[olds1959special]

I have been getting pretty good results with a medium open tenor mouthpiece (around 100 tip) on a Buescher 1925 C-melody sax. I'm wondering if anyone else is using a tenor mouthpiece on their C-melody. Intonation seems pretty flexible and the pitch seems less 'centered' but it's workable.

 

[lostcircuits]

I've tried a number of pieces on my Martin and I could never get it to play in tune. It's "workable" but after upgrading to a real c-mel MPC, life became so much easier.

 

[lydian]

I'm wondering if anyone else is using a tenor mouthpiece on their C-melody.

Lot's of people:
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?200017-Mouthpiece-for-Buescher-C-melody

Personally, every tenor mp I've tried has worked fine on my Conn. But it has the additional obstacle of a micro-tuner. So I had to trim the shank of one of my mouthpieces. And an alto mp won't even go on the neck at all. Real c-mel mps cost more than your average c-mel sax, so that option isn't even on the table for me.

 

[click]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-Planet...=173954439437b9db4ac194864d769e8191f286f94949

I like a tenor Metalite on my Conn NW II C mel. I suppose the smaller chamber helps.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rico-Metal...=162683802826678f65193e8d43e08b61bcadabf7b7d6

 

[lostcircuits]

Lot's of people:
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?200017-Mouthpiece-for-Buescher-C-melody

Personally, every tenor mp I've tried has worked fine on my Conn. But it has the additional obstacle of a micro-tuner. So I had to trim the shank of one of my mouthpieces. And an alto mp won't even go on the neck at all. Real c-mel mps cost more than your average c-mel sax, so that option isn't even on the table for me.

Yes, that's a similar issue as what I have on the Martin, it doesn't have the microtuner but I can't get the tenor pieces on far enough to be in tune so I have to play sharp. And I don't want to modify some high end MPCs

 

[cvsimson]

I have a Buescher TT, and use mostly a Berg Larsen metal tenor piece, with fibracell reeds.
I compared it with the Caravan C melody mouthpiece recently, and didn't find that the Caravan improved intonation on the notes I had more trouble with: the low C and D and middle C, that tend to be flat when all other notes are mostly in tune.

 

[ajarndontree]

I just picked up a Buscher C Melody tt and my Phil Tone Hybrid (a hybrid of the Equinox and the Eclipse) produces a wonderful tone, but I am struggling with intonation. Unfortunately vintage C Tenor mouthpieces were designed with a small tip opening, so they are uncapable of producing the edge and altissimo response of a modern jazz piece. I am trying to decide which of my 3 options are the best: save up for a Morgan C Tenor piece with a good sized tip opening, buy a modern Chinese piece for 30 on Ebay and get it refaced, or buy an original vintage piece from Ebay and have it refaced. Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Hassles]

Personally - I would consider the Morgan the best option, then refaced vintage piece or buy the Morgan.

 

[bruce bailey]

My Morgan is my best.

 

[PigSquealer]

Yes, that's a similar issue as what I have on the Martin, it doesn't have the microtuner but I can't get the tenor pieces on far enough to be in tune so I have to play sharp. And I don't want to modify some high end MPCs

So when are you going to start making a fabulous C mouthpiece ? Your alto pieces are already above and beyond spectacular.
And no I won't believe you had one made and your dog ate it.

 

[click]

My Morgan is my best.

So among the tenor sax mpcs that might be used for playing a C melody,

your choice is a Morgan mpc.

 

[adamk]

Morgan C 6*, short shank so it's tunable.
Still have to muscle pitches.

 

[milandro]

I just picked up a Buscher C Melody tt and my Phil Tone Hybrid (a hybrid of the Equinox and the Eclipse) produces a wonderful tone, but I am struggling with intonation. Unfortunately vintage C Tenor mouthpieces were designed with a small tip opening, so they are uncapable of producing the edge and altissimo response of a modern jazz piece. I am trying to decide which of my 3 options are the best: save up for a Morgan C Tenor piece with a good sized tip opening, buy a modern Chinese piece for 30 on Ebay and get it refaced, or buy an original vintage piece from Ebay and have it refaced. Thoughts or suggestions?

When I sold my Conn C melody to Raaf Hekkema I also gave him (he may still be using it) a Conn Eagle C which I had opened up by a friend and it played bell with modern embouchure and reeds, he surely still played the mouthpiece in these video.

 

[turf3]

There are some who say no tenor mouthpiece can possibly work, but I can't see why a smallish chamber tenor piece wouldn't have the same chamber volume thus intonation as the large chamber C melody mouthpieces that were originally shipped with these instruments.

 

[lostcircuits]

It's mostly about the length and the facing curve. I had a slightly botched high baffle tenor piece, slightly shortened the tip and shank and it plays great with a "real tenor sound" or whatever that's supposed to be

 

[olds1959special]

I just picked up a Buscher C Melody tt and my Phil Tone Hybrid (a hybrid of the Equinox and the Eclipse) produces a wonderful tone, but I am struggling with intonation. Unfortunately vintage C Tenor mouthpieces were designed with a small tip opening, so they are uncapable of producing the edge and altissimo response of a modern jazz piece. I am trying to decide which of my 3 options are the best: save up for a Morgan C Tenor piece with a good sized tip opening, buy a modern Chinese piece for 30 on Ebay and get it refaced, or buy an original vintage piece from Ebay and have it refaced. Thoughts or suggestions?

I have a Buescher C Melody too and was using a Morgan C melody piece in a 5 tip. After some time I felt I wanted a bigger, more projecting and flexible tone so I got a Jody Jazz CHI tenor in a 7 tip to try. This was not so easy to play in tune and actually I think I should have gotten the Morgan in a size 6 instead.

 

[lostcircuits]

I have a Buescher C Melody too and was using a Morgan C melody piece in a 5 tip. After some time I felt I wanted a bigger, more projecting and flexible tone so I got a Jody Jazz CHI tenor in a 7 tip to try. This was not so easy to play in tune and actually I think I should have gotten the Morgan in a size 6 instead.

Get a softer reed for the Morgan or ask Dave to reface it for you.

 

[cvsimson]

Get a softer reed for the Morgan or ask Dave to reface it for you.

I think that if the tip is too small you would want to try a harder reed, not a softer one.

 

[lostcircuits]

I think that if the tip is too small you would want to try a harder reed, not a softer one.

Correct!

 

[Sharkey]

I tried a bunch of tenor mps. on a 1917 Buescher c-mel , the one that worked best is only marked steel ebonite ,France , and the letter M and also fits the cork well . It came in the case of a tenor sax I bought .