[A Greene]

I'm looking for a comfortable mouthpiece where I'm not forcing the reed closed to get to the actual tip opening l like. I'm also interested in Hard Rubber - my teeth and metal pieces don't match. I currently play a NY Meyer 6 but has been opened up to .90. I want a bit more volume but don't want to loose the SOUND. I primarily play in POP/Comtemporary settings. With a few jazz quartets a year. Any thoughts would be helpful. Tony

P.S. I'm interested in starting a players with small tip opening support group.

 

[carr]

Try a Morgan.

 

[Mike Ruhl]

I love my Hite 128. It comes in one facing: .095".

Here's a link to the Hite website for a good description:
http://www.jdhite.com/mouthpieces/saxmpc.htm#tenor

Woodwind and Brasswind has them in stock for $78:
http://www.wwbw.com/Hite-Artist-Tenor-Sax-Mouthpiece-i81925.music

Be advised that Mr. Hite passed away last year, and the JJ Babbitt company purchased the Hite company last fall. Babbitt supplied the blanks for Hite anyway, and the Hites finished them. According to this page on the Babbitt website, nothing will change except that the mpcs will now be finished at Babbitt's facilities - which may or may not be a good thing. I have one of the Hite-finished mpcs, and it plays beautifully. In my opinion, it's the chamber configuration that makes this mpc a winner. If I buy another one, I'll send it to a reputable refacer, like Mojo or Merlin Williams, to have them check over the facing. After that, I'm certain I'd have another winner.

Another good option are the Anello mouthpieces:

www.anellomouthpieces.com

Also, Vandoren offers several options in that range of tip openings.
http://www.wwbw.com/Tenor-Sax-Mouthpieces-q141d2422.music?o=3

Oh, and by the way, I play a smaller tip opening by choice, not because I have to...and I play hard reeds. :hmph:

 

[Bill Mecca]

Vandoren is one of the best out of the box pieces on the market, a T45 is under .100

 

[Kritavi]

I have a Berg HR 95/2 available that is very free blowing with lots of projection. One of the easiest playing pieces I have ever tried with this kind of volume and core. Give me a PM if interested.

 

[A Greene]

Kritavi - I just sent a PM - I hope I did it correctly. I'd be interested in the Berg. Let's talk.

I'm also following up on the Hite, Morgan, and Vandoren pieces. Thanks for the suggestions. Tony

 

[ZenBen]

i've got what you want, but i can't get at it.

i have a RPC .095 tip at home that would be perfect for you. the problem is i won't be home until christmas. if you still haven't found what you want by then let me know. from your description, this RPC seems perfect for you.

 

[carr]

Well that's dissapointing. I was just getting ready to order myself a Hite. I had one a few years ago and also thought it was a great piece. I was stupid and got rid of it. I was glad to see them back on the market (they were off for a while after Hite's passing). But if Babbitt is finishing them.....I don't know if I want one now. I know - don't judge until I play it.

Jetone, I did not have time to get more detailed earlier, but if you have been playing a medium chamber Meyer, you may want to try a Morgan M model. It is very similar to a Meyer, but made better, and I think it plays easier too. A Morgan 6 = .090, and 7 = .095.

 

[A Greene]

ZenBen

I have an RPC .105 - But I still feel as thought I'm playing with too much pressure. Otherwise - I really dig the mouthpeice. Maybe a trade? The .095 might be perfect. I didn't even know Ron made a .095. We are talking Tenor Saxophone right?

Tony

 

[Dr G]

I'm looking for a comfortable mouthpiece where I'm not forcing the reed closed to get to the actual tip opening l like.

P.S. I'm interested in starting a players with small tip opening support group.

Already there. I have a Morgan 3C that Jon Van Wie refaced to .095 and it's been my classical mouthpiece for the last several years. And, now that I've learned to blow it more efficiently, I use it for most jazz calls as well. It can be just as loud and full as anything else I have - including the Lamberson .110 and .120 - it's just a matter of what colors I want to hear in a given situation.

Check out the Morgan "L" series with a Francois Louis Lig and you may find what you need to set your tone free. Also consider trying some different cuts of reeds - Alexander DCs work really well for getting a big sound that have some edge when you want it. After that, focus on playing with a relaxed, open throat to get a full sound out of either setup.

 

[ZenBen]

ZenBen

I how an RPC .105 - But I still feel as thought I'm playing with too much pressure. Otherwise - I really dig the mouthpeice. Maybe a trade? The .095 might be perfect. I didn't even know Ron made a .095. We are talking Tenor Saxophone right?

