[craigmultireedguy]

I've been curious about this for a while now. 7** is a fairly popular size tip opening these days, offered by many makers. But why? Is the .002" difference between that and an 8 actually big enough to warrant a new size offering? If it is, why don't you ever see any other ** tips out there? And why are they always three thousandths bigger than the numerical value and not two thousandths?

 

[pontius]

Actually on a 5 star system they are really not that great.

 

[MojoBari]

If there is a market for them, some makers will offer them. I think you can feel a .002”-.003” difference but you can easily adjust for it with a reed choice.

 

[mmichel]

I think it's for similar reasons that 3.5+ strengths are commonly offered by clarinet reed makers.

7* is a very popular tip opening for tenor; essentially the standard tip opening for jazz players, so it makes sense to have a finer gradation around that point.

Note that 7** is not popular for other saxes (i.e., S/A/B).

 

[mrpeebee]

I think it's nonsense. The difference between two reeds from the same box/brand is often already bigger.

But it's like Mojo, says, if there is a market they will be offered.

 

[Sigmund451]

Its pretty funny since even the best work out there has a one thousandth of an inch of variance if not more....so the 7** may in reality only be a thousandths bigger than a 7*

There are people who think they can feel it so the market humors them.

It is also rendered nonsense as there is more variance in a box of the same strength reed.

...but if you order it, I will make it. Im here to serve even if I don't buy into the concept.

 

[pontius]

I don't know man, sometimes you just can't get a sound out of that 8 but the dang 7* is closing up on you.

 

[10mfan]

Freddie Gregory was the one who started offering a 7** years ago, and since then, guys love to see those two stars on the side. I know someone had asked Freddie for a custom tip between .105 and .110, and thats how it started. Freddie told me that, himself.
I can tell you that I sell more of that size than any other size BY FAR. Not even a close 2nd.
10+ years ago, the most popular tip seemed like a seven tip opening for tenor. When I was moving a lot of vintage pieces, everybody loved the .100. Then it seemed to gravitate to a seven star .105, for the straightahead guys.
The seven double star is very popular.
I personally went the other direction and I’m playing on a .090.

Whatever makes you happy.
Happy holiday wishes to everybody!

 

[Manitou]

I don't know man, sometimes you just can't get a sound out of that 8 but the dang 7* is closing up on you.

+1

i would think that variations in the chamber would have more impact than an extra * in tip

 

[Swaman]

Double star mouthpieces were not only made in 7**. When I bought a Selmer Soprano in the 60's, it came with a C** Soloist short shank HR mouthpiece as part of the deal at Manny's. I would have preferred either a D or E. I ended up with a S-80 E for that horn.
I think that Navarro's Bob Mintzer BBS 7** might be the cause of that tip size resurgence. I had a BBS 7** for a while and I'm sorry I sold it, and several other mouthpieces I owned. Now I'm looking for a Navarro Maestra 7/7* to continue the great adventure. My no USA STM .104 LINK (how many stars is that?) seems to end up being better than all the others, but it's fun to change up the groove occasionally.

 

[10mfan]

No, Freddie Gregory was the one who made the 7** popular, and Navarro copied Freddies bag, and offered that tip size also.
We all offer that tip size now because people enjoy it.

 

[Dave Pollack]

I play a 10mfan Classic 7**...works for me!

 

[Pete Thomas]

It is all marketing psychology. 7 is a magic number, 8 is not. So if you can have a mouthpiecxe with a 7 and a couple of stars that make it basically an 8 without the stigma then you will sell more of those. I find people either like 7 or 9 (with stars)

So we can now do you a 7*** that is even better than a 7**, and currently I'm working on other character denominations sizes that are better than asterisks so the best mouthpiece will be the 7**#* (currently in protoype and being beta tested by my number 1 endorser Roger Lewis of the Dirty Dozen). We call it the 7 doublestar hashtag star.

HOWEVER we now have plans for the 7****>>>^!!$$$****. This is ideal because you can then legitimately get away with all the special characters in your SOTW thread title so your thread stands out in the new post list above everyone else's without breaking or bending the marketplace rules.

People take all these gear specs way too seriously.

 

[mrpeebee]

HOWEVER we now have plans for the 7****>>>^!!$$$****.

Pete, will you offer that also for 10* (can't wait!)?

 

[KMR]

Pete, will you offer that also for 10* (can't wait!)?

Actually, Petes latest offering equates to a 14* in old money
But, and it is a BIG, important BUT, and it is this that makes it different from all the other "ordinary " mouthpiece makers.
It ..............................feels exactly like whatever size you want it to feel like.

You want a 7** on a Monday, but only a feeble 7* on a Tuesday. No problem. This 14* has it covered.

Unbelievable. You better believe it !!!!!!!

It's the future.

 

[pontius]

I think half stars would be nice.

 

[whaler]

I always wonder who started the “7* is the jazz player opening” bull when I can’t think of one player who played that.
Joe, Trane, Brecker, Bob Berg, etc..all played normal tip openings.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

Who made the * the standard for mouthpiece tip openings? Why not the & or the $ or the ~?

 

[dirty]

Who made the * the standard for mouthpiece tip openings? Why not the & or the $ or the ~?

Otto Link, right?

I play a 7** 10MFan. With a low to medium baffle, I find I have been comfortable on mouthpieces in the 7-8 range. I ended up on the 7** because that's what was available when I ordered. I'm sure it would be fine if I were on a 7* or an 8, maybe with a different reed or maybe not.

To Mark's credit, it does does measure exactly .108". Whether or not I could feel the difference between a 7* and a 7** from playing it, I can't really say.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

Otto Link, right?

I play a 7** 10MFan. With a low to medium baffle, I find I have been comfortable on mouthpieces in the 7-8 range. I ended up on the 7** because that's what was available when I ordered. I'm sure it would be fine if I were on a 7* or an 8, maybe with a different reed or maybe not.

To Mark's credit, it does does measure exactly .108". Whether or not I could feel the difference between a 7* and a 7** from playing it, I can't really say.

That was kind of a joke with the * after the number. Never mind.