Re: Review: Yanagisawa Classical AC150 (new mouthpiece from Yanagisawa!)
Following up on post #2, I've been playing a Yanagisawa AC150 for several days now. I chose this model instead of the AC140 in order to ease the transition; the AC150 is actually the same-size tip opening as my D'Addario Reserve D155. (I'm not going to launch a whole new mouthpiece review thread just because of a different tip opening.) Also, I learned from my experience with the Vandoren Optimums that very small tip openings can be too restrictive for concert band playing. You need to have a little power in reserve.
I like the D155 a lot for its dark sound and its balance between high- and low-end responsiveness, but lately the extra bit of resistance that this piece offers has been wearing on me. I have to push past a short, low-breath "dead zone" before I reach the area of linear response to different blowing levels that I prefer. This delay sometimes leads to articulation snags, as well as reed compatibility issues. The AC150 is more free-blowing, which is very pleasant. You can easily match input to output when playing this piece. I love that characteristic.
The AC150 is a little brighter than the D155, but it seems similar in this regard to a Selmer Concept. (I have a Concept, but haven't undertaken a head-to-head comparison yet.) However, so far I've found it reasonably easy to control the sound and avoid any unwanted harshness. Both high- and low-end responsiveness are very good. The AC150 also seems to work well with many different reeds; I've tried several types of synthetics, plus cane. This mouthpiece is somewhat slim, making it quite comfortable to play, but a Vandoren M|O ligature fits perfectly.
The next step is to play the AC150 for a full, two-hour rehearsal. I also need to try it on my Yany alto; so far I have played it only on my Series III.