Tony

hi tony,

yes, we are talking tenor. i bought this piece about 3 years ago new from ron. at that time he was listing the .095 on his web site. i am open to a trade, but unfortunately i'm not interested in the .105 rpc. that would be too open for me too. (btw, can i join your small tip club? i'm not sure that i would qualify though. i play either a link 7 or a selmer soloist g- which is round about .098. are those pieces too big for me to get in?)

i am pretty set with my pieces for all horns, but i would be open to listening to trade - hr only - or we could discuss a price. but please do remember that i won't be home until mid december.

ben

 

[A Greene]

ZenBen

Unfortunately, I don't keep many pieces. I either play it or sell it. I haven't sold the RPC because Ron was SOO nice about making it for me that I feel bad not using it. I'd really be interestedin the .095 RPC. Think about a price and if you could get it to me some how.

Tony

 

[Bar-Ron]

I hesitated to buy a Hite, since Daves passing, but they sound so good I risked it from Musiciansfriend. Seems OK to me. I have an alto a tenor and a bari Hite mouthpiece and I find them to be nearly the best all around mouthpiece that money can buy.
Babbit is doing alright at the moment with them and I recieved mine within 5 days last week.
I think the Tenor one is awesome, beats Morgans C3, Rousseau and Barones NY Model out on MY Buffett SDA.
On the Alto I'm torn between a Caravan for pure classical, but for most everything its the Hite with the larger tip opening.

The Bari piece I just began using and it is quickly repacing the Rousseau N6
and I feel may replace the Morgan on my Buescher '32.
Very versatile. Won't quite do what a Berg can do but has a smooth rich sound with an ease of volume. Bergs a bit harder to tone down and won't blend with quartet.

 

[ZenBen]

i really can't get to it until around christmas. i'm in england right now and the rpc is in storage in toronto. i'll get it out when i go back for christmas and see if you are still looking at that time. ben

 

[Fred]

What reed strength are you using with the Hite tenor piece? I loved my Hite alto piece, so I bought a used Hite tenor piece. I think I put a Vandoren #3 on it and it played like it was way too open a piece for a 3. I don't know the piece's history - maybe opened up?

 

[JL]

jentone, when I read your post, except for the tip opening, I immediately thought RPC! You might really want to get hold of that one that zen-ben has. But here's a thought. Have you experimented with different reed strengths on your .105 RPC? I have a .115 RPC and find it plays easily with a 2 1/2 V16 reed. Seems like the .105 should play even easier if you get the right reed strength on there. Maybe the reeds you are using are too hard for it.

 

[Mike Ruhl]

I use La Voz hard, Vandoren V16 #4, or a BARI medium on my Hite tenor.

 

[Dr G]

I hesitated to buy a Hite, since Daves passing, but they sound so good I risked it from Musiciansfriend. Seems OK to me. I have an alto a tenor and a bari Hite mouthpiece and I find them to be nearly the best all around mouthpiece that money can buy.
Babbit is doing alright at the moment with them and I recieved mine within 5 days last week.
I think the Tenor one is awesome, beats Morgans C3, Rousseau and Barones NY Model out on MY Buffett SDA.

The Hite tenor 'piece seems to have just a touch too much baffle for its tip size. Jon Van Wie reworked one for me by opening the tip and reducing the baffle and that's when it really started to come alive. They are a great blank for reworking tho' - good rubber and a good chamber.

 

[Mike Ruhl]

The Hite tenor 'piece seems to have just a touch too much baffle for its tip size. Jon Van Wie reworked one for me by opening the tip and reducing the baffle and that's when it really started to come alive. They are a great blank for reworking tho' - good rubber and a good chamber.

Maybe the ones you've played did have too much baffle, but the one I have is juuuuust right. Probably depends on what you're comparing it to as well. After playing a Link on my Super 20 for so long, the Hite was the tweak that made all the difference. It just dialed everything in perfectly.

I used to have a New York USA Meyer 8M that I bought new back in '74 - now that had too much baffle for a round-chambered mpc. From about A2 on up, it played sharp, sharp, sharp. It had the most piercing sound, laser-beam centered sound, and absolutely the fastest response of any mouthpiece I've ever played. I swapped that mpc with Jey Clark about 5 years, because I never played it. I wish I had kept it, just because it was so weird.

 

[Bar-Ron]

I'm coming back to the Hite's every time I get curious about something else.
To me it is usually a reed change that brings me to satisfaction.

I'll admit to using a caravan medium on alto for the pure blending deep tone requirements of classical, but maybe I could do that with enough time spent on Hite.

Tenor , it is Hite artist all the time(Buffett SDA). Have a Caravan on Classical standby on that too but I may lend that to a Kielwerth player who is trying to tone down the monster.

Bari, is becoming Hite for quartet work. Just got it and am beginning to try different reeds for different subtleties.

Berg, on Bari, is still for Jazz band , but Hite replaces Rousseau N6 for quartet.