[ZiCheng]

Hi all, I'm looking into getting my second mouthpiece and I'm asking for some recommendations for a round chambered alto mouthpiece.

My current set up is a Yamaha 61 with a Yamaha custom ebonite 4C mouthpiece. The tip opening would be about 67 thousands of an inch, I believe. The Yamaha is a great mouthpiece. I usually go for a paul desmond mellow sound on it, but I can get it to sound edgy to full bodied as well. I'm really looking for something that is different. One of the reasons I want to get a new mouthpiece now is that I am going to China soon and staying for a year or two, and play testing a mouthpiece may be much harder there than in Toronto, where I live now.

Here is what I'm looking for in a mouthpiece:

-Consistency of production. I need to be able to find a good playing example of the mouthpiece without much trouble.

-Good Availability. Needs to be available in stores, as I'd prefer to play one before buying, and I don't have time to wait for shipping.

-Flexible sound.

-Relatively easy to blow.

-Good control across the entire range of the horn(including altissimo).

-Between 100 to 200 dollars.

-I'm not very concerned about projection or edge.

Here are the sounds I'm trying to emulate:

-Paul desmond
-Charlie parker
-Cannonball Adderley
-Johnny Hodges

Here are some pieces I know about that I believe are round chambered, and I think may work for me:

jody jazz HR 6 or 7
Meyer 6 or 7
Otto Link
Vandoren V5 A35
Ralph Morgan Jazz 6M or 7M


I've played a jody jazz HR and Meyer and liked the Meyer sound more. The jody jazz didn't sound as "big", for the lack of a better word. I didn't seem to have a problem with the 7 facing on Meyer, using the same strength reeds as I do on the yamaha (vandoren java 3).


I may be going to a Long and Mcquade (Canadian chain store) on Saturday, they are said to have a Morgan 6M, and I suspect they will have Vandoren, Meyer, Jody Jazz, and Link as well.

Any suggestions guys?

 

[Martinman]

Vandoren V16

 

[hakukani]

Barone NY 7M HR

Plays like a meyer, only with better response, and a more complex sound

 

[J.Max]

Vandoren V16. The Morgans will be hard to come by for a while, except for the used ones...

 

[gary]

Wow, you've done your homework, ZiCheng!! Thank you.

I agree with each suggestion above (yours + the others) and I think the mpcs listed above are enough for you to test play. I'm sure you could find something there to like.

FWIW, I just bought a Vandoren V16 and it's a great mpc. Also, if I may, I would add the old war horse Selmer S80 C* to the list. I think it's underrated (at least here) as a so-called "jazz mouthpiece" and for the kind of playing you seem to be wanting to do, it can work well. And then, if you get yourself into any kind of classical playing situation while you are in China, the C* will do you better than, say, the JJ HR.

 

[Rackety Sax]

...Also, if I may, I would add the old war horse Selmer S80 C* to the list. ...

Since when does an S80 have a round chamber?

 

[bruce bailey]

For a round Selmer, LT, metal or Super Session.

 

[retread]

ZiZheng, if you know you like the sound of the Meyer, Saxquest sells the Meyer 6, perected by Doc Tenney, for US$190. Great sound and response, and no worries about production inconsistencies.

 

[ZiCheng]

Thanks for those suggestions guys.

I went to the music store today and tried the following:

Otto Link 5
Meyer 7
Vandoren V16 A6 small chamber
Vandoren V16 A6 large chamber
Ralph Morgan 6EL

I ended up taking home the Meyer 7 and Morgan 6EL. I may post some recordings up to get people to help me decide. The Meyer has a dark, full bodied sound that I like, but the I like the Morgan as well, It's got a certain quality I can't yet pinpoint. I notice it's kind of raspier, and sounds breathier, the tone isn't as pure, for the lack of a better word. The Morgan is used at 150 dollars canadian and the new Meyer is 125 dollars. The Vandoren didn't do much for me, though perhaps if I had tried the larger tip opening they would have been better.

 

[rsclosson]

you got an excellent price on the EL Whatever you settle on, hold on to the Morgan if that isnt your final choice. I am using ELs exclusively on Tenor and Alto and LOVE them. From time to time I try other things and keep coming back to the Morgans. Experiment with different reeds as well. You will find your sound.

 

[gary]

Since when does an S80 have a round chamber?

It was a general statement.
S80s have U chambers...unless you've got a router handy in the garage. :twisted:

 

[ZiCheng]

It was a general statement.
S80s have U chambers...unless you've got a router handy in the garage. :twisted:

Thanks Gary for that suggestion. The selmer S80 would probably have been my pick if my first mouthpiece had been a cheap stock mouthpiece. But my current and first mouthpiece is a yamaha custom 4cm, and plays almost identical to the selmer C** and selmer D that I have played. The latter mouthpieces had a bit more punch, but the same basic sound. I wanted something different, but I didn't want to go the metal/baffle route, which is why I wanted to try a round chambered piece.

 

[J.Max]

It was a general statement.
S80s have U chambers...unless you've got a router handy in the garage. :twisted:

S80s have square chambers...

 

[Martinman]

Gary is talking about the soloist I believe. That has the "U" chamber.

 

[gary]

Gary is talking about the soloist I believe. That has the "U" chamber.

...and I've got both.

Geez (not you Martinman) Marie, how's this then.
"You're right. An S80 does not have a round chamber."
Feel better now? Good. I know I do.

 

[EZ]

S80's chambers aren't square - they just haven't assimilated with the other mouthpieces. No need to resort to name calling.

 

[Agent27]

As Huey Lewis and the News would say, "It's hip to be square."

 

[jmm1713]

yeah -- Vandoren V16

 

[ZiCheng]

Mind if I get back on track with a mouthpiece question?

I wonder if any one can suggest a mouthpiece that has a tendency to produce a very pure sound like Paul Desmond.

Here is my assessment of my two mouthpieces so far.

The Morgan 6EL sounds very buzzy/breathy to me. Even when I play high I hear a lot of air, and I can't seem to play it very loudly. It's a bit too responsive, also, I'm used to having more resistance. I can play harder reeds easier on it than on my Yamaha 4c. I don't think it's the sound I want right now, but due to such high praise from everywhere I kind of want to keep it and play it again when my sound has changed or developed some what.

The Meyer 7 is much closer to what I want. Very focused sound, I perceive the sound to be somewhat brighter than my Yamaha 4c (which is similar to Selmer C*), and also very responsive, but has the right amount of resistance to it. But ultimately, I don't think it can do anything the yamaha can't.

I'm going to keep both for a week or two more, and try to get used to them before sending one or both back.

 

[EZ]

What, precisely, is the Meyer 7 not doing that you want it to do? Sound, response, etc...