of old, ratty, no name plastic pieces with the horns if i can find a decent "cheap" one to buy in bullk. Doing the same thing with other instruments in the band as well, not jsut saxes.

I know I could probably get soem donations, especially from Yamaha (I'm in Michigan, and I've got friends in Grand Rapids...), but I jsut don't like the Yamaha pieces. So that's the trade off...really cheap and available, but not particularly good, or...something else. The Hite Premiere and Morgan Protone are looking pretty good though

 

[saxandstrings86]

Bari Esprit. Don't forget a ligature, need to factor that in to the equation.

GAH! You'd think I'd remember these things...

Any strong opposition to a standard metal lig?

 

[saxandstrings86]

You can get the Bari with lig for less than other ligs of the normal metal sort. It's a great deal for a beginner.

Sounds perfect! I tried to find them online for sale, and I was shocked to find such a highly regarded mouthpiece for $10...wow

I think i'll pick one up for myself to try out, but I think this may be what I end up going with.

(gonna try the Hite, too)