Santy Runyon Tenor
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Tenor, alto, soprano and clarinet
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1,248 Posts
You may start your reading here:
http://www.runyonproducts.com/about.founder.html
There is also a sub-forum "Runyon only" in the Mouthpieces Forum here on SOTW.
Paul Coats of SOTW was a personal friend of Santy Runyon and normally is very generous with information.
How does it play? It's the first time I see a brass Runyon piece. May be the "military model" mentioned in the link above.
http://www.runyonproducts.com/about.founder.html
There is also a sub-forum "Runyon only" in the Mouthpieces Forum here on SOTW.
Paul Coats of SOTW was a personal friend of Santy Runyon and normally is very generous with information.
How does it play? It's the first time I see a brass Runyon piece. May be the "military model" mentioned in the link above.
Thanks Peter.
I've actually put a couple requests in over there, but no one seems to have any info.
I'm pretty well versed with the Runyon line (that would make this piece the chorus I guess), and I have never seen one of these before either.
It plays like the love-child of a Berg 3 chamber, and a Florida link. Dark, but edgy, with a husky overtone. It's been my main piece for years, through Berg, Link, Lawton, etc.
I'll never sell it, I'm just trying to find some history. I'd guess it to be from the 40's, but I'm not sure...
I've actually put a couple requests in over there, but no one seems to have any info.
I'm pretty well versed with the Runyon line (that would make this piece the chorus I guess), and I have never seen one of these before either.
It plays like the love-child of a Berg 3 chamber, and a Florida link. Dark, but edgy, with a husky overtone. It's been my main piece for years, through Berg, Link, Lawton, etc.
I'll never sell it, I'm just trying to find some history. I'd guess it to be from the 40's, but I'm not sure...
There is a photo a Charlie Parker playing a metal Runyon. The metal piece with the one screw inverted ligature.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/jazz/jazz/mouthpieces.htm
The photos on that web page showing Bird's three seemingly different metal mouthpieces are all photos of the same mouthpiece, the brass made-in-England Selmer, with different ligatures. Nicolas Trefeil has a good discussion of this at http://www.nicolastrefeil.com/cparkersetupandmpc.htm, including a mention of the original ligature's unreliable design. I have never seen a Runyon that looks like Bird's English Selmer, but maybe someone can post some documentation showing that his Selmer mouthpiece was actually manufactured by Runyon, since it's not clear who, in fact, made it.
I have to agree with artfulD, those appear to be the same mpiece with different ligs. The arch of the crest of the shank into the body is identical on all 3. This would make sense, as all 3 pics also show an underslung octave key, i.e the same horn-period (ie he hadn't pawned that one for lady-H yet). Not definitive of course.
I will say that some of the design elements are Runyonish on it, but I'm not sure.
I will say that some of the design elements are Runyonish on it, but I'm not sure.
That photo is a bit blurry, and maybe the shank appears somewhat rounded, but there are pictures of this mouthpiece-ligature combination in Chan's book To Bird, with Love that make it clearer that it's the English Selmer. The only photo I've seen of Bird with what looks like a Runyon is this one: http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/local627/images/stomp/charlie-parker-crop.jpg.
Tenor, alto, soprano and clarinet
Joined
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1,248 Posts
Hi trebek59. I now have reply from Paul Coats:
That is one I have not seen before.
The 6MC engraving was added by someone else. I've
never seen anything but die stamped markings on any
Runyon mouthpiece. I have not seen any vibratory
engraved markings applied by Santy or anyone at Runyon.
Paul
So mystery still unsolved.
That is one I have not seen before.
The 6MC engraving was added by someone else. I've
never seen anything but die stamped markings on any
Runyon mouthpiece. I have not seen any vibratory
engraved markings applied by Santy or anyone at Runyon.
Paul
So mystery still unsolved.
Just heard back from Runyon - The mystery goes on....
I'm sorry but we don't have any information on
this particular brand. I asked our production Manager
and he's been working here for over 40 years and he
can't remember that brand. He said it was probably
one (one of the first models) that Mr. Santy Runyon
had made in Chicago.Best Regards
Janice Savoy
I'm sorry but we don't have any information on
this particular brand. I asked our production Manager
and he's been working here for over 40 years and he
can't remember that brand. He said it was probably
one (one of the first models) that Mr. Santy Runyon
had made in Chicago.Best Regards
Janice Savoy
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