[BrianMitchellBrody]

What would be the effect of removing the squeeze throat and opening up the facing?

Essentially making it somewhat like the older links.

B

 

[MojoBari]

By making the chamber volume larger, it will make the sax play flat if you place it at the same position on the neck cork as before the modification. As you push it in to tune the mid-range of the sax, it will sharpen the high notes more than the low notes. This could fix a problem if the high notes were flat to begin with, or create a problem if they were in tune to begin with.

The tone will get darker (actually "more spread"), but if the intonation is difficult to lip in tune, then this is a bad trade-off IMO. For a darker sound, it would be better to leave the chamber alone and try lowering the baffle near the tip. This will make the sound darker without making the chamber volume substantially larger.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

By making the chamber volume larger, it will make the sax play flat if you place it at the same position on the neck cork as before the modification. As you push it in to tune the mid-range of the sax, it will sharpen the high notes more than the low notes. This could fix a problem if the high notes were flat to begin with, or create a problem if they were in tune to begin with.

The tone will get darker, but if the intonation is difficult to lip in tune, then this is a bad trade-off IMO. For a darker sound, it would be better to leave the chamber alone and try lowering the baffle near the tip. This will make the sound darker without making the chamber volume substantially larger.

This is pure conjecture on my part because the recent Early Babbit "Super" TM I bought for alto plays so well when compared to my squeeze throat alto pieces. BTW, it had the exact mods you describe just by another refacer prior to my purchase.

Back to piece in question though. The STM 8* soprano piece does play well enough but I want less resistance and a warmer upper octave range.

B

 

[mfry]

It will, as Mojo says, widen the scale. Whether that's good or bad or bad but workable for you, I can't say. Opening the throat will give it a broader sound, but IME not necessarily darker (although "dark" is a vague enough term Keith and I may be talking about the same thing). If you want a warmer top end, you want the baffle altered, not the throat. A wide open throat will typically give you more brilliance at the top end, not less. Some combination of baffle, tip rail, and curve should give you what you want without altering the scale, assuming you like the essential character of the piece.

 

[MojoBari]

"Broader" or "more spread" or "less focussed" is a better characterization of the wider throat change than "darker" as I said above.

 

[Enviroguy]

Though I didn't have clue what I was doing, I did what you described with a cheap Chinese Maestro metal mouthpiece. I lowered the baffle and hollowed out the side walls. This darkened the tone and made it "broader". Resistance actually increased but I've gotten used to it. As the experts described, the lower notes slot flat and the higher notes tend to be sharp. With a little effort, this can be overcome with embouchure.

I have a Ponzol M1 that is very similar with better intonation but still doesn't have the "big" sound of my homemade piece. Even after modification and perfecting by EZ, the Ponzol still doesn't quite measure up, even though is now plays effortlessly. I'd love to find a mouthpiece with the sound of my home-modified Maestro but with the good finish and "balanced volume" of a professionally finished mouthpiece. But I've come to believe that the bigger chamber and resistance is part of what makes my home-modded piece so special. Who knows? But it works best for me.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

"Broader" or "more spread" or "less focussed" is a better characterization of the wider throat change than "darker" as I said above.

Yes Broader would be the perfect description to say what I am seeking. I like the overall characteristics of the stock Link piece on my soprano but it could be more suited for me if it were less focused. Thanks MOJO.

B

 

[unbalancedaction]

"jicaino" has already done this with great results

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

"jicaino" has already done this with great results

Done what?

B

 

[unbalancedaction]

He dug out the whole inside so that it is like a super tone master for tenor. Exactly what you had asked about in your first post.

I'd contact "jicaino" and ask him what he thought of this piece (before you go and do it, or get somebody to do it to your piece).

 

[Thomas]

That's unique and very interesting--wondering how it sounds and plays. I like the idea of it.

 

[Enviroguy]

Wow!

I would love to have one like that.

 

[jicaino]

actually the "floridized" STM soprano piece I made a while back, sold to a forum member here. I don't recall his name... I'll dig up his name later today

EDIT:
re the effects, the large chamber, scooped walls and fla style rollover didn't screwed up the intonation at all. It played more coherently "saxophonistically" if you will. It was like blowing a good florida link on a tenor, but on a soprano. No oboe-ness or nasal double reed tone, lots of power, very nice, enhanced dynamic range... it was a treat to play.

 

[JackLi]

Hey Juan,
Do you still make these? if so how much would it cost? I'm pretty sure you would have a decent market for a Large Chambered metal Sop piece since there aren't made new today.

 

[jicaino]

Hey Jack
I'd be willing to do it. However between the raise in the cost of goods and supplies, and shipping, I guess that it will be like 350 bucks or so for the finished piece, adjusted to fit ligature, everything plated and shipped up there.

 

[mfry]

That's still a solid deal IMO -- what you do there takes a ton of work. Looks great, too, Juan.

 

[jicaino]

Hey Morgan, thanks for your kind words. This week I've been praised by 2 solid craftsmen (you and another MPC maker I look up to) and it surely feels flattering.

It would only be fair to point out that this is my hobby not main income, I "procrastinate" away from the sax and clarinet overhaulin' doing this kind of stuff... it's like using the much needed time off (from a certain project) in another project. Plus I'm counting in getting a used piece with cap and ligature as a core, for about 100 usd shipped to me (wich is what I paid for the "blank" that I used there, about 90 bucks shipping to argentina included) and I think I might have been a little too optimistic there.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

Hey Morgan, thanks for your kind words. This week I've been praised by 2 solid craftsmen (you and another MPC maker I look up to) and it surely feels flattering.

It would only be fair to point out that this is my hobby not main income, I "procrastinate" away from the sax and clarinet overhaulin' doing this kind of stuff... it's like using the much needed time off (from a certain project) in another project. Plus I'm counting in getting a used piece with cap and ligature as a core, for about 100 usd shipped to me (wich is what I paid for the "blank" that I used there, about 90 bucks shipping to argentina included) and I think I might have been a little too optimistic there.

It is exactly what I was thinking thanks for the pictures. B

 

[birdlives1955]

Jicaino/Juan,

Man, that soprano STM piece looks fantastic! That is a really great job you did there!! I had not seen this piece that you finished before this thread. I'm sure it played great too. I would love to hear a recording of someone playing this it. The way you were able to get the transition to the larger chamber so smooth after boring out the squeeze throat chamber is really seamless, and I'm sure it was difficult and required a lot of time. Have you done a few like this before you made this one? I'm curious, what kind of hand-piece were you using when (and if) you were using a rotary tool to bore out the chamber? I'm curious if you've found a super-slim hand-piece for a rotary tool, or if you just used a bit on it with a long shaft. Thanks. Really fine work man!

 

[jicaino]

Thanks guys. Really

Re the tooling... I'ma compulsive tool buyer. And fabricator/modificator.
I used the flex shaft from an old dremel handpiece and turned a new handpiece using dentist roto tools bearings. They're tiny, they're bulletproof, they're prepared to spin in the 30k rpm range. The hand piece is 10mm in diameter. Plus I have a huge stack of rotary files, and I have a custom made set of solid carbide burrs. They tore me a new one when I got it but's totally worth it. The throat transitions and curve blending on that soprano piece is one full day at the shop. The tip is another half shop day and exclusively hand filing. I did the plating myself and after those pictures the new owner wanted it gold plated (wich I did) but had no time to took pictures before shipping. IIRC LampLight got it ??