Here is a JodyJazz ESP 7* (.105) tenor saxophone mouthpiece. These are made by Jody Espina who has a huge variety of mouthpieces that he makes at www.jodyjazz.com. I borrowed this from a good friend of mine. These mouthpieces come with what’s called a “spoiler”. It is a black wedge that you slide into the mouthpiece and it locks into place against the straight sidewalls of the mouthpiece. Extending from the back of the wedge is a 1 inch long thin metal strip. From what I’ve read about these “spoilers’, the wedge acts like a temporary baffle that you can put in to brighten the sound and give you extra volume when needed. The metal strip acts like a secondary reed that vibrates and increases the sound even more. I’m not sure if this last part is true but I do know that it does what it is advertised to do.
When the spoiler in inserted this piece doubles in volume and brightness. I use to own one of these about 7-8 years ago and I played it with the spoiler in all the time for all sorts of gigs. This was a great piece to go to for those loud R@B gigs where you had to cut through but it sounded just as good on the laid back jazz sets. Although I prefer a link type mouthpiece now, I like that you can get bright and loud with the ESP but it’s sound remains very fat! It doesn’t get thin at all. I recorded two clips with this mouthpiece. One is with the spoiler in and the second one is without the spoiler. You can hear the difference for yourself. Let me know what you think.
ESP with Spoiler
ESP without Spoiler
Those sound great. To my ear, the spoiler sample sounded darker than the one without the soiler. I would have thought it would be the opposite but I get the same results with my ESP.It seems counter intuitive.
I’m glad you did this comparison. I always wanted to hear how you sounded on an ESP.
Here’s a question: Were you playing on a Vandoren Java on these samples?
Hi Steve,
after first hearing the comparison I thought that the sound file labeling had been mixed up – the sound seems to be brighter without the spoiler. That’s really surprising!
By the way, beautiful playing as always…
Yes Vandoren Java 2 1/2
Hi Steve,
I went back and forth between the two SEVERAL times, and ended up almost as confused as Honeyboy and Jochen.
For a second or two, I thought the spoiler one had an “edge” over the other…2 seconds later not sure…2 seconds later very close and not sure…
Probably a more interesting viewpoint is ..Did YOU feel/hear an edge?
Would ANY of these mps get a different ambience in a studio setup (assuming just moderate effects)? If something like an EQ adjustment could bring out an “edge”, in ADDITION to a great fat sound, you would have the best of both worlds. Whereas if you had an “all edge” (skinny?) sound, that’s all you’d get….But then someone would say “make a different EQ”. Can you make Jr. Walker sound like Plas Johnson in a studio and vice-versa? I’ll bet you can get pretty close.
OK, now come clean! Did you switch clips?
BTW, I like the slower long tones thrown in.
I’ll look into that. Thanks, Steve
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Hi Steve.
I play otto link tone edge #5 090 tip. I am loking to bay metal mouthpiece-Peter-Ponzol. Dont know wich one? What is your sugestion? I play smooth jazz and gospel music.And how much are those mouthpiece? thanks Marius
I like the M2 a lot. Maybe look for a used one with a .100-,105 tip. It will be bigger than your .090 TE but it has a higher baffle and might not feel as so much of a difference in tip opening.
Hi Steve.
what is the diference in sound betwenn M2 gold plate and M2 stainlees steel ? Thanks
The M2 gold seems a little brighter to me. The SS has a thicker somewhat darker sound for me.
Hi Steve
what kind of saxophone do you play?
I play a Selmer SBA tenor that I play most of the time.
I am tinking to sell my Selmer Mark 7. What Kind of saxophone do you suggest me to buy?. Is enything better? Thanks
You have to try other horns. I like the Selmer SBA and Mark VI’s but again you have to try them as there are good ones and bad ones. For new horns the one I like best is the RS Berkeley Virtuoso’s. Great intonation and dark big sound. It’s the only new horn I have tried in the past 10 years that I have liked and would highly recommend.
How makes the Rs Berkely Virtuosos?.Where i can find this
horn. Thanks.
What is this SBA?
Hi steve
Thank you for great help. I have found all ready the site and the RS Tenor Sax look inexpensive to me comperd with the Selmer. They have on option with high key F#. Do i need that?.Forgive me for all the questions ,i am o missionary in Romania and i dont have nowbady with the experience like you here. Would you buy RS rather than Selmer 54 ? Thanks Marius .God bless you.
Yes I would get the RSBerkeley over a Selmer 54. I’ve played a number of the Selmers and didn’t really like them.
SBA is Super Balanced Action by Selmer. It was made before the Mark VI. If you do a search you can find the RS Berkeley website.
Thanks o lot Steve
Hi Steve
Did you ever try Tenor Keilwerth Sx-90 ? Are they preety much like Selmer ?
I have tried them in the past. They were OK but I wasn’t blown away by the one I tried. It didn’t have that core sound I love in old Selmers.
Hi Steve.
What is your price range for o good metal tenor mouthpiece?
I’m not sure what you are asking? The most I have ever paid for a mouthpiece is 850.00
Hi Steve
I am looking to buy a metal mouthpiece.Do you have any for sale ?
Not right now. All I have for metal are some great links but I’m not willing to part with any of them yet. Steve
Typical Jody Jazz: The baffle centers the sound and I prefer it over the setting w/o the baffle, but I don’t really like either one. Too bright and upper-midrangey for my taste. Several of my sax students have bought these and their band directors have requested that they DON’T use them because they’re too loud and don’t blend with a section. We’re talking high-schoolers here… I think the problem is that Jody’s m’pieces are like musclecars and can be too much to control for anyone who’s embrouchure is not so well developed. The reason the kids like them is that they’re incredibly powerful, in tune and blow altissimo like nobody’s business, so they make average players feel like above average players… I suppose that’s a good thing, but I still don’t like the tone of Jody’s stuff very much.