[bartonsax]

....is absolutely amazing. Incredible. Magical. Awesome.
I got to try one out today, and it was by far the best bari sax mouthpiece I've ever tried. I think Vandoren has set the new standard for bari sax mouthpieces with the new hard rubber V16 bari piece. Even if you never thought you'd like a hard rubber piece, you should still give this a blow and see what you think. Gary Smulyan said that he thought he'd never like a hard rubber piece, but he loved the new V16. Joe Temperly also loved the piece. People playing metal links tend to love this piece, but I came from a metal berg, and I still love this piece. I've tried modern and vintage (real vintage; not the new vintage stuff - which I dont think they even have for bari yet) hard rubber and metal links, Selmer C*'s, many, many, many metal and rubber bergs, pillingers, Drake Ceramics, and other mouthpiece I'm probably forgetting. This mouthpiece blows easily, plays great, and most importantly: sounds great. It has a great "punch" to it, but without being edgy, which gives me a sound that's something similar to Pepper adams and Smulyan. I've never realized how much I've been struggling with my current seup until I tried this piece with some Vandoren reeds and the leather vandoren ligature that goes with it. And as a bonus: it even looks nice. Check it out!

 

[saxjd]

Either the V16 is good or bartonsax is having a manic episode

 

[Caymen]

I can't find it on the Vandoren website..

 

[bartonsax]

Check under "Product Sheets". It should be to the right of "Products". Then when the screen pops up, click on V16.

 

[bartonsax]

Either the V16 is good or bartonsax is having a manic episode

I've been searching for that perfect setup for so long.....and I'm happy to say I believe the great search is finally over. So I probably am having a manic episode, but even so, the V16 is as good as I say it is :mrgreen:

 

[Caymen]

Did you get the B5 B7 or B9?

 

[Stretch]

http://www.vandoren.fr/en/fprod/Becs%20de%20saxophone%20V16%20ebonite%20en.pdf

 

[Kini]

Did you ever try the B75? Also, a great piece. I hate Vandoren's descriptions:

B7 - The qualities of the V5 series B75 with the sound of the V16

What is that supposed to mean?

 

[lhoffman]

Man, they are really stretching this thing out. And on top of it, I'll have to wait another year before they're on the second hand market I would love to try one, but you know these are going to come in at about $200 a pop.
Bartonsax, is this designed like the other V16's with the rollover baffle and long facing?

 

[bartonsax]

Did you get the B5 B7 or B9?

I ended up going with the B7. The B9 wasn't really any harder to play with the same reed, but the sound wasn't as colorful as it was on the B7. The B9 was just a little bit louder.

 

[bartonsax]

Man, they are really stretching this thing out. And on top of it, I'll have to wait another year before they're on the second hand market I would love to try one, but you know these are going to come in at about $200 a pop.
Bartonsax, is this designed like the other V16's with the rollover baffle and long facing?

I haven't played nor seen the V16's for the other saxes, but the bari V16 actually has a berg-larsen looking bullet chamber in it. As far as facings go, the B5 and B7 are supposed to be "medium long" while the B9 is supposed to be "long", but coming from a metal berg larsen, the facings on all 3 pieces are MUCH shorter than on a berg M facing, and the "long" B9 facing isn't that much longer than the "medium long" facings on the other models. Although I'm no expert, the size of the facings look similar to facing on metal otto links. I'll take some pictures of it now and post them up so you guys can see for yourselves.

Also - can someone tell me the best way of taking care of and cleaning a hard rubber mouthpiece?

 

[saxjd]

Where are they available for purchase?

 

[bartonsax]

Yes I've tried the B75. I hated it. The V16 is much different from Vandoren's other bari mouthpieces. And I know what you mean about the comments......you need to try them all for yourself and create your own opinions about the mouthpieces.

 

[bartonsax]

Where are they available for purchase?

You can get them at the Vandoren studio in NYC...other than that, I don't know. They're so new, the guy didn't even know the price on them...

 

[bartonsax]

 

[bartonsax]

Photos of the V16 Bari mouthpiece^^^

 

[Merlin]

I've got a big hunger to get one of these. I've been playing a couple of B75 pieces with my own chamber mods for several years. I love the fact they made the shank longer. Probably work better on vintage horns that way.

 

[bartonsax]

I've got a big hunger to get one of these. I've been playing a couple of B75 pieces with my own chamber mods for several years. I love the fact they made the shank longer. Probably work better on vintage horns that way.

Conn players love these, but I'm lovin' mine on my low Bb mark VI.

 

[daigle65]

....Also - can someone tell me the best way of taking care of and cleaning a hard rubber mouthpiece?

Rinse out with warm (not hot) water after each use.
You can also use an old toothbrush and soap on the beak area.
After some time, mineral deposits will collect on the inside. Soak the mpc in white vinegar for 20 minutes or so and it will easily come off.

 

[Kini]

They look similar to the B75's, which also have a short flat baffl and a bullet chamber - I wonder how they are dimensionally different.